The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, please grant me the full 19 minutes allocated.

¶ 02 Thank you for permitting me to present views on the 2025 Budget on behalf of our people.

¶ 03 The 2022 economic crisis affected the entire country. Two main causes underlay it: political and structural. Politically, the 30-year war was a key factor driving economic regression. Structurally, short-sighted governance without long-term plans, poor fiscal management, waste, corruption and fraud were crucial causes. These persisted over time, pushing people into socio-economic crises, and led to change in the country. The new Government has now presented its first Budget for 2025.

¶ 04 We must assess the economic conditions in the North and East. The Northern Province contributes only 4.2 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP, while the Western Province contributes 43.4 percent. Across sectors, the North lags due to geographically rooted inequities and poor planning.

¶ 05 The Hon. President, as Minister of Finance, spoke of economic democracy. For that to be realized, equal economic opportunity and status must be afforded to all citizens. People outside the North and East have been able to assert political rights through elections. The President stated he is presenting the 2025 Budget to establish economic rights. But our provinces face a different reality that will impact national development. Political stability, administrative reform and anti-corruption are essential foundations. In our provinces, people cannot establish their political rights through elections. The unresolved national question significantly contributed to economic decline. Without resolving the political rights of Tamil-speaking people, we cannot think of economic progress. If a section of people remains politically marginalized, it will create severe economic consequences and prevent the country from reaching its aspired economic status.

¶ 06 In the North, the main income-generating sectors are agriculture and livestock. Yet agriculture in the North constitutes only 6.2 percent of GDP. To move to a production economy, three essentials are needed: - Timely fertilizer subsidies, - Proper market access for produce, - Timely compensation for disaster losses.

¶ 07 These are not yet assured. For instance, before the Government announced a guaranteed price for paddy, our farmers had already harvested and were forced to sell at very low prices. The North produces much of the country’s minor millets. Those who cultivated black gram this year faced up to 100 percent loss; no compensation mechanism has been set up.

¶ 08 We also face land issues. Many have no land for production. Paddy and highland fields seized during the war remain unreleased. How can we speak of a production economy when people’s fields are still under the military, Archaeology Department, Forest Department and Wildlife authorities? Boundary stones have been placed; people cannot access their lands. Many tanks remain unrestored for years; if we speak of production, these irrigation tanks must be rehabilitated and the lands released.

¶ 09 War-displaced and resettled people live on small plots without agricultural lands. Meanwhile, there are many abandoned tanks and fields in the Vanni. The President spoke of unutilized State lands, but in our area, in addition to State lands, abandoned tanks and private fields remain unreleased to the people. If you speak of a production economy, you must release these lands to the people. Further, adequate pasture has not been allocated for livestock, leading to animals straying on roads and accidents on “A” grade roads. Properly allocating pasture would reduce such accidents.

¶ 10 On investment facilitation, many proposals are noted. But when our diaspora relatives come to invest after the war, securing required land can take over three years, running from one department to another. Even after obtaining land, they are kicked around different agencies like a football. We need a true one-stop solution for all approvals; otherwise domestic investment will remain a dream.

¶ 11 The Northern Province has about 400,000 head of cattle; only around 150,000 are used for milk, the rest for meat, leather and other purposes. Are there meat or leather processing factories in the North? No. For 15 years after the war, not a single factory has been established. Income from livestock and from roughly 200,000 goats does not reach our people adequately. In dairy, the North produces about 125,000 litres of milk daily; the Vanni districts about 50,000 litres daily. Over 50 percent is transported out, and value addition happens elsewhere. We must create value addition facilities in the province.

¶ 12 There are other issues. In Mannar District, there is a major protest now about mineral sand excavation. Tensions have arisen between police and people. Mannar Island’s elevation is barely above sea level; in some places, land is below sea level. If mineral sand mining proceeds there, the traditional habitats of people will be destroyed. Any permits issued previously should be cancelled. We cannot destroy people’s habitats.

¶ 13 Tourism: About two-thirds of Sri Lanka’s coastline lies in the North and East, yet tourism is not developed there. There is a shortage of skilled personnel, and no training institute for the sector. Before talking of production, these foundational deficits must be addressed.

¶ 14 Due to the war, three groups have been severely affected and constitute roughly one-third of our society: female-headed households, former combatants, and persons with disabilities. Yet there are no specific programmes for them in this Budget. How can a society progress when one-third cannot stand on their own? I request special programmes for our war-affected provinces.

¶ 15 Hon. Deputy Speaker, please allow me one minute to conclude.

¶ 16 In our province, some basic needs—roads, bridges, and elephant fences—are being attempted by this Government, for which we thank it on behalf of our people. Thank you, and I take my leave.