The Hon. Namal Karunaratne – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, a historic flood caused immense devastation: loss of life, homes and property; widespread environmental destruction; trees and wildlife swept away and buried. Some families lost everyone but one child – grief that cannot be measured in money. At this tragic time, public institutions, officials, people’s representatives and volunteers sacrificed and worked without breaks, risking their lives. Within about a week and a half, we set the country back on a path to normalcy; this deserves appreciation.

¶ 02 Our ministries are stretched. In Agriculture alone we have only about 3,900 field officers; many cover two or three ranges. Workloads exceeded 100 percent under great pressure, yet they delivered even as the whole system was upended.

¶ 03 Yesterday I visited Mannar District: many tanks have had their bunds breached and washed away; in some places there is no trace of the bund or fields – fields have turned into rivers and canals. The Government intervened rapidly to help people return to normalcy...