The Hon. Asoka Sapumal Ranwala
Hon. Asoka Sapumal Ranwala cited improvements in public finance, stating that government revenue increased from 13.6 to 16.7 per cent of GDP, the budget deficit narrowed from 6.8 to 2.3 per cent, and the primary balance rose from 2.2 to 5.4 per cent in 2025. He argued that these results reflected a disciplined recovery programme and warned that obstructing continued economic progress would harm future generations. He also criticized the absence of Opposition Members during the debate.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, please allow me one more minute.
¶ 02 On public finance, Government revenue rose from 13.6 percent of GDP in 2024 to 16.7 percent in 2025. The budget deficit, which was 6.8 percent, narrowed to 2.3 percent in 2025—an unprecedented improvement. As for the primary balance, contrary to a claim made by a Member, it improved from 2.2 percent to 5.4 percent. Altogether, it is clear that, after overcoming severe difficulties with a disciplined program, a springtime is dawning for our country. To obstruct this progress is to do grave harm to future generations. At a moment when the people—including farmers and the entire workforce—are moving forward to strengthen the economy, it is most unfortunate that no Opposition Members are present for this debate.
¶ 03 Thank you.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Wednesday, 20 May 2026 ·No. 23618 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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/lk/speeches/19352
Cite as: The Hon. Asoka Sapumal Ranwala. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 20 May 2026. No. 23618. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/19352