The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna

¶ 01 Thank you for the opportunity, Hon. Presiding Member. A short while ago, the Government’s Chief Organizer said we panicked over displaying the Sacred Tooth Relic and that we were afraid. Our fear did not begin today, Hon. Prime Minister. I think at that time you were not in Sri Lanka; you were studying abroad in 1988–89. Then, those people were allowed only to the lower floor of the Temple of the Tooth. If the Mahanayake Theros of Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters and the then Diyawadana Nilame had not kept the Sacred Relic safe, and if the attackers had reached the upper floor, there might not be a Sacred Tooth Relic to display today. Therefore, when worshipping this time, they should also seek atonement for those sins.

¶ 02 In 2015, the JVP greatly contributed to establishing Commissions. Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa, and Hon. Bimal Rathnayake were with us then. Today, when you try to suppress those Commissions, intimidate and “throttle” them, remember one main reason the Yahapalana Government collapsed was undue interference with those Commissions.

¶ 03 I also saw a proposal to register the “undiyal” (hawala-like informal remittance) at the Central Bank and tax it. That is like registering moonshiners and taxing them through the Excise Department, or registering organized crime and paying them through state channels. We must act more intelligently.

¶ 04 The President has removed some expenditures under his Head; we welcome that. But other costs appear to have been shifted to other entities to show lower spending. Hon. Amila Prasad spoke of this; I will not dwell on it. It appears as an accounting cosmetic – altering ministerial and departmental lines to balance the books.

¶ 05 Further, in this Budget, value has been ignored for form, cutting figures without regard to worth, risking priceless national heritage. This complex has buildings over 200 years old, under the Department of Archaeology, with immense architectural and documentary value. If not properly maintained and protected, future generations will not see them.

¶ 06 On the Auditor-General’s Department and the Audit Service Commission: I noted in COPE discussions about an incident at the National Youth Services Council. If wrong has occurred, investigate and punish. But I tell all public officers: if there is no registered supplier, no Technical Evaluation Committee, and no Procurement Committee, do not sign even for Rs. 1,000. Otherwise, due to this theatrics, you and your families will be unable to walk on the road. Today, vigilance officers even come to our homes.

¶ 07 On the President’s Fund: when society spoke about Lasantha Wickrematunge, you circulated one name list; when there was talk about the Temple of the Tooth attack, you circulated other lists. I say, go further and speak responsibly. By 2024, within three days, about 50 per cent of applications received to the President’s Fund had been responded to; within five days, about 85 per cent. Now there are still applications without answers even after weeks. Investigate the efficiency. The Fund is to be decentralized to Divisional Secretariat level and eight pilot projects are underway. Previously funds were received within days; now not even within a month.

¶ 08 On recipients: we have national assets, including human assets. “The Great Queen of Sinhala Cinema” Malini Fonseka is unique. When she fell ill, Rs. 5 million was given; now questions are being asked. That grant saved her life. A schoolgirl’s life was also saved with funds, and now there is an investigation. It is shameful to even discuss it. Handle these sensitively. Otherwise, every officer who signs for the Fund will be forced to answer incessantly, and State officers will refrain from taking any decisions.

¶ 09 Today we debate 21 institutions under the Special Spending Unit. These institutions underpin democracy. As Montesquieu said, when a person’s power is unchecked, it tends to be abused; power must be balanced by power, separating Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. The 21 institutions we discuss today fall within those three. If the Executive subjugates the Legislature, or vice versa, or together they undermine the Judiciary, democracy’s funeral takes place. If the Government uses its majority to suppress the Opposition, democratic governance cannot be sustained. Democracy benefits the ordinary people. Today, some count days and fingers to run a one-party State without Opposition. Is the aim to bury democracy? These institutions’ Votes are to entrench democracy; they must be strengthened under good governance principles, ensuring rights and resources for those who serve in them. Otherwise, where there is no Opposition, democracy dies.