Sitting of Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23242 ·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 and Speaker's Certificate 5 speeches
- 2 Procedural Oral Answers to Questions - Procedural matter 1 speeches
- 3 Procedural Point of Order - Question allocation fairness (Standing Order 32) 11 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question No. 2 (812/2025) - Prison overcrowding 7 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question No. 3 (1009/2025) - Government reparations and compensation 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question No. 6 (1222/2025) - Aswesuma welfare benefits 10 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute 67 speeches
- 8 Procedural Second Round of Oral Questions and Standing Order clarification 36 speeches
- 9 Procedural Motion to amend sitting hours and Select Committee appointment 4 speeches
- 10 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Post-Cyclone "Ditwah" Situation (Part 1) 23 speeches
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake, as Leader of the House, moved the procedural motion that Parliament adjourn. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or debate was raised in the statement.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna moved an Adjournment Motion on the devastation caused by Cyclone “Ditwah,” arguing that the Government bore responsibility for inadequate action on prior meteorological warnings and had not presented clear data or a coherent disaster management plan. She called for structured post-disaster rebuilding, including compensation, resettlement, livelihood restoration, infrastructure, disease prevention and psychosocial care, and criticized the lack of written guidelines from relevant authorities on compensation, landslide risk zones and displaced persons. She urged the immediate preparation and implementation of an emergency disaster management plan using international benchmarks, with the involvement of MPs and local representatives.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna stressed the need for accurate, district-level data on damage from Cyclone “Ditwah” to guide relief and future disaster planning, noting that such information had still not been properly provided to Parliament nearly a month later. Citing UN, ILO, World Bank and Disaster Management Centre figures, she outlined extensive deaths, missing persons, displacement, damage to infrastructure, hospitals, livelihoods and economic losses, including specific impacts in Matale and Laggala. She criticised the Government’s preparedness, response and post-disaster relief management, and questioned delays and practical obstacles in delivering promised compensation, housing support, rent assistance and aid to affected families.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna said the promised Rs. 1,000,000 compensation for disaster-related deaths had not been paid and alleged that Opposition MPs were excluded from district-level disaster management activities. She criticized politicization of relief distribution, lack of clear guidelines for officials, and the involvement of “Praja Shakthi” committees in administrative functions. Citing NBRO guidance on high-risk areas such as Puwakpitiya, Alakolamada, Alkaduwa, Watagoda and Yatawatta, she asked whether safe evacuation sites and durable relocation or protection measures had been identified. She urged the Government to implement a structured post-disaster management programme rather than relying on publicity.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB
AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna warned that the disaster had caused 474 deaths and said the Government would bear responsibility for further loss of life or damage if adequate preventive action was not taken. Citing NBRO risk reports for Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Kegalle, she called for advance preparedness, a ten-year Central Highlands Conservation and Development Programme overseen by experts to manage river outflows and reduce flooding, and an all-party, expert-led national disaster management plan with relief for affected people.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne, Attorney-at-Law NDF
AI summary Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne supported the call for a plan after Cyclone “Ditwah” but criticized the proposed Select Committee composition as inadequate for accountability, urging a genuinely empowered, fact-based inquiry into dam operations, evacuations and the roles of Engineers-in-Charge. He alleged failures in water management at Kotmale, including removal of an experienced technical officer, lack of controlled pre-releases, poor communication and emergency coordination, and called for practical evacuation plans for each dam. He proposed reforming the Disaster Management Centre into an independent authority with statutory powers, modelled on FEMA, to coordinate warnings, resources and local officials during disasters. He also rejected claims that Ambuluwawa caused flooding in Gampola and denied allegations regarding cable-car investments and Ambuluwawa revenues, inviting investigation while cautioning against derailing projects through rumours.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary Minister K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna welcomed the Motion and stated that the Government had approved Rs. 5,000 million to support an increase in estate workers’ daily wage from Rs. 1,350 to Rs. 1,750, effective from January and payable by February 10. He outlined the scale of damage from Cyclone “Ditwah”, citing Disaster Management Centre and NBRO figures for Matale and nationally, and said relief payments, resettlement, school repairs and irrigation restoration were progressing with support from State agencies, security forces and volunteers. He argued that, despite shortcomings, the disaster response had been effectively managed and called for a constructive Opposition and national cooperation, while also referring to Government efforts against narcotics, organized crime, corruption and fraud.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa said the Opposition cooperated in disaster relief but criticised delays in housing, land allocation, compensation and resettlement, questioning why the Government had not invoked Sections 11 and 12 of the Disaster Management Act to declare a state of disaster and mobilize resources. He sought clarity on promised compensation, renter support, safe relocation, and implementation circulars, and called for NBRO-led scientific interventions, stronger regulations, a dedicated disaster management Cabinet ministry, better equipment for relevant agencies, expedited Doppler radar installation, and an international donor conference. He also proposed Opposition support for any IMF renegotiation to ease programme conditions, urged relief for MSMEs affected by debt and CRIB blacklisting, and called for more respectful terminology and land grants for the estate community.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply JJB
AI summary The Minister responded to the Opposition Leader’s reference to a World Bank projection, arguing that the Government’s economic and development programme should be assessed in the context of current national conditions. He linked the discussion to the housing, construction and water supply sectors, emphasizing the Government’s responsibility to continue infrastructure and public service delivery despite economic constraints.
- Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe defended the Government’s disaster response, saying it restored essential services and normalcy within two weeks after severe damage to power, transport, water, housing, agriculture and industry affecting over 600,000 families. He argued that the President and Ministers provided the leadership needed for the State machinery to respond, while acknowledging weaknesses in the existing Disaster Management Act mechanism. He outlined the housing reconstruction programme, reporting about 6,000 fully damaged and 109,000 partially damaged houses, with Rs. 500,000 for fully destroyed homes and initial Rs. 50,000 payments, rising to a maximum of Rs. 250,000 after assessment, for partial damage. He said disbursements had begun for 1,150 families, with the Government prioritizing safe resettlement and restoration of livelihoods.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran ITAK
AI summary Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran said communities in several parts of Ampara District were severely affected by Cyclone Ditva, with prolonged loss of electricity, transport and communications preventing timely reporting of damage, and urged that reporting deadlines be extended and compensation granted for damaged homes and lost livestock as in other areas. He also called for urgent coastal protection measures, including rock revetments, in Thirukkovil, Karaitivu and Maligaikadu, citing erosion that threatens livelihoods, places of worship and cemeteries. He further requested the Government to present a plan to Parliament for national preparedness amid possible global conflict, including protection of the economy, essential supplies, fuel stocks and domestic production.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep - Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep defended the Government’s response to the recent “Hour” cyclone, stating that relief efforts were carried out swiftly with support from officials, public representatives, NGOs, the diaspora and foreign leaders, while accusing the Opposition of politicizing shortcomings. He said plantation workers would receive a daily wage of Rs. 1,750 from 10 February and criticized Opposition members over their stance on wage increases. He also announced that, following NBRO guidance, safe land would be identified for affected Hill Country residents and that 7,000 houses with 10 perches of land would be built and handed over in 2026 as the first phase of assistance.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- 11 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Post-Cyclone "Ditwah" Situation (Part 2) 57 speeches