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 Wednesday, 5 February 2025

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

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1739175806099814 ·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.

  11. 11 Oral question Oral Question: People's Bank - Corporate Governance and Operations (Q.294/2024) 9 speeches
    • The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB

      AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara requested a brief clarification from the Chair. No substantive policy point, proposal, or legislative issue was raised in the excerpt provided.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB

      AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara requested the Speaker for an opportunity to speak on the matter under discussion, stating that he had something to add.

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

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake asked the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for detailed information on People’s Bank, including its incorporation date, current leadership, branch and employee numbers, paid-up capital, and compliance with Basel capital adequacy requirements. He also sought financial data on profits, returns, administrative costs, lending margins, and balance sheet values, as well as details on any loan write-offs exceeding Rs. 1 billion, the entities involved, and the legal procedures followed.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning

      AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Deputy Minister provided detailed responses on People’s Bank, including its establishment date, current board and management, branch and employee numbers, capital position, and compliance with Basel capital adequacy requirements. He tabled financial performance data covering profits, return on equity, administration costs, net interest margins, and balance sheet figures up to 2024, noting that 2024 figures are unaudited and future forecasts are still being prepared. He also stated that no loans exceeding Rs. 1 billion had been written off, making related follow-up questions inapplicable.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake questioned why People’s Bank continues to charge loan interest rates of 17–18 percent despite lower administrative costs, declining interest rates, and increased profits. Referring to the difficulties faced by SMEs, he asked whether the bank’s lending rates could be corrected and reduced to around 8–10 percent.

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

      AI summary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma stated that while the figures cited relate to past years, interest rates in 2025 have been gradually declining and state banks will reflect this in lending. He said commercial lending rates depend on borrower risk profiles, but Government concessionary schemes such as Odapana and SME loans provide credit at around 7 per cent through state banks. He acknowledged the need for affordable SME credit to revive the economy and said the Government has already taken measures in that direction.

      EmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake questioned the allocation of Rs. 23.8 billion for SriLankan Airlines’ debts, noting that about half would go to People’s Bank, and asked whether such public funds could instead support low-interest lending to SMEs. Referring to the Committee on Public Finance and the Central Bank’s role in monetary policy, he asked what measures the Government could take to ensure low-cost credit for SMEs and entrepreneurs without spending on loss-making State-owned enterprises.

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

      AI summary The Minister stated that interest rates are determined by the independent Central Bank, while the Government supports SME lending through concessionary schemes that reimburse part of the interest to banks, enabling loans at around 7%. Regarding SriLankan Airlines, he argued that past mismanagement contributed to SOE losses and said the current Government has appointed competent management, maintained support during a transition period, and is addressing legacy debts despite reported operational profits.

      Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Full speech →