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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Wednesday, 5 February 2025

10th Parliament· 19 debates· 240 speeches· 52 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1739175806099814 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

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

  9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Export Growth and Economic Competitiveness (Q.292/2024) 11 speeches
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake asked the Prime Minister whether increasing exports is necessary for Sri Lanka to emerge from its debt difficulties and sought details on how the Government will address obstacles faced by exporters. He raised issues including high bank interest rates, delays and costs in container clearance, bottlenecks in government approvals affecting ease of doing business, and the possibility of 24-hour and pre-clearance systems with post-audit safeguards. He also asked whether rapid economic digitization and cashless transactions could reduce red tape and support automatic implementation of government policies.

      Public FinanceInfrastructureEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary A request was made for additional time to answer a parliamentary question due to the need to collect data from multiple Ministries. The response indicated that not all required information had been received and that a full answer would be provided once the data is available.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake briefly asked when a pending matter or question would be answered. The intervention sought clarification on the timing of a response in the parliamentary proceedings.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that she would provide a response in two weeks and concluded her remarks with thanks.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake asked the Prime Minister to address the high cost of capital, noting a gap between low market lending rates of around 4 to 5 per cent and the 15 to 18 per cent rates faced by individuals and small and medium enterprises. He sought clarification on whether the Government could intervene or provide a buffer to bring borrowing rates down to more realistic levels, closer to deposit-rate benchmarks.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that the question raised required accurate data and technical preparation before a response could be given. She requested two weeks to obtain the necessary information and undertook to provide a definite response thereafter.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake noted delays at the Port and indicated he would assist in framing the second question so that a more comprehensive answer could be provided.

      Infrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised concern that port or logistics congestion is contributing to cost-push inflation and affecting both shipping and export activity. Citing the December 2024 trade balance, he questioned how the Government intends to address congestion when imports are increasing while exports are not keeping pace.

      Cost of LivingPublic FinanceInfrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the issue of congestion has been substantially addressed through steps taken by the relevant Minister, with further measures being pursued. She said the situation is being closely monitored due to its significant economic impact and expressed confidence that the Minister is managing it effectively.

      Infrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake urged that Sri Lanka Customs be made operational 24 hours a day for clearances, warning that delays could cause the problem to recur. He called for legislation to ensure 24/7 customs clearance in line with practices in other countries in the region.

      Infrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Several measures have been taken to address the matter, and the situation is currently being managed. However, Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized that it remains changeable and requires close monitoring, noting that the issue is receiving significant attention.

      Healthcare Full speech →