The Hon. (Ms.) Krishnan Kalaichelvi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, before today’s debate, I must note that yesterday, a ‘Lion’ line room housing in Senan Estate, Hatton, was completely gutted due to an electrical fault. As the Member representing Nuwara Eliya, I should have been there to meet the people’s needs then, but I could not. I express my concern.

¶ 02 Listening to the Opposition today saddens me. In this Committee Stage on the Ministry of Labour, I decided to speak about the upcountry people. Tea is a major foreign exchange earning sector, started here in 1867 — 158 years ago to 2025. From then till now, the plantation industry continues. Our people still live in the same houses built by colonials.

¶ 03 We now argue whether the daily wage is Rs. 1,700, 2,000, 1,500, or 1,000. From 1972 to 1992, the estates were government-owned. If the then Government — of the parties now shouting about wages — had converted daily wages to monthly salaries, today our people would not face this plight. Instead, in 1992, the estates were leased long-term to multinational companies. The result is what the upcountry people face today: wages, education, health, and housing problems. Had wages been converted to monthly and they made employees, they would not be pleading like beggars for increments. This happened under the father of the current Leader of the Opposition. He should apologize to the upcountry people. Those who changed their lives then now speak lovingly of them.

¶ 04 Today, many factories in the upcountry have closed: 48 in Badulla, 24 in Kandy, and over 80 in Nuwara Eliya. The standard of living has fallen sharply. Green leaf production that was 65 percent in 1992 has dropped to 12 percent in 2025. How can we improve livelihoods, education, health, and employment under this? Those who never spoke before now scream against us after we came to power. In the 2023 Budget, only Rs. 10,068 million was allocated for upcountry people. Now, our NPP Government has allocated Rs. 16,738 million to transform education, health, infrastructure, and other issues — I say this with pride.

¶ 05 To the Opposition: before shouting, look back at your historical practice. Some will deceive you; they will not solve your problems. For 76 years that is what they did. Hereafter, we, the NPP Government, will implement programs to meet your needs. Thank you.