Sitting of Tuesday, 3 March 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 Parliament Opening and Message from President 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Papers: Regulations, Reports and Orders Tabled 7 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions Presented 4 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Generators Facilitating Cooling at Norochcholai Power Plant (Q.68/2025) 12 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Question No. 3 (Q.840/2025) - Deferred 3 speeches ▸
6. 6 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order and Opposition Walk-out 10 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) 12 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries 10 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Nursing Service (Q.7/2025) 5 speeches ▸
10. 10 Procedural Procedural: Standing Order 27(2) Question and Points of Order 9 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Oral Question by Private Notice: Reactivation of Deregistered Islamic Charitable Organizations (Q.27(2)) 14 speeches ▸
12. 12 Procedural Privilege Question and Procedural Discussion on Coal Supply 23 speeches ▸
13. 13 Debate Main Business: Order under Foreign Exchange Act - Motion Introduction 2 speeches ▸
14. 14 Debate President's Address on Middle East War Impact and Opposition Response 5 speeches ▸
15. 15 Debate Debate: Regulation under Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017 55 speeches ▸
16. 16 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Civil Defence Personnel Secondment 7 speeches ▾
    • The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB

      AI summary The Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs formally moved that Parliament adjourn. The Speaker then proposed the question to the House.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB

      AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara moved an Adjournment Motion seeking relief for Civil Defence personnel who served during the war protecting border villages and whose employment was regularized under the Yahapalana Government. He said many are now deployed far from their home districts, receive very low salaries, and are not paid food or lodging allowances despite incurring such expenses. He proposed that qualified personnel be absorbed into the Police, or at minimum be granted allowances equivalent to police officers when serving away from their station.

      EmploymentSecurity & Defence Full speech →
    • The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB

      AI summary Kins Nelson seconded the Adjournment Motion and emphasized the wartime role of Civil Defence officers in protecting border villages. He noted the Budget proposal to second 5,000 officers to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Police, arguing that such transfers require proper training and should, where possible, keep officers within their home districts so they can continue farming. He also raised concerns about shortages of uniforms, boots and raincoats, and urged the Public Security Minister to address the officers’ grievances and ensure fair treatment.

      Security & DefenceLaw & OrderEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB

      AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper noted the significance of Medin Full Moon Poya Day before addressing the role of Civil Defence personnel, particularly former village guards in Kalmunai and Ampara, during the conflict. He said they provided local protection against LTTE threats while remaining largely paddy farmers, and argued that transferring them en masse to Colombo as sentries would be unfair. He urged the Government to engage them in community-based agriculture and rural protection programmes, with compassion for their economic and social circumstances.

      AgricultureSecurity & Defence Full speech →
    • The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB

      AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana supported the secondment of Civil Defence personnel to the Police and the Department of Wildlife Conservation, noting their wartime role in protecting border villages and their post-war service to communities. He said past deployments to menial or politically connected work led many to seek retirement with compensation, while also raising concerns about trained personnel losing livelihoods. He urged an orderly, voluntary secondment process with adequate incentives, clear leave and deployment policies, access to accommodation, and transparent postings, particularly for roles addressing the human-elephant conflict and police manpower shortages.

      Security & DefenceLaw & OrderEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB

      AI summary The Minister said the Government is reallocating Civil Defence Department personnel to roles in the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Police to better use a workforce of 30,025 while protecting employment security, pay, pensions and benefits. He stated that 5,000 personnel are being released to Wildlife Conservation, with 4,500 already seconded, and Cabinet has approved seconding 10,000 to the Police, of whom about 4,000 have so far been deployed. He rejected claims of inadequate food and lodging, saying barrack accommodation and monthly allowances of Rs. 25,200, or Rs. 28,200 for Senior Assistant Controllers, have been approved and any delayed payments will be addressed by the IGP. He also noted salary increases from Rs. 27,680 to Rs. 41,985 in 2025, plus a further Rs. 3,500 this year, to align CDD personnel with other public servants.

      EmploymentLaw & OrderPublic Finance Full speech →
17. 17 Procedural Deferred Questions and Parliament Adjournment 6 speeches ▸