Sitting of Friday, 7 February 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1739786070060795 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Announcements: Privilege Question on Non-Allocation of Speaking Time 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Ministerial Reports and Annual Reports 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions: Citizens' Petitions Tabled 5 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Answers to Questions and Second Round Questions 99 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: National Schools in Colombo North 2 speeches
- 6 Papers Ministerial Statements on Justice Department, Foreign Employment, and Hydrated Lime Importation 26 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural Motions on Standing Order Exemption and Time Amendment 8 speeches
- 8 Debate Private Members' Motion 1: Acquisition of Estate Roads to the Government 25 speeches
- 9 Debate Private Members' Motion 2: Proper Procurement Programme for Co-operatives 15 speeches
- 10 Debate Private Members' Motion 3: Making Arrangements for Maintaining a Rice Reserve 16 speeches
- 11 Debate Private Members' Motion 4: Appointment of Labour Welfare Officers 9 speeches
- 12 Debate Private Members' Motion 5: Abolishing the Pension Scheme of Members of Parliament 20 speeches
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake moved a Motion to abolish the pension scheme for Members of Parliament with immediate effect, arguing that it is viewed by voters as an unfair privilege and has contributed to declining public trust in Parliament. He said the proposal should apply prospectively, not retroactively, and framed it as part of creating a new political culture focused on public service rather than personal benefit. He noted that 215 former MPs currently receive pensions and said misconceptions about parliamentary benefits, including pensions, housing, salaries and vehicles, should be corrected through transparent action.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB
AI summary Seconding the Motion on MPs’ pensions, M. Nizam Kariapper said any change appeared to apply prospectively and urged Members to prioritize fulfilling obligations to ensure justice before retirement. He focused on the unresolved Lasantha Wickrematunge murder case, arguing that the Attorney-General’s advice not to proceed was based on insufficient evidence from the CID and should not be used to shift blame to the AG. He called on the Government and investigative authorities to pursue those withholding information, consider state-witness options or prosecutions, and ensure accountability in the case.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB
AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper argued that the Attorney-General cannot proceed beyond the evidence provided by investigations, noting that the CID under the Minister of Defence bears responsibility for gathering evidence in long-pending cases such as Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder. He accused the Government of using the Attorney-General as a scapegoat for investigative failures and warned against repeating this in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks. He urged the Government to change its approach, end disinformation, and secure justice for victims before MPs retire.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. R. M. Gamini Rathnayake JJB
AI summary R. M. Gamini Rathnayake addressed the Private Member’s Motion on abolishing MPs’ pensions, stating that although the issue has been debated repeatedly, implementation has not occurred. He said the Government is prepared to support and pass the Motion if it is brought in good faith, while providing figures on current pension payments: 330 retired MPs, 182 spouses and seven dependants receive pensions, with about Rs. 35 million paid monthly and Rs. 150 million allocated for January-April 2025. He traced the pension scheme to a 1976 decision and said the current Parliament reflects a new political culture opposed to perks and privileges.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. R. M. Gamini Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. R. M. Gamini Rathnayake supported the Motion to abolish MPs’ privileges and pensions, stating that people’s representatives should serve without such benefits. He noted that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had initiated legal steps to reduce or abolish privileges for MPs, the President and Ministers, and that a committee chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice Chitrasiri had recommended such reforms. He urged that the Motion be enacted into law and said the Government agreed with the Opposition Member Hon. Ravi Karunanayake’s proposal.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the Motion while arguing that claims of selfless service by MPs are hypocritical if salaries are routed through party accounts before members receive payments, and he urged either abolishing pensions or ending such salary arrangements. He defended the need for reasonable parliamentary facilities and dignity for MPs, while opposing excessive privileges and dismissing minor public claims such as meal deductions. He also called for proper investigations into the Lasantha Wickrematunge murder, saying officials now in authority should proceed with cases rather than blame the Attorney-General or use public lists to divert attention.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi JJB
AI summary Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi supported the Motion to abolish a policy-based privilege for public representatives, arguing that public anger stems from broader economic hardship and the misuse of public wealth rather than the loss of pensions alone. He said similar proposals had been made by his movement in 2001 and 2018, rejecting claims that they were motivated by personal benefit. He urged Parliament to implement the reform as part of changing the political culture and noted that the Government agreed such measures should have been taken earlier.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. D. V. Chanaka SLPP
AI summary D. V. Chanaka supported the Motion on reducing privileges and argued that Alliance MPs and Ministers should renounce salaries and fuel allowances if they claim to serve voluntarily, in line with electoral pledges to abolish perks. He again raised concerns over imported hydrated lime for drinking-water treatment, alleging chromium levels above permitted standards, inadequate segregation of stock, and repeated testing, and called for immediate segregation, re-export, compliant procurement or tested local sourcing. He also requested that any compensation for property damaged during the Aragalaya be accompanied by a list of perpetrators and that recovery be made from those responsible, rather than from taxpayers.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB
AI summary The Prime Minister supported Hon. Ravi Karunanayake’s Motion, stating that reform of parliamentary privileges, including pensions, is necessary to rebuild public trust in Parliament and change a political culture associated with entitlement and abuse of power. She said Sri Lanka could aspire in future to models such as Singapore, but only after demonstrating public service and correcting past wrongs, noting that her movement had advocated such reforms since 2001 and 2003. She also addressed the Lasantha Wickrematunge murder investigation, saying the Government had reopened the case, would support further evidence-gathering and reinvestigation, and was committed to pursuing justice despite past witness intimidation and destruction of evidence.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake thanked Members across Government and Opposition for supporting his proposal, stating that its purpose was implementation rather than further discussion. He emphasized restoring public trust and dignity in Parliament and elected representatives, and called for the Tenth Parliament to act jointly beyond party lines. He supported the Prime Minister’s remarks and urged cooperation toward fiscal discipline, institutional reform, and a new political direction, invoking Singapore as a comparative model.
- 13 Debate Private Members' Motion 6: Select Committee to Investigate COVID-19 Cremation Decisions 14 speeches
- 14 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Sri Lanka Cricket Development and Anti-Corruption Measures 6 speeches