Sitting of Monday, 17 November 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22912 ·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 Sitting 1 speeches
- 2 Opening Opening - Speaker's Chair Announcement 1 speeches
- 3 Papers Papers - Annual Reports and Committee Reports Tabled 4 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions - Citizens' Petitions Presented 3 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Questions and Supplementaries (Q.1-Q.4 and Standing Order 27(2) Question) 41 speeches
- 6 Procedural Procedural - Privilege Motion and Main Business Announcement 6 speeches
- 7 Debate Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage (Heads 110, 112, 228-236, 326) 24 speeches
- The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was presented in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe made a brief correction to a previous speech, clarifying a statement he had made about the Speaker’s Secretary allegedly scolding a receptionist. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or legislative matter was raised in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe raised a point of order under Standing Order 92(a) to correct an earlier reference, clarifying that the receptionist mentioned was male and not female. He also noted that the Constitution accords Buddhism the foremost place.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB
AI summary Hector Appuhamy objected to disruptions during his allotted time, stating that he intended to address an important national issue. He asked the Chair not to count the time lost during the disturbance and to ensure that he could be heard before proceeding.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB
AI summary Moved the customary Rs. 10 reduction to the relevant expenditure heads in the Committee Stage debate on the 2026 Appropriation Bill, then criticised the Government’s foreign policy and its rejection of the post-Independence record. He argued that successive leaders from D.S. Senanayake to J.R. Jayewardene built Sri Lanka’s international standing, citing UN membership, the Foreign Service, the San Francisco Peace Conference, non-alignment, and major foreign-funded development projects. He faulted the current administration for its stance at the 2025 UN Human Rights Council session, for allegedly portraying Sri Lanka negatively abroad, and for entering agreements with India, China and the United States without adequately safeguarding national interests.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB
AI summary Hon. Hector Appuhamy requested an additional minute to speak, addressing the Chairman and the Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka. He stated that two minutes of his allotted speaking time had been lost earlier.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Gayantha Karunathilleka requested the Chair to grant another member one additional minute to speak.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB
AI summary Hector Appuhamy referred to the origins of the current Parliament under J.R. Jayewardene and the importance of Sri Lanka’s international relations, urging members not to dismiss that history. He concluded by emphasizing that Sri Lanka should maintain its dignity before the international community and avoid actions that could bring the country into disrepute.
Foreign Affairs Full speech → - The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB
AI summary Minister Vijitha Herath outlined the integrated Ministry’s foreign policy priorities, emphasizing economic diplomacy, market expansion, diaspora engagement, and neutral international relations to increase foreign exchange earnings. He reported progress including new and reopened missions in New Zealand, Cyprus, and Chengdu, renewed political dialogues with several countries, 70 new MoUs or agreements, expanded ties in the Caribbean, and facilitation of foreign investment engagement. He also cited work on debt restructuring, tariff negotiations with the United States, cooperation with international financial institutions, and plans to hold Sri Lanka Expo in 2026 after 13 years.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa urged the Government and President to intervene in a dispute at the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya in Trincomalee, arguing that police restrictions within a registered temple precinct should be resolved through consultation with the Maha Nayake Theras and in line with constitutional protections for Buddhism and other religions. He also asked that delayed fertilizer subsidy payments for the Maha season be expedited, particularly in areas such as Thalawa, Rajanganaya and Namal Oya. He called for higher allowances and better recognition for Inquirers into Sudden Deaths, proposed consideration of a Coronial Services Commission, and pressed for the absorption of Teacher Development Officers into the teaching service according to prior commitments and court settlement terms. He further urged respect for Parliament staff, criticised alleged misleading claims on teacher-related promises, and requested stronger regulation of foreign employment agencies to prevent exploitation.
- The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB
AI summary Mahinda Jayasinghe said the Education Ministry Head would be debated on 25 November and challenged members to address the “two-thirds” issue then. On pensioners, he stated that the President had pledged to resolve issues arising from 2015–2019 in three phases, covering 700,000 persons retired up to 31 December 2024 rather than 85,000. He asked for more time, noting that the Government had been in office for one year and was presenting its second Budget.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB
AI summary The Minister clarified that Supreme Court cases concerning Development Officers’ teacher appointments had been dismissed, said coroner allowances are being reviewed with supervision mechanisms, and outlined justice-sector priorities under the Budget. He cited improvements in several World Justice Project Rule of Law Index indicators and said Rs. 58.5 billion is proposed for the sector, including recruitment approvals for courts and prisons. He highlighted ongoing law reform work, including a Counter-Terrorism Bill to replace the PTA, organized crime legislation, an Office of the State Prosecutor, criminal proceeds recovery, audio-visual court testimony, audit reforms, and changes ending certain privileges for former Presidents. He also emphasized non-interference with the judiciary, Judicial Service Commission disciplinary and backlog-clearance measures, and continued court digitalization.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- 8 Debate Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) 158 speeches
- 9 Papers Papers - Annual Reports of Foreign Employment and Judges' Institute 4 speeches