The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, briefly on this so‑called revival Budget: with revenue at Rs. 5.1 trillion and expenditure at Rs. 7.2 trillion, it seeks over Rs. 2 trillion in new borrowing. I recall the slogans we heard—if you are going to run the country on debt, what use is the government? This Budget, I see, is an “expenditure-only” budget with few mechanisms to generate revenue for that spending. Therefore, I see an inability to sustain this government through this Budget.

¶ 02 On day one you accepted Sri Lanka had a developed state structure; that it was an advanced state. We heard the Government benches speak of King Pandukabhaya. Our country sent envoys to the court of Emperor Claudius. Today it seems this grand State is too big for this Government; hence no method, no vision. The State cannot retreat; doing so creates crises.

¶ 03 In your policy document “A Prosperous Nation – A Beautiful Life,” sub‑chapter 39 listed 1,326 actions. How many of those appear in this Budget? I question whether the promises made appear here. What we see is another Budget of the same mold read earlier by one person and now by another—like those of Ranil Wickremesinghe, Basil Rajapaksa, Mangala Samaraweera, Ronnie de Mel. Frankly, this is a Budget trapped within IMF parameters, like past governments’ budgets for a bankrupt country—despite your boasting that you would not dance to the IMF’s tune. Now we see that has changed.

¶ 04 Before taking power you said the Budget would be prepared by an Economic Council in Malima. After power, I watched to see if the President thanked that Council—no mention. Because the Council was not consulted. It appears that body was only a campaign tool to tell fairy tales to voters. The Budget and economic policy have been decided by the IMF and the Treasury. Even the Central Bank Governor said: though governments change, core economic policies have not changed. In short, the Economic Council has been sidelined. Yet for three days MPs claim Malima’s policies are being implemented—when in reality it is Ranil Wickremesinghe’s earlier proposals that are carried forward: customs reforms, port expansion, Trincomalee oil tank development, industrialization of the North and East—these are not new.

¶ 05 In the Budget speech, the President said it is based on his Government’s policies and reflects entry into those policies. But we see an ideological shift, which is fine—from socialist to neo‑liberal policies. Credit for that should go to the Prime Minister, even if not present here. We can see from this Budget that she has prevailed within Malima.

¶ 06 I recall a verse from the Dhammapada: “Pamado maccuno padam”—negligence leads to death. This Government, after the country’s bankruptcy, has now changed. I welcome the change, even if late. In 1980, when English was introduced into schools, there was opposition. When a Monash University branch was proposed here, protests drove it to Malaysia, forcing our children to spend abroad. Now you say you will open access to international education—good. Change is good; earlier change would have been better.

¶ 07 You now accept that FDI is necessary. But in 1981 you opposed Free Trade Zones and FTAs; you opposed Mazda and Toyota assembling vehicles here. Calculate the loss from such opposition. You lament 76 years of a curse; you should also admit ending the 65‑year curse yesterday. When you bring good proposals we in Opposition will not trip you; we will help. But back then, against government proposals, some resorted to arson and looting of public institutions, even bank robberies—calculate those losses too.

¶ 08 A peaceful aragalaya was steered into violence. If houses were not burnt, there would be no need to pay compensation now.

¶ 09 I also appreciate attention in this Budget to neglected areas: autism, persons with disabilities, and restoring pension adjustments due to those who retired 2016–2020 but stopped by Gotabaya Rajapaksa—now being restored. Also, estate hospital proposals—good.

¶ 10 But there are glaring inconsistencies. Rs. 1,000 million (Rs. 100 crores) is allocated just for a feasibility study to modernize Thambuttegama railway station, while only Rs. 2,508 million is allocated to modernize the entire Kelani Valley line and its 36 stations. A mismatch.

¶ 11 You propose Rs. 10,000 million to employ 30,000 graduates. The minimum proposed salary is Rs. 40,000. One month’s salaries alone are Rs. 1,200 million; for 12 months, Rs. 14,400 million. How then with Rs. 10,000 million? What is a Development Officer’s minimum salary? Around Rs. 60,000. Increase it by 30,000, annualize it; the math does not work. These are the same old election falsehoods being repeated. You also promised to absorb 35,000 unemployed graduates; that promise has been broken. I looked for allocations to fill teacher shortages—35,000 to 45,000 teachers short nationwide; any funds to recruit those who passed the teacher exam? Many Development Officers run schools today—some with just the principal and a few DOs. Any allocations to absorb them? What about regularizing dengue control cadres who passed 8 out of 10 modules? Also, you promised to confirm those attached from the Civil Defence Department to Forest and Wildlife Departments—where are the allocations?

¶ 12 On pensioners: you propose to restore the 3/2016 circular-based increases for those retired 2016–2020. Good—for those retiring tomorrow too. But there is no mention of those retired between 01.01.2020 and 31.12.2024. That is unfair; it creates a Rs. 20,000 pay disparity. Another problem arises: if those due to retire in 2027 retire in 2025 instead, there will be gaps. How will they be filled? Or is this a method to shrink the public service—pushing people out as a first step?

¶ 13 Good Governance increased salaries then—basic plus allowances—some by over 107 percent upwards. From where that stopped, your Government is making some increase now. We will see in April what it really means. Increasing the basic and the increment are both good—they protect workers’ rights and benefits. But is the Rs. 8,250 increase sufficient for today’s cost of living? Those union leaders who once shouted for wage hikes now sit on the Government benches. You spoke of Rs. 20,000—what have you done? Coconut is Rs. 250, rice Rs. 200 a kilo.

¶ 14 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, your time is up.

¶ 15 I will conclude quickly, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Dhal is Rs. 300 a kilo, an egg is Rs. 30. Eating is no easy task. There are more points.

¶ 16 On the Clean Sri Lanka program, Rs. 5,000 million is allocated. Your first “solution” there is to use funds to change the negative perception of Government. That is a misuse of funds—State promotion spending.

¶ 17 Finally, I propose: allocate funds to fast‑track new education reforms; develop polytechnics and universities; develop Matale District into a tourism zone—it is a paradise: Knuckles, Dambulla, Matale, Wasgamuwa, Elkaduwa, Sembuwatta, etc.

¶ 18 Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, could you please wind up?

¶ 19 I will conclude, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 20 There are resource shortages at major hospitals in Matale—Matale, Dambulla, Laggala—please address them. In the Management Service, degree-holders doing the same MN‑4 roles are unfairly treated; give value to primary service graduates too—today graduates are employed as guards and labourers. I table a letter containing a promise made by the Hon. President when he was an MP, indicating after assuming the presidency he would address this. Dated 2024.09.10, it says:

¶ 21 “Graduates working as labourers under Ministers while those without O/Level passes hold positions is the best evidence of the tragic fate handed to our educated youth by past rulers. It is regrettable. Our party strives with deep concern to build a nation where all citizens can live happily.”

¶ 22 Hon. President, please deliver justice to graduates in the primary services. I conclude. Thank you.