The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today our friend, the Health Minister, faces a twist of fate. When we were in Government, we told GMOA: do not hold patients to ransom. Today, the same message is being delivered by Minister (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa.

¶ 02 Another key issue: the Minister has no time to run the Health Ministry—he is sprinting to “fix” the Education Ministry. Carrying stacks of textbooks, he resembles a pavement bookseller, showing covers and colours, meddling in Education while neglecting Health. Many Ministers today act likewise—doing others’ work, not their own. Our Buddhist Affairs and Education work is being handled by Minister Lal Kantha; Road Development has nothing to show while floodgates were opened and towns inundated; no answers.

¶ 03 On Education, we saw the recent events at the National Institute of Education (NIE): Director-General and Deputy DG removed, but the Ministry Secretary, who chairs the Board, remains. The 1985 Act established NIE to reform education with eminent academics. Today, highly qualified scholars are told to do inventory checks of chairs, tables and benches—this is the level to which administration has sunk. Party cadres sit on governing boards across institutions, turning NIE into a place headed downhill.

¶ 04 Yesterday, State Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe lectured us about “buddy” and cited “ebuddy.net” as a mere link; it is an app/communication tool, not a simple link. He cannot distinguish an app from a website link, yet lectures us; to my knowledge he has barely delivered a lecture in a school. Worse, he conflated a Grade 6 module with a link leading to obscene sites. We know the difference. I too was a teacher and left teaching to avoid doing business alongside it, unlike him who drew salaries for years without teaching. Do not deceive teachers and development officers with falsehoods.

¶ 05 They now demand that education reforms be implemented this year—go ahead, bring them next term. We will see. Do not manufacture internal conflicts and choreographed protests, send teams, then pay them off when it ends. Bring the reforms now and see what happens; parents will reject you as they did in the past. This is not reform but a monstrosity—introducing sexuality, even deviant sexuality, into Grade 6 minds. Try it next term and see if parents and the people will not throw you out. Already there is public backlash.

¶ 06 As Hon. Mujibur Rahuman noted, take such matters to the Presidential Secretariat, not Pelawatta or Isurupaya. Views are scattered: President, Education Minister (and Prime Minister), Tilvin, and cadres—everyone different. Cadres have been placed everywhere, from Pradeshiya Sabhas upward, driving this agenda. Bring your reforms; the public—your own parents and siblings—will soon send you home.

¶ 07 Thank you.