The Hon. Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I am pleased to join the debate on the second Budget of the National People’s Power Government, which presents a clear policy preface, cohesion, and disciplined debt management. First, I must respond to several points from the Opposition Member who just spoke. Listening to her, I wondered whether she had read the President’s Budget statement or used it in preparing her remarks. I checked her Facebook: yesterday she asked followers to send material for her Budget speech. It appears much of what she presented was stitched from partisan inputs rather than the official document. Yet, at the end she thanked the Government for adopting one of her proposals, and on Facebook she noted funds were approved for another. Is she criticizing or appreciating?

¶ 02 At one point she said the Budget looks like those of their former leaders; at another, that it is like Basil’s or Cabraal’s—no consistent stance.

¶ 03 We are debating allocations to fund development and daily administration for the year ahead. Unfortunately, the Opposition offers little substantive critique, choosing instead to “play to the gallery.” The NPP came to office rejecting that political culture. A large group who practiced such politics for years were sent home by the people; we expect the current Opposition not to share that fate.

¶ 04 By the time of our second Budget, macro-fiscal stability has been re-established. Compared to 2024, in 2025 total revenue is up by Rs. 737 billion; the Budget deficit has been reduced by Rs. 500 billion; the deficit-to-GDP ratio has fallen from 14 percent in 2020 to about 4.5 percent in 2025. Exports rose from USD 8.5 billion to USD 9.1 billion; worker remittances from USD 4.8 to 5.8 billion; tourism earnings from USD 2.3 to 2.5 billion; and total revenue plus grants from Rs. 2.9 to 3.8 trillion. The President elaborated on this stability; I will therefore focus on proposals to take us forward.

¶ 05 On tourism: arrivals rose from 1,362,668 in 2024 to 1,566,532 in 2025—an increase of 203,864—translating to an additional USD 828 million in earnings. Under this Budget, we target USD 8 billion in tourism revenue by 2030. Proposals include developing nature- and heritage-based attractions, and turning Hamilton Canal and the Negombo lagoon belt into a tourism zone—leveraging urban waterways for restaurants and enterprises as seen abroad—backed by Rs. 3,500 million.

¶ 06 Further, Haputale, Beragala, and Idalgashinna in Uva will be developed as a special tourism cluster. The Government has identified about 900 underutilized state bungalows for domestic and foreign tourists and will upgrade them. In partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, we will train the skilled workforce needed by 2030, with Rs. 500 million allocated.

¶ 07 We will promote domestic air travel for tourists by developing Hingurakgoda Airport, upgrading Sigiriya and Trincomalee airfields, and expanding operations at Jaffna International Airport—also easing congestion at Bandaranaike International Airport.

¶ 08 On building a digital society, essential to modern development: even as some countries let commuters tap an ATM card on buses, we lag. We will scale digital payments—reducing cash handling and transaction costs—with system upgrades and fee reductions. QR-code payments up to Rs. 5,000 will be fee-free. We will also pursue data-centre-driven opportunities; India earned USD 9174.5 million from data centres in 2024. We recognize the revenue potential of hosting data centres in Sri Lanka.

¶ 09 People have not forgotten the fuel and gas queues. Today, cinemas and theatres are filling again. We invite the Opposition to engage in policy-based critique. This Government is prepared for constructive, evidence-based debate.

¶ 10 In closing, I quote Martin Luther