Sitting of Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1749121318003248 ·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 Parliament Opening and Speaker's Announcements 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers - Annual Reports Tabling 6 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions - Presented to Committee on Public Petitions 8 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Lands Acquired for Kurunegala-Habarana Railway Line - Compensation/Ex-Gratia Payment (Q.1/2025) 6 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Bridge at Pansilgoda, Minuwangoda - Non-Completion (Q.2/2025) 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Lady Ridgeway Hospital - Donations for Purchase of Surgical Items (Q.3/2025) 6 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Sinhala and Tamil-Medium Government Schools - Teacher Vacancies (Q.4/2025) 4 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Warehouses of Co-operative Wholesale Establishment in Welisara - Lease (Q.8/2025) 4 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Director of Jaffna Teaching Hospital Appointment (Q.9/2025) 4 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Millennium City Housing Complex, Oruwala - Lands for Common Amenities (Q.10/2025) 6 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Questions - Various Tabled and Private Notice Questions 7 speeches
- 12 Debate Debate: Finance Act Order - Tax Exemptions and Government Policy on Renewable Energy 11 speeches
- 13 Debate Debate: Finance Act Order - Continued Discussion (Multiple Speakers) 29 speeches
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahman questioned the Government’s handling of continuing essential food shortages, focusing on the salt shortage and asking why salt imported through the State Trading Corporation had not reached consumers at affordable prices. He alleged that imported rock salt, despite relatively low landed costs and duties, was being sold at Rs. 350–400 per kilogram due to stock control by private interests linked to Puttalam Salt Ltd. and Raigam. He urged the Consumer Affairs Authority to inspect stocks in Hambantota and Puttalam rather than only small retailers, and criticized the appointment of a private salt company owner to the board of a public salt company as a conflict of interest. He also briefly raised concern that the Auditor General’s post remained vacant.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahman requested an additional five minutes of speaking time from Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka. No substantive policy issue, legislative matter, or argument was raised in the quoted remark.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Gayantha Karunathilleka requested the Deputy Speaker to allocate five minutes of speaking time to another member. The intervention was procedural and did not address substantive policy or legislative matters.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB
AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahman accused the Government of contradicting its pledge to introduce anti-crossover legislation while allegedly trying to secure support from opposition and independent members to form local authority administrations. He argued that where no party has over 50 per cent in a council, the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance requires an internal vote to elect the mayor or chairman, and said the SJB was prepared to face such votes. He also criticized the President’s direct involvement in local authority coalition-building and claimed the Government was seeking to change rules it had previously supported when politically advantageous. Rahman urged the Government to stop using executive pressure to secure council control and to recognize what he described as a major decline in its electoral support.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahman urged the Government to accept criticism of its mistakes and correct course rather than assume continued public support. He warned that public opinion can change and stated that the SJB and other Opposition groups accept the challenge posed by the Government.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB
AI summary The Minister rejected Opposition claims about local government results and the handling of the salt shortage, stating that allegations that 51,000 metric tons of imported salt were given to one private company were false. He said imports were arranged after requests from producers and after heavy rains damaged Hambantota and Puttalam production, with tenders through the State Trading Corporation, Cabinet approval for additional imports, and temporary permission for private importers. He outlined national salt demand, washing and supply constraints, allocations to Lanka Salt, Sathosa and dried-fish producers, and said the Government would prevent excessive retail pricing while reviewing relevant ownership arrangements when existing agreements end.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a point of order under Standing Order 92(2)(a), objecting that a Question submitted under Standing Order 27(2) on the Elephant Pass Saltern had not been permitted. He said production at the saltern had stopped for 12 days and workers were protesting, and asked why such Questions were not being taken up and answered by the relevant Minister.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the Government will respond to questions raised under Standing Order 27(2) and rejected attempts to discourage the movement of salt from the North to the South. He emphasized that goods should move freely across Sri Lanka in both directions and said divisive agitation on regional trade would not be permitted.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi SJB
AI summary Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi raised concerns about the current salt shortage, noting that Hambantota’s salterns have historically supplied the country and continued production even after the tsunami affected them. He alleged that the present shortage is the result of a major fraud and directed the concern to the Minister.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB
AI summary The Minister said salt imports became necessary after weather-related damage reduced domestic production, noting that even opposition members had acknowledged rain-related losses. He stated that Hambantota salterns have a combined capacity of about 100,000 metric tons, but production fell from around 80,000 metric tons last year to about 60,000 metric tons this year. He added that any allegations of fraud or corruption are under investigation and that action would be taken if wrongdoing is found.
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB
AI summary Mujibur Rahman objected to a Minister’s characterization of his remarks, stating that he had been misquoted. He clarified that the claim that rain caused damage had been made by the Minister’s own chairmen, not by him.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi SJB
AI summary Dilip Wedaarachchi disputed a claim or statement related to salt shortages, drawing on his experience growing up in Hambantota. He said that despite heavy rainfall for eight months of the year, salt had never run out there, and questioned why false statements were being made.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised concerns over the closure of the NEXT apparel factory and the loss of around 2,000 jobs, urging immediate government intervention to prevent further factory closures and provide relief to affected workers. He criticized proposed electricity tariff increases in light of earlier government promises, calling for targeted relief for low-use households while maintaining overall cost recovery under IMF commitments. He also called for stronger welfare measures for war veterans and Civil Security Department personnel, evidence for allegations linking SJB leaders to the underworld, and decisive action against rising violence. Citing sharp increases in food prices, salt supply planning failures, risks to GSP+ and trade access, and looming 2028 debt repayments, he urged stronger scenario planning, investor confidence, FDI, production growth, and support for IT exports.
- The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB
AI summary Annual salt consumption is about 180,000 metric tonnes, while national production capacity is around 200,000 metric tonnes in a good year across public entities, cooperatives and private firms. Due to weather-related reductions in actual output, imports were required on this occasion.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa clarified that his earlier point distinguished between “potential capacity” and the capacity actually realizable under prevailing climatic conditions. He stated that his concern was with realizable output after accounting for weather-related impacts.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary Minister Ananda Wijepala responded to the Opposition Leader’s question on alleged links between the underworld and politicians, stating that he had already presented relevant names in Parliament. He said investigations are ongoing and that the findings will be tabled once completed, emphasizing that such statements are not made without basis.
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa challenged the Minister to disclose the names and evidence if any Samagi Jana Balawegaya leaders or members are alleged to have links to the underworld. He demanded that such claims be substantiated publicly rather than made without specific proof.
Law & Order Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha JJB
AI summary Hon. Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha corrected the Opposition Leader’s figures on NEXT, stating that the company has multiple facilities and has proposed a workforce reduction of about 1,416 rather than a complete closure, and tabled a related document. He supported two Extraordinary Gazettes of 31 January 2025: one continuing a 50 per cent concession on the departure levy to support tourism, and another raising the motor vehicle Luxury Tax threshold from Rs. 3.5 million to Rs. 5 million. He also cited recent local authority election results as evidence of a mandate for the Government, defended continued engagement with the IMF as a consequence of prior economic mismanagement, and argued that fuel and gas queues have ended while markets and growth are stabilizing.
- The Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala SJB
AI summary Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala argued that the local government election results showed a significant decline in support for the Government and said council administrations should be formed according to the law. He accused the Government of failing to keep promises on electricity tariff reductions, questioned how it would meet 2028 debt obligations amid lower growth forecasts, and cited factory closures and reduced industrial activity as signs of economic stress. He urged the Government to engage investors, prevent job losses, ensure delivery of welfare benefits such as Samurdhi/Aswesuma and maternal food packs, and focus on rising living costs and public needs.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- 14 Debate Debate: Finance Act Order and Notification on Luxury Tax on Motor Vehicles - Continued (Afternoon Session) 37 speeches
- 15 Procedural Procedural: Questions on Bank of Ceylon Relief and Allied Health Graduates - Final Business 8 speeches