The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti - Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development

¶ 01 Mr. Chairman, on this last day of the 2025 Budget debate, I must address several Finance Ministry matters. As a Government, we aimed to establish both political and economic democracy. Political democracy is now clearly established. Among our Cabinet, Deputy Ministers, and the 159 Members here, not a single person interferes with management of the economy, politics, or the rule of law.

¶ 02 Now, Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara said, “Matara Handunnetti knows how licences are given.” That implies that people in Matara get licences because Handunnetti helps—an insinuation. Why? Because under the earlier Mahinda/Basil Rajapaksa Governments, that is what Ministers did. I remember 200 licences being given at once near election time—licences issued in MPs’ names and to their relatives. Those people are here and assume we are the same. Mr. Chairman, they think we are like that. We are not. If there is anyone on our side who obtained such a licence, name them.