The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, we are ready to vote for a very important Bill. The Hon. Minister of Justice earlier cited Arahant Mihindu’s teaching to the king: “You are the custodian of this land, not its owner.” The monarchical era ended in 1815, but unfortunately from 2005 a manufactured “royal” age was built through media and propaganda — not to delight the people, but to be delighted by them. Leaders descended from President to MP, clinging to office — a shameless politics, symbolized by how former Presidents converted perks into inheritance, using the Cabinet chair they headed to enlarge their own benefits.

¶ 02 Our villagers call this: serving oneself with the biggest ladle. How ugly is this when done by an Executive President? We keep saying “Honourable” and even “Most Honourable” — yet after retiring, they built and expanded houses to live in splendour while news each day reported scores of deaths, and the people suffered. We seek to end delighting at the people’s expense.

¶ 03 In the morning, an Opposition lawyer spoke of representative democracy. In it, a representative must revert to an ordinary citizen after term ends. But once in office, they utter many promises and then reveal their true face. As President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said: “This is a strange country — while politicians climb pay‑grade by pay‑grade, the country falls into an abyss of poverty.” That is corruption and commission made manifest. Each day’s news on bribery shows it. People can endure for a time, but eventually they take the law into their own hands — sending Presidents home.

¶ 04 What is worse is someone with no people’s mandate becoming President by manoeuvre and imposing repression; raising taxes upon taxes while conferring perks on rulers. Should that not end? We asked the people at the presidential and general elections, and they overwhelmingly said “change this ugly, anti‑people political culture.” We in the NPP bowed our heads and brought this in our manifesto. Implementing that popular mandate begins with this Bill.

¶ 05 What are we removing? While ensuring all lawful dues to a former President, we end the extra perks and gifts they obtained through their own Cabinets. The weight of those “benefits” is not only unbearable, it is unconscionable. Why should people who are gasping under economic collapse fund these groups with their taxes?

¶ 06 No one should vote against this Bill. To oppose it is to be anti‑people, to help an over‑privileged group feast on taxpayers’ money. I urge this Parliament to vote for this Bill and help build a political culture protected by the people.

¶ 07 Thank you.