Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· National List

Deputy Minister of Tourism

Profession: Academician

Roster profile ↗

Speeches 48 #97 of 225·#46 in party

Attendance 4/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

48 speeches

20 May 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe rejected Opposition claims on poverty, vehicle letters of credit, and the e-passport tender, stating that official clarifications and available data contradicted those allegations. He argued that Sri Lanka’s economy, weakened over decades of rule by previous administrations, had now achieved macroeconomic stabilization recognized by the World Bank, ADB, and IMF. He cited projected GDP growth, a per capita GDP above USD 5,000, sectoral expansion, a primary surplus, and a current account surplus as evidence of recovery, while noting tourism disruptions from Middle East conflict and plans to focus on Indian and Chinese markets. Adjournment Debate: Central Bank Annual Economic Review 2025 Public FinanceEmploymentAgriculture Read →
20 May 2026 AI summary Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe disputed Opposition claims about fertilizer shortages, stating that fertilizer is available for the Yala season and arrangements, including discussions with Russia, are being made for Maha supplies, while alleging some stocks have been hoarded. He challenged claims of poor-quality fertilizer by asking the Opposition to present laboratory evidence and testing criteria. He also rejected claims that health services in Polonnaruwa had collapsed, citing government efforts to secure 16 new catheterization laboratories through the ADB and donors, and referred members to the Central Bank report as evidence of progress. Adjournment Debate: Central Bank Annual Economic Review 2025 HealthcareAgriculturePublic Finance Read →
5 May 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe outlined ongoing and planned tourism promotion activities, noting that over Rs. 6 billion was spent on trade fair promotion in the previous year. He said a Rs. 5 billion global promotion programme is before the Treasury and awaiting Cabinet approval, while a Rs. 1 billion short-term campaign targeting off-season markets in China, India, Australia, and Spain has already been approved. Further promotional activities are expected to begin within about a month, subject to standard government procedures. Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details Foreign AffairsPublic Finance Read →
5 May 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe stated that talks have begun on tax remittance mechanisms and further discussions are underway on information sharing. He said the matter must be handled responsibly but will not be allowed to continue indefinitely, and that necessary measures are being developed. Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details Public Finance Read →
5 May 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe said regulation of online accommodation platforms must be handled carefully because many small guesthouses depend on them for bookings and could be harmed if platforms delist properties in response to taxation measures. He stated that discussions have begun with the platforms to bring them into a tax payment framework, which would support oversight, and that SLTDA is implementing registration to bring informal accommodation providers into compliance. Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details InfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
5 May 2026 AI summary Agreed that the matter under discussion is sensitive and should be handled carefully. Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 May 2026 AI summary The Deputy Minister provided tourism sector data on behalf of the relevant Minister, including 31 registered star-class hotels with 4,787 rooms, annual tourist arrivals and earnings from 2010 to 2025, average length of stay, repeat visitor estimates, and country-wise arrivals, while noting several categories of data were unavailable with the SLTDA. He reported that tourist arrivals recovered to 2.36 million in 2025 with earnings of USD 3.219 billion, and that repeat visitors account for about 18 per cent of arrivals based on exit surveys. He also identified key weaknesses in the tourism industry, including inadequate provincial attraction planning, limited digitalization and destination marketing, weak coordination, insufficient investment, limited community participation, disaster-risk gaps, and inadequate data, and outlined associated negative impacts on competitiveness, satisfaction, regional development, and sector resilience. Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details InfrastructureForeign Affairs Read →
9 April 2026 AI summary The Minister acknowledged concerns about liquor licensing in tourist zones, noting that the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority only recommends licences to the Excise Department. He said illegal alcohol sales by unlicensed operators are causing losses in government fees and taxes, and stated that discussions with the Minister of Finance aim to ensure proper collection of fees and taxes before licences are issued. Oral Questions and Answers Public Finance Read →
9 April 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe stated that the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority oversees 37 rest houses and that recent inspections found no complaints of illegal activities at the location in question. He noted that although earlier assurances of legal action by a former Minister had not been carried out, the matter could be inquired into, and said the current agreement had already been renewed for 2024-2028 before the Government assumed office. He added that any illegal activity would be addressed under SLTDA rules and regulations. Oral Questions and Answers Infrastructure Read →
9 April 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Deputy Minister stated that the Hanguranketha Rest House is one of 37 rest houses under the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and that field inspections have not found illegal activities. He detailed the lessee, Jayalath Mudiyanselage Jayalath Bandara Dissanayake, and said the lease was awarded through an interview process following approvals in 2008, with agreements covering 2008–2018, 2018–2020, and 2020–2028. He added that SLTDA officers conduct periodic inspections, require rectification of shortcomings, and collect a 1% Tourism Development Levy from gross turnover. Oral Questions and Answers Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
20 March 2026 AI summary Arguing in support of the visa arrangement with the Maldives, (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe stated that Maldivians use Sri Lankan private hospitals for treatment under the Aasandha health insurance scheme, contributing to medical tourism. He added that Sri Lankans travel to the Maldives mainly for employment, bringing economic benefits to Sri Lanka, and concluded that the arrangement is broadly beneficial to the country. Oral Question: Sri Lankan-Maldivian Tourism and Travel (Q.1311/2025) Foreign AffairsHealthcare Read →
20 March 2026 AI summary In response to Question 1311/2025, the Deputy Minister of Tourism provided arrival and departure figures between Sri Lanka and the Maldives from 2022 to 2024, showing increases in both Sri Lankans travelling to the Maldives and Maldivian tourists visiting Sri Lanka. He stated that the Maldivian visa-on-arrival facility for Sri Lankans offers a 90-day stay without prior visa requirements or fees, supporting travel, business, education, medical, leisure, economic, and cultural links. He also noted that Sri Lanka grants Maldivian visitors a reciprocal 90-day tourist visa on arrival without fees, and that the remaining part of the question was not applicable. Oral Question: Sri Lankan-Maldivian Tourism and Travel (Q.1311/2025) Foreign Affairs Read →
19 March 2026 AI summary Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe rejected claims that the Government was endorsing war, stating that Sri Lanka follows a non-aligned foreign policy and condemns attacks on countries and petroleum infrastructure. He argued that the current fuel pressures arise from a global conflict, not a nationwide crisis, contrasting it with the earlier economic collapse linked to dollar shortages and corruption. He outlined tourism-sector measures including 24/7 assistance, free visa extensions, a dedicated QR fuel system for registered tourism providers, arrangements for kerosene and fuel for safari and boat operations, and Litro’s support for hotel LPG supplies. He also said alarmist statements could worsen panic buying and black-market activity, and called for responsible management of fuel until global conditions stabilize. Adjournment Debate: Current Economic and Security Crisis Foreign AffairsInfrastructureCost of Living Read →
17 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe supported the Bill to abolish the special pension scheme for Members of Parliament, stating that it fulfils a National People’s Power manifesto pledge and responds to public demands for a new political culture. He argued that parliamentary service is a temporary public mandate rather than a pensionable career, and that lifelong pensions for MPs create unjustified privilege compared with ordinary citizens. He said the reform is intended to restore trust in Parliament and signal ethical leadership without undermining the need for adequate salaries and institutional support for MPs. Parliamentary Pensions (Repeal) Bill - Second Reading Debate Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
9 January 2026 AI summary Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe supported the Regulation under the Shop and Office Employees Act to allow women to work night shifts in food and beverage service within tourism, subject to consent and provision of transport or accommodation between 6.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. He argued that the measure would help increase women’s participation in Sri Lanka’s tourism workforce, which he said remains far below regional levels, and would support rural youth employment alongside the Rs. 500 million “Hospitality Labour Corps” training initiative. He also cited record tourist arrivals in 2025 and praised coordinated disaster management during Cyclone Michaung, before requesting parliamentary support for the Regulation. Debate: Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Regulation Amendment InfrastructureEmploymentWomen & Children Read →
7 January 2026 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe supported the amendments to the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, arguing that they replace overly broad and discretionary tax concessions with shorter, threshold-based incentives and greater transparency. He said previous strategic development incentives caused major tax expenditure losses, cited IMF-related fiscal obligations, and proposed publishing project costs while ending full employment income tax exemptions for Port City employees with transitional arrangements. He also defended education reforms and the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund as subject to proper procedures, and said post-cyclone rebuilding and investment promotion should proceed with stronger oversight. Debate: Colombo Port City Economic Commission (Amendment) Bill Public FinanceCorruption & Governance ReformForeign Affairs Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe said the Government had restored macroeconomic stability with support from migrant remittances and tourism, and argued that current tourism performance and visitor spending should be assessed in light of exchange rate depreciation and regional comparisons. He stated that the main constraint on further tourist growth was airport capacity, not promotion, citing cancelled charter flight requests and announcing plans to commence Terminal 2 expansion next year. He also said the Government was enforcing the law against tourist harassment, regularizing beach and surf-related tourism activities, expanding tourism projects in the North and East, and using Tourism Fund allocations for training low-income youth for employment in the sector. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) InfrastructureForeign AffairsPublic Finance Read →
8 November 2025 AI summary The Deputy Minister supported the Government’s first full-year Budget, arguing that it is intended to sustain recent macroeconomic stability and maintain medium-term growth after the economic crisis. He outlined six strategic objectives, including inclusive growth, export diversification, debt reduction, support for productive investment, rural poverty reduction, and digitalization, with measures such as merit-based public sector recruitment and integrating certain post-2016 recruits into the standard pension scheme. He also highlighted tourism and aviation constraints, including airport slot limitations, stalled terminal development, SriLankan Airlines restructuring, and plans to expand domestic aviation and tourism capacity. Second Reading Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceInfrastructure Read →
10 October 2025 AI summary The Deputy Minister said Sri Lanka must diversify tourism beyond traditional attractions such as beaches, Yala and Sigiriya by developing experience-based products linked to nature, culture, heritage and local communities. He cited ongoing and proposed initiatives including the Pekoe Trail, Cinnamon Trail, Red Rice Trail, wreck diving and a possible Dedduwa project, while noting the need to regularize encroached lands. Regarding the Motion to develop a tourism zone around Pitigala, Udugama, Neluwa and Deniyaya, he said SLTDA has already identified Deniyaya for future declaration as a tourism zone and will follow the procedure under Section 26(2) of the Tourism Act, No. 38 of 2005, including boundary identification, stakeholder consultations, public notice and Gazette notification. Private Members' Motion P.42/2025: Sinharaja Tourism Zone EnvironmentInfrastructure Read →
7 October 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe said Sri Lanka’s tourism has remained concentrated on coastal areas, with limited expansion into inland locations such as Gomaran Kadawala near Trincomalee. He stated that the Ministry is preparing provincial-level tourism plans to be completed within the year, which will inform a 10-year national tourism plan, with resources and action plans to be implemented through forthcoming Budgets. Oral Question: Lands Belonging to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority - Trincomalee District (Q.1102/2025) Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →