The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa – Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, let us understand the situation. We are now on 05 December, having passed August, September, October, and November—months during which two elections were held under our democracy: the presidential and the general elections. After that elapsed time and transitions, some things must now be done.

¶ 02 The point raised by Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara refers to Section 23(1) of the State Public Financial Management Act, No. 44 of 2024. It provides that if, by 31 December of the current year, the Appropriation Bill for the next year has not been passed by Parliament, then a Vote on Account may be presented. We are now presenting it for the next few months. If the Opposition says public servants should not be paid, tell us. If the public services and relief to the people should not continue, tell us. If projects essential to keep the country running should not proceed, tell us.

¶ 03 The law is clear: if the Appropriation Bill is not passed, there is authority to present a Vote on Account. That is why party leaders agreed. Hon. Speaker, this is not a problem of the country or the Government; this is an internal problem of the Opposition—an eagerness to put faces before the media during the first two hours.

¶ 04 If that is so, hand the Opposition’s organizing responsibility to Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara—that is your matter, not the country’s or the Government’s. Do not bring your internal issues here every morning to disrupt and obstruct the planned work of the country over the coming months. We are not doing this with the power of 159 members to “steamroll.” The country must function; salaries must be paid; projects must proceed to sustain people’s lives to some degree. Therefore, we bring this Vote on Account. If you say “stop everything and halt the country,” then say so publicly and we can debate that.