The Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, we debate the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill. An Hon. Member said this should have come 15 years ago; another said it is good if done honestly. If so, why did they not bring it 15 years ago? Because they lacked honesty. We are doing it now because we act sincerely.

¶ 02 The Opposition has tried to attack the Government by riding various protests—development officers, some doctors, railway workers—and now by invoking the Iran–Israel/US conflict. But this fickle Opposition will not shake this Government.

¶ 03 Even today, instead of this Bill, the Opposition Leader began on coal again. Let me clarify: coal payments occur in two stages—initial payment based on load-port lab reports, and final payment on discharge-port reports. Of eight coal vessels, we analysed six lab reports. For the first cargo of 59,831 MT, FOB was USD 85.17/MT, totalling USD 5.09 million. As it did not fully meet specs, we imposed a double penalty—USD 34.75/MT—reducing the payable to USD 50.42/MT, i.e., USD 3.01 million paid, with USD 2.07 million charged as penalty. Additional penalties across vessels two to six amount to USD 2,277,451. Let the Opposition Leader tell us whether this is the only substandard coal ever imported. Coal came in 2014, 2017, 2022—what did you do then? Produce your decisions.

¶ 04 Hon. S.M. Marikkar claimed a deposit was made into a private account at People’s Bank, Homagama. Tell this House the account number and owner. You can’t browbeat journalists and shirk here.

¶ 05 We in Government have not stolen public money. The Opposition Leader said microfinance has commercialised and crushed the poor; was this only after 2024? You were in Parliament for years—why not bring this Bill then? On plantations, we raised workers’ wage to Rs. 1,750 to reduce microfinance distress; you opposed it.

¶ 06 They ask to regulate large financiers too. Into what category did Daya Gamage fall, who took bank funds to run microfinance firms and defaulted? You gave tax holidays, dragged public bank funds, and cut them as bad loans.

¶ 07 Yes, we are one year in; we are in “Montessori,” as they mock. They are in Grade 13. But we have not broken anyone’s necklaces or chains. Those who burned the Jaffna Library and stoked communalism now presume to lecture our President on statements urging peace.

¶ 08 I conclude by asking the Opposition Leader to stop spreading falsehoods. Thank you.