The prorogation of Parliament was done while illegal matters such as the LNG deal was discussed in Parliament says Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Tissa Attanayake. He made this statement during a media brief yesterday (14). "Last week MP Anura Kumara Dissanayaka made new revelations on the illegal LNG deal reached with New Fortress Inc., this prorogation was done when illegal matters like that were being debated in Parliament. The COPA and the COPE did a very valuable service to the country in the last few months, all the operations and all the records they kept will cease to exist through the prorogation," said Attanayake. Attanayake went on to say that through a prorogation, the existing committees would be nullified and to appoint the committees once again would take up to 6 months. "Parliament will start its proceedings once again on the 18th of January, but it will take at least 6 months to appoint members to the committees and convene. Nothing can be done during that 6 month period," concluded Attanayake. Meanwhile, SJB MP Nalin Bandara said that the decision for a Parliament prorogation was done as the President's requirements are not being met by various select committees. "We have heard rumours that the decision for a Parliament prorogation was done as the President's requirements are not being met by various select committees. Serious allegations were leveled against the Chairman and the Director General of the BOI at the COPE. As a result, the chairman of the BOI, who is close to the President, decided to resign. That may have enraged the President, that is what we have heard. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is the chairman of the committee on public accounts. He conducted affairs of the committee well and made several important revelations on multiple scams in the process as well," said Bandara. He further questioned if the decision to prorogue Parliament was a decision made to remove the chairman of COPE and COPA.