The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chair, these important Bills come when working people await relief. We thank the Government for bringing them, as an acknowledged need exists, but we must ask whether the relief is sufficient.

¶ 02 Even Government Members admitted it is not enough. Blaming past governments’ mistakes does not justify present shortcomings—many current Ministers and MPs campaigned promising concrete relief with numbers. For example, Hon. Ambika from Badulla wept speaking of the Tamil people; they promised Rs. 2,000 more for estate workers. Today, nothing is said of raising estate wages even by Rs. 2,500 or Rs. 5,000 beyond current announcements. Were those promises only to gain power? At minimum, apologize and say what can be done now.

¶ 03 Stop deflecting by blaming predecessors; nearly a year has passed. People on Rs. 21,000 or Rs. 27,000 cannot live decently. Small entrepreneurs are also struggling. If you cannot deliver all you promised, state it openly and invite practical proposals from the rest of us.

¶ 04 Youth, especially graduates promised jobs, are waiting at home. The Government governs at a time of high public expectation, having rejected past rulers. We expected alternative, fair solutions and clean governance from Ministers. Yet we now see similar misconduct—such as double fuel allowances for MPs and Ministers—and justifications like “the previous lot did it too.” That makes this Government no different.

¶ 05 Corruption was to be ended; yet we see internal issues and buying over elected local councillors with money. If this continues, within a year we will all face severe challenges—debt servicing resumes soon; what plans are in place? Stop spending time on media theatrics; present real plans.

¶ 06 We welcome today’s wage measures for private sector workers and urge the Government to honour its people’s mandate, focus on delivery, leave investigations to the relevant Ministers and agencies, and concentrate Cabinet-wide on rebuilding the economy. Thank you.