Sitting of Friday, 26 September 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 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Auditor-General's Report and Annual Report of Bank of Ceylon 3 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Citizens' Petitions 6 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Container Release from Colombo Port (Q.1/2025) 14 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Air Quality in Kandy City (Q.2/2025) 6 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Land and Irrigation (Q.5/2025, 880/2025) 3 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Misinformation and Hate Speeches on Social Media (Q.6 & Q.7/2025) 10 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: Shabbat House and Religious Institutions (Q.8/2025) 7 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Questions: Department of Irrigation and Community Infrastructure (Q.9/2025) and Education (Q.10/2025) 6 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Questions: Energy (Adani Power Plant) and Agriculture (Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority) 4 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Question by Private Notice: Sugar Industry 7 speeches ▸
12. 12 Oral question Question under Standing Order 27(2): Palaly Airport Allocations 5 speeches ▾
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a Standing Order 27(2) question to the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation following a Jaffna coordinating committee meeting, seeking details on 2025 allocations and expenditure for Palaly Airport, Kankesanthurai, and Northern small harbours, with documentary evidence. He asked for clarification on land acquisition, legal ownership, compensation, and land releases connected to Palaly Airport, including whether similar uncompensated acquisitions occurred elsewhere. He also questioned the Government’s decision not to develop KKS as an international port, sought projections for Palaly’s viability as an international airport, and asked whether airport development was being used to retain land for military or political purposes.

      InfrastructureCorruption & Governance ReformLand & Housing Full speech →
    • The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB

      AI summary The Minister provided budget and implementation details for Palaly Airport and Kankesanthurai Port, stating that Palaly received Rs. 651 million in 2025 allocations with Rs. 150 million spent by 21 September, while requested allocations for KKS had not been disbursed because rehabilitation works remained stalled pending Indian EXIM Bank and Government of India approvals. He said Palaly land acquisitions from 1950 were legally completed with compensation paid, while any current land acquisitions for expansion are handled by the Ministry of Defence. He stated that KKS is not presently economically viable as an international commercial port due to limited hinterland, high dredging costs, and unresolved financing issues, whereas Palaly Airport has become profitable and will be developed gradually using Katunayake Airport revenues.

      Public FinanceInfrastructure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna

      AI summary Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna complained that his questions had not received specific answers and objected to being redirected to another Ministry. He alleged that land in the North had been taken under the guise of development, questioned why M. Pradeeban had not been removed following a Governor’s letter alleging corruption, and asked for evidence of completed development outcomes in Jaffna arising from DCC decisions over the past year.

      Ethnic Reconciliation & DevolutionCorruption & Governance ReformLand & Housing Full speech →
13. 13 Debate Ministerial Statement: Central Expressway Project 3 speeches ▸
14. 14 Debate Ministerial Statement: Tissa Rajamaha Viharaya Construction 2 speeches ▸
15. 15 Papers Appropriation Bill 2026 Presentation 1 speeches ▸
16. 16 Procedural Standing Orders Amendment (Standing Order 120) 5 speeches ▸
17. 17 Procedural Reference to Committee on Standing Orders 1 speeches ▸
18. 18 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Fourth Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) 81 speeches ▸