Sitting of Thursday, 19 February 2026

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 Opening and Auditor-General's Report 3 speeches ▸
2. 2 Committee report Committee Report: 17th Report of the Committee on Public Enterprises 2 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions 3 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Members of Current Parliament - Salaries and Allowances (Q.117/2024) 9 speeches ▾
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary The Prime Minister provided details of current Members of Parliament and the allowances payable to them, laying relevant annexes in the Library. She listed monthly, sitting, committee, office, transport, telephone, driver and fuel allowances, explaining that fuel allowance is calculated by distance or a fixed basis for National List MPs. She also stated that Hon. Nayana Wasalathilake has stopped receiving salary and allowances from August 2025, and that several parliamentary office-bearers and ministers have notified that they do not draw the fuel allowance.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri sought clarification on claims that Government MPs do not take Parliamentary salaries, noting that the Prime Minister’s reply indicated all MPs except Hon. Nayana Wasalathilake draw salaries, though some forgo fuel allowances. Citing a 2015 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna financial statement to the Election Commission recording income from MPs’ salaries and allowances, he asked whether parties pool such public funds to support members, including after retirement, in a manner that effectively substitutes for a Parliamentary pension.

     Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
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   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri questioned whether abolishing parliamentary pensions would have practical effect if parties such as the NPP/JVP support members through pooled salaries from their MPs. He sought clarification on whether such internal party funding arrangements exist.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya responded to a question about the financial affairs of Government MPs by stating that the JVP/NPP has maintained transparent party accounts and suggested that the SJB, UNP and SLPP should provide similar transparency on party funding and expenditure. She said individual MPs’ personal financial arrangements vary and that the matter raised had no specific relevance to Government policy.

     Corruption & Governance ReformParliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
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   • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

     AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri challenged claims that certain MPs do not take salaries, stating that salaries are first paid into MPs’ personal bank accounts and only later may be transferred to party funds. He further questioned whether pooled MP salaries and allowances create an alternative pension arrangement, despite public claims about abolishing MP pensions.

     Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Full speech →
   • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary The Prime Minister stated that the matter raised did not constitute a specific policy question and that NMRA and public finance rules are not affected by internal party arrangements. She indicated that no further response was warranted, before the proceedings moved to Question No. 353/2024 on drinking water facilities in the Porativu Pattu and Manmunai Pattu Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Batticaloa.

     Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Water Supply to Porativu Pattu DS Division and Araiyampathi (Q.353/2025) 7 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Drug Varieties Manufactured by SPMC (Q.) 7 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Kaduruwela Market Complex (Q.) 13 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: Firearms Review and Archaeological Heritage (Q.7-1717/2025) 9 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Consumer Price Controls and Raids (Q.10-1834/2026) 4 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Question: Hospital Attendants Shortage and Mahaweli Land Allocation (Q.) 7 speeches ▸
11. 11 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Party Representation 13 speeches ▸
12. 12 Procedural Statement and Procedural: Legal Basis of Financial Bankruptcy Declaration and Standing Order Debate 31 speeches ▸
13. 13 Debate Private Members' Bill: Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill 3 speeches ▸
14. 14 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Bill Presentation 14 speeches ▸
15. 15 Debate Debate: Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill and Judicature (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading 38 speeches ▸
16. 16 Debate Debate (continued): Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill and Judicature (Amendment) Bill 65 speeches ▸
17. 17 Debate Debate (Final Stage): Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill - Third Reading and Amendments 4 speeches ▸
18. 18 Adjournment Adjournment 7 speeches ▸