The Hon. Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, I welcome the Adjournment Motion brought by Hon. Thushari Jayasingha on establishing a state free from corruption, bribery and fraud. I thank the Hon. Member for this important motion.

¶ 02 Today, the National People’s Power Government has earned trust not only among the people of Sri Lanka but also across the world. For long years, corruption and fraud pushed Sri Lanka towards bankruptcy. Now the world sees Sri Lanka rising, with our country advancing 14 places in the list of nations for reduced corruption. This is a country people look upon with goodwill, trust and acceptance because of the transformation led by the NPP Government.

¶ 03 Bribery and corruption are not only the theft of money; they destroy the people’s collective expectations and goals. Corruption is not just about money or abuse of power; it also manifests in the misuse of public and other resources. This beautiful, bountiful country declined because a few exploited taxpayers’ money and national resources for selfish gain. We must end that.

¶ 04 To strengthen and sustain democracy, the first weapon is eradicating bribery. Our Government is focused on eliminating bribery and corruption from Sri Lanka. We have earned people’s confidence by demonstrating transparency in governance and by placing the responsibility of governance in people’s hands. This is a people’s government. We have created the space for people to raise their voices against injustice. We are confident Sri Lanka will become a corruption-free nation and a model for all countries.

¶ 05 In the past, those in power obtained massive loans for white-elephant projects with no public benefit, to steal and enrich themselves and their families—borrowing from global banks and institutions and saddling the people with the burden. Today, we show that we need not pursue money for ourselves. As Members of Parliament, we have renounced privileges and shown transparent governance—an example for our youth. Whether in schools, hospitals or banks, in every sphere we must fight corruption.

¶ 06 To be respected globally as an educated, cultured nation with a proud history, we must eradicate bribery and corruption. Step by step, corruption is being reduced. Within one year of governance, good signs are visible and accepted by the people. Some, however, try to mislead and drag us back to the old era by projecting false images. We will not allow that. Whatever the pressures or hardships, we will not rest until we fulfil our pledges—especially until bribery and corruption are fully eradicated. I call upon everyone, particularly the Opposition, to join the Government’s policy to completely eliminate corruption and build a prosperous nation. Thank you for the opportunity.