Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, during this Adjournment we discuss COPE. The report mentions several institutions, including LTL. I must say LTL is today a successful model: it operates local and foreign power plants, has good technology and teams, pays dividends and taxes, and is not a burden. If there are questions about LTL, the CEB can answer — officers should not evade. At times, the CEB seems jealous of LTL’s international success.

¶ 02 It was mentioned that staff pledged their shares to set up another company, but those shares were acquired when ABB, an international partner, exited the JV with LTL, allowing about 150 employees to buy those shares. This Government often views the private sector and high performers with suspicion.

¶ 03 COPE should also look at current issues. For instance, a group linked to Pillayan took 250 acres of LRC land in Pasikuda; the LRC Chairman was directed a year ago to recover it — has he? Also, at Customs, 320 containers were released: are there inquiries, were these brought before COPE? Foreign intelligence flagged two red containers found at Mideniya; just as foreign agencies warned us before Easter, our State failed to act in time.

¶ 04 Recently, large quantities of crude edible oil were imported; crude cannot be bottled without refining. Taking undue advantage, Rs. 5 billion worth of VAT and CESS appear to have been evaded. Though the Prime Minister said Inland Revenue was informed to recover, nothing has happened; documents are placed in the Library.

¶ 05 This country is turning into a police state. Over 60% of police officers have been transferred to place loyalists. Some Magistrates resign due to pressure; I hear the Halawatha Magistrate is resigning. Do not think you can run a one-party, authoritarian system; people value democracy and freedom.

¶ 06 Public servants are afraid to work. If an officer acts swiftly in good faith, circulars are used to jail them. At COPE, some processes make officials helpless; scrutiny is fine, but do not intimidate. A health sector journal disclosed that from 25 May 2024 to 25 May 2025, losses due to doctors, nurses and technical officers emigrating amount to Rs. 12.5 billion. Hospitals lack medicines — even anaesthetics at the National Hospital, many antibiotics, calcium at MOH clinics. Doctors now avoid prescribing to private pharmacies for fear of jail.

¶ 07 Not everyone is a thief; not all 225 MPs are thieves as was once said. Do not paralyze public officials; we cannot move the country forward like this.

¶ 08 Regarding the Director-General of the Bribery Commission, a JVP leader, Nandana Gunathilaka, stated that he served on the JVP’s legal team; thus independence is questionable. The Bribery Commission appears politicized and used to suppress political opponents — part of a one country, one party approach.

¶ 09 Vehicle number plates: the contract was allegedly tailored for a Chinese company, shaping tender qualifications to suit them; pursuing China’s wishes will leave us at odds with India. We must remain non-aligned. Restore proper systems; otherwise you will achieve neither growth nor effective COPE outcomes. Thank you.