Hon. Amila Prasad, M.P.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)· Gampaha

Profession: Teacher

Roster profile ↗

Speeches 73 #68 of 225·#23 in party

Attendance 5/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

73 speeches

25 November 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad questioned how the Government intends to retain university staff without increasing special non-recurring allowances. He also criticized the Minister of Education’s conduct regarding respect for learners and urged the Government to appoint a suitable person to lead the Education Ministry and advance the education system. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) EmploymentEducation Read →
25 November 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad requested an additional minute from the Chairman to conclude his remarks. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
25 November 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad requested the Government to establish and fund an empowered institution to assess and certify practical skills, including for workers such as welders and tourism-sector employees, to an NVQ-equivalent standard. He also sought clarification on reports that the full-time special-needs allowance had been reduced from 10 percent to 6 percent, despite commitments to support children with special needs. He questioned why the creation of new university faculties was being discouraged on fiscal grounds while education was being presented as a priority. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) EducationPublic Finance Read →
25 November 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad criticized the Government’s education performance, questioning unmet commitments on allocating 6 percent of GDP to education and citing low spending progress on school modernization and foreign university scholarship allocations. He raised concerns over teacher vacancies, teacher and principal salaries, anti-ragging measures, Deputy Vice Chancellor appointments, university intake expansion, proposed new universities, and the future of the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination. He also questioned higher cutoff marks for popular schools despite only a small rise in qualifying students and argued that the exam favours higher-income families unless rural schools, facilities, and university places are expanded. He further criticized VAT-related impacts on local educational publications and book sales, saying the policy disadvantages local publishers and small producers. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) Public FinanceCorruption & Governance ReformEducation Read →
20 November 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad argued that Sri Lanka’s main development constraint is the energy crisis and called for cheap, reliable supply through greater private participation and market competition in the electricity sector. He questioned the Government’s reported CEB profit projections, asking for clarification on quarterly financial volatility and possible reliance on costly diesel IPPs, and asked what concrete steps had been taken to reduce the 30 per cent share of oil and coal generation. He proposed modernizing the grid through private investment while retaining state ownership, selling non-core assets if needed, expanding hydropower and small hydro through improved water management, and easing regulatory barriers to attract investment in renewable energy. Committee Stage: Appropriation Bill 2026 - Head 119 (Ministry of Energy) Cut Motion and Debate EnvironmentInfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad urged the Government to use digital tools to advance tourism, proposing a mandatory app or QR-linked profile for tourists to track preferences, movements, hotel check-ins, overstays, unregistered accommodation, and taxable activity. He argued that the Budget lacks funding or vision for such digitalization, despite tourism being a key foreign exchange earner directly benefiting communities. He criticized a proposed tourist licensing scheme, saying it could displace licensed guides, driver-guides, and tourist drivers, undermine private-sector-led destination development, and risk attracting lower-spending tourists, citing Thailand’s experience. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad challenged members of the opposing side to allow or nominate someone, including the Leader of the Opposition, to respond in the House. He criticized them for disrupting proceedings and alleged that they lacked independence, claiming they would not act until receiving direction from Pelawatte. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad, during the Committee Stage debate on the expenditure Heads of the Ministries of Justice and National Integration and of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, raised concerns about plantation workers’ wages and objected to the issue being framed as an inter-ethnic matter. He called on government representatives, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to participate in a public television debate on the subject and stated that the matter should be resolved directly. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Public FinanceEmploymentEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
17 November 2025 AI summary A petition from Mr. A.T.L. Sajeewa Dharmasena of Giribulla Road (South), Werellawatta, Mirigama was presented to Parliament. It was ordered to be referred to the Committee on Public Petitions. Petitions - Citizens' Petitions Presented Parliamentary Procedure Read →
10 November 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad criticized the Budget for lacking measures to reduce essential prices, create jobs, improve the business climate, and attract sufficient investment to sustain the Government’s stated 7 per cent growth target. He argued that higher imports reflect increased consumption goods, especially food, rather than productive capital or intermediate imports, and said previous capital allocations were not effectively implemented in the field. He questioned whether the Government had funded forensic audits to identify corruption and urged it to grant financial independence to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. He also criticized the Government’s past use of students and graduates in political mobilization while now advising them to study and avoid mass recruitment expectations. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Corruption & Governance ReformCost of LivingPublic Finance Read →
21 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad expressed support for reducing medicine prices but raised concerns about the technical basis and implementation of the proposed NMRA pricing regulations. He questioned whether WHO guidance, IHP concerns, and the Senaka Bibile principles had been adequately considered, and asked whether the regulations had consensus among importers, distributors, and retailers as envisaged under Section 118 of the NMRA Act. He warned that CIF-based, brand-oriented price caps and unclear margin allocation across the supply chain could disrupt supply, reduce quality options, and require stronger local quality-control capacity. Debate: Regulations under National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act No. 5 of 2015 HealthcareLaw & OrderCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
9 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad questioned the decline in profits and dividends of institutions under the President, linking it to broader concerns about the management of state enterprises, including the removal of Ashok Leyland and alleged tender fraud. He said the Opposition raises such issues as part of its public mandate, despite anticipated criticism or attacks through political and social media channels. Adjournment Motion: Implementation of Manifesto "A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life" - Opening Speeches Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
9 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad raised concerns that certain vacancies remain unfilled and questioned the performance of state enterprises. He cited reported declines in profits and dividends of institutions under the President during the first six months of the year and referred to remarks made by a Deputy Minister alleging mismanagement of state enterprises. Adjournment Motion: Implementation of Manifesto "A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life" - Opening Speeches Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
9 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad questioned the Government’s failure to reduce electricity tariffs, food prices and fuel prices despite claims of curbing corruption and waste, arguing that key policy promises had not been fulfilled. He accused the Government of continuing political appointments in the CID, ministry secretary posts and the foreign service, despite earlier pledges to end such practices. He also raised concerns over tender procedures, calling for an online tender system and citing alleged irregularities in digitalization projects, paddy-to-rice processing, and proposed bus procurement linked to the Metro Bus initiative, including the bypassing of Lanka Ashok Leyland despite the State’s shareholding. Adjournment Motion: Implementation of Manifesto "A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life" - Opening Speeches Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
9 October 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad seconded the Motion alleging failure to fulfill government promises, questioning the absence of audited reports and recovery action on alleged corruption, fraud and waste in key ministries. He argued that Provincial Council Elections, promised within a year, were being delayed through renewed discussions on delimitation and electoral systems, and urged the Government to revert to the previous system and hold elections promptly. He also questioned unmet commitments on fuel price reductions, tax removal, rice price stabilization through SATHOSA, and concrete measures to reduce electricity tariffs. Adjournment Motion: Implementation of Manifesto "A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life" - Opening Speeches Public FinanceCost of LivingCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
7 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad seconded the motion before the House, after which the question was put and agreed to. Following the decision, the Deputy Speaker left the Chair and Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara took the Chair. Debate: Convention Against Doping in Sport (Amendment) Bill - Second and Third Reading Parliamentary Procedure Read →
7 October 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad supported the anti-doping amendment but criticised delays in passing it, arguing that inefficiency had cost Sri Lanka opportunities to host international sporting events and gain foreign exchange. He called for greater investment in sports science, including a Sports University, accredited domestic anti-doping laboratory facilities, structured coach certification, and stronger use of biomechanics and analytical tools. He also urged that coaches be held accountable where athletes use banned substances on their advice, and said small stipends were insufficient to achieve future Olympic success. Debate: Convention Against Doping in Sport (Amendment) Bill - Second and Third Reading EducationEmploymentPublic Finance Read →
25 September 2025 AI summary Hon. Amila Prasad addressed a regulation under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, questioning why technical barriers affect vehicle imports for tourism and urging Government scrutiny of investment issues in the sector. He criticized alleged political involvement in school events despite earlier assurances, warned that proposed child-protection-related legislation should be studied against international examples, and raised concerns about impacts on teachers and schools. He also alleged pressure on police officers and private-sector actors, citing recent OIC transfers and the exclusion of Vidarshana Publishers from the Book Fair. He challenged Government MPs to publish one year of bank statements to support their anti-corruption claims and demonstrate transparency. Debate: Imports and Exports (Control) Act - Regulations for Vehicle Imports EducationCorruption & Governance ReformLaw & Order Read →
23 September 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad supported the Bill to establish the National Building Research Institute, arguing that the upgraded institution should focus on disaster prevention, climate-resilient construction, soil and mineral resource mapping, and integration with agencies such as the Disaster Management Centre. He sought clarification on the Government’s overarching policy framework for the Bill and proposed district or regional NBRI branches, mandatory pre-construction soil testing, stronger links with local Technical Officers, and Budget allocations for modern equipment and staffing. He also raised related implementation and safety issues, including monitoring silted reservoirs and landslide-prone areas, enforcing limits on sand and gravel transport, improving school-time bus services, empowering provincial and local authorities, and holding Provincial Council elections. Second Reading Debate: National Building Research Institute Bill Public FinanceInfrastructureEnvironment Read →
11 September 2025 AI summary Amila Prasad stated that his conduct was a reaction to another member’s action and that he would not have responded otherwise. He said he privately apologized to the member if his reaction caused discomfort and maintained that he did not escalate the matter. National Audit (Amendment) Bill Second Reading and Supplementary Estimates Debate Parliamentary Procedure Read →