COPE Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath told Parliament yesterday that removing Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) from the government’s ownership showed how the private sector was acquiring state assets on the sly.
The COPE Chairman said so during the adjournment debate moved by the government on COPE reports submitted to the House on March 10, 2021 and April 06, 2021.
Prof. Herath pointed out that a Cabinet paper had been passed and a gazette notification issued during the Yahapalana regime divesting the SLIIT.
The COPE Chairman requested the government to cancel the Cabinet paper at issue and the gazette notification and reacquire the institution.
According to the special COPE report submitted to the House on April 06, 2021, the government approved the establishment of the SLIIT through the Cabinet Memorandum (98/995/11/052) presented on 01 April 1998 under the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarships Trust Fund (Act No. 66 of 1981).
It says the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarships Trust Fund has given Rs. 500 million and its 25-acre land at Malabe as initial capital of the Sri Lanka Information technology Company.
Prof Herath said: “This establishment was expected to remain as a non-profit, limited liability company and become a leading state educational institution in the IT field. The expectation was to make SLIIT part of Moratuwa university.
In 2015, Dr. Wickreme Weerasuriya, who was a leading personality in the Mahapola Director Board withdraw state involvement in the SLIIT. The Representatives of the UGC, BOI and Moratuwa University who were on the SLIIT Board of Directors were removed and SLITT divested. This is an act of stealing government resources in broad daylight.”
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