The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways

¶ 01 Listen to the answer. I will respond to your questions—hear the answers.

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, a teacher writes a poem while teaching in school. In it, the teacher tells the children, “Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, do not stand, sit down and listen. Listen for 11 minutes. You spoke; we listened. Now listen to this; I will answer in 11 minutes.” The teacher tells the children, “We have a national song, a tree, a flower, a sport.” A child in the back row stands and asks, “Excuse me, sir, but do we have a nation?”

¶ 03 Hon. Presiding Member, for many years we did not allow a Sri Lankan nation to emerge. We set it on fire. Those in front here fanned that fire. From the flames of racism, our culture was burned. For decades those fires shattered human development in Sri Lanka. Our development was halted; physical development torn down. Our culture moved on ash heaps. These were the leaders. Even now they try to ignite the country with those racist flames. We will not allow that. Remember that well.

¶ 04 We must cover our arrears. What arrears? The arrears in human development that collapsed over years—we must cover and deliver to the people. Another arrears: the physical development lost for years—we must hand that back to the people. We are committed. We have a one-year balance sheet to speak from, Hon. Presiding Member.

¶ 05 Members who spoke earlier discussed regulations under the Special Commodity Levy Act, the Resolution under the Customs Ordinance, and Orders under the Motor Traffic Act. I will not take long on those. We came before the people promising economic, social, cultural, and political transformation—four parts. Politically, within a year, via the balance sheet, we delivered: reduced perks from the top, including the President; reduced fuel, vehicles, official housing, salaries for Ministers—promises fulfilled. With the law passed yesterday, we have also abolished MPs’ pensions. Within a year, we have demonstrated political cultural transformation.

¶ 06 On corruption: they spoke today about a delay in one matter—we do not interfere; those are independent institutions. Because of that delay, they speak. Remember: in the Corruption Perceptions Index we have moved up 14 places; the score has improved from 33 to 35. Governance has changed though the state machinery has not fully transformed; we believe time will improve that as well.

¶ 07 On the economy: from 1950 to 2023 only seven years had a current account surplus—1950 (USD 28m), 1951 (USD 14m), 1954, 1955, 1956, 1965, and 1977. In 2023–2024, with import controls, there was some surplus. We ended 2025 with a USD 1,733 million current account surplus. The NPP Government that “couldn’t even run a tea kiosk,” has shown how to run a country. How did we achieve it? The previous Government fell due to the depletion of foreign reserves.

¶ 08 Four factors: first, foreign remittances by our workers—USD 8.1 billion last year, the highest ever. Tell Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana, who spoke of three-wheeler passengers switching parties: remind them of this Government’s success. Next, exports of goods and services: USD 17.218 billion last year, 5.6% growth over 2024—the highest ever. Goods exports were USD 13.76 billion; services USD 3.65 billion—also record highs. Next, FDI: USD 1,057 million—highest ever. Next, tourism: in 2018 we had 2.3 million tourists—the highest then. Now we have surpassed it, with USD 3.2 billion in tourism receipts—a record. January 2025 remittances were USD 573 million; by January 2026, USD 751 million. Tourist arrivals: January 2025, 252,761; January 2026, 277,327. We are breaking daily records.

¶ 09 Not only dollars—rupee revenues have stabilized. Sri Lanka Customs achieved over LKR 2,500 billion—record. Excise Department: LKR 230 billion—record. Inland Revenue Department: over LKR 2,200 billion—record. These are results of our one-year economic, social, and political cultural transformation—achieved by the NPP through prudent, active, and dedicated governance.

¶ 10 It is embarrassing what the Opposition has become. They hunt for a strike because they have no alternatives. If this is your politics, you will not last long.

¶ 11 We have increased public servants’ salaries: LKR 110 billion in 2025; another LKR 110 billion in 2026; and a further LKR 110 billion proposed for next year. Teachers were once underpaid and troubled; now they receive higher salaries and can serve with dignity. We ask teachers: educate children so that no such Opposition as this emerges again, and so that such representatives do not enter Parliament.

¶ 12 To win power, the Opposition must be better than us and exceed our targets. Growth in 2025: Q1 at 4.8%, Q2 at 4.9%, Q3 at 5.4%. We paid USD 3.9 billion as debt, allowed USD 1.9 billion for vehicle imports, and yet built reserves to USD 6.8 billion. We stabilized the rupee, bringing the dollar down by about LKR 310. This is sound economic management. Within a year, we delivered what the people expected.

¶ 13 Finally, this is not a Government that will fall. To unseat it, you must present to the people a transformation beyond our economic, social, and political reforms. If all you have is filling forms and shouting about strikes, you will not overturn this Government.

¶ 14 Thank you.