The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, what did we hear this morning from the Leader of the House? “Learn; don’t misbehave; willing to teach.” Why did he speak like that? On 2026.02.03, I raised a question in Parliament about the National Commission on Women. Today the Minister gave an answer. After that answer, we courteously highlighted several points. Regardless of what she said, I state clearly: the National Commission on Women has been gazetted under her Ministry. Here is the Gazette. She said it was not so. We corrected it.

¶ 02 Further, Dr. Ramani Jayasundere, Chairperson of the Women’s Commission, has resigned. Why? Inability to secure independence for the Commission, inability to appoint her own staff; moreover, a CEO was appointed through Government interference—a Ministry Secretary. The Chairperson was not even afforded a meeting with the Presidential Secretary to raise these issues. These are the matters I brought up. When we speak of these, the Hon. Leader of the House tells the media that we must learn; not misbehave; he is willing to teach. Even as he says that, the Minister in charge of women’s affairs did not properly understand the issues when answering. We showed that other independent commissions function as separate vote entities. Accordingly, I table pages 8, 9, and 10 of Appropriation Act No. 23 of 2025.

¶ 03 I will distribute all these documents to substantiate what I presented. I made an argument based on facts and data. Yet, when we present facts, we are told we pick fights in the morning and try to create scenes. You try to shut our mouths.

¶ 04 Hon. Presiding Member, note this: the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, of which you are a member, sent two requirements to the Women’s Commission in January 2025. At a Geneva conference on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Minister stated that all arrangements were ready to operationalize the Commission. Today in Parliament she says the budgetary provision timeline is May 2025, and that the Commission was set up in September. Regrettably, she is unaware that even if there was a delay, a Supplementary Estimate could have provided funds—for establishing the Commission, providing an independent office space, and necessary resources. That was not done.

¶ 05 Ultimately, after we raised this in Parliament, only then was time allotted for the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to meet the Presidential Secretary and reach certain understandings. It is now proposed to allocate LKR 50 million in 2026—one third of the requested LKR 150 million. Given the promises made to women during the last election, it should not be one third, but at least three times that amount. Women greatly empowered and supported this Government.

¶ 06 What happened this morning is clear: the Government took away women’s rights by placing the National Commission on Women under the Ministry, which should operate independently—turning it into a subordinate, compliant institution. When we exposed this process, we were told to “learn.” From whom? I need learn nothing from the Leader of the House. We too have some understanding when we come here to speak.

¶ 07 Further, I wish to inform the nation, Members of Parliament, and the media. Today, when we attempted to ask questions, various rulings were produced. Questions on education were rejected. I had a question for the Prime Minister: the Postgraduate Institute at the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine is to be closed. As Leader of the Opposition, I was barred from asking that. Asking about the future of those students is prohibited. Acting Principals—1,216 of them—have passed the examinations but have not received appointments; asking that is also prohibited. Also, for the recruitment of graduates to the teaching service under limited and open schemes, we proposed to extend validity to 31 December 2025; asking that is prohibited. I will table all these documents. Everything is being prohibited.

¶ 08 Questions about the right of archaeology graduates, including those with international studies, to teach History, and many matters in the education sector—Sajith Premadasa cannot ask the Minister of Education; the Leader of the Opposition cannot ask; the Leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya is barred. Here are the letters stating we cannot ask, with reasons.

¶ 09 Hon. Presiding Member, my allotted time is over.