Sitting of Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1743759139093629 ·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 Announcements and Papers 2 speeches
- 2 Committee report Committee Reports Presented 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Citizens' Petitions Presented 5 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Chicken Production and Supply in Sri Lanka (Q.1/2025) 6 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Construction of Liyangastota Bridge (Q.4/2025) 9 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Questions: Moulavi Certificate and Regidale Estate 5 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural Matters: Standing Order 27(2) Question on Graduate Unemployment 23 speeches
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa questioned the Government on graduate unemployment and the mismatch between education and employment, seeking data on public spending per student, studies on graduate job search periods, and plans for 580 local medical graduates awaiting internships. He asked how the Government will implement the National People’s Power pledge to employ 35,000 unemployed graduates, including sectoral recruitment numbers, budget allocations, and whether selection will use skills-based criteria or competitive examinations. He also called for targeted reforms for Arts graduates, age-relaxed access to public competitive exams up to 45 years, and a meeting led by the Prime Minister to present concrete solutions to unemployed graduates.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary The Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip stated that the requested answers would be provided within one week.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised a Point of Order questioning how the Budget was prepared without clarity on measures for 35,000 unemployed graduates. He noted that requests for time to provide answers are usually accommodated, but asked for an explanation regarding the absence of a clear plan for this group.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned the delay in responding to a Budget-related matter, asking whether the Budget had been prepared without considering the relevant issue. He argued that no additional time should be needed and pressed for an immediate answer.
Public Finance Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa stated that he had raised the matter under Standing Order 27(2), indicating it was presented as a special question or issue requiring ministerial attention. No substantive details of the issue raised were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Kabir Hashim SJB
AI summary Kabir Hashim stated that he was raising a matter of national importance under Standing Order 27(2). No further substantive issue, proposal, or question is included in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned why the Government needed more time to respond on providing employment for 35,000 unemployed graduates, arguing that the issue should have been addressed in the Budget. He asked whether the absence of an immediate answer indicated that the graduates’ unemployment crisis had been ignored in budget planning.
Employment Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the issue requires data from several ministries, including Education and Finance, to develop a proper and sustainable solution, rather than being politicized through repeated questions. He said discussions are ongoing and further details will be provided during the Appropriation Bill debate on the Head of Expenditure of the Ministry of Finance.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the Government has appointed a Cabinet subcommittee and coordinating committees of Secretaries to address the issue of unemployed or underemployed graduates, which requires coordination across several ministries. He said a response would be provided within a week and argued that an immediate, ad hoc answer would not resolve a long-standing problem. He said the process would assess government vacancies, public sector development needs, and the qualifications of affected graduates in order to identify fair and appropriate placements.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna requested permission from the Speaker to address Parliament in Tamil and indicated that he would complete his remarks within one minute.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna indicated that he would state the contents of a letter already written and requested to speak in Tamil. He assured the Chair that his remarks would be completed within one minute.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna briefly affirmed that his previous statement accurately reflected his position, addressing the Hon. Speaker. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or question was raised in this intervention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna asked the Minister of Health to act on a transfer ordered by the Director-General of Health Services, noting that it had not yet been implemented. He said the Mannar Hospital lacks a Consultant Paediatrician, as also raised by Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikalanathan, and requested that the transfer be carried out based on the letters he had submitted.
Healthcare Full speech → - Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health JJB
AI summary The Minister of Health stated that he would provide a response to the Member’s question the following day.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
- 8 Debate Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage Debate (Heads 186, 196, 227) 142 speeches
- 9 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Batticaloa Airport Land Acquisition and Release 15 speeches