Sitting of Friday, 28 February 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1741927369029372 ·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 Opening - Parliament Met 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers - Annual Reports 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions - Citizens' Petitions Presented 8 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question 1 - UDA Lands in Colombo City (Q.258/2024) 9 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question 2 - Companies Registered with Registrar of Companies (Q.426/2025) 12 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Questions 4 & 5 - Port City Project & National Youth Corps Centre (Q.432/2025) 7 speeches
- 7 Oral question Questions by Private Notice - Construction Work in Mannar & Release of Tamil Political Prisoners 9 speeches
- 8 Debate Ministerial Statement - School Teacher Recruitment and Dhamma School Allowances 3 speeches
- 9 Debate Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) 57 speeches
- 10 Debate Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) 63 speeches
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary Hon. Deputy Chairperson recognized Hon. Prageeth Madhuranga to address the House and allocated him 11 minutes to speak.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga JJB
AI summary Hon. Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga supported the 2025 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Defence and related agencies, emphasizing the role of the Tri-Forces, Police, Civil Security Department, and Coast Guard in war, disasters, and national security. He argued that national security depends on inter-ethnic harmony and criticized past political interference and communalism as causes of conflict and institutional weakness. He called for prioritizing technologically advanced maritime and air surveillance capabilities, including aircraft and patrol assets, to improve narcotics interdiction, search and rescue, and protection of Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone. He cited Budget provisions for Wave Rider boats, medium-speed patrol boats, naval refits, Y-12 aircraft, Coast Guard vessels, and other defence capacity-building measures.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary Hon. Namal Rajapaksa was called to speak and informed that he had 13 minutes allotted for his contribution.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary Namal Rajapaksa argued that national security must be treated as inseparable from sustainable development, economic stability, energy security and institutional coordination, rather than as isolated incidents or partisan issues. He cited pre-Easter attack incidents, current armed gang activity, drug trafficking routes, and tensions between security institutions as examples of warning signs that require intelligence-led, coordinated responses. He urged the Government to address emerging threats over the next five years, including extremism, organized crime linked to narcotics and maritime trafficking, cyber security risks, and public unrest, and asked the responsible Minister to inform Parliament of the Government’s plans.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson informed the Member that their allotted speaking time had expired.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa urged the Government to treat national security as a serious and non-partisan matter, criticizing time being spent on rhetoric rather than action. He said the issue was not isolated and called for a holistic programme linking national security with inclusive development and sustainability.
Security & Defence Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson called on Hon. Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister, to speak and allocated him 12 minutes. The intervention was procedural and did not include substantive policy remarks or debate content.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Eranga Gunasekara - Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara, speaking during the debate on expenditure Heads for the Ministries of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs and Defence, criticized the Opposition for allegedly spreading falsehoods and inflaming nationalism in the past. He said the Government would support a Private Member’s Bill aimed at preventing lying, while urging Opposition Members not to make brief false statements and leave the Chamber.
- The Hon. Eranga Gunasekara JJB
AI summary Hon. Eranga Gunasekara defended the Government’s Budget allocation, stating that Rs. 300 million referred specifically to the “Sri Lankan Day” initiative and not to the broader programme for building a “prosperous country and beautiful life,” for which he said Rs. 8,835 billion had been allocated. He criticised the Opposition’s handling of the Easter Sunday attacks, narcotics issues, and passport delays under previous administrations, while asserting that the current Government is pursuing investigations without political interference. He also said passport issuance had improved through 24-hour operations, rising from about 1,200–2,500 to over 4,000 passports per day.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson called on Hon. Mujibur Rahuman to speak and informed him that he had 18 minutes allocated.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahuman raised concerns over the continuing passport issuance crisis at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, noting public hardship despite the Government’s earlier pledge to resolve the issue. He questioned procurement decisions linked to e-passports and machine-readable passports, alleging higher unit costs, reduced passport pages for the same public fee, and a significant financial loss to citizens and the State. He also warned of possible security weaknesses in the new blue passport compared with the previous version and urged the relevant Ministers to address the matter.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala’s recorded intervention consists only of an address to the Deputy Chairperson. No substantive argument, proposal, question, or policy position is provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson recognized Minister Ananda Wijepala to speak. No substantive remarks, arguments, proposals, or questions were made in this intervention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala responded to concerns raised over passport issuance, stating that the long-running “N Series” passport system had operated for 22 years without proper tender procedures and that previous governments had failed to address the issue. He said the current administration inherited severe queues and a backlog of 125,000 passports, has introduced 24-hour operations, increased daily issuance to 4,000, and raised quotas at four regional offices. He explained that the e-passport tender is subject to a Court of Appeal injunction, while a temporary shift to “P Series” machine-readable passports is being handled under legal advice without payments yet being made, and that a new tender process will proceed after the court case concludes.
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahuman briefly sought permission from the Deputy Chairperson to speak. No substantive issue, proposal, or policy position is contained in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson directed that no debate be entered into due to time constraints. They then called on Hon. Chathura Galappaththi to speak next.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahuman sought permission to make a brief response. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or demand was presented in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Hon. Deputy Chairperson intervened procedurally to state that the questions raised had already been answered by the Minister. He instructed Members not to reopen the debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahuman briefly intervened to request clarification during the proceedings. No substantive policy position, proposal, or argument was set out in the recorded excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson informed the Member that only their speech would be taken up that day and allowed the Member 30 seconds to speak.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahuman asked the Minister to acknowledge alleged large-scale fraud and corruption in the issuance of both previous and current blue passports. He pressed the Minister on whether legal action would be taken in response.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala stated that the matter in question is already before the courts and under investigation because corrupt acts have occurred. He indicated that the issue is being addressed through legal and investigative processes.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala stated that corrupt procedures also occurred during the previous administration’s period. The remark appears to challenge or respond to claims about corruption by pointing to similar practices under the opposing side’s time in office.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary Hon. Chathura Galappaththi was called to speak and allotted nine minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chathura Galappaththi SJB
AI summary Chathura Galappaththi argued that national security should be understood broadly, including food, energy, health, economic, environmental, technological and data security, citing the 2022 shortages as evidence of interconnected risks. He said the Budget lacks adequate focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, despite earlier moves to establish a National AI Centre and strategy, and raised concerns about the security of biometric, fuel QR, vaccination, education and NMRA-related data. He called for investigations into data breaches and proposed requiring wind power investors to establish data centres in Sri Lanka to securely host national data.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan stated that the 2025 Defence Ministry allocation of Rs. 442 billion reflects a 3 percent increase, mainly due to salary increments for the armed forces, and linked national security to economic growth indicators such as tourism and the stock market. He outlined allocations across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Security Department, disaster management and development activities, noting nearly Rs. 5 billion for the Kotelawala Defence University and its expansion. He also said military-occupied lands in the Northern Province are being released in stages, giving figures for Mullaitivu District and stating that the remaining lands would soon be released for public use.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson called on Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam to speak and informed him that he had 13 minutes. The intervention was procedural and did not address substantive policy or legislative matters.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC
AI summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam opposed the Defence and Public Security allocations in the 2025 Budget, arguing that increased defence spending and military salary hikes are unjustified in the absence of war and amid fiscal constraints and reduced social welfare expenditure. He said the heavy military presence in the North and East, particularly the reported soldier-to-civilian ratios in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, signals continued militarization of Tamil-speaking areas and contradicts the Government’s stated commitment to ending racism. He also criticized the defence establishment’s employment of preschool teachers at higher salaries than the Education Ministry, saying it militarizes education in impoverished war-affected areas. He tabled two reports on military deployment and stated that his party would call for a Division and vote against the Defence and Public Security Heads.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara was called to speak and informed that he had 12 minutes. No substantive policy issue or argument was presented in this procedural intervention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara urged the Government to address responsibilities to Northern and Eastern voters beyond political messaging, and called for a comprehensive programme against the underworld, including using Boossa Prison for high-risk offenders, virtual court procedures, and accountability for recent security failures. He raised concerns over human–elephant conflict workers not being regularized, alleged informal funding of police station refurbishments, and a Gazette extending women soldiers’ service for retirement to 22 years. He also demanded further investigation into the Easter attacks, including questioning named individuals and witnesses, and referred to unresolved allegations surrounding Rohana Wijeweera’s killing and available witnesses.
- The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary The Minister said investigations into the Easter attacks and recent organised-crime killings require tracing links between multiple incidents, and that police, intelligence and the CID are pursuing such connections for national security. He also responded to debate on Presidential overseas travel expenditure, comparing reported costs under previous Presidents with Rs. 1.8 million spent from the Presidential Secretariat for President Anura Dissanayake’s first five months. He detailed Secretariat costs for visits to India, China and Dubai, noting that some air tickets were provided by host countries and that separate ministry expenses could be provided later.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson managed the proceedings by calling the House to order and indicating that Hon. Sanjeewa Ranasingha would take the Chair. After the change of Chair, the next speaker, Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran, was called and allocated 15 minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK
AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran welcomed the Government’s “Prosperous Country – Beautiful Life” policy and Clean Sri Lanka programme but argued that rising drug use and illicit liquor production, especially in Mullaitivu and the wider Vanni, undermine those aims. He cited village complaints and reported deaths linked to kassippu and cannabis-related illicit alcohol, questioned why Police and security forces have not controlled the situation, and referred to allegations of police complicity. He also raised concerns about related theft, family breakdown, youth addiction, forest destruction, timber smuggling, illegal sand and gravel mining, cattle smuggling, and an incident involving an allegedly intoxicated police officer at Yogapuram School, calling for stronger law and order enforcement.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe raised concerns about unpaid allowances for a cadre of Police officers serving in Parliament and requested corrective action by the authorities. He argued that recent shootings, particularly an incident inside the High Court precincts despite heavy security, should be treated as a serious national security matter, and called for improved intelligence follow-up without politicizing Police appointments or investigations. He urged action on the VFS outsourcing transaction, a prompt and evidence-based conclusion to Easter Sunday attack investigations, and avoidance of selective law enforcement or scapegoating. He also proposed using Defence and prison manpower for productive national industries, citing inmate skills programmes funded in the Budget.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala responded to points raised about the Easter Sunday attacks and the Ministry Secretary, stating that former CID Director Shani Abeysekara and the then Ministry Secretary acted diligently and honestly during their tenures. He said Ravi Seneviratne is the current Ministry Secretary and argued that accusations against officials should not be made in Parliament without basis. He assured the House that investigations into the Easter attacks are progressing and that those responsible would be revealed expeditiously.
- The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe requested the Minister to ensure that anyone with a conflict of interest is excluded from the relevant investigation. He framed the request as a measure to safeguard fairness in the probe.
- The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB
AI summary Ananda Wijepala stated that there is no conflict of interest because the Secretary is not involved in investigations in that capacity, and officials are acting within their official roles. He noted that the matter will ultimately come before the courts and said any concerns submitted would be examined.
Justice & Human Rights Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva re-tabled the Committee on Public Finance report on outsourcing online visa and passport application services between the consortium and the Department of Immigration and Emigration. He noted that a court case had arisen from the earlier report and that procedural follow-up in the new Parliament had not yet occurred. He said a requested forensic audit by the Auditor-General was believed to be nearing completion and urged Parliament to take necessary action thereafter, including directing the Police and relevant officials to proceed.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer - Deputy Minister of National Integration JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister argued that strengthening the Police, Public Security institutions, and Defence-related services is essential for national progress, while acknowledging both the need for criticism and the importance of supporting Police welfare and capacity. He said the Government plans to fill at least half of the reported 20,000 Police vacancies this year, expand community policing and Public Security Committees, and deploy more Tamil-speaking officers to sensitive areas in the North and East. He also outlined measures to train 5,100 officers in Tamil, improve technical and IT training, address narcotics through supply-chain enforcement and public awareness, and provide single-cab vehicles to about 80 Police stations in the North with Indian assistance.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB
AI summary Hon. Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana raised concerns about rising underworld violence, alleged links between organized crime and law enforcement personnel, and the need to protect intelligence officers’ identities while strengthening structures to combat organized crime. He called on the Government to disclose and prosecute any politicians linked to the underworld and to report transparently to Parliament on progress in investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, including issues raised in a letter from Catholic Church leaders and allegations involving intelligence personnel, Channel 4 disclosures, DNA testing, and the Gelanigama incident. He also questioned delays and silence over alleged frauds relating to passports and NICs, and urged expedited processing of dual citizenship applications, citing accumulated files, lost revenue, and hardship to applicants.
- The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Hon. Sunil Watagala stated that recent shootings and other crimes have involved serving or retired members of the armed forces and Police, including individuals with weapons training linked to narcotics. He said the Defence Secretary has moved to apprehend armed forces deserters and recall firearms issued by the previous Government, with reissuance subject to threat assessments. He also noted that dual citizenship processing is being expedited and indicated that authorities expect soon to disclose who is behind murders in the Middeniya area.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA
AI summary Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan opposed the increased Defence allocation, arguing that the post-war North and East continue to face excessive troop presence, military occupation of civilian land, and restrictions on access to religious and agricultural sites. He cited specific locations in Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaitivu and along the A-9, and urged the Government to implement the President’s pledge to release occupied lands and reduce troop numbers. He questioned the effectiveness and purpose of the military presence amid continued drug trafficking and criticized the use of national security and the PTA to arrest journalists and civilians, saying reconciliation requires reduced defence spending and an end to fear among Tamil communities.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB
AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper raised concerns about the continued blocking of donated Sinhala and Tamil translations of Tafsir Qur’an, questioning their classification as “extremist literature” and requesting corrective action. He proposed further digitization of parliamentary work, including ending his hard-copy Hansard distribution, upgrading Members’ outdated laptops, installing desk-based screens and keyboards, and improving canteen and tea services through a pay-for-consumption model. He also asked that unpaid allowances for Police officers attached to Parliament be considered. On Arjuna Mahendran’s extradition, he argued that the absence of a Sri Lanka-Singapore treaty makes extradition difficult, warned that fair-treatment concerns affect such requests, and suggested proceeding with an in absentia trial under existing criminal procedure provisions.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Thushari Jayasingha, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Hon. Thushari Jayasingha said equalizing women’s armed forces service to 22 years was a parity measure, not a punishment. She outlined plans under the allocation to improve women and child protection, including early identification of at-risk children through Police, probation and divisional officials, stronger use of the 109 hotline, and the recruitment of 2,600 women Police officers to ensure at least three per station. She also proposed dedicated Children and Women Units with separate entrances in all 604 Police stations to reduce re-victimization and improve access to complaints, while stressing crime prevention and professional law enforcement.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera said Sri Lanka’s national security remains assured through a professional military, with Defence allocations to be used for institutional strengthening, modernization, technology, research and development. He stated that a National Security Advisor Council would be established by law, cybersecurity legislation is being advanced through the Digital Economy Ministry, and the National Disaster Management Council would be reconvened and disaster management restructured. He outlined plans to modernize the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and hydrographic services to address maritime security, illegal fishing, environmental protection and revenue generation from navigational charts. He also said force levels in the North and East would continue to be reviewed, retaining personnel only where essential and redeploying others as necessary.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam raised concerns during the Defence Votes debate about unresolved accountability issues, asking the President to clarify whether the Government would pursue a domestic or international process. He cited alleged killings linked to the Tripoli platoon, State Intelligence personnel, Manik Farm detainees, and the Easter attacks, questioning why key individuals had not been investigated or questioned. He also said no tangible progress had been made on a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the disappeared, or alleged killings, and noted a rise in Defence allocations for diets and uniforms from Rs. 70 billion in 2023 to Rs. 135 billion in 2025.
- The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam asked the Government to clarify defence expenditure and whether the Army is being used for civilian construction work under the Clean Sri Lanka programme, while urging the release of military-held land in the North and East for public use. He questioned delays in implementing manifesto commitments, including a new Constitution and abolition of the Executive Presidency, and sought clarification on reported changes in military intelligence leadership. He also demanded updates on promised anti-corruption action relating to alleged hidden funds, the VFS and passport deals, the sugar tax issue, coconut oil contamination, Avant Garde, and the bond scam.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam criticized the Government for allegedly providing Rs. 966 billion in relief to billionaire businessmen while continuing to tax poorer citizens. He addressed the President directly, saying the public still has faith in him, but urged him to ensure Ministers and MPs do not misuse his name.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB
AI summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha urged the Government to address rising underworld violence and restore public confidence by strengthening, rather than destabilizing, the Police and STF. He argued that recent transfers of OICs and STF officers were often unjustified, politically influenced, and demoralizing, and called for proper assessments, leadership stability, and support for capable officers. He also referred to the Easter Sunday attacks, stressing public expectations for justice and asking that investigations examine related armed groups and the origins of extremist activity in the East.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna raised a Point of Order expressing that people in the North do not want further division in the country and wish to live with Sinhalese citizens as friends and as an integral part of Sri Lanka. He requested an assurance from the President on the introduction of a new Constitution and the granting of equal rights.
- The Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake - President, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Minister of Digital Economy
AI summary The President rejected claims that the Government faces a national security crisis or is close to collapse, arguing that earlier predictions of economic failure, currency pressure and internal political division had not materialized. He identified ethnic nationalism, extremism and organized criminal gangs as the main security threats, stating that the Government would repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act while introducing a new legal framework to address organized crime and extremism. He alleged that criminal gangs had developed through political patronage and links with law enforcement and security personnel, citing recent arrests of police officers, missing T-56 rifles, and misuse of licensed firearms as examples.
- 11 Procedural Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Voting & Amendments (Heads 103, 189, 222-226, 304, 320, 325) 11 speeches
- 12 Adjournment Adjournment 2 speeches