Hon. Jeevan Thondaman, M.P.

United National Party (UNP)· Nuwara - Eliya

Profession: ---

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Speeches 58 #85 of 225·#1 in party

Attendance 6/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

58 speeches

24 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman welcomed proposed education reforms but argued that implementation must address the historic exclusion and continuing infrastructure deficits faced by Hill Country Tamil communities, particularly in estate schools. He called for equitable resourcing, stronger provincial delivery, and withdrawal of a National Youth Services Council Gazette limiting youth clubs to one per GN division, saying it would reduce estate community representation. He also argued that housing schemes and renovation of line rooms are insufficient without secure land tenure for estate residents, and asked the Government to ensure transparency so public investment in estates is not misattributed to Regional Plantation Companies. Adjournment Debate: Proposed Educational Reforms (continued) Land & HousingEthnic Reconciliation & DevolutionEducation Read →
22 July 2025 AI summary The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman rose on a Point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in the provided text. Oral Question: Construction of Milleniya Export Processing Zone (Q.5/2024) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
14 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman clarified that issuing land titles should include allocating land for people to build their own houses, not merely granting titles for existing houses. He also requested that the Labour Minister convene the Wages Board to address wage issues with company representatives present. Appropriation Bill 2025: Committee Stage - Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure (Heads 135, 293, 337) Land & HousingEmployment Read →
14 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman opposed relocating the Norwood Divisional Secretariat to premises above the Hatton railway station, arguing that resource shortages should be addressed by repairing and funding the existing office and that any decision must reflect public consultation, noting residents’ petitions would be tabled. He disputed claims that the District Coordinating Committee had made a binding decision and said the DCC could only advise the Central Government. He rejected calls for upcountry representatives to apologize, citing historical grievances faced by the plantation Tamil community, and urged unity across party lines on community issues. Responding to questions on housing funds, he said he would table documents and gave figures for houses completed under Sri Lankan and Indian-funded programmes during 2020-2024, attributing delays to cost increases after COVID-19, the economic crisis, and approval procedures for revised Indian-funded unit costs. Appropriation Bill 2025: Committee Stage - Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure (Heads 135, 293, 337) Land & HousingCorruption & Governance ReformEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
7 March 2025 AI summary Jeevan Thondaman urged cross-party cooperation in response to risks from the global geopolitical and trade environment, including potential inflation and reduced demand for Sri Lankan exports. He proposed establishing an inter-party action committee for parties to meet, discuss issues, and develop solutions for the public. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Cost of LivingPublic FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
7 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman urged that disciplinary action referenced by the Leader of the House result in a permanent remedy rather than a temporary suspension. He highlighted road rehabilitation completed in the hill country using profits from the Water Supply Ministry under the previous administration, and asked the Government to increase BSR rates so contractors will undertake remaining difficult roads such as Dayagama, Frotoft and St. Andrew’s Upper. On housing, he argued that land titles for plantation communities are more important than limited state-built housing allocations, noting the scale of housing need and requesting implementation of Cabinet-approved measures to provide land. He also briefly referenced concerns raised about chromium content in water and hydrated lime. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Land & HousingInfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
7 March 2025 AI summary Jeevan Thondaman raised an incident in Hatton involving schoolchildren from Nuwara Eliya District who were allegedly abused and forcibly removed from a bus by its conductor. Referring to the Prime Minister’s comments on safety in transport, he asked the Prime Minister and Minister Bimal Rathnayake to take note and act against the conductor, warning against any recurrence of discriminatory treatment historically faced by hill-country communities. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) Ethnic Reconciliation & DevolutionWomen & ChildrenLaw & Order Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman raised concerns about estate communities affected by fires, citing the Shannon Estate incident where 26 houses burned and over 100 people were displaced, and asked the Government to classify such cases as disaster-affected and prevent exclusion by estate managers in housing or land allocation. He warned that plantation companies are using revenue-sharing arrangements to deny workers daily wages, EPF/ETF contributions, and other protections, and called for government intervention to ensure fair wages and social security. He also said estate workers are being excluded from Aswesuma benefits due to registration criteria, highlighted poor health access and rising poverty in the hill country, and urged correction of delimitation and Grama Niladhari boundaries so public services can reach plantation communities properly. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage Continued: Heads 124, 151, 331 EmploymentLand & HousingCost of Living Read →
27 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman supported the Adjournment Motion and said the proposal to expand Divisional Secretariats in Nuwara Eliya had originated under the previous “Good Governance” administration but was delayed until sub-offices were later secured at Talawakele and Norwood. He objected to reported moves to relocate the Norwood Divisional Secretariat above the Hatton Railway Station, arguing that no consultation had been held with residents, civil society or MPs and that the move would inconvenience about 200,000 people in areas such as Maskeliya, Polwaththa, Abbot and Ambagamuwa. He called for a cross-party solution to keep and strengthen the Divisional Secretariat in Norwood rather than moving it to Hatton. Adjournment: Motion on Prevention of Relocation of Norwood Divisional Secretariat to Hatton Corruption & Governance ReformParliamentary ProcedureInfrastructure Read →
22 February 2025 AI summary Jeevan Thondaman clarified that 67 per cent of the State Ministry of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure’s allocation was funded by India, including a Rs. 3,000 million grant and Rs. 3,500 million under the Indian Housing Project, though channelled through the Sri Lankan Government. He argued that since estate workers contribute 12 per cent of income to the Government, the allocation returned to them through Government funds should be higher. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Second Reading Debate (Fifth Allotted Day) Land & HousingPublic Finance Read →
7 February 2025 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman argued that plantation infrastructure funding is structurally inadequate and that services such as roads, schools, hospitals, and housing should be handled by the relevant line ministries rather than a separate plantation portfolio. He said plantation communities need recognition rather than pity, noted that only a minority are estate workers, and called for increased allocations and simplified procedures, citing plantation company approvals as a major barrier to development. He asked the Government to clarify its housing and land policy for upcountry people, specifically whether it plans apartments, individual houses, land ownership, or evictions, and referred to previous Cabinet papers seeking land ownership for the community. Private Members' Motion 1: Acquisition of Estate Roads to the Government Land & HousingInfrastructureEmployment Read →
18 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman welcomed the President’s visit to India and said the 2024 India-Sri Lanka statement could complement the 2023 Vision Statement, particularly on energy, infrastructure, and connectivity. He argued that delays and inequities in estate housing and welfare delivery stem largely from plantation company control over beneficiary selection, especially disadvantaging non-worker and informal-sector estate families. He urged the Government to ensure Aswesuma education grants include all deserving estate children, reintroduce free breakfast support for remaining child development centres, and use its mandate to fulfil promises on essential goods while working cooperatively to address the economic crisis. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Land & HousingForeign AffairsEducation Read →
18 December 2024 AI summary Clarified that eligibility should extend to children of estate residents who are not estate employees, including those engaged in informal work. He noted his prior ministerial responsibility for the subject while making this factual clarification. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Education Read →
18 December 2024 AI summary Jeevan Thondaman responded to remarks on the plantation community and welcomed the concern expressed. He clarified that although a Cabinet paper was submitted to include plantation people in the Aswasuma welfare scheme, current implementation benefits only children of estate employees, excluding children of estate residents working in the informal sector. He called for those children also to be covered. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Cost of LivingEmployment Read →
17 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman congratulated the Speaker on behalf of the Hill Country Tamils and the Ceylon Workers’ Congress. He wished the Speaker strength and wisdom to conduct proceedings fairly during Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and in the context of a large single-party parliamentary majority, and pledged full support. Opening: Parliament Meeting, Affirmations, and Speaker's Election Parliamentary Procedure Read →
6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman urged the Government, given its historic single-party majority, to uphold the principles previously advocated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament. He said the Opposition was not seeking favours but equitable treatment, and cautioned the Government not to act in the manner it had formerly opposed. Procedural Matters: Sitting Hours, Legislative Standing Committee, Committee on Parliamentary Business Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman urged government action on housing for estate residents affected in Dunsinane Estate, stating that consent letters from the Indian High Commission and Elpitiya Plantations had been sent to the Ministry but no response had been received. He argued that plantation worker poverty cannot be solved through repeated daily-wage negotiations, and proposed moving to a regulated alternative such as an outgrower or revenue-sharing model. He also called on the Labour Minister to use the Wages Board if the government intends to raise the basic daily wage, while appealing for bipartisan cooperation on up-country issues. Debate on Vote on Account for 2025 (continued) Land & HousingEmployment Read →
4 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman raised the impact of recent extreme weather in Nuwara Eliya, stating that 1,495 people had been affected, with many unable to return to unsafe estate line rooms after rain and landslides. He argued that repeated disaster-related displacement in the plantation sector reflects a systemic problem and called for land rights and permanent housing solutions, including the possible allocation of unoccupied houses in Dunsinane estate to affected families. He urged the Government, the Ministry of Estate Infrastructure, plantation companies, and the new Deputy Minister responsible for plantations to intervene, prevent families from being sent back to high-risk areas, and deliver relief and long-term resettlement solutions. Adjournment Motion: Compensation for Damaged Crops and Victims of Adverse Weather (Cyclone Fengal) Land & HousingEnvironmentInfrastructure Read →