The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today’s Bill slashes Presidential perks. Three former Presidents currently occupy official residences: Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Maithripala Sirisena, and Mahinda Rajapaksa. This Bill, driven by envy and anger, targets their entitlements—ironically, after the same forces helped elect them at various times. In 1994 the JVP supported Chandrika; in 2005 it helped elect Mahinda; in 2015 it backed Maithripala to defeat Mahinda. Now the very perks of those three are being removed. So be it.

¶ 02 I wish to raise pressing justice issues. Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Nalin Fernando were remanded in the Coconut Development Board case, with evidence led by former Sports Ministry Secretary Nanda Mallawarachchi. Now the Attorney General has filed a Public Property case naming the same witness, effectively contradicting earlier proceedings. This is a serious irregularity; the Minister of Justice should address it.

¶ 03 On prisons: at Welikada, “Chaminda ward” houses elderly inmates in hardship. Earlier general remissions applied; now such relief is gone. The Justice Minister should look into this.

¶ 04 To the Minister in charge of Police: there have been 98 murders so far—two short of a century. Ensure perpetrators are swiftly apprehended. Promotions in Police and STF are delayed; many officers escort VIPs while lacking career progression. Address these promotions fairly.

¶ 05 A tragic bus accident in Ella, Badulla District, killed 15. Reports blaming Mahinda Rajapaksa’s roads are baseless: that road was cut in 1967 and opened in 1970 under Montague Jayawickrema. Do not politicize tragedies with falsehoods.

¶ 06 On encroachments: Dudley Sirisena says he will remove his fence. But when ordinary people around village tanks lose homes due to boundary enforcement, where will they go? It seems he is cozy with the Government now; the law must apply equally.

¶ 07 When representing Sri Lanka abroad, send leaders with the courage and articulation of Arjuna Ranatunga—who stood firm at the 1995 Murali no-ball incident—to defend the nation’s interests robustly.

¶ 08 This Government has bigger priorities than evicting former Presidents from houses. The President said the law has no time bar; then pursue long-neglected cases in the North Central Province as well—bomb incidents at Daladagama, Eppawala, Galnewa, and the capture of the Kekirawa Police. Seek truth consistently, not selectively.

¶ 09 Today this Bill may pass and Mahinda Rajapaksa may leave his residence. That is not our main concern. Govern fairly, uphold the law equally, and address the people’s real problems.