The Hon. Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity during the Second Reading of the Bill to establish the National Building Research Institute.

¶ 02 First, I extend best wishes to Mr. Udaya Munasinghe, Director (Administration), who retires after over 30 years of service to Parliament and celebrates his birthday tomorrow. He has provided excellent coordination for ministerial consultative committees and supported all Hon. Ministers and MPs. We wish him well.

¶ 03 I am proud to speak as NBRO becomes NBRI. Safety is a subject close to me. For over 40 years NBRO functioned without a legislative framework; today we grant it legal personality and structure. Once the Act is passed, the Institute will be able to undertake extensive safety functions: building materials testing; air, water, noise, vibration, and environmental monitoring; and geotechnical engineering testing. Without legal authority, it could not ensure compliance by state and local bodies; the public suffered as a result—hazards were not mapped, unstable ground not regulated, and stable construction not enforced.

¶ 04 We must act proactively, not only react after tragedies. This Bill provides the legal environment to do so. The Institute has strong capability; with climate variability increasing, it is the key regulator for landslides. It can help minimize natural hazards and reduce property and life loss. In landslide-prone and geotechnically unstable areas, it can mitigate impacts more effectively.

¶ 05 Notably, the Institute has an R&D Unit. Through research, it can enable proactive decisions on geotechnical instability and landslides, and mitigation. With this legal foundation, our democratic government will continue to pass laws that the people need and that serve their welfare. We know what to do and where to go. We will build a prosperous country where our people can live beautiful lives. Thank you.