Sitting of Tuesday, 5 May 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: Message from the President - Public Security Proclamation 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Papers: Reports and Regulations Tabled 12 speeches ▸
3. 3 Committee report Committee Reports: Sectoral Oversight Committee Reports 4 speeches ▸
4. 4 Petitions Petitions: Citizens' Petitions (Four Petitions) 5 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question Q.1 (233/2024): Establishment of Provincial High Court for Western Province 7 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question Q.2 (361/2024): The Finance Company - Liquidation and Compensation to Depositors 6 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details 10 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question Q.4 (568/2025): Loans Obtained from State Banks by CEB 8 speeches ▾
   • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

     AI summary Rohana Bandara asked the Minister of Energy whether the Ceylon Electricity Board had obtained loans from State banks as of 2024, and requested the names of the banks and the outstanding loan amounts. He also sought details of the measures being taken by the Ministry to reduce the CEB’s reliance on bank borrowing, or an explanation if the information could not be provided.

     Public Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Minister of Energy JJB

     AI summary In response to a question on Ceylon Electricity Board borrowings, the Minister stated that the CEB had obtained loans from the Bank of Ceylon, National Savings Bank, and People’s Bank, with an outstanding balance of Rs. 11.67 billion as of 28 February 2026 for loans held as of 31 December 2024. He said detailed schedules were tabled in the Library and noted that tariffs are generally structured on a cost-reflective basis, with efforts to reduce generation and operating costs in order to minimize future bank borrowing.

     InfrastructurePublic Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

     AI summary Hon. Rohana Bandara linked CEB borrowing and possible tariff increases to cost-recovery failures and the coal procurement issues affecting the Norochcholai power plant. He argued that reduced coal generation had forced greater use of costly liquid fuels and asked whether losses from coal-quality problems would be passed on to consumers through a proposed 20 per cent tariff increase or financed through bank borrowing.

     Law & OrderPublic FinanceInfrastructure Full speech →
   • The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB

     AI summary The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka stated that losses from substandard coal would not be transferred to electricity consumers. He said part of the loss would be recovered from the responsible party through the prescribed procedures, in line with the President’s position.

     InfrastructurePublic Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

     AI summary Rohana Bandara questioned whether the Government intends to borrow funds to cover the relevant expenditure or shortfall. The intervention sought clarification on the financing method rather than making a broader policy argument.

     Public Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB

     AI summary Anura Karunathilaka stated that the measure in question is not intended to be financed through bank borrowing or by passing costs on to the public.

     Public Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

     AI summary Rohana Bandara alleged that losses from a coal procurement fraud should be recovered from those responsible and linked this to concerns over the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board. He questioned the Government about reported suspicious employee deaths, delayed voluntary retirement payments to workers who relied on union assurances, and asked whether and when those payments would be made, including whether bank support would be required.

     Public FinanceEmployment Full speech →
   • The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB

     AI summary Anura Karunathilaka stated that ex-gratia payments for voluntary retirees are planned in two phases, with the Treasury expected to provide 50 per cent following a Cabinet paper already submitted. He said approval is expected the following week, enabling payment of the first 50 per cent by the 15th of the month, with the remaining 50 per cent to follow shortly thereafter.

     Public Finance Full speech →
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question Q.5 (642/2025): Committees Investigated into Nationwide Power Failure on 09.02.2025 9 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Question Q.6: Speaker's Personal Staff, Vehicles and Official Residence 17 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Oral Questions Q.7-Q.9: Education Statistics, Aquaculture, CEB and SriLankan Airlines 13 speeches ▸
12. 12 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order and Privilege Question (Dayasiri Jayasekara) 15 speeches ▸
13. 13 Oral question Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Debt Service Payment and Central Bank 15 speeches ▸
14. 14 Procedural Procedural and Main Business: Adjournment Motion Request and Agriculture Statement 33 speeches ▸
15. 15 Debate Debate: Port City Economic Commission Regulations and Orders 49 speeches ▸
16. 16 Procedural Procedural: Adjournment Motion Introduction 16 speeches ▸
17. 17 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Failure to Report Foreign Debt Repayment Diversion to Parliament 127 speeches ▸
18. 18 Procedural Closing: Written Answers and Hansard Publication Information 5 speeches ▸