Finance Ministry Ad on Crude Oil: JO to refer matter to COPA
Posted on May 22nd, 2018
Lahiru Pothmulla Courtesy The Daily Mirror
The joint opposition said today it was hoping to request the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to summon the Finance Ministry Secretary in connection with the recent newspaper advertisement comparing crude oil prices during the previous government and today.
JO MP and COPA member Bandula Gunawardena said the contents of the advertisement published by the Finance Ministry using public funds was false.
During the previous government, the price of a barrel of crude oil always remained at more than US$100. Even recent Central Bank reports confirm these prices. However, the Finance Ministry advertisement says the price of a barrel of crude oil during the previous government was US$60. It is a blatant lie. It is tax payers money which had been misused to publish these fabricated data. As a COPA member I expect to request the Committee to summon Finance Ministry secretary on this matter,” he told a news briefing.