Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P.
Profession: Chartered Accountant
Speeches 694 #4 of 225·#1 in party
Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)
Top topic Parliamentary Procedure 359 speeches
Last spoke 10 June 2026 in Debate
Activity by sitting
114 sittings · counts only, no scoring.
Topic focus
AI summary AI-assigned tags, 1–3 per speech. Counts only — not a score.
Speech history
694 speeches- 25 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake urged the Government to engage the United Kingdom on trade agreements and pursue new export markets through free trade arrangements, citing a 6.6% decline in apparel exports as a concern requiring quick action. He also questioned delays in tabling the Board of Investment’s 2023/2024 accounts and called for the BOI to operate more efficiently, with a more private-sector-oriented approach to facilitating exports. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Regulations for Vehicle Imports Public FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
- 25 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that the import control regulations are only a temporary response and called for coherent policies on vehicle imports, cross-border LCs, public transport, renewable energy, tourism transport, and export facilitation. He said declining public transport capacity is increasing reliance on private vehicles and fuel imports, and urged renewed attention to projects such as LRT and to renewable energy as a state policy. He supported a shift away from government-run businesses toward facilitation and public-private participation, citing telecom and sugar as examples, while raising concerns over productivity, wage policy consistency, and selective participation by foreign banks. He also warned that rising external debt repayments from 2028 require stronger export earnings, faster container clearance and approvals, and specific support for sectors such as apparel and tourism. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Regulations for Vehicle Imports Cost of LivingPublic FinanceInfrastructure Read →
- 25 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake questioned why Samurdhi lending rates remain at 12–14 per cent when commercial banks lend to agriculture at 6–8 per cent, arguing this is unfair to borrowers and asking what steps can reduce the rates. He also urged that Samurdhi banks be brought under Central Bank oversight in the context of IMF engagement and the upcoming tranche, noting that the 2013 Act cited in the response may be an obstacle. Oral Answers to Questions Public FinanceAgriculture Read →
- 25 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake asked for the current lending interest rates. The intervention appears to be a brief request for information, likely directed to the relevant minister or authority, without further argument or policy proposal. Oral Answers to Questions Public Finance Read →
- 25 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake sought a response on the financial performance of an institution with Rs. 196 billion in assets and Rs. 11 billion profit in 2024, noting that the net return was about 4.5 per cent. He questioned why returns on deployed capital appeared low when lending rates were reportedly 12–14 per cent and deposit rates 4–8 per cent, and asked for the relevant Minister’s view. Oral Answers to Questions Public Finance Read →
- 25 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake asked the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment for detailed information on the assets, number, governance, and financial performance of Samurdhi Banks and Samurdhi General Societies. He sought clarification on whether Samurdhi Banks are regulated by the Central Bank, reasons for any exclusion, details of the board chairmanship and shareholders, and ten-year data on profits or losses, balance sheets, deposit interest rates, and lending rates. Oral Answers to Questions Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake briefly requests that a person be permitted to read the relevant material or statement. No substantive policy argument or proposal is made. Privilege Question and Matter of Privilege Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake clarified that he was not engaging in debate, but seeking to ensure a point concerning Sri Lanka before being interrupted. The speech fragment contains no specific proposal, question, or policy demand. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned how the Government intends to bridge the gap between projected reserves of about US$6.7 billion, including expected IMF and ADB inflows, and the US$7.2 billion target. He warned that uncertainty could affect macro-linked bondholder decisions and pressure the rupee, noting the fiscal impact of exchange rate depreciation and interest rate changes. He urged action to prevent bureaucratic delays from constraining the economy. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Public Finance Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned the consistency of Central Bank reserve figures, arguing that reported foreign exchange purchases should have raised Net Reserves beyond the latest stated level. He warned that failure to build reserves under the IMF debt sustainability framework could affect the rupee and external creditor confidence, and called for more candid reporting and policy focused on export growth and reserve accumulation. He also criticized the independent Central Bank’s role in past economic management and its internal spending priorities. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Public FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake urged the Minister to provide an immediate response on the abolition of SVAT, noting that only one week remained before it took effect. He said exporters needed clarity urgently and requested an answer the same day or the next day to support export activity. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Public FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised concerns under Standing Order 27(2) over the abolition of the Simplified VAT system from 1 October 2025, arguing that it would create serious cash-flow, refund delay, and competitiveness problems for exporters, SMEs, deemed exporters, and related sectors such as apparel, tea, rubber, logistics and shipping. Citing warnings from export industry representatives, he said the change would replace immediate VAT relief with refunds delayed by 105–180 days and effectively require exporters to finance the Treasury interest-free. He asked the Minister of Finance what measures, safeguards, interim digital mechanisms, and transitional support would prevent insolvency and protect the Government’s stated target of increasing exports to US$36 billion by 2030. He also sought the projected fiscal benefit to the Treasury and clarification to ensure entrepôt trading and related transport sectors are not adversely brought within SVAT-related changes. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Foreign AffairsPublic FinanceEmployment Read →
- 24 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake requested that the House allocate the full available time to discuss the impact of abolishing the Simplified Value Added Tax scheme on the export sector. He framed the issue as requiring dedicated parliamentary consideration due to its significance for exporters. Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Executive Presidency and SVAT Public Finance Read →
- 12 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned the feasibility and sustainability of increasing Sri Lanka’s official reserves from US$6.1 billion in August 2025 to the IMF EFF target of US$7.2 billion by December 2025. He asked the Minister of Finance to clarify whether the reserve build-up would come from durable inflows such as exports, remittances, tourism and FDI, or from borrowing, swaps, IMF tranches, import compression, higher interest rates, or short-term portfolio inflows. He also sought transparency on gross versus net usable reserves, related liabilities and repayment risks for 2026-2027, including implications for ISB holders and macro-linked bonds, and asked what contingency plans exist if the target is not met. Questions by Private Notice: Issues in Education and Higher Education Sectors (Standing Order 27(2)) Public FinanceCost of LivingEmployment Read →
- 12 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake sought to raise a question under Standing Order 27(2) but noted that the relevant Minister was absent to respond. He asked whether he would be informed that the answer would be provided only after a month. Questions by Private Notice: Issues in Education and Higher Education Sectors (Standing Order 27(2)) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 12 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake used the metaphor of being “like a betel nut caught in a mill” to convey that he felt trapped or pressured by circumstances. No specific policy proposal, question, or legislative issue was raised in the quoted remark. Questions by Private Notice: Issues in Education and Higher Education Sectors (Standing Order 27(2)) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 11 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake urged that profits and commercialization in state enterprises should benefit the public, opposing a proposed 8.7% electricity tariff increase and higher CEB distribution costs. He called for public-private partnerships, labour reforms, faster decision-making by Customs, the BOI and Port City authorities, and procurement reforms, citing delays in Health sector tenders. He argued that export growth and effective implementation of the National Audit (Amendment) Act, alongside better use of the 2025 capital expenditure allocation, are needed to reduce debt and strengthen the economy. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate InfrastructurePublic FinanceEmployment Read →
- 11 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake warned that inadequate reserves ahead of macro-linked bond repayments could trigger capital outflows, rupee depreciation, and cost-push inflation, noting the fiscal impact of exchange-rate and interest-rate movements. He welcomed reports of closing 33 state entities but urged a clear plan for improving public-sector productivity without merely retrenching workers. He also highlighted that five major state-owned enterprises account for most state indebtedness and called for discussion on reforms to manage these fiscal risks. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Corruption & Governance ReformEmploymentPublic Finance Read →
- 11 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake supported strengthening the National Audit framework, noting its long legislative history and arguing that Sri Lanka should undertake such reforms on its own rather than due to IMF pressure. He said the amendments should enhance the Auditor-General’s powers while ensuring fairness, judicial recourse, and a balanced approach to surcharge penalties so that public officials are not deterred from performing their duties. He also called for better remuneration for key public-sector oversight institutions, including the Auditor-General’s Department, CIABOC and the Treasury, and urged the Central Bank to explain how foreign reserves will rise from US$6.1 billion to the targeted US$7.2 billion before the IMF programme ends. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Justice & Human RightsParliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
- 11 September 2025 AI summary Ravi Karunanayake explained that although he had been allocated speaking time the previous day, he was unable to use it because he had to attend a meeting at an embassy. He noted this in response to the Minister having referred to him by name. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Parliamentary Procedure Read →