Sitting of Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1741258607035810 ·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 Parliament Opening 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers Presented 4 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 9 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: SriLankan Airlines (Q.3/2024) 16 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Investigations into Damaging Buddha Statues in Mawanella (Q.6/2024) 5 speeches
- 6 Procedural Question by Private Notice: School Teachers Recruitment and Dhamma School Teacher Allowances (SO 27(2)) 24 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB
AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), Dilith Jayaweera asked the Minister of Education to clarify the Government’s teacher recruitment policy, minimum qualifications, and district-wise vacancies in National and Provincial schools. He also sought answers on whether successful candidates from the 2019 Dharmacharya/Dharmachari recruitment examination would be appointed, and requested data and policy plans regarding Pirivena and Dhamma school teachers and institutions. He further asked whether the quarterly allowance for Dhamma school teachers would be increased from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the Prime Minister would provide a response within the week.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned the Minister of Public Security on measures to address the current crime wave, citing discussions at the Ministry advisory committee where the Minister had referred to a structured programme and indicated that the Prevention of Terrorism Act would not be amended, with reliance instead on strengthening criminal procedure. He asked whether the Penal Code would be used and what concrete steps were being taken to bring killers and robbers before the law. He also warned that the situation was affecting public security, civil society, and the tourism sector ahead of an expected increase in tourist arrivals.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake urged that Party Leaders use Standing Order 27(2) or obtain the Speaker’s special permission when raising matters, particularly where prior notice allows Ministers to respond. He objected to repeated Opposition references to national security after earlier discussions and ministerial responses, arguing that such repetition was creating an unwarranted narrative of insecurity and could harm tourism. He requested the Speaker to grant leave for matters outside Standing Order 27(2) only where genuine urgency is established.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary The Hon. Sajith Premadasa rose to raise a Point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa appealed to the Chair to allow him to speak, citing Erskine May and Kaul and Shakdher’s “Practice and Procedure of Parliament” as procedural authorities. He objected to being silenced during the proceedings.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa referred to the parliamentary convention allowing the Leader of the Opposition to raise current and important matters. He sought to establish his right to address such an issue in the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa stated that stakeholders in the tourism sector had raised concerns at a media discussion the previous day. He was beginning to refer to those concerns, indicating an intention to bring their views before Parliament, but the provided excerpt does not include the specific issue or demand.
Foreign Affairs Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Rohini Kumari Wijerathna made a personal explanation under Standing Order 27(8), rejecting as false an allegation made by a Deputy Minister that her father was involved in killing eight people over an election banner in Laggala in 1989. She said the claim had originated on social media and was repeated in Parliament, challenged the Deputy Minister to withdraw it within a month, and not to misuse parliamentary privilege for defamatory statements. She defended her father’s public record, noting his service in Parliament from 1977 to 1994 and his role in agricultural and farmer-related initiatives.
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna briefly sought the Speaker’s permission to clarify a matter. No substantive policy point, proposal, or question was included in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Mrs. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna requests permission to speak.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Mrs. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna made a personal explanation responding to remarks she said had harmed her and her family, including claims about her name and past events connected to violence in Kandy and Matale. She stated that her name had not been secretly changed and said her earlier question concerned the justification for spending Rs. 1 billion on a feasibility study and allocating Rs. 2.5 billion for the Kelani Valley railway. She thanked several Members, including the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister and the Chief Government Whip, for their support, and directed further personal allegations and challenges at Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Gamagedara Dissanayake - Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB
AI summary Gamagedara Dissanayake said his previous remarks were a general critique and did not name any individual. He referred to past killings and mass graves, particularly in the Matale District, stating that legal proceedings concerning the deaths of 143 people and other incidents are underway and will identify those responsible. He said these matters would be challenged both inside and outside Parliament and indicated readiness for public debate on them.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna raised a Privilege matter concerning an alleged assault on him and his legal secretary at Valampuri Hotel on 12 February 2025, stating that the incident was reported to Police and that the suspects were arrested before both sides withdrew complaints. Referring to recent killings, including the murder of Ganemulle Sanjeewa within court premises, he expressed concern about the security of Members of Parliament. He requested that two security personnel be assigned to him and that the matter be referred to the Minister in charge of Police and Public Security for immediate action.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- 7 Debate Second Reading Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 (Day 1-7) 26 speeches
- 8 Debate Second Reading Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 (Continuation Day 7) 56 speeches
- 9 Debate Second Reading: Disposal of Waste (Prohibition) Bill 2025 9 speeches
- 10 Adjournment Adjournment 1 speeches