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
- 11 Debate Debate: Continued Committee Stage of Appropriation Bill 2026 (Ministry Expenditure Heads - Multiple Speakers) 78 speeches
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa criticised the absence of a dedicated parliamentary debate on the cyclone disaster and cited official figures on deaths, missing persons, displacement and property damage, proposing at least a National Day of Mourning. He paid tribute to security forces, public officials and others involved in relief work, and said the Opposition was seeking international assistance while urging transparent and efficient distribution. He called for a “6 Rs” response covering relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding, including support for affected families, farmers, MSMEs, tourism, public health needs and infrastructure, with moratoria on loans and leasing, relaxed administrative circulars, and immediate price controls. He also questioned failures in disaster preparedness and warning dissemination, urged inquiry into why an emergency was not declared earlier, and renewed his longstanding demand for a proper Doppler radar network, including sites such as Gongala, Puttalam and Pottuvil.
- Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa called for a new disaster-management institutional mechanism and legislation, supported by climate hazard and vulnerability assessments, needs assessments, transparent planning and performance indicators. In light of the reported impact on over 1.5 million people, he urged the Government to postpone passing the Budget and instead present a revised short-term Budget focused on disaster relief, reconstruction, agricultural and industrial recovery, subsistence support and use of additional fiscal savings and revenues. He also proposed convening an international donor conference, renegotiating IMF conditions in view of the disaster, seeking relief from reciprocal tariffs, and adopting a depoliticized national development programme with Opposition support.
- Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised concern that displaced residents in 17 camps in Uva Paranagama, including at Maspanna Ayurvedic Hospital and several surrounding areas, were reportedly being told to return to homes that may be destroyed or unsafe. He requested the Chief Government Organizer to investigate and, if confirmed, stop such action immediately. He also called for a united, nonpartisan national response without divisions of party, race, religion, caste or creed.
- Mr. Chairman
AI summary The Chair called Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne to speak next and allocated 12 minutes for his address.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne, Attorney-at-Law NDF
AI summary Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne criticized the Government for prioritizing the Budget debate over a parliamentary discussion on the ongoing disaster, particularly its impact on Gampola and the Kandy District. He alleged failures in early warning and coordination regarding reservoir releases, rainfall and river-gauge data, and rumours about the Kotmale Dam, arguing that timely communication could have prevented many deaths. He also raised concerns about inadequate rescue and recovery support, including the absence of machinery to recover bodies, clear blocked roads, assist dialysis patients, and respond to people trapped by floods.
- Mr. Chairman
AI summary Mr. Chairman called Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera to speak and allotted him 12 minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB
AI summary Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera addressed the Budget Committee debate on the Finance, Trade, and Irrigation-related Heads, beginning with condolences for victims of the “Ditscha” cyclone and outlining relief measures, including the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund, increased dry-ration support, and Rs. 25,000 per affected household for cleaning and restoring homes. He said the Fund would support reconstruction through the Disaster Management Centre and other agencies, with resources sought from foreign governments, NGOs and donors, and assured transparency and accountability. He defended Finance Ministry allocations, noting that most of the Rs. 5,102 billion total is for debt service, and said Rs. 500 billion in savings would be used in 2026 to retire maturing Treasury Bills. He also explained proposed revenue and tax administration reforms, including VAT and SSCL changes on imports, lower registration thresholds to broaden the tax base, e-invoicing, RAMIS improvements, Customs single-window reforms, and Excise Department modernization.
- Mr. Chairman
AI summary Mr. Chairman called on Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva to speak and informed him that he had 10 minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva urged the Government to use available Treasury savings and unexpected revenue to provide immediate disaster relief, arguing that at least Rs. 50,000 should be paid to affected households and that legal provisions allow higher reconstruction spending in 2026 despite IMF-linked expenditure limits. He proposed mobilizing Rs. 300–500 billion for reconstruction, suspending parate executions, and creating a dedicated MSME support fund, while suggesting that Treasury bill rollovers be used to free liquidity for relief. He also questioned the legal basis of the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” fund, insisting that any such mechanism must be authorized by Parliament, auditable, and compliant with Article 148 and the Public Financial Management Act. He further called for a Budget amendment to reflect changed circumstances and asked the Government to clarify its policy on SOE reforms, citing CEB reforms and SriLankan Airlines losses.
- Mr. Chairman
AI summary The Chair called on Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri to speak next and allocated him 14 minutes.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri expressed condolences for those affected in Badulla and questioned the legality, transparency, Treasury linkage, and auditing of the proposed “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” fund. He said the Government failed to adequately anticipate, warn, evacuate, and manage the disaster despite heavy rainfall forecasts, citing displacement, deaths, missing persons, damaged houses, and continuing landslide risks in Badulla District. He called for a clear plan for the intensifying monsoon, safe shelter and supplies for affected people without partisan distribution, higher and faster relief payments than Rs. 25,000, and warned against using emergency regulations to suppress media reporting.
- Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika expressed condolences for those affected by the disaster and acknowledged the work and sacrifices of the armed forces, Police, public officials and health workers. He stated that Government relief funding is in place, explaining that the Rs. 25,000 payment is initial household support rather than full compensation, with assessments and further compensation to follow, and that the dry ration allowance has been increased. He clarified that no extra-legal fund has been created, with official Treasury-authorized bank accounts published for contributions, and urged constructive reporting of gaps while supporting centrally coordinated relief operations under the President.
- Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Chamindranee Kiriella described the severe impact of the “Doo” cyclone, particularly in Kandy District, citing deaths, missing persons, displacement, blocked access, communication failures and urgent shortages of potable water. She thanked state officials, security forces, medical personnel, religious institutions, civil groups and foreign missions for relief efforts, while questioning whether sufficient early action was taken after weather warnings and whether reservoir operations worsened flooding. She requested urgent attention to inaccessible areas, additional expert support to restore water supply, preparedness for further rain, medical safeguards against disease risks, and timely disbursement of relief funds to Divisional Secretariats.
- Hon. Kins Nelson SJB
AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson raised concerns about the impact of the disaster nationally and in Polonnaruwa, citing deaths, missing persons, widespread displacement, and damage to farmers and dairy farmers. He questioned whether the Government had acted on prior meteorological warnings and criticized the refusal to allocate parliamentary time for discussion. He said the announced Rs. 50 million per Divisional Secretariat should amount to Rs. 350 million for Polonnaruwa’s seven divisions, but only about Rs. 8 million had reportedly arrived, and demanded immediate release of the full allocation and a clear distribution plan for affected families.
- The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB
AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson urged the Government to release and authorize the immediate use of allocated disaster-relief funds for Polonnaruwa through District and Divisional Secretaries, without procedural delays, and to revise the Rs. 300-per-day dry ration allowance as inadequate. He described severe flood impacts including dead livestock, waste accumulation, crop and paddy field destruction, drinking-water disruption due to power outages, and damage to the Elahera anicut, calling for urgent administrative and technical support. He also questioned the water management of Moragahakanda Reservoir and Parakrama Samudra, asking who was responsible for the flooding and seeking measures to prevent recurrence while protecting unaffected cultivation to avoid future rice shortages.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson informed the Member that only two minutes remained for their speech.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB
AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson urged that disaster-response funds be made readily usable by Divisional Secretariats, with clear authority for officers to procure urgent necessities without fear, and called for rapid restoration of electricity because it is needed to supply drinking water. He said the flood-affected Somawathiya Raja Maha Viharaya remained under severe inundation and criticized the lack of official contact with its Chief Incumbent. Referring to recurring floods in Polonnaruwa that have blocked both the Polonnaruwa–Colombo–Batticaloa road and the railway, he proposed constructing an elevated viaduct from Kaduruwela to Manampitiya to keep the route passable while allowing floodwater to flow underneath.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson informed the Member that their allotted speaking time had expired and that an additional one minute had been granted.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB
AI summary Kins Nelson briefly proposed that the road in question be built accordingly. He thanked the Deputy Chairperson for the opportunity to speak.
Infrastructure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson called on Hon. Samanmalee Gunasinghe to speak and allocated her 10 minutes. No substantive policy position or argument was presented in this intervention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmalee Gunasinghe JJB
AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmalee Gunasinghe outlined Government relief measures for those affected by severe weather, including Rs. 25,000 per affected schoolchild for books and supplies and an increased Rs. 25,000 grant for cleaning flood-damaged homes. She said women MPs were assisting affected communities, particularly on women’s and children’s safety and sanitation, and stressed that decisions on floodgates and river mouths should be made by relevant officials using scientific and meteorological assessments. She stated that all 25 districts and many public officials were affected, urged support for officials restoring services, and said District and Divisional Secretaries had been instructed to spend available emergency funds according to local needs while assessments continue for compensation for agriculture, homes, and businesses.
- The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Hon. Deputy Chairperson informed the Member that their allotted speaking time had expired.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmalee Gunasinghe JJB
AI summary Hon. Samanmalee Gunasinghe urged Members, including the Opposition, to take inspiration from children who donated their savings to disaster victims. She highlighted public contributions through money, words of support, and voluntary labour, calling for continued solidarity with those affected.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson
AI summary The Deputy Chairperson recognized Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala and allocated him 14 minutes to speak during the debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala SJB
AI summary Hon. J.C. Alawathuwala expressed condolences to victims of recent floods and landslides and thanked security forces, officials, health workers and local communities involved in rescue and relief. He questioned the adequacy of early preparedness, warning dissemination and reservoir management, citing advance rainfall forecasts and the opening of Deduru Oya and Kotmale reservoirs as factors that may have worsened downstream damage. He urged the Government to clarify what pre-disaster actions were taken, improve communications and access to affected villages, avoid using emergency regulations to restrict criticism, increase compensation for deaths, and amend procedures if necessary to address cases of persons buried in landslides who remain classified as missing.
- The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran ITAK
AI summary Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran called for national unity and coordinated relief in response to the ongoing disaster, noting deaths, displacement, damage to homes, livestock, and especially flooded paddy lands in Ampara, as well as landslides in the hill country. He urged the Government to support affected livelihoods, suspend microfinance and debt collections during the crisis, and re-establish the closed Sathosa outlet in Aalayadivembu. He also raised concern that all 104 recruits selected for Grade II of the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Service in 2024/2025 were Sinhala, calling for inclusion of Tamil- and Muslim-speaking officers. He proposed irrigation improvements, including canals to divert surplus water through identified tanks, to reduce flooding and enable double-cropping on about 5,000 acres.
- The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government implemented measures under the Disaster Management Act following disasters from 26 to 30 December that affected 22 districts, including convening the National Council for Disaster Management and establishing a Special Operations Room at Army Headquarters. He detailed coordination among the Tri-Forces, Police, STF, Disaster Management Centre, local officials, and international partners, noting Indian and Pakistani helicopter assistance and rescue operations in areas such as Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Walapane, Gampola, Mahiyanganaya, and Kalpitiya. He rejected allegations of inaction, paid tribute to security personnel including a deceased Air Force pilot and missing Navy personnel, and emphasized that the priority was saving lives.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary Namal Rajapaksa expressed condolences over the disaster and called for a transparent Special Parliamentary Committee to examine failures in preparedness, warnings, evacuations, and administrative response. He urged the Government to revise the Budget to include a national disaster recovery plan, seek adjustments in discussions with the IMF, and ensure relief mechanisms are coordinated, especially in areas lacking key officials. He questioned agricultural loss data and asked the Government to organize logistics to move available produce to markets, while supporting affected farmers, medical staff, and displaced communities. He also cautioned against using Emergency Regulations to suppress public criticism rather than focusing State powers on saving lives and rebuilding.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary Hon. Namal Rajapaksa urged that immediate relief and restoration of normalcy take priority over political blame. He called for protecting lives and property, ensuring food for affected people without politicized or bureaucratic distribution, helping entrepreneurs restart, reaching villages, supplying hospital medicines, and supporting those in distress.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera SJB
AI summary Hon. K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera expressed condolences over the disaster deaths and displacement, and questioned whether earlier warnings had been acted on adequately. He urged the Government to present a clear recovery and resettlement plan, rapidly assess landslide-risk areas with technical officers, and distinguish between families who can return home and those needing new land and housing. He called for transparent compensation procedures for household losses, acceptance of photographic evidence, and relief for affected urban, estate and plantation communities, including damaged roads, power supply and factory operations. He also asked that exporters affected by flooding be included in compensation measures and requested temporary SVAT relief due to delayed VAT refunds.
- The Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi JJB
AI summary Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi said the Budget debate was taking place amid a major national disaster and argued that all political actors should prioritize relief and recovery over routine partisan criticism. He contrasted the Government’s coordinated response with what he described as insufficiently constructive engagement by the Opposition, while noting that movements such as “Rathu Tharuwa” were now working through state structures. He commended public solidarity, international assistance including from India and Pakistan, and the work of state officials, emphasizing that improved inter-agency coordination was crucial in responding to a disaster affecting 22 districts.
- The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA
AI summary Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan expressed condolences for those killed or missing in the disaster and urged Members to avoid blame and work collectively on relief and rebuilding. He thanked India, Tamil Nadu, the President, government officials, local authorities, volunteers and the Tri-Forces for their assistance, while requesting special attention to the badly affected Vanni area, particularly Mannar. He called for non-discriminatory assistance to all affected citizens, welcomed the Rs. 25,000 grant for cleaning flooded homes, and asked that it be extended to all affected families. He cited district-level impact figures for Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, noting losses to homes, livestock, farmers and fishing gear, and said he would table the relevant report.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB
AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya expressed condolences to those affected by the recent national disaster and assured that the Government would provide assistance to rebuild lives, homes, businesses and property. She thanked public officials, security forces, emergency responders, health workers, local authorities, community groups, clergy, media, foreign governments, international agencies and the Sri Lankan diaspora for rescue, relief and recovery support. She paid particular tribute to members of the Air Force and Navy who died or went missing during rescue operations, and emphasized continued coordination to restore essential services and support affected communities.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC
AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir used the Finance Ministry debate to address the national disaster, expressing condolences and urging the Government to involve the Opposition, experts, civil society and other public figures in recovery efforts. He called for a constructive all-party approach, including using retired cricketing figures to raise international funds, and highlighted the need to restore livelihoods in the Hill Country, North, East and farming regions affected by floods. He requested priority support for essential services, rice millers, businesses, hospitals and restaurants in Ampara and other affected areas, while acknowledging the work of religious institutions, voluntary groups, media, public officers, armed forces and MPs engaged in relief work.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation JJB
AI summary Minister Anura Karunathilaka urged a non-partisan national response to the recent disaster, proposing that the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme use expert input, international assistance, and long-term planning to repair damage and build stronger systems. He outlined foreign humanitarian support from around 70 countries and operational measures to expedite duty-free clearance of relief consignments through ports and the airport. He also reported on the restoration of airport operations after over 12,000 passengers were stranded and described relief efforts in Biyagama, where about 20,000 people were affected and 19 safe centres were established.
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara argued that the Government failed to properly implement the Disaster Management Act and maintain preparedness through the Disaster Management Centre, citing unusable equipment, staffing issues and delayed action on Deduru Oya reservoir warnings. He questioned whether decisions of the National Council for Disaster Management, including establishing the Disaster Management Fund, had been implemented. Referring to severe impacts in Kurunegala District, he urged relief for housing loans, farmers’ loans, small businesses and tourism, while thanking officials and foreign partners for assistance.
- The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana JJB
AI summary Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana described the scale of disaster impacts in Colombo District and Kaduwela, citing deaths, displacement, and national losses, and said weak systems, unplanned settlements, and unsafe practices had worsened vulnerability. He outlined the relief response in Kaduwela, including 41 safe centres, official coordination, military and DMC support, volunteer food distribution, and fisherfolk-led rescues, while condemning an assault on a volunteer rescuer. He urged the State to pursue planned relocation from danger zones, accelerate Kelani River flood mitigation work, and implement long-term, science-based disaster and river-basin management programmes.
- The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF
AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake thanked the tri-forces, police and emergency workers, urged the Government not to remove concessions for military families, and linked the ongoing disaster response to the need for Budget scrutiny. He raised concerns about the 2026 financing requirement, debt management, Central Bank coordination, credit expansion, pension sustainability, the post-IMF economic path, and the need for export-led growth and broader revenue bases. He called for reviving the National Natural Disaster Insurance Scheme, suspending parate action, granting interest and tax-payment grace periods to affected businesses, and extending tax deadlines to end-December. He also questioned the authority for the debt standstill decision, criticized proposed SriLankan Airlines bonuses despite losses, and urged halting non-essential vehicle imports to redirect funds to disaster relief.
- The Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB
AI summary Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody outlined cyclone-related damage to Sri Lanka’s electricity and petroleum supply systems, reporting 132,000 power breakdowns with 62,447 restored and further restoration targeted in the coming days. He detailed major transmission and substation failures, including on the Rantambe–Mahiyanganaya and Ukuwela–Bowatanna lines, with temporary towers targeted for completion by 10 December and interim supply measures such as back-feeding and generators. He said water supply disruptions were linked to flooded treatment and pumping facilities and power failures, and urged households affected by flooding to have internal wiring repaired by certified technicians. On petroleum, he stated that affected filling stations had fallen from 38 to 24, supply routes were being maintained, and rumours of fuel scarcity were false.
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake said the Budget debate was necessarily being shaped by the recent natural disaster and outlined the Government’s focus on urgent relief, temporary measures, and longer-term reconstruction under the “Rebuild the Nation” programme. He reported uneven impacts in the Northern Province, with limited damage in Jaffna, some flooding and access issues in Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, and severe flooding in Mannar and Mullaitivu, particularly Mannar where 83 camps were operating and about 150 of 162 GN divisions were under water. He noted that MPs, officials, volunteers and district authorities were coordinating relief and recovery efforts.
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake outlined government relief and recovery measures following severe weather in the Northern and other affected provinces, including inspections of Delft–Nainativu ferry boats, support to District Secretaries, and emergency assistance to stranded communities. He said damaged paddy lands in Mannar could be re-seeded early in the Maha season with Agriculture Ministry support, and that a Bailey bridge was being installed at Nayaru with a target completion date of 15 December. He announced eased emergency spending procedures, including Rs. 50,000 advances for Grama Niladharis and up to Rs. 5 million cash authority for Divisional Secretaries, and noted that Rs. 25,000 payments for schoolchildren and household cleaning had begun in several districts with funds sent to affected Northern and Eastern districts.
- The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan ITAK
AI summary Sivagnanam Shritharan expressed support for government measures to assist people affected by Cyclone Tithwa, stating that Tamil people would not oppose humanitarian relief efforts. He referred to the tsunami period to underline a tradition of compassion and solidarity in responding to disasters.
Environment Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan ITAK
AI summary Sivagnanam Shritharan raised concerns about ferry transport to the islands of Eluvaitivu, Analaitivu, Nainativu, and Neduntivu. He noted that the “Ezhutharagai” ferry to Eluvaitivu was not operating and asked that particular attention be given to ensuring the safe operation of key services, including the “Kumudini” and “Neduntharagai” ferries to Neduntivu.
Infrastructure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake outlined emergency transport and relief measures following severe flooding, including interventions to ensure safe travel to Delft and Nainativu, plans to operate 4,200 SLTB buses, expanded rail services with coordinated ticket acceptance, and airline fee waivers for weather-affected passengers. He said agencies, the Tri-Forces, officials, and volunteers were engaged in water release, camp establishment, airlifts, and forthcoming cleaning operations, and called for unity during recovery from what he described as the largest flood in a century.
- The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB
AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera requested permission from the Presiding Member to make a brief clarification.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake described relief efforts in difficult areas such as Kotmale, including Tri-Forces camps, airlifting food to Gamini Dissanayake Vidyalaya, and the work of Divisional Secretaries, police officers, and volunteers. He said essential supplies were being dispatched and that, while road repairs would take time, people were not starving to his knowledge. He urged unity, public service without seeking credit, and responsible conduct during the crisis, while stating that the Government would rebuild and hand over a better country.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB
AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera rejected claims that an Opposition visit to Kandy after severe damage from a national tragedy was politically disruptive, stating that MPs went to gather data, identify relief gaps, and offer assistance. He alleged that a Government MP had improperly occupied the District Secretary’s chair during their visit and called for respect for public officials and an apology over the incident. He urged the Government to allow parliamentary discussion of Opposition proposals and to establish a national, participatory strategy with short-, medium-, and long-term measures for relief, recovery, and economic rebuilding.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah expressed condolences over the floods and landslides and acknowledged Government, security forces, police, and rescue efforts, while noting that relief funding had reached Batticaloa. He urged the Government to strengthen disaster management by establishing Provincial Disaster Management Centres under the Disaster Management Act, appointing dedicated officers at Divisional Secretariats, restoring early warning towers and radio communications, and supplying districts with boats, engines, and life jackets. He called for expediting the Mundeni Aru flood mitigation project, constructing multi-storey flood safety centres in Batticaloa, and reviving plans to extend the Kelani River bund to protect Malwana and surrounding areas. He also proposed seeking tariff relief from the United States and discussing debt relief or urgent financing with the IMF in response to the disaster.
- The Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Appreciation was expressed for public officials and security personnel involved in rescue operations during the nationwide disaster, including those who died or went missing, while noting the reported scale of the tragedy: 22 districts gazetted as affected, displaced persons in 21 districts, 465 deaths and 366 missing persons. The remarks criticized claims that a 12 November warning had been ignored, particularly allegations attributed to Opposition figures and media coverage, and called for clarification of the source and content of any such warning from the Department of Meteorology. It was also stated that the President had sought all-party cooperation and that relief was being administered through District and Divisional Secretaries without political discrimination, while condemning alleged harassment of the Kandy District Secretary by Opposition MPs.
- The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB
AI summary Dilith Jayaweera responded to being named over a “Derana” programme, stating it was an interview with senior Meteorological Department officials and that any dispute over their statements should be addressed to them. He also asked for clarification on whether a Government MP had sat in the Kandy District Secretary’s chair, and urged Members not to target media owners during a national tragedy.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. W.H.M. Dharmasena SJB
AI summary Hon. W.H.M. Dharmasena expressed condolences for disaster deaths and described widespread flooding and damage across Monaragala District, while thanking officials, security forces, local representatives and community workers involved in relief. He alleged that delayed operation of the Kumbukkan Oya Okkampitiya anicut gates caused a sudden deluge that destroyed two bridges and disrupted farmers’ access, and requested an investigation and urgent reconstruction. He also asked that relief payments be increased, concessional electricity meter replacements be provided for affected households, aid be expedited to hill-country Tamil communities, and disaster assistance not be politicized through programmes or labels such as “Red Star.”
- The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer - Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister conveyed the Government’s condolences for lives lost in the disaster and acknowledged the efforts of the Tri-Forces, Police, officials, religious leaders and civil society in rescue and relief work. He criticized the spread of rumours and politicization during the crisis, including claims intended to create panic over dam spill gates, and noted that recommendations made after the 2004 tsunami had not been fully implemented. He said the current Government had convened district-level Disaster Management Committees, including in Gampaha, and welcomed international assistance while calling for national unity in recovery efforts.
- The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC
AI summary On behalf of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe expressed condolences for those killed, missing, and affected by the recent cyclone and floods, citing reported figures and noting that all 25 districts were impacted. He argued that disaster management systems and natural drainage protections must be strengthened, warning that human settlement on waterways worsens flooding, and called for government, opposition, officials, and security forces to work together on recovery and future planning. He also noted his participation in National Disaster Management Council meetings and criticized the Government’s earlier refusal to allow an Opposition-requested debate on the disaster, saying such a debate could have promoted greater unity.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC
AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe highlighted economic hardship among farmers and fishermen in Ampara, citing flood damage to paddy cultivation on 9,200 hectares completely, 15,200 hectares partially, and a further 1,400 hectares affected by crop destruction. He requested the Ministry of Agriculture to arrange appropriate compensation. He also raised the lack of electricity in his areas, noting that some localities receive only about one hour of power per day, and urged the Minister of Power to expedite restoration and provision of electricity facilities.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Eranga Weeraratne - Deputy Minister of Digital Economy JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne reported on the impact of the “Ditva” cyclone and the Government’s response, stating that public agencies, the Tri-Forces, private entities and civil organizations helped stabilize the disaster situation. He said telecommunications were heavily disrupted by floods and landslides, but over 90% of national telephony connectivity and all primary fiber backbones had been restored, with remaining outages mainly due to power failures, damaged secondary links and unsafe access to affected sites. He noted that telecom operators provided free emergency top-ups, Starlink would provide free service in affected areas until end-December, and recovery would proceed under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth SLMC
AI summary Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth expressed condolences for those killed and missing in the recent nationwide floods and thanked government agencies, security forces, foreign governments, NGOs and local groups involved in relief efforts. He said Ampara District had less housing damage but suffered serious impacts to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, irrigation bunds, roads and bridges, and called for expedited relief, dry rations, farmer support and payment of outstanding dues to approved relief suppliers. He requested urgent engineering works in Pottuvil and surrounding areas, including clearing and widening river channels, repairing tanks, canals, embankments and damaged bridges, and addressing departmental restrictions that delay flood-mitigation work.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Gnanamuththu Srineshan ITAK
AI summary Hon. Gnanamuththu Srineshan referred to the recent disaster, citing deaths, missing persons, displacement, and extensive damage in Batticaloa and the Eastern Province, and called for non-partisan relief efforts and permanent resettlement of landslide-prone communities. He urged urgent electricity supply to elephant-affected villages, prompt and corruption-free relief for farmers, fishers, daily wage workers and drivers, and the construction of multi-storey refuge buildings in flood-prone villages such as Vettruchenai and Pirambaditheevu. He also proposed longer-term development measures for the North and East, including more industries, rebuilding productive farms, a bridge between Padubannankarai and Eluvankarai, and flood-mitigation works such as the Mundeni Aru development and expansion of tanks and bunds.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe expressed condolences over deaths and damage from the recent disaster, comparing it with the 2004 tsunami and commending coordinated action by the Government, officials, and the public. He outlined disaster management steps, including district and divisional coordination, NBRO-guided evacuations, health services in shelters, and measures to prevent disease outbreaks among displaced people. He said Kalutara District teams had been sent to Nuwara Eliya with rations, medicines, road-clearing support, and rescue assistance, and urged the public and media to avoid misinformation and politicization while supporting recovery and affected families.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB
AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper highlighted the impact of the 2025 “Ditva” cyclone and called for more specific government responses, while emphasizing the Opposition’s role in evidence-based scrutiny. He urged the creation of a centralized early-warning and public advisory system integrating meteorological, disaster-management, scientific and social media capacities to provide locality-specific warnings, particularly for rainfall, landslides and river flooding. He raised urgent concerns from Kandy, including fatalities and unrecovered bodies from the Rambuk Ella landslide in Akurana, problems in Mawathura, contaminated wells and lack of safe drinking water, and requested assistance for affected communities and paddy lands.
- The Hon. Chairman procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary Minister Nalinda Jayatissa reported extensive disaster impacts across all districts from floods, cyclonic winds and landslides, including 479 deaths, 350 missing persons, major housing damage and nearly 189,000 people in shelters, while acknowledging security personnel killed during rescue operations. He rejected claims that an official cyclone warning had been issued and ignored on 12 November, detailing the Meteorology Department’s advisories to argue that the land-impacting system developed only from 25 November and intensified into Cyclone “Ditva” on 27 November. He stated that once the low-pressure system was identified, the Disaster Management Centre, Defence authorities, district officials and relief agencies were alerted, with landslide-risk and relocation instructions issued through the relevant institutions.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- 12 Debate Debate and Supplementary Estimate: Relief for Cyclone Ditwah Affected Persons 7 speeches
- 13 Adjournment Adjournment 1 speeches