The Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson of Committees, today we discuss measures related to the construction sector and Customs—new reforms to raise state revenue. We should extend all possible constructive support. However, targeting just one group with continuous taxes, or failing to translate collected taxes into improved public services and easier living, is what we, as the Opposition, are concerned about. We are not opposing reforms for the sake of it.

¶ 02 The previous speaker said remittances have increased—which is welcome—but also that the number leaving the country has decreased. If fewer people are leaving but remittances are rising, are those abroad in other countries sending more to Sri Lanka? That is the question.

¶ 03 On remittances: Sri Lankan soldiers and youth have been involved in the Russia–Ukraine war. Some have died or gone missing. Along with maximizing remittances, the Government also has a responsibility to investigate these cases, to ensure justice for families, and to understand the social impact.

¶ 04 On tourism: a new system allows tourists to obtain a local driving licence. Those employed in the sector here are concerned that this displaces local jobs. If this is given, charge a reasonable fee—through a government agency or a designated company—so the state recovers what locals would lose. It’s not just about the number of arrivals; it’s also how much they spend locally. Some of that spend normally goes to local drivers and institutions.

¶ 05 On Sri Lanka Customs: while revenue has increased, importers complain of inefficiency keeping goods for longer periods. For that delay they pay more, and they pass that cost on to consumers. While the Government celebrates increased revenue, why is none of that used to reduce dwell time at Customs? Ultimately, ordinary consumers pay twice.

¶ 06 On cutting state expenditure: despite a law being passed to restructure the CEB, there are proposals to recruit new engineers. Meanwhile, internal candidates who have qualified exist but are being bypassed for external recruitment. If there is an adequate pool internally, why recruit from outside now?

¶ 07 There are complaints about the Postal Service’s inefficiency for parcels sent to Sri Lanka from abroad. This is not just the present strike; issues existed before. While fingerprinting is made mandatory, postal workers say their strike is due to many broader issues: staff shortages, etc. The President said some institutions may have to be closed, and that shrinking the state enterprise sector is a policy. If so, can staff from those to-be-closed entities be retrained and redeployed to critical services like the postal sector? We can redeploy within government rather than expand the overall cadre.

¶ 08 On teachers: they request that the five-year teacher transfer policy be implemented at the end of the school year rather than mid-year, as mid-year transfers disrupt learning, especially in lower grades. Another grievance is removing the concession that after teaching at a school for more than three years, their own child could be admitted there. Given teachers already have fewer benefits compared to other state workers, consider their mental well-being and the fairness of such policy changes.

¶ 09 On Bandaranaike College, Gampaha: there were issues regarding the appointment of the principal. Even with formal qualifications, some appointees have failed practically in managing large schools. When appointing to major schools, beyond paper qualifications, consider leadership and management capacity.

¶ 10 Thank you.