The Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to join the debate on the Special Commodity Levy regulations, the Customs resolution, and the Motor Traffic regulations.

¶ 02 The NPP Government has brought economic stability. Before 2024, Sri Lanka was in the red list of bankrupt nations; national unity was fractured and the economy regressed. Today, the NPP Government has stabilized the economy and fostered national harmony. Exports have grown by 6%; total export earnings exceeded USD 14 billion over the last 10 months. A foundation for a production economy has been laid, to bring in more dollars and revive tea production. From 2025 onward, we see increased exports of garments, tea, coconut, diamonds, gems, jewellery and foodstuffs; in January 2025, services exports rose to about USD 329 million. Earlier, as a bankrupt nation, we could not import vehicles; now stability allows it.

¶ 03 Many past laws were anti-people. But yesterday, this House passed a historic Bill—ending parliamentary pensions for Members—while also attending to the welfare and rights of private-sector and state workers who were long ignored. This Parliament, once focused on the comforts of the elite, has now turned to the workers.

¶ 04 This Government is recognized globally as moving toward democracy. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has earned a place in history. While 159 government MPs spoke of wage increases for estate workers, the Opposition claimed granting the Rs. 200 component was illegal. Yet when the Parliamentary Pensions (Abolition) Bill came, they shouted against it. Some speak in whispers with slander, then shout street talk on the floor. Along with economic development, our Government runs programmes to uplift the working people. Estate workers, who previously had to struggle for wage hikes, have now received increases without protest—another historic achievement.

¶ 05 This Government is also fostering ethnic, religious and linguistic harmony. Though the Opposition painted the NPP as anti-religion and racist, we uphold unity. Recent observances—Kandy Esala Perahera, Pongal, Shivaratri under Minister Sunil Senavi, and forthcoming support for Ramadan and Christmas—show this commitment. While we advance unity, those with divisive mindsets in the Opposition lament their lost chance to divide and to push the economy backward.

¶ 06 An Opposition MP before me did self-critique—saying the Government will not last and how politicians should behave when it falls. They must understand positions and titles are for serving people, not privileges. We came not to behave like past rulers who bankrupted the country. Our slogan is “Prosperous country—beautiful life”: to build a prosperous nation and beautiful lives for our people. The President and Government are prepared to lead this mission.

¶ 07 Thank you.