The Hon. (Mrs.) Anushka Thilakarathne, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, the previous speaker suggested an internal conspiracy in the NPP to grab our beloved Prime Minister’s chair. Harini Amarasuriya marks a turning point in Sri Lankan women’s politics—an academic, from a respected family, who has devoted herself to a social-political movement. None of us covet her seat; we value and respect her. I say this because it was raised.

¶ 02 Political and economic change are the hardest parts of any social transformation; education is often attacked to derail progress. As Nelson Mandela said, if we refuse to begin anything because criticism exists, nothing in history would change. One of our core social reforms is in education: curricula, infrastructure and human development reforms toward a progressive society. We will not reverse course.

¶ 03 Today’s subject is the Regulation under the Shop and Office Employees Act. It empowers women’s economic role and maximizes their contribution. The Minister clearly explained it. Yesterday we also achieved a major victory by ratifying ILO Convention No. 190. South Asia’s second country to ratify, Sri Lanka steps forward to ensure dignified, violence- and harassment-free workplaces. “Worker” and “workplace” are broadly defined, covering public, private, informal, voluntary, jobseekers, travel, training, examinations, work-from-home, and online spaces. It requires strong policies and complaint mechanisms from Government and employers. This strengthens protection and productivity.

¶ 04 We have sent many draft laws to the Attorney General’s Department. To strengthen the economy, we need women’s labour and creativity. As the NPP Government, we promised to craft necessary laws and repeal the unnecessary. Soon we will abolish the MPs’ pension—a long-overdue reform—and continue such public-interest measures.

¶ 05 Thank you.