Sitting of Friday, 9 May 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1748600585013314 ·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 and Announcements 10 speeches
- 2 Petitions Petitions 4 speeches
- 3 Oral question Oral Question: National-Level Stadiums in Northern and Eastern Provinces (Q.1/2024) 14 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Agriculture (Q.9/2025) - Stand Down 2 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Questions - Second Round (Q.2/2024, Q.3/2025, Q.4/2025, Q.5/2025, Q.6/2025) 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Standing Order 27(2) Questions and Matters of Urgent Public Importance 32 speeches
- 7 Procedural Ministry Statements and Privilege Matter 5 speeches
- 8 Procedural Procedural Matters: Standing Order Exemptions and Private Members' Bills 5 speeches
- 9 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.2/2024): Curtailing Privileges of MPs and Former Heads of State 18 speeches
- 10 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.12/2024): Enhancing State Sector Involvement in Food Import and Distribution 77 speeches
- 11 Procedural Procedural Points of Order 6 speeches
- 12 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.19/2024): Course of Action for Implementing Audit Recommendations 24 speeches
- 13 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.25/2024): Providing Housing for Every Family in Sri Lanka 16 speeches
- 14 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.37/2025): Public Transport Standards and Bus Specifications 17 speeches
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ravindra Bandara
AI summary Hon. Ravindra Bandara moved a Motion urging the Government to legislate that future bus imports for both SLTB and private operators must be purpose-built for passenger transport, comfortable, and compliant with public transport standards, rather than bodies built on lorry chassis. He argued that current buses cause safety, comfort, maintenance, environmental and service-quality problems, particularly on long-distance routes, while noting that import policy should also account for rural and estate road conditions through suitable vehicle sizes. He linked the proposal to the Government’s policy vision and the Clean Sri Lanka programme, and raised concerns about competition between SLTB and private buses, private bus associations’ influence, passenger inconvenience, tourist impressions, and inappropriate practices such as loud music in buses.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ravindra Bandara
AI summary Hon. Ravindra Bandara supported the proposal to modernize public transport, citing past school bus accidents and the risks posed by ageing buses. He emphasized the need to improve passenger comfort and accessibility, including low-floor buses for persons with disabilities, and referred to Budget plans for new buses and further SLTB procurement. He also argued that better public transport is important for tourism and Sri Lanka’s image as a destination.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Dinindu Saman Hennayake JJB
AI summary Dinindu Saman Hennayake seconded Ravindra Bandara’s Motion to import only buses meeting public transport standards, arguing that past mismanagement and politicization weakened the CTB/SLTB and reduced service quality. He said the National People’s Power Government’s manifesto prioritizes strengthening public transport, including for rural communities, and noted Budget plans to import 1,000 new buses. He cited the repair of 65 buses by Lakdiv Engineers and SLTB revenue of Rs. 204 million per day in April as recent measures, and called for ending the use of lorry-chassis and lorry-engine buses in favour of safer, more comfortable public transport.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Thushari Jayasingha, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Hon. Thushari Jayasingha argued that Sri Lanka’s public transport remains inadequate, overcrowded, and unsafe, particularly for working women who face daily indignities including sexual harassment. She supported importing buses designed for passenger transport rather than lorry-chassis buses, and emphasized the need for accessible, low-floor buses for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. She also linked improved public transport to workers’ dignity, tourism, and the needs of future generations.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Supported the Private Member’s Motion on public transport while recording that the Northern (Nagalingam) Omnibus Company, founded in 1938 by his father with 160 buses, preceded the establishment of the CTB in 1958 and was later acquired into it. He urged the Transport Minister to repair buses in the North and East and criticized the Government for not delivering material improvements there despite electoral support, asking it to be transparent about available funds and implementation capacity.
- The Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj JJB
AI summary Kitnan Selvaraj supported the Motion on improving public transport, arguing that estate communities in the plantation highlands have faced inadequate transport links for decades despite the establishment and restructuring of national transport bodies. He cited continuing difficulties for workers and students in Badulla District, including the unresolved aftermath of a serious SLTB accident on the Poonagala–Bandarawela route. He said past governments failed to use available mechanisms, including under the 13th Amendment, to improve inter-provincial transport, and endorsed the current Government’s plan to strengthen public transport with modern buses and better estate-to-town connectivity.
- The Hon. B. Ariyawansha SJB
AI summary Hon. B. Ariyawansha supported the Motion but argued that importing only luxury buses would not address rural and hill-country transport needs because such vehicles are costly and unsuitable for some routes. He requested concessions for private bus operators to purchase compliant buses, noting their significant role in passenger transport alongside SLTB. He also called for improvements to poor road conditions, citing the Embilipitiya–Sooriya Kanda and Colombo–Ratnapura–Embilipitiya roads, and urged SLTB to deploy more buses for rural communities and schoolchildren.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister outlined the policy process on minimum specifications for public passenger buses, noting Cabinet and Sectoral Oversight Committee consideration in 2023 and 2024, and stating that Cabinet approved permit and fleet-replacement compliance measures but did not approve declaring the specifications as national policy or legislating import restrictions. He said the Ministry plans to use the Rs. 3,000 million Budget allocation to import higher-standard buses, including low-floor and expressway models, expand the SLTB fleet, and begin a gradual transition to electric buses through investor engagement. He also referred to the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill, which would expand regulatory powers over other passenger transport modes, and announced forthcoming enforcement against non-compliant decorative bus modifications.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma
AI summary Proposed that Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara take the Chair during the sitting.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravindra Bandara
AI summary The Hon. Ravindra Bandara briefly seconded the motion before the House, after which the question was put and agreed to. The sitting then proceeded with a change in the Chair, as Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathne left and Hon. (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara took over.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Ravindra Bandara
AI summary Hon. Ravindra Bandara noted that Budget allocations for development projects are expected to be fully utilized within the year, highlighting funding for rural roads, rural bridges, and the Mullaitivu–Vaddavadukkal bridge, with significant allocations to the Northern Province. He said public transport reforms should define Government specifications for buses suited to urban, rural, and hill routes, and referred to allocations for 100 low-floor buses and proposals for 200 more. He also called attention to the potential for domestic bus production and the working conditions and revenue pressures faced by private bus crews, while expressing cross-party support for improving public transport.
- 15 Debate Private Members' Motion (P.38/2025): Utilization of Abandoned Development Projects 15 speeches
- 16 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Law and Order and Crime Prevention 13 speeches