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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Wednesday, 12 March 2025

10th Parliament· 13 debates· 171 speeches· 79 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1744106534050382 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Prison Guard Vacancies (Q.125/2024) 7 speeches
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB

      AI summary Kins Nelson asked the Minister of Justice and National Integration to provide details on the Prisons Department’s approved cadre of prison guards, the number currently serving, and existing vacancies. He also sought information on measures to fill those vacancies and address professional issues faced by prison guards, asking for reasons if the information could not be provided.

      Justice & Human RightsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB

      AI summary The Minister provided figures on the approved cadre, current strength, and vacancies for male and female Prison Guards, noting 729 male and 117 female vacancies. He said recruitment is underway through a competitive examination, internal recruitment from the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force to the Prisons Emergency Response Tactical Unit, and limited competitive recruitment from junior departmental employees. He also stated that Cabinet-approved increases to allowances, expanded overtime eligibility, uniform provision, and training programmes have been introduced to address staffing pressures and improve prison service capacity.

      Law & OrderEmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB

      AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson raised concerns that prison officers perform dangerous duties comparable to police officers but receive lower pay. Citing a recent shooting of a former prison officer, he asked whether the Government would ensure fair salaries for prison officers on par with the police.

      Employment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB

      AI summary Public servants’ salaries have been increased this year, and the Minister stated that the relevant group’s salaries will also rise accordingly. He added that further discussions could be held to consider additional allowances and relief measures.

      Public Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB

      AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson highlighted severe overcrowding in prisons, citing Polonnaruwa Prison holding 405 inmates against a capacity of 149 and Welikada holding 3,579 against about 1,400. He raised concerns about inadequate sanitation at Polonnaruwa New Town Prison, including sewage entering a public canal used for bathing, drinking and irrigation, and asked what steps would be taken to reduce congestion and address issues affecting both prison officers and inmates.

      Law & OrderHealthcareJustice & Human Rights Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB

      AI summary The Minister stated that Sri Lanka’s prisons have capacity for about 10,700 inmates but currently hold around 30,000, including approximately 19,000 remand prisoners, creating overcrowding problems in Polonnaruwa, Colombo, and elsewhere. He said funds have been allocated this year to address sewerage issues, including in Polonnaruwa, after no allocations in the previous two years, but emphasized that infrastructure measures alone are insufficient. He added that a committee appointed three months earlier is working to reduce the remand population and that the Ministry intends to act expeditiously.

      Justice & Human RightsPublic Finance Full speech →