Sitting of Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23332 ·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 Meeting 2 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Auditor-General's Special Reports 4 speeches
- 3 Papers Papers: Regulations and Reports Presented 7 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions: Presentation of Public Petitions 6 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: O/L Applicants of Sarawanabawa Vidyalaya, Eluvaitivu Island (Q.1/2025) 8 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Questions: Multiple Questions Nos. 3, 4, 5 and Private Notice Question (Q.27/2) 11 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question by Private Notice: History of Tamil Kings in School Curriculum 5 speeches
- 8 Procedural Personal Explanation: Hon. Ravi Karunanayake 2 speeches
- 9 Procedural Bills Presented: Universities (Amendment) Bill and Privilege Matters Referrals 4 speeches
- 10 Debate Debate: Committee Stage of Appropriation Bill 2026 (Ministry Heads) 13 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Moved the customary Rs. 10 cut motions for several Heads of Expenditure under the Appropriation Bill, 2026, explaining that multiple motions were being combined to allow more time for Members from disaster-affected areas to speak. Although he had intended to address plantation, tea, coconut and rubber sector issues, he deferred those matters due to the ongoing disaster. He expressed condolences to affected families, noted the scale of deaths, missing persons, displacement and livelihood losses, and acknowledged the work of security forces, public officials, utilities, health workers, disaster agencies, foreign partners and citizens providing relief.
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in the excerpt provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake sought the Chairman’s permission to raise a matter concerning the Department of Inland Revenue in November 2025. The available excerpt ends before the substantive issue or request is stated.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Ravi Karunanayake briefly indicated that he wished to raise a matter under the Standing Orders. No substantive issue or proposal was specified in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB
AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in the context of the ongoing natural disaster, expressing condolences and emphasizing that persons with disabilities, estimated at 8.7 per cent of the population, must be included in relief and recovery efforts. He said the Government is ready to provide human and financial resources, and urged affected persons to communicate rehabilitation needs through field officers and Divisional Secretariats. He noted plans to update the Disabilities Act in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to present a Sign Language Bill, while calling on media outlets and officials to ensure disaster information and relief services are accessible, including through sign-language broadcasts and proactive outreach.
- The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB
AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahuman expressed condolences over the deaths, missing persons and displacement caused by Cyclone Ditva and questioned whether the Government had prior warnings from the Meteorology Department or international forecasts and what early mitigation action was taken. He proposed a Special Parliamentary Committee to examine failures in disaster preparedness and response, citing the Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005, and raised legal and transparency concerns about the President’s separate “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” fund. He also warned against using Emergency Regulations to curb criticism, media activity or social media expression, and called for a common recovery mechanism involving both Government and Opposition MPs.
- The Hon. Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan ITAK
AI summary Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan highlighted severe flood and cyclone damage in Trincomalee, citing affected families, damaged homes, destroyed paddy lands and livestock losses, and called for urgent filling of Grama Niladhari vacancies, temporary deployment of other officers to support relief work, and emergency health measures to prevent disease outbreaks. Turning to the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry’s Budget 2026 allocations, he noted fiscal consolidation measures, support for Aswesuma, SMEs, tax administration and digital economy initiatives, while raising concerns about inadequate targeted provision for post-war recovery in the North and East and insufficient support for female-headed households. He also cautioned that increased taxes could worsen living costs and that large allocations to Finance and Defence may constrain social programmes.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage — Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment
AI summary The Minister expressed condolences over the recent severe weather disaster and said the Government is prioritizing relief, repairs and reconstruction with support from the Tri-Forces, public officials, volunteers, foreign partners, business leaders and civil society. He noted increased assistance for affected people, including higher allocations for cooked meals and dry rations and an increase in the resettlement grant from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000. Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, he reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to inclusion for Sri Lanka’s approximately 1.6 million persons with disabilities. He also outlined measures to strengthen paddy, tea and coconut production, including fertilizer, seed, technology, wage and cultivation-support programmes, while noting disaster damage to plantation areas and plans for rehabilitation.
- 11 Debate Debate: Continued Committee Stage of Appropriation Bill 2026 (Ministry Expenditure Heads - Multiple Speakers) 78 speeches
- 12 Debate Debate and Supplementary Estimate: Relief for Cyclone Ditwah Affected Persons 7 speeches
- 13 Adjournment Adjournment 1 speeches