The Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I thank Hon. Kins Nelson for this motion on establishing a proper procurement programme for co-ops. The Co-operative Department was founded on 1 October 1930, and from then until 1977, co-ops grew into Sri Lanka’s largest enterprise—uplifting rural livelihoods, marketing produce, and improving living standards. The best dhal, rice, sugar, and tinned fish were at the village co-op.

¶ 02 With the 1977 open economy, successive governments degraded quality, raised prices, and broke public trust. Like Valaichchenai Paper or Kantale Sugar, co-ops were pushed towards a “natural death.” It has taken 48 years after 1977 for this House to table a motion acknowledging procurement malpractice, corruption, and the need to stop it—even as many veteran legislators, including sons of two former Presidents, sit in Opposition today. Despite long tenures, they did not revive the co-op sector. What was on life support for 48 years, we began to shift back to stability after 21 September 2024. We pledge to use co-ops to reduce rural poverty and deliver quality essentials at fair prices.

¶ 03 Under the Clean Sri Lanka programme, we are cleaning Sathosa stores in Polonnaruwa to embark on a major paddy purchasing drive in the next season, leveraging co-ops to eradicate rural poverty. Thank you.