Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva

¶ 01 So, with the three minutes left from the 20 and the two minutes I just got, I have five minutes.

¶ 02 Let us then see in the 2025 Budget how you will collect zero taxes from those earning monthly incomes between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 200,000, as you promised. Professionals and businesses are watching; we too will watch.

¶ 03 Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe said: tax no duty on imported sugar but tax locally produced sugar; and that after 31 December the Special Commodity Levy will be removed and 18 percent VAT applied on imported foods. You pledged no VAT on food, yet now commit to 18 percent VAT on imported food. I am not criticizing; we will watch what you do—on Digital Services Tax, on taxing IT services, additional levies on vehicle imports, and whether you will use price formulas for electricity and fuel. We give you time to deliver “system change.” But I need an answer on rice.

¶ 04 Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is a new Parliament; expectations are high. Regardless of my politics, the people have given you a massive mandate. If you use it to develop the country, we all are fine—whoever does it. As Deng Xiaoping said, “It does not matter the colour of the cat, if it catches mice.” We are all here to develop this country. You invited Opposition ideas. I will make a constructive proposal because the public’s expectations of you are enormous.

¶ 05 We are a rice-eating nation. Rice is vital to our lives. Now there is a serious problem. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa imposed a controlled price for rice via Gazette in 2021, revising it 12 times, and on the 13th Gazette set kakulu at Rs. 210/kg, Nadu at Rs. 220/kg, Samba at Rs. 230/kg. However, despite those prices, today Nadu is Rs. 250–255/kg in shops. Sathosa may occasionally sell 5 kg with some coconuts, but in a free economy there should be sufficient supply for all consumers. Supermarket shelves are empty of rice. You said you would not import even a grain of rice, but day before yesterday a Gazette allows anyone to import rice until 20 December. I understand around 300,000 metric tons may be brought.