The Hon. Manjula Suraweera Arachchi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today is International Day of Sign Languages. First, I pay our respectful tribute to citizens who, through sign language, strive to communicate and live in dignity.

¶ 02 The NBRO has oscillated for over 40 years via Cabinet decisions alone. To speak today as we give it legal status is historic. The Organization operates nationwide through units such as Building Materials Research and Testing; Environmental Studies and Services; Geotechnical Engineering Services and Testing; Human Settlements Planning and Training; Landslide and Disaster Risk Management; and Structural Engineering.

¶ 03 Under difficult conditions, a staff of about 350, including 138 graduates in engineering, geotechnics, architecture, and urban planning, has served the country managing landslides and disasters. The Bill is timely, yet we see gaps. The institution sustains itself largely through self-generated funds by providing technical services to public and private sectors to meet recurrent costs. With landslide risk spread across 14 districts, and some 30% of Sri Lanka’s landmass deemed at risk due to human and natural factors, the challenge is vast.

¶ 04 In 2024, there were 1,252 landslides nationwide; Nuwara Eliya district recorded 41. By 2024, 1,602 houses/buildings were lost or damaged. The institution faces staff shortages and equipment gaps. In Nuwara Eliya, the Disaster Management Unit received 131 applications in 2025; only about 38 have been processed, leaving 93 pending. Landslides affect whole villages and line-room communities—50–60 families per line—so the scale is large though numbers seem small. We are pleased to be giving NBRO a firm legal footing to intervene and provide people a life free of fear.

¶ 05 As a Government, in 2025 we have been amending and correcting a host of ad hoc, uncoordinated orders that burdened the public. We passed the law removing presidential immunity (gazetted July 31), the Gaming Regulatory Authority Bill, and the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill with 21 amendments, reversing the attempt to break up and privatize the CEB, keeping 100% ownership with the Treasury and protecting workers. We also passed the Samurdhi (Amendment) Act, the Exchange Control (Amendment) Act, the Companies (Amendment) Act, the National Minimum Wage of Employees (Amendment) Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, and the Proceeds of Crime legislation, among others—all for the people.

¶ 06 While we battle drugs like ice and heroin, illegal arms, underworld activity, and corruption; stabilize the rupee; attract investment; develop tourism and infrastructure; entrench rule of law; and restore economic and political stability, the Opposition only chants “topple the government.” We will honor the people’s mandate and policy framework, and in the next five years build a progressive, patriotic people’s power to rebuild this country. Thank you.