The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera

¶ 01 We are discussing with them. When converting, we charge them about Rs. 10; in other countries, it is Rs. 2, some even charge 90 cents. We must talk through those matters and motivate them. Simply saying we will raise the duty-free allowance a little will not help. What we must do is deliver a change they can feel. As for our migrant worker, we have already failed to retain him.

¶ 02 If this country is to move forward, if we are to change the so-called traditional methods, and if we truly need to build this into a prestigious program, we must identify what the essential central change is, how it will happen, and show clearly the mechanism. Then we can present many examples.

¶ 03 Hon. Deputy Speaker, now look, the Hon. President spends 80 percent on this Vote. Back then he accused on this floor that spending under the President was too high. Under him fall the Ministry of Finance and Economic Stabilization and the Ministry of Defence. Add those two and it is five out of seven—meaning, 80 percent is spent on those two. Then how does anything change? I propose he set that aside and take on the Ministry of Entrepreneurial Development. Take it and spend to breathe life into this country, to give life to the people. Give life to micro, small and medium enterprises—6558002276. You must provide leadership to that. Then we will stand with you. But if you merely shift items from one column to another, hide here and place there, this will achieve nothing.

¶ 04 Hon. Deputy Speaker, there is another matter I must raise. I do not know whether this is a small slip. I cannot understand how it happened. In the Budget Estimates, under the President’s Clean Sri Lanka Program, it is recorded as an allocation of Rs. 50 million. But in the President’s Budget Speech, he said Rs. 5,000 million. Did I get it wrong, or is it a printing mistake? Hon. Deputy Speaker, if only Rs. 50 million is being given for Clean Sri Lanka, let me say this: we had a hotel with 150 rooms; even to lime-wash and paint it that amount would be insufficient. So I think this is an error. Otherwise, as Hon. Minister Chamara Sampath said, perhaps officials inside, thinking Rs. 50 million looks too small, put Rs. 5,000 million into the speech to embarrass him—like when someone once wrote “Indian subcontinent” and put him in difficulty. That is how it appears to me.

¶ 05 Be that as it may, we expected a digital program in this Budget. It is true we advocated such a program, we tried to do it, and it is good that our Hans Minister is now with him. But I do not see the digital program in this Budget.

¶ 06 At that time MOSIP was proposed. When the Hon. President was a Member of Parliament, he said, “From India, by stealing data, they are dragging us into a great disaster.” But now he has completely changed and says that very thing is good. We also say it is good. However, at that time it was to cost Rs. 14 billion.

¶ 07 Hon. Deputy Speaker, after that it was revised to Rs. 24 billion. I think now it will cost around Rs. 30 billion. If it arrives as assistance from India, that is fine. At that time, it was proposed as assistance. So I do not know what the Hon. President’s current internal understanding is. Either way, if it comes like that, it is good.

¶ 08 Also, I must say sorry to the Hon. Deputy Speaker. Last time when I was speaking, I did not hear you when you asked me to conclude. That did not go down very well on social media. So, I apologize to you, Sir, and thank you for giving me time to speak.