The Hon. Ajith Gihan

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, as a new MP, watching the Opposition today saddens me. After ruling for 76 years, they now act as if they were not the rulers. They governed turn after turn and by 2022 pushed the country to collapse, debt, and negative growth, forcing people to leave. Now they come to blame a 50-day-old Government.

¶ 02 We have presented our program; on 21 November the President set out the roadmap in the Throne Speech: how to revive the economy and society, and heal a broken nation. The country was isolated and helpless. The Opposition comes in the morning, gives media shows, and vanishes—where is the responsible Opposition to present issues and solutions?

¶ 03 Senior leaders who sat on the Government benches for years now make baseless claims and offer advice on the economy. We experienced the damage done over decades by economic advisers of Ranil Wickremesinghe and others—collapsing the economy and impoverishing the people—so the people decided for a new governance, changing both sides.

¶ 04 This Government has had only 50 days; even a seed takes around 50 days to sprout. These criticisms are unfair. We are committed to a governance without corruption and deceit, accountable to the people and to the mandate. It seems some are still reeling from the shock of the 14th [election day]. To move forward, we all have a responsibility. The people gave us an overwhelming majority—159 seats—to rescue the country from devastation.

¶ 05 We are surrounded by a vast ocean resource, yet we were brought to a place where we could not even eat a piece of fish, while other Asian nations used their marine wealth to earn dollars. We saw Ministers eating fish before TV cameras, but not addressing the economy. Our compact with the people is “a prosperous country, a beautiful life.” We cannot do magic in 50 days. The President said during the campaign: we will not do magic; we need people’s cooperation to rebuild.

¶ 06 We believe in economic democracy—broadening an economy concentrated in a few hands so that benefits reach all, with fair distribution as people contribute to growth. We are planning for a rules-based economy and culture without corruption and lies. Opposition should make fair criticisms; we invite that. But to date we have heard only seasonal complaints about salt, coconuts, and brinjals. You also have a mandate to intervene and help solve problems.

¶ 07 Clean Sri Lanka is being rolled out; District and Divisional Coordinating Committees are meeting to decide how to protect the environment, uplift rural economies, and engage people in the economic process. Ministers are visiting human-elephant conflict areas, gathering data, and acting. The public will not be swayed by media stunts; they are prepared to give us time. Within that time, we will set the economy right and deliver benefits swiftly. That is our responsibility.