Sitting of Tuesday, 5 May 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23546 ·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: Message from the President - Public Security Proclamation 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Reports and Regulations Tabled 12 speeches
- 3 Committee report Committee Reports: Sectoral Oversight Committee Reports 4 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions: Citizens' Petitions (Four Petitions) 5 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question Q.1 (233/2024): Establishment of Provincial High Court for Western Province 7 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question Q.2 (361/2024): The Finance Company - Liquidation and Compensation to Depositors 6 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question Q.3 (467/2025): Tourist Arrivals from 2010 - Details 10 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question Q.4 (568/2025): Loans Obtained from State Banks by CEB 8 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question Q.5 (642/2025): Committees Investigated into Nationwide Power Failure on 09.02.2025 9 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question Q.6: Speaker's Personal Staff, Vehicles and Official Residence 17 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Questions Q.7-Q.9: Education Statistics, Aquaculture, CEB and SriLankan Airlines 13 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order and Privilege Question (Dayasiri Jayasekara) 15 speeches
- 13 Oral question Questions under Standing Order 27(2): Debt Service Payment and Central Bank 15 speeches
- 14 Procedural Procedural and Main Business: Adjournment Motion Request and Agriculture Statement 33 speeches
- 15 Debate Debate: Port City Economic Commission Regulations and Orders 49 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill
AI summary The Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill was presented to amend the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, No. 5 of 2006. It was introduced by Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and ordered to be printed, referred to the Committee on Public Finance, and read a Second time on 19 May 2026.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a point of order under Standing Order 111(17) regarding the January summoning of Jaffna Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Sathiyamoorthy by Sectoral Oversight Committees over his appointment. He requested that Parliament direct the relevant Committee to submit its overdue response, noting that more than eight months had passed and this was his third request.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning JJB
AI summary On behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Minister moved approval of an Order under Section 53 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2471/52 of 16 January 2026 and presented on 9 April 2026. He also moved approval of the related Orders listed as items 2 to 5 on the Order Paper, noting that Cabinet approval had been obtained.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB
AI summary Nishantha Jayaweera sought parliamentary approval for regulations under the Port City Economic Commission Act. He said one regulation aligns Port City labour rights with a court decision, while another allows tourists to use the USD 2,000 duty-free allowance across four visits instead of a single visit, with the aim of increasing tourist spending in Sri Lanka and the State’s 7% share of duty-free turnover.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government’s medium-term policy aims for 7% growth, supported by higher FDI, with USD 1,057 million secured in 2025 and a USD 2 billion target for 2026, and cited Port City amendments intended to attract investment through incentives, import provisions, and construction-related changes. He clarified that the 2026 Budget VAT reforms do not raise the public VAT rate, which remains 18%, and that for banks and financial institutions the existing 18% VAT on financial services plus 2.5% SSCL will be consolidated into a single 20.5% VOFS from 1 July with no net increase. He also said e-invoicing and POS integration are being advanced to improve tax administration, compliance, and refunds.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva objected that the preceding remarks by the State Minister concerned VAT rather than the matter before the House, but responded to the tax point raised. He argued that the effective tax burden is higher than the stated 18 per cent VAT because the 2.5 per cent Social Security Contribution Levy is also applied across goods and services, and on a value-added basis across the supply chain may raise the effective rate to around 22 per cent. He asked the Government to explain if it disputes that calculation.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera JJB
AI summary Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera stated that he had previously raised the issue of VAT applied to financial services. No further substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in this excerpt.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that the effective indirect tax burden on ordinary consumers is higher than the 18 per cent VAT rate when the 2.5 per cent SSCL is treated as a VAT-like impost. He also questioned the Government’s proposed removal, in the Port City context, of the requirement to obtain the Commissioner of Labour’s permission before terminating employment, contrasting it with the Government’s stated pro-worker position during elections and asking the State Minister to clarify the change.
- The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera JJB
AI summary Nishantha Jayaweera stated that breaching the agreement would affect the person’s residency status. He added that action would be taken in accordance with the relevant court order.
Justice & Human Rights Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that proposed changes affecting the Port City would remove promised worker protections through the Commissioner of Labour. He raised concerns over alleged procedural irregularities in a public debt-related transaction, questioning the role of the External Resources Department, the authority for a US$9 million payment, and the qualifications and delegation arrangements of relevant officials. He said the Committee on Public Finance had faced non-attendance by senior Treasury officials despite requests, tabled a letter to the President, and stated that the Committee has authority under Standing Order 121(2)(u) to examine State debt and debt service.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva indicated that he was concluding his remarks and thanked the Chair.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep - Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep used the debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act to raise longstanding land and housing issues affecting hill-country plantation communities, noting that many estate families still live in overcrowded line rooms and are denied permission to build basic facilities. He cited the recent Neelagama Estate incident in Kahawatte, where a worker’s shelter was attacked and family members assaulted, and said nine suspects were arrested within eight hours while investigations were initiated after discussions with officials and plantation company representatives. He stated that the Government’s position is to protect hill-country Tamils, enforce the law equally, prevent estate managements or others from taking the law into their own hands, and pursue land ownership as the solution to repeated injustices.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan ITAK
AI summary Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan congratulated Vijay and the TVK in Tamil Nadu, then raised concerns over the assault on hill-country Tamils at Neelagama Estate, linking it to the continuing lack of land and housing rights for plantation communities. He urged the Government to secure justice, residential land, and housing for hill-country Tamils. He also questioned the detention by Sri Lanka Customs of books by Kilinochchi author Thambi Theepachelvan, arguing that it restricted freedom of expression. He connected these issues with disputes over Kurunthoor Malai and called on the Government to reform its approach, respect minority communities, and promote reconciliation.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB
AI summary Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera supported the regulations and orders under the Port City Act, noting that the State Minister had explained the investment needs, legal issues and related tasks. He rejected Opposition allegations of corruption, including claims linked to a US$2.5 million Treasury payment, coal procurement and taxation, and urged those making accusations to present evidence through proper investigations. He argued that the financial services VAT and SSCL changes merely consolidated existing levies into a 20.5 per cent charge and said the Government would follow due process.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP
AI summary Hon. Namal Rajapaksa criticized the Government’s handling of Port City, arguing that while it now supports the project it previously opposed, it has failed to create a clear, transparent, transaction-focused policy framework to attract investors and compete with regional financial hubs. He raised allegations of financial mismanagement, including wrong payments involving a private bank, the Postal Department, the RDA, fuel imports, and coal procurement, and questioned why investigations and accountability measures had not followed. He also objected to the appointment of political coordinators to Divisional Secretariats, suggesting data misuse risks, and urged the Foreign Minister to intervene over a Sri Lankan fisherman from Jaffna allegedly attacked by Indian fishermen and hospitalized in Chennai.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe - Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe defended amendments to the Port City framework, stating they are intended to ensure accountability to Parliament, align with international free zone standards, and promote commerce through duty-free measures such as extending the US$2,000 purchase window. He cited investment leads, approved projects, growth, inflation, BOI inflows, private sector credit, and tax-to-GDP figures to argue that the economy is stabilising under current policies, while describing the merger of SSCL for financial services into a single levy as tax simplification. He also said corruption investigations are proceeding through strengthened institutions without political interference, and asserted that investment outcomes are expected in 2026-27 despite global challenges.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana NDF
AI summary Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana said Opposition MPs had sought time to debate alleged Treasury irregularities, particularly the reported disappearance of US$2.5 million, and demanded full disclosure to Parliament. He linked the issue to the appointment of a former MP rather than a career official as Treasury Secretary, questioned allegations about the Secretary’s past dual citizenship, and argued that experienced public officers should not be sidelined. He also referred to the Port City regulations, defending the project he said was initiated under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and criticized the Government’s May Day messaging and timing of fuel price increases.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake supported regulations under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, arguing that amendments are needed to make Port City activities more accountable while encouraging exports, manufacturing, and foreign investment. He contrasted the Government’s economic approach with alleged mismanagement by previous administrations, citing a Supreme Court judgment holding former leaders and officials responsible for the economic crisis. He presented 2025 economic indicators, including increased investment, GDP growth, low inflation, higher remittances, tourism arrivals, reserves, and a primary surplus, as evidence of recovery and prudent fiscal management. He also referred to a recent peace march and called for Opposition support in building a humane and economically stable country.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition raised concerns over alleged fraudulent foreign debt-related remittances, stating that US$25 million had been sent to a wrong account in ten instances and questioning whether required financial laws, regulations, and procedures were followed. He criticized delays in informing Parliament and the Treasury Secretary’s initial refusal to appear before COPF, and called for details on the death of an interdicted officer and subsequent Treasury staff changes. He demanded that the Government present comprehensive facts to Parliament and clarify accountability for the loss, rejecting any attempt to attribute responsibility solely to a hacker.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. M.K.M. Aslam JJB
AI summary Hon. M.K.M. Aslam supported the orders under the Port City Act, arguing that duty-free retail provisions and bespoke employment frameworks are necessary to attract foreign investment and suit the Port City’s role as a specialised commercial precinct. He defended the Government’s record on workers, education, and health, citing planned pay increases and higher budget allocations, and said economic indicators showed stability despite external shocks. He also stated that the Government’s five-year national plan is inclusive, anti-corruption, and focused on public safety, narcotics control, and protecting all communities.
- The Hon. Deputy Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB
AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera raised concern that Government figures, including the President, had referred publicly to court judgments and timelines at May Day rallies, arguing that this pressured the judiciary and placed the Minister of Justice in a difficult position. He criticized the use of State power and political rhetoric to intimidate the Opposition, while also questioning the Government’s handling of mysterious deaths of State officers. He argued that the Government was focusing on taxation and a primary surplus without addressing economic contraction, rupee depreciation, rising electricity costs, and the impact on private investment and industry. He urged the Government to move away from intimidation politics and present practical plans to prepare the public and economy for current global and domestic shocks.
- The Chair (Hon. Sanjeewa Ranasingha)
AI summary The Chair called the House to order and recognized Hon. Thilina Samarakoon to speak, allotting eight minutes for the intervention.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Thilina Samarakoon JJB
AI summary Hon. Thilina Samarakoon supported the regulations and orders under the Port City Act No. 11 of 2021, stating that recent amendments are intended to facilitate business, promote strategic enterprises, expand international trade, and create mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution in the zone. He rejected Opposition economic claims as inconsistent with Central Bank analysis and urged Members to refer to the CBSL review of 31 December 2025 and quarterly releases. He described Port City as an urban, service-oriented hub for international commerce, dispute resolution, and residential amenities.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA
AI summary Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan congratulated the incoming Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and marked the 40th remembrance of Sri Sabarathinam and TELO cadres, describing the period as Unity Week. He recalled divisions within Tamil militant and political movements, the formation of the Tamil National Alliance with LTTE recognition, and later fractures during local government politics. He argued that disunity had weakened Tamil representation, cited defeats linked to symbol-related propaganda, and urged the reconstitution of the TNA, stating that TELO is ready to support renewed unity among Tamil parties.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Nimal Palihena JJB
AI summary Hon. Nimal Palihena supported the regulations under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, arguing that, regardless of earlier criticisms of the project, the Port City should now be used to attract investment, tourism spending, and foreign exchange. He said the proposed duty-free rules would allow eligible travellers to make two transactions of up to USD 2,000 within a four-day period, increasing sales volume and the State’s 7 percent levy revenue. He also referred to amendments on employment contracts and termination in Port City operations, stating that these rules are intended to provide investor confidence while operating within the legal framework.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe defended the approval of four rules and orders under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021, stating that despite earlier criticisms of the project, the Government’s responsibility is now to regularize and continue it while preventing future irregularities. He cited measures including flexible use of the USD 2,000 duty-free allowance and labour arrangements tailored to Port City operations. He also responded to Opposition criticism over May Day events, corruption cases, and alleged frauds, asserting that pending investigations and court matters should proceed through proper legal and institutional processes.
- The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB
AI summary Moved approval of a regulation under Section 53 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021, published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2471/53 of 16 January 2026. The regulation, made by the Minister of Finance after considering the Colombo Port City Economic Commission’s recommendations and approved by Cabinet, was presented to Parliament on 9 April 2026 and agreed to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB
AI summary Moved approval of a regulation under Section 53 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2471/54 of 16 January 2026. The regulation, made by the Minister of Finance following recommendations of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission and Cabinet approval, was presented to Parliament on 9 April 2026 and agreed to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB
AI summary Moved approval of a regulation under Section 53 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021, published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2471/55 of 16 January 2026. The regulation, made by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development following the Commission’s recommendations and Cabinet approval, was presented to Parliament on 9 April 2026 and agreed to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB
AI summary Anura Karunathilaka moved for approval of regulations published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2475/28 of 13 February 2026 under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, No. 11 of 2021. He stated that the regulations had been considered by the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, and presented to Parliament on 9 April 2026. The motion was agreed to.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
- 16 Procedural Procedural: Adjournment Motion Introduction 16 speeches
- 17 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Failure to Report Foreign Debt Repayment Diversion to Parliament 127 speeches
- 18 Procedural Closing: Written Answers and Hansard Publication Information 5 speeches