The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development
Wasantha Samarasinghe supported the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate for relief and reconstruction following Cyclone “Dicha,” stating that the allocation specifies how funds will be used to compensate affected communities and rebuild damaged areas. He rejected Opposition claims that the Government had prior knowledge of the threat and failed to act, arguing that seasonal rainfall risks had been discussed through official channels, including the Food Policy and Security Committee on 23 November and briefings by the Meteorological Department at the start of the Maha season.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, today we debate the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate to compensate and restore areas affected by the “Dicha” cyclone, to provide relief, and to rebuild the country. The estimate details how funds will be spent. While considering Opposition points, it is clear from their continued line that they wish to claim we knew well in advance and failed to act. Various assertions have been made.
¶ 02 This is our rainy season—Maha. In this period, rains in the hills fill rivers and tanks. In Anuradhapura, people pray for full tanks to sustain both Maha and Yala seasons.
¶ 03 A Government trusted by the people would never hide a threat to them. The Food Policy and Security Committee discussed this on 23 November, as recorded in its minutes. The Met Department had briefed us at the start of the Maha season.
¶ 04 [Speech continues…]
Provenance
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- Hansard, Friday, 19 December 2025 ·No. 23115 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 19 December 2025. No. 23115. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/16303