The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson, thank you.

¶ 02 Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, do not leave after saying a few things—stay and listen.

¶ 03 Today we discuss amendments to a law your government presented earlier. You said we were critical then but are speaking positively now. Yes, when there are shortcomings we critique and then correct them. We are introducing amendments to rectify deficiencies in that law. Some data that were hidden then cannot be hidden now. Data are emerging, and we are the ones potting the “redas” on the carrom board now.

¶ 04 Understand this: more and more data are coming out. Therefore, having gone beyond this Bill, we too must state certain facts. The people suffered from governance without data. You said revealing certain personal issues caused difficulties. Those were not personal issues—when public property, public funds and tax money were misused, the people have a right to know, and the law must address it. You kept many things hidden, sidelining the law. We have a mandate and an agreement with the people. We will expose all information and act on it. As the National People’s Power government, we promised “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life.” With that aim, we launched three flagship programmes: Clean Sri Lanka, digitization, and others. Through these laws we create the necessary strength. We are not ready to abuse them as in your time. We will protect people’s privacy through these amendments.

¶ 05 You said we have not appointed the required staff. What happened historically? For political desires, you stuffed institutions with employees, weakening the state service, which is a main engine to uplift the country. You strengthened the lower levels but never completed the top tiers. The President, in the last Budget, allocated cadre to recruit 30,000; now over 38,000 approvals have been given by the Department of Management Services. Cabinet has decided to recruit 15,072 into essential services. Therefore, staffing for this law is not such a problem. We are rebuilding a country you broke. You removed fuel, electricity, and made people starve—no need to remind that history. Do not shed crocodile tears and then instruct us. If you had the ability to uplift, you should have shown it in history.

¶ 06 We are moving forward: poverty alleviation, Clean Sri Lanka, digitization. The Ministry of Finance recently released Q1 figures: exports grew by 6.8% over 2024. When the country rises, the Opposition feels discomfort because they predicted this government would collapse, that there would be no international support or investors. When the opposite happens, anxiety leads to cliques trying to disrupt. But we are ready as a government and political movement to defeat them.

¶ 07 We are not only collecting data or analyzing it—we act upon it. Yesterday, data science worked: NPP established clean administrations in 151 local authorities, and more will follow. Those who appear like jackals and mongooses are actually a pack of thieves breaking in through one bellyband; they are preparing to snatch control unlawfully. We and the President have confirmed: NPP has the majority mandate, and soon we will establish control in all 267 local bodies lawfully.

¶ 08 When the law functions, there is no point getting angry at the Justice Minister. He does not hear cases; he facilitates justice and law to function.

¶ 09 We present an important amendment that tightly fences people’s highly sensitive personal data from being mishandled by any institution, person, political group, or foreign state hostile to this country.

¶ 10 Ahead of the 2020 World Economic Forum, surveys revealed that data science professions would be top-tier. Considering global trends, we present this Bill—South Asia’s first such data-based law—something to celebrate.

¶ 11 When we assumed office, we faced crises: rice, coconut, salt—yet there were no proper data. Without data, running a country is like groping in the dark. Businesses and industries collapse without data; similarly, the country fell earlier due to lack of correct data, targets and analysis. We are still addressing those, building data systems and moving towards digitization, productivity and new economic pathways.

¶ 12 We are committed to do this properly. The people understand. Fear-mongering groups will be defeated with the people. Since we got the Budget passed only on March 21, we have since been resolving people’s issues progressively—welfare, strengthening the public service, necessary recruitments, moving methodically to reap harvests.

¶ 13 We will strengthen cadres and bring the country where the people expect. Those who try to derail cannot stop this journey. If all destructive forces coalesce, it is easier for us to defeat them together.

¶ 14 This Bill may appear technical, but it is powerful for shaping the future. I wish the relevant Ministers success and thank you for the time, Madam Deputy Chairperson.