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

Sitting of Tuesday, 8 April 2025

10th Parliament· 21 debates· 305 speeches· 151 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1747715041076408 ·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.

  17. 17 Oral question Oral Question: MSME Tariff Crisis and Trade Negotiations (SO 27(2)) 18 speeches
    • The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB

      AI summary Sajith Premadasa raised concerns over the unresolved difficulties facing MSMEs and the wider industrial sector, particularly after the expiry of the suspension of banks’ parate execution powers and the threat of new US reciprocal tariffs. He asked whether the Government would extend the parate suspension, table data and a Central Bank roadmap on parate execution, and introduce measures such as affordable working capital, interest relief, and loan restructuring for distressed and blacklisted businesses. He also sought clarification on the Government’s response to the proposed 44 per cent US tariff on Sri Lankan exports, including efforts to secure alternative market support such as an expanded Indian apparel quota, and called for an All-Party Conference to address the issue.

      EmploymentForeign AffairsPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB

      AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake raised a procedural concern that the Leader of the Opposition was speaking beyond the submitted script. He requested that Party Leaders or the Secretariat examine the matter, citing implications for time management and the privileges of the House.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB

      AI summary Sajith Premadasa stated that his intervention was not intended as an argument with the Leader of the House, but that the issue was significant and not a routine matter. He justified raising points beyond the written Question on the grounds that the matter affects the entire population and the economy, and maintained that he was not violating parliamentary rules.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
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    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning

      AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that the suspension of parate powers ended on 31 March 2025 and will not be extended, noting that banks used parate 2,263 times from 2019 to 2023 to recover Rs. 113.7 billion, while Stage 3 default loans stood at Rs. 1,380 billion as at end-2024. He outlined several MSME relief and revival measures, including ADB-supported and Consolidated Fund loan schemes, Central Bank circulars on restructuring and Business Revival Units, grace periods for eligible borrowers, possible interest write-offs, extended repayment terms, and a grievance mechanism for auction-related disputes. He also said an MSME Advisory Committee and a scorecard-based capacity grading mechanism are being introduced, with the framework developed through consultations among the Central Bank, ministries, banks, finance companies and MSME representatives.

      EmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a question to the Minister of Finance on the reported 44 per cent US tariff on Sri Lankan exports, asking what diplomatic, trade, and policy steps had been taken since 18 March 2025 to prevent or mitigate it. He sought details on engagement with the US administration and USTR, any request for a special exemption, comparative tariff treatment of competitor countries, and five-year export data to the US. He also asked for short- and long-term strategies to protect sectors such as apparel, rubber, tea, and marine exports, diversify markets, improve competitiveness, and support affected exporters, especially SMEs, framing the issue as a national concern.

      Public FinanceForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB

      AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha said the Government had engaged diplomatically with the White House, USTR, the IMF and Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Washington before and after the 2 April 2025 US tariff announcement, and that a Presidential Special Committee was appointed to propose responses. He said discussions focused on mitigation options linked to reducing the trade deficit used in the US tariff formula, with further virtual talks with USTR scheduled and a letter from the President to President Donald Trump acknowledged by the White House. He rejected claims of inaction, noting the US applied a global formula and that negotiations were expected only after figures were issued. He also outlined efforts to diversify markets through EU GSP+, the UK DCTS and opportunities in China, the Middle East, India and South Asia, while identifying apparel and food exports as priority sectors affected by the US measures.

      Foreign AffairsPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake briefly acknowledged the response given and emphasized that the matter under discussion is a national problem. He indicated agreement with the prior characterization of the issue but the excerpt does not include further details on the specific policy matter, proposal, or request.

      Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech →
    • The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that Sri Lanka should respond pragmatically to new US tariff pressures by offering zero-duty market access and a stronger investment climate for US companies, positioning Sri Lanka as a gateway to India. He highlighted the importance of US trade to Sri Lanka, citing 875,000 export-related jobs and a significant share of exports to the US, while noting broader shifts toward deglobalization. He called for a full-day parliamentary debate on trade policy, stating that the issue should not be addressed incidentally during other debates in breach of procedure.

      Public FinanceForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB

      AI summary Bimal Rathnayake acknowledged the importance of the issue raised but noted that a full day had already been allocated to debate it alongside the VAT-related economic Bill. He said the impacts could be addressed during that debate and opposed the Opposition’s proposal to continue sittings without a lunch break, requesting that the House proceed to the main debate.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB

      AI summary Dr. Anil Jayantha stated that a zero-tariff approach is not the only option under consideration and that the Government is exploring alternatives in response to the issue raised. He said a meeting with US authorities would be held that night and that information would subsequently be provided to Parliament. He also argued that tariff comparisons should not focus on a single country, noting differing rates in India, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar, and said the matter relates more to the trade deficit than to tariff levels alone.

      Public FinanceForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB

      AI summary Minister Vijitha Herath outlined the outcomes of the Indian Prime Minister’s April 2025 visit to Sri Lanka, highlighting agreements and support across debt restructuring, tourism, digitalization, energy, transport, agriculture, investment, and religious-cultural projects. He stated that India agreed to restructure bilateral debt, convert about USD 100 million in recent loans into grants, reduce interest and extend the tenure of the swap facility, and provide grants for Mannar Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit and the Maho-Anuradhapura railway signalling upgrade. He also noted Indian financial support for projects in Anuradhapura, the Thirukoneswaram Kovil in Trincomalee, and the Seetha Eliya temple area in Nuwara Eliya, describing these as measures to strengthen religious ties and tourism.

      InfrastructurePublic FinanceForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Mano Ganesan SJB

      AI summary Mano Ganesan asked the Minister to table in Parliament the MoUs referred to in the Minister’s statement, arguing that doing so would build public and parliamentary confidence. He noted that similar actions in the past had been criticized as “selling out,” and sought clarification and transparency by requesting that all such documents be submitted to Parliament.

      Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath JJB

      AI summary The Hon. Vijitha Herath stated that he would consult the relevant Ministries before providing a response to Parliament.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →