The Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the time.

¶ 02 The previous Deputy Minister tabled a list—good—but the law must act on it. Otherwise, lists alone will not feed anyone or deliver justice.

¶ 03 Before I speak on transport, I wish to address another matter he touched on: Hon. D. V. Chanaka raised the increase of chromium content to 12 mg in a component used for water purification. The House Leader equated this to the burning of houses. Hon. Deputy Chairperson, increasing chromium to 12 mg raises cancer risks for innocent people. When Keheliya Rambukwella tried to procure substandard drugs, we opposed it; I brought the no-confidence motion against him. Today, we again stand for public health; do not trivialise it. Nowhere in the world do they increase chromium content; they reduce it. We thank Hon. D. V. Chanaka for raising it.

¶ 04 Why is the transport sector so important? According to available data, a normal person will spend around 37,000 to 50,000 hours travelling in their lifetime—roughly eight years. In Sri Lanka, public transport means buses and trains; we do not have metros or trams. On buses, people travel under intense heat and discomfort, with no customer service—staff often do not know how to treat passengers. Many buses with 58 seats carry 60, 80, 90 people packed in. There is no proper timetable or system; bus racing on roads is rampant. The Government must act.

¶ 05 We also lack regular testing of bus drivers (e.g., for intoxication), though they carry thousands of lives—unlike aviation where pilots are tested. The Government must digitise transport and enact necessary laws ensuring accountability.

¶ 06 Rail safety is also poor—many level crossings lack proper gates or functioning bells; sometimes attendants are absent, leading to tragedy. We value human life and wildlife: elephants killed by trains—3 in 2020, 6 in 2021, 14 in 2022; and in just three months this year, 6 more. Today I saw news of an elephant struck by a lorry, tusks broken, lying on the highway—tragic. Innocent human lives are also lost.

¶ 07 We must make public transport truly usable and dignified. People want to travel to work neatly and return home comfortably. The Government should create that environment.

¶ 08 On tourism, e-ticketing for the scenic Ella train is good—but it has become a black market; tickets are sold by touts. Fix it. Keep trains and toilets clean. Tourists expect international standards.

¶ 09 Both buses and trains should have reliable timetables to final destinations. Online, the chief public transport issues cited are delays, overcrowding, and hygiene—please address these.

¶ 10 A 2019 UNFPA report states 90 per cent of Sri Lankan women and girls have faced sexual harassment in public buses and trains at least once. This is appalling. We wear purple for women’s rights, but our sisters and schoolgirls face abuse. We must act.

¶ 11 In 2024 alone, 258 bus-related deaths occurred; in the last seven years, 15,903 lives were lost to road accidents; in 2024 alone, 2,521. Every life matters—protect them.

¶ 12 Our airport is outdated; SriLankan Airlines flights are delayed; standards are questionable—sometimes you can see defects visible to the eye upon boarding. Please address this. Despite constraints, we should appreciate the officials who keep operations running.

¶ 13 I conclude by wishing the Minister well.