The Hon. Faiszer Musthapha, PC

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I am privileged to speak at the Committee Stage on the Votes of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government and the Ministry of Labour.

¶ 02 Provincial Councils last held elections in 2014; their terms expired and, in 2025, provinces remain without elected representatives. Parliament passed with a two-thirds majority an Amendment to elect 50 percent by PR and 50 percent by wards—the present President too voted for it. A Delimitation Commission was appointed and its Report tabled by the then Minister (myself), but it was unanimously rejected by this House. The Speaker then appointed a review committee headed by the Prime Minister (Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe). However, that review report was never submitted to the President, which is now the obstacle to holding PC Elections. Under successive Prime Ministers—Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena—the review report was still not handed to the President as required by law.

¶ 03 If this House opposed the original Report, the law provides for a review committee to propose changes. Therefore, the present Speaker can appoint such a committee headed by the Prime Minister, so that all grievances regarding wards and electorates can be addressed. Under the Act, the Prime Minister must submit the review report to the President within two months. Non-compliance with that legal requirement is why elections are delayed. I urge the Government to proceed under the law.

¶ 04 Because PCs were not elected after 2018, they now function under officialdom—Governors and officials—rather than elected boards. Devolution was introduced under the 13th Amendment to meet, in part, long-standing demands of the North and East. Yet for over seven years, administration has been through officials, not elected representatives, diminishing accountability to the people. Also, at local level, we removed the corrupt preference voting and provided a ward member accountable to the village. While there are shortcomings, that accountability should be preserved in any reform. Please do not abolish the village-ward accountable member.

¶ 05 Women’s representation is essential. A 25 percent quota is a progressive feature; please preserve it and hold PC elections expeditiously—once the PM submits the review report, the delimitation process can be completed.

¶ 06 On Labour Votes: I acknowledge Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe’s history of championing unions. Yet plantation workers’ daily wage has still not reached Rs. 2,000. I appeared in court during the previous government seeking Rs. 2,000 through the Wages Board; planters opposed it. Today, with the cost of living, Rs. 2,000 a day is a necessity. Please negotiate with planters swiftly; they focus on profits, but a people-centric government must deliver a fair wage. I believe you can achieve what the previous government could not.