Politick Parliament. On record. For every citizen.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Tuesday, 17 December 2024

10th Parliament· 15 debates· 315 speeches· 101 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1734685396083959 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

‹ Previous sitting Next sitting ›

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: IMF Delegation Expenses in Washington DC (Q.96/2024) 11 speeches
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Asked the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to provide details on Sri Lankan representation at IMF discussions in Washington DC, including separate numbers from the Ministry and Central Bank. He requested expenditure figures for air travel and other travel costs in both US dollars and rupees, payments made to Lazard and Clifford Chance, and an explanation of the benefits Sri Lanka gained from the discussions.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Acting Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

      AI summary Acting Minister Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma provided details on officials and expenditure related to an overseas engagement involving the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. He stated that four Ministry officials and five Central Bank officials participated, with costs of Rs. 7.05 million for air tickets and USD 38,587 for travel expenses, and that no separate payments were made to Lazard or Clifford Chance on this occasion. He said the visit was intended to support Sri Lanka’s engagement with the IMF Extended Fund Facility, access financial and technical assistance, align policies with international practices, and strengthen credibility and investor confidence.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake questioned why Ministry and Central Bank officials travelled to Washington for an IMF meeting when approval had reportedly been granted to hold it via Zoom. He alleged that about USD 6,000 was spent, including business class travel contrary to a circular requiring economy class, and asked why public funds were used for travel and accommodation when the meeting could have been conducted online.

      Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma

      AI summary Clarifies that Ministry officials on the referenced 16-day trip travelled in economy class, while distinguishing their travel arrangements from those of certain Central Bank officials. The intervention corrects information raised by another Member regarding official overseas travel and related expenditure.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake asked the Deputy Minister whether it had been considered if the meeting in question could have been conducted via Zoom instead of in person.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma

      AI summary (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma clarified that the Government’s discussions with the IMF are often conducted virtually, including some review discussions. He stated that, due to the intensity of the current round, the number of institutions involved, and the need for multiple daily meetings, the IMF and Government agreed to hold part of the discussions in Washington and the remainder in Sri Lanka during an IMF visit, which was the reason for the travel.

      Foreign AffairsPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Asked whether the Government has changed the international sovereign bond restructuring agreement negotiated by the previous Government, noting that the ISB exchange is believed to have been signed. Requested that the agreement be presented to Parliament and that any differences from earlier understandings be disclosed.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma

      AI summary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma noted that a debate on sovereign bonds was scheduled later in the day’s Order Paper and said he expected to provide further details during that debate.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB

      AI summary Raising a point of order, Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva objected to the Deputy Minister’s statement that the Government “may” provide information on the debt restructuring agreement. He said that, following an international announcement that Sri Lanka had agreed to the restructuring and that a new debt exchange would take place on 20 December, the Government must inform Parliament of the terms agreed with bondholders.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma

      AI summary The member stated that the requested details were scheduled for discussion later that day and would be provided accordingly.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →