The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I wish to focus on the Right to Information. Upon coming to power in 2015, the good governance Government first amended the Constitution, introducing Article 14A through the 19th Amendment, making access to information a fundamental right, except for national security, economy, and personal privacy. We fulfilled our promise.

¶ 02 Then we enacted the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016, after many obstacles. Earlier attempts failed under the Rajapaksa regime, which rejected RTI. We made it a practical mechanism. As a result, corruption and the space for corruption have relatively decreased; information about wrongdoing, inefficiency, illegality, or dereliction in the State sector cannot be hidden and must be disclosed, strengthening citizens and media.

¶ 03 However, journalist Chamara Sampath requested details on the private staff, allowances, salaries, and vehicles of the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, Leader of the House, and the Government’s Chief Organizer. Regrettably, only the Prime Minister has provided information; the others have not. Why? Previously, similar details were requested of the President’s Media Division and rejected. A Government that pledged to protect RTI is now acting against it.

¶ 04 Further, the RTI Commission — the key institution safeguarding the Act — must be strengthened. I raised questions and received information; one answer was incorrect, leading to public criticism of the Commission. We asked questions to protect and modernize the law, but the Government has acted against the Commission. That must not happen. The Government must promote RTI — by law, conduct, and practice — because governments hide information due to corruption.

¶ 05 With my remaining time, I raise a health matter. The Panadura Base Hospital serves a large population. For a long time, its development has been hindered for various reasons. Priority must be given to its upgrading.

¶ 06 Also, until 2024 there was a separate Ministry for Ayurveda/indigenous medicine; now there is no dedicated minister, reducing recognition. There is an issue regarding the Ayurvedic Shasthriya Examination, which provided a pathway for traditional practitioners with proven community service to obtain recognized qualifications. Without valid reason, it has been stopped since 2017. We propose re‑starting the Ayurvedic Shasthriya Examination — both “Traditional – General” and “Traditional – Special” — so qualified traditional practitioners can enter the profession properly. Thank you.