The Hon. K. Kader Masthan

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Regulations under the Import and Export (Control) Act.

¶ 03 This government assumed office amidst a severe economic crisis, and while some progress has been made, people’s problems are not fully resolved. Prices of essentials—rice, coconut and other food items—have not returned to pre‑crisis levels; people struggle to meet daily needs. The public voted in large numbers for change, trusting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. We expect delivery on election promises and on the commitments he made here earlier to eliminate corruption and reform governance—now is the time to act.

¶ 04 In the Vanni—Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaitivu—the war ended in Mullaitivu. Material losses can be estimated; lives lost cannot. Resettlement was incomplete; past actions were not properly planned or executed.

¶ 05 During COVID, increased import taxes on some items remain. Dates, essential for Muslims during Ramadan, had a tax of Rs. 60 per kg; now Rs. 200. I requested reductions earlier too. I trust this government will act. Around 500,000 Muslim families live here; at least 1 kg of dates per family is needed. Please allow dates through the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs tax‑free. Saudi Arabia donates about 50 metric tons, but now even that is taxed. Total need is about 500 MT; after donations, 450 MT are still needed. Please ensure supply at low cost without tax.

¶ 06 Sports grounds in our districts, neglected due to war, remain overgrown. Funds allocated earlier lapsed due to elections; those grants stopped. Even funds earmarked for sports clubs under the Budget to provide equipment were halted. Please resume in the coming months.

¶ 07 Many education projects remain incomplete: in Vanni alone, buildings in 36–37 schools are half‑built. Tenders could not be called due to election announcements; funds were returned. The province estimates Rs. 1,200 million needed to complete. These are government‑initiated projects; please allocate without discrimination and complete them so children can learn in proper facilities.

¶ 08 The Marichchukaddi road from Puttalam/Ilavankulam to Mannar—court allowed its use, but due to translation errors, authorities misunderstood and closed the road. People now travel long detours. Please resolve this.

¶ 09 At election times, we face serious issues with Samurdhi Development Officers—political appointments—directly engaging in politics. Amend the institutional framework so they, like Grama Sevaka officers, are barred from political activity. Thank you.