Sitting of Thursday, 19 June 2025

Order of business

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

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Speaker's Certificate 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Papers Presented 3 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions Presented 7 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Batticaloa Municipal Council Drainage Systems (Q.1/2025) 7 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) 10 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Community-Based Water Projects in Monaragala District (Q.4/2025) 6 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Re-lease of Land in Mahaweli C Zone to Informatics (Pvt.) Limited (Q.5/2025) 9 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: Question No. 7 (918/2025) - Deferred 3 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Wild Elephant Conservation and Red Data Book 5 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Questions: Land in Wattala and Sri Lanka Railways Income 4 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Question under Standing Order 27(2): Medicine Procurement Delays 2 speeches ▸
12. 12 Oral question Question under Standing Order 27(2): Pallimunai Land and Military Camp Issues 8 speeches ▸
13. 13 Procedural Ministerial Statements 7 speeches ▾
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB

      AI summary Minister Bimal Rathnayake said Colombo–Kankesanthurai services had been affected by post-Covid demand changes, line rehabilitation, rolling stock reallocations and crew shortages. He stated that the main constraint is the incomplete Maho–Anuradhapura signalling system, currently requiring token/tablet operations, and that work has begun to complete it so services such as Sri Devi and Uttara Devi can be restored or extended. He also said an Anuradhapura–Vavuniya shuttle is under consideration, Train No. 4021/4022 has been made daily from 9 June 2025 with weekend departures from Mt. Lavinia from 21 June, and a coastal substitute is operating because Yal Devi cannot be extended to Mt. Lavinia due to crew shortages.

      InfrastructurePublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. K. Kader Masthan SLLP

      AI summary Hon. K. Kader Masthan requested expedited rehabilitation of railway tracks and signalling to enable the full resumption of the Sri Devi and Uttara Devi services. He also urged that the Rajarata Rejini service, which currently terminates at Anuradhapura, be extended back to Vavuniya, noting passenger difficulties and the availability of facilities there.

      Infrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB

      AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that the Rajarata Rejini train service was limited to Anuradhapura in January 2023 due to low passenger demand during the fuel crisis. He said the service would be re-evaluated in light of current demand, with consideration given to extending it to Vavuniya or operating a smaller shuttle service.

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

      AI summary The Minister said Sri Lanka removed the mandatory US$300 minimum monthly wage for migrant workers in 2021 and currently relies on host-country wage laws, bilateral labour agreements, contract vetting, mission monitoring, and recruitment regulation to protect workers in the Middle East. He outlined wage arrangements in Qatar and Kuwait, noted the absence of statutory minima in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and described SLBFE and embassy mechanisms for dispute resolution, complaints, blacklisting abusive employers, and repatriation support. He stated that the 2023 National Policy and Action Plan does not reintroduce a fixed outbound minimum wage, but the Ministry is open to reviewing such a mechanism through consultations. He also said SLBFE is preparing standardized wage guideline benchmarks for high-demand jobs to reduce wage theft and protect remittances.

      Foreign AffairsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake thanked the Minister for the reply and highlighted the foreign exchange potential of tourism and worker remittances. He recalled the 2016 policy setting a US$300 minimum for migrant workers and urged the Minister to review and raise the effective minimum to about US$350, arguing that current earnings of roughly US$175–250 limit monthly remittance inflows.

      Foreign AffairsEmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath JJB

      AI summary Vijitha Herath said that while the minimum wage had been USD 300 before 2019, subsequent shocks including the Easter Sunday attacks and COVID-19 led to an economic crisis, making recovery through remittances, tourism and exports a priority. He stated that any immediate redetermination of the minimum wage must consider reactions from relevant countries, but preliminary discussions are already under way as the economy stabilizes, with further action to follow.

      EmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
14. 14 Procedural Motion on Hours of Sitting and Leave to Introduce Bill 2 speeches ▸
15. 15 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Special Audit Report on Advance Payment for Import of 15,000 Dairy Cattle and COPE Report on National Gem and Jewellery Authority 58 speeches ▸