Sitting of Friday, 6 June 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1750753418078417 ·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: Parliament Commencement and Speaker's Announcements 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Annual and Committee Reports 4 speeches
- 3 Oral question Oral Question: Dedicated Economic Centres (Q.12/2024) 8 speeches
- The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB
AI summary Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi asked the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development to provide details on Dedicated Economic Centres in Sri Lanka, including their number, locations, and the objectives behind their establishment. He also sought information on measures to regularize the business and administrative activities of those centres, and requested reasons if such information could not be provided.
- The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe — Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development
AI summary The Minister answered that there are 18 economic centres across the country, listing their locations from Narahenpita and Piliyandala to Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Batticaloa. He said their purposes include providing marketing facilities for rural producers, improving product quality, supporting fair trade, reducing intermediary influence, managing shortages and surpluses, and lowering transport costs and post-harvest losses. He added that shortcomings have been identified and that Cabinet approval has been obtained for a memorandum to establish a more efficient, accountable framework for managing and regularizing the centres.
- The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB
AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi questioned whether Dedicated Economic Centres have fulfilled their intended role in practice, noting that farmers face transport losses and unfair prices while intermediaries capture large margins between farm-gate and urban retail prices. He asked whether the relevant Cabinet paper includes measures to ensure fair producer prices, reduce post-harvest losses, improve logistics, protect consumers, and properly regularize Centres in major farming areas.
- The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe — Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development
AI summary The Minister said Dedicated Economic Centres are operating inconsistently, with only 14 of 18 functioning and some managed by Provincial Councils outside a unified system. He stated that although about Rs. 1.4 billion in public funds had been spent on these centres, revenue was not being returned to the Treasury due to varied trust-based collection practices. He announced Cabinet approval to regularize the centres through a Management Board and government company, introduce real-time digital price displays, adjust operating hours, and work with transporters to reduce delays, damage, and market costs.
- The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB
AI summary Consumer protection was raised as a core responsibility of the Ministry in the context of public controversy over salt and rice imports and allegations directed at the Minister. The member requested that an adjournment motion debate be allowed so the Minister could respond, and questioned why local prices had risen sharply despite international price information being readily available.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB
AI summary Requested an adjournment debate to allow the Minister to respond directly to allegations and address public concerns, rather than revisiting prior discussion on carrots. Asked whether the Minister was prepared to participate in such a debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe — Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development
AI summary Imports of salt have been liberalized subject to permits from the Food Control Administration Unit, with approvals issued for up to 268,000 metric tons, though full importation is not expected. About 15,800–16,000 metric tons had arrived by the previous day at landed costs averaging around Rs. 77 per kilo, but the Minister said some traders were attempting to sell at Rs. 120–280 per kilo. He stated that importers had been warned against excessive profiteering and that action would be taken if consumers were adversely affected, adding that he could provide further details in an adjournment debate.
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Sub Post Office Building (Q.74/2024) 6 speeches
- 5 Procedural Procedural: Standing Orders Discussion and Oral Questions 59 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Major Ports Revenue and Expenditure (Q.95/2024) 5 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural and Oral Question: Airport and Aviation Services and Standing Orders Clarification 70 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: State-Owned Sugar Companies (Q.191/2024) 16 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Questions: Second Round 7 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Mahaweli Re-awakening Week (Q.619/2025) 5 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Ambassadors and High Commissioners with Dual Citizenship 16 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Second Round and Ministerial Statements 14 speeches
- 13 Procedural Procedural: Standing Order 27(2) Questions and Points of Order 32 speeches
- 14 Procedural Procedural: House Conduct and Petition Examination 14 speeches
- 15 Papers Papers: Private Members' Bills Introduction 7 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Votes of Condolence for Four Former MPs 46 speeches
- 17 Adjournment Adjournment: Adjournment Motion and Questions 13 speeches