The Hon. Muhammad Faizal

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Assalamu Alaikum! Ayubowan! Vanakkam!

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chair, we debate the present economy. People elect governments expecting them to develop the economy, build the country, and secure a better future for children. For 76 years, alternating rulers failed; instead, they piled debt, taxes and hardship, sold state assets—ports, airports, institutions—to foreign parties and private hands, and ruined the economy.

¶ 03 People, realizing successive governments only increased burdens and failed to deliver progress, turned to a third force: the National People’s Power (NPP). The Opposition tried to push the country further towards bankruptcy with fear campaigns—claiming we would be isolated, lose foreign relations and funding, see the dollar soar, the economy collapse, and communal tensions rise. Those who used racism to win power are now exposed.

¶ 04 One year into the NPP Government, not a single mosque or statue has been attacked; no Sinhala–Muslim conflict. We have ensured stability and equality. The people’s trust in NPP has not been misplaced. Unlike past governments, we are not borrowing recklessly; we are cutting waste and replenishing the Treasury, enabling better services and assistance.

¶ 05 Export tariffs to the US have been reduced from 44% to 30%, then to 20%, improving market access. Public servants long struggled with low pay; protests yielded only tear gas and water cannon then. Today, the NPP Government has granted fair pay increases. As the Dinakaran daily reported, we are committed to creating an attractive public service, allocating Rs. 110 billion for pay increases, with further increases planned in 2026 and beyond.

¶ 06 Tourism ministers of the past only spoke; since January, over 1.2 million tourists have arrived by July, boosting foreign exchange. In my Puttalam District, Kalpitiya’s tourism is being practically developed with new projects, including long-neglected roads. The NPP Government is charting a path good for the economy and children’s future. I conclude.