The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, as we debate the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies and other important ministries, we do so in the shadow of a most painful and devastating catastrophe. Hundreds of lives have been lost, and many are still missing. Agriculture, transport and vital infrastructure have been severely damaged.

¶ 02 Nations like Germany and Japan, after World War II, and Korea and Indonesia after their own tragedies, transformed disaster into opportunity through long‑term planning, community participation, new systems and technologies, lessons learned, effective and farsighted leadership, and international support. Sri Lanka too had opportunities after recent crises—the pandemic, the tsunami—but we missed them. Now we must think as one Sri Lankan nation, set politics aside and work on a common programme to rebuild Sri Lanka.

¶ 03 Through the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme, we aim not only to mobilize funds to repair damage but to build a new Sri Lanka with expert contributions and international support, under a clear plan. Whatever our ideological differences, we can set them aside for now, grasp the scale of this disaster, and act together.

¶ 04 The international community stood with us from the first hours: India’s INS Vikrant, already in Colombo, deployed Mi‑17V‑5 and Cheetah helicopters for rapid rescue; 80 to 100 personnel were engaged in operations. Around 70 countries—including China, Germany, Japan, Maldives, Nepal and the USA—have offered humanitarian aid. A Pakistani vessel with about 200 tons of relief is en route to Colombo.

¶ 05 We are not alone. Our friends will help rebuild, mobilize funds, send equipment and supplies. The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence has already decided that relief consignments routed to the Defence Ministry or the Disaster Management Centre will be released free of customs duties and other levies. Special one‑stop units have been set up at ports and the airport with Customs, Airport and Aviation, SriLankan Airlines, the Port and the Disaster Management Centre to fast‑track clearances. Details of duty‑free relief procedures are on www.customs.gov.lk, and the priority relief list is on www.donate.gov.lk.

¶ 06 Within the first 24 hours, over 12,000 passengers were stranded at the airport. Under the leadership of our State Minister and through a special operations committee of the Civil Aviation Authority, Airport and Aviation and SriLankan Airlines, we quickly moved passengers onward and restored normal operations, with help from the Air Force and Navy.

¶ 07 In my Biyagama electorate, around 20,000 people—about 6,000 families—were affected, and 19 safe centres were established. District and Divisional Secretaries, Grama Niladharis and all officials worked tirelessly, beyond the call of duty. I thank them, the armed forces and police, and infrastructure agencies like the CEB, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, and RDA. Local authority members from both government and opposition also worked shoulder to shoulder for the people.

¶ 08 We have had moments in history—joyous and tragic—when unity was possible. If we now plan and act together, we can aspire to a new Sri Lanka. Thank you.