Hon. (Mrs.) Oshani Umanga

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, within this Health and Mass Media debate, I wish to highlight the Postal service. Before modern ICT and phones, we shared all of life—joys, grief, love—through the post. The daily figure we remember is the postman on his bicycle, ringing the bell.

¶ 02 Despite minimal facilities since colonial times, postal workers have not received proper increments, allowances, permanency, or promotions. Many have messaged me today. For example, a Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation announcer has served since 2005, became a contract announcer in June 2015, and after 20 years remains on contract. We will regularise such cases without political interference; merit will prevail, ending the past culture of appointments and promotions by influence.

¶ 03 Successive governments failed to modernise the Post for today’s society. Our 2025 plan aims to transform it into a modern, people-serving institution. Recall how they tried to sell the historic Nuwara Eliya Post Office—using pressure and valuations like auctioneers. We stopped such sales, reclaimed state assets, and now use them to support tourism—e.g., souvenir postmarks for tourists. Under the past regime an SLBC property, a circuit bungalow in Nuwara Eliya, was sealed and reportedly turned into a spa—an example of state asset misuse which we will not allow.

¶ 04 We are modernising beyond traditional letters: e‑payments at e‑counters, e‑commerce, e‑post, digital post, mobile apps, and EMS—cost‑effective cross‑border shipping. We plan to lift the Department from losses to break-even and profitability, targeting Rs. 18,000 million revenue in 2025. We have a bilateral with China Postal Express & Logistics for e‑packet services. Rs. 23,918 million is allocated in this Budget for the Post.

¶ 05 On media: Countries like the UK, India, and Australia have anti‑siphoning laws. In Sri Lanka, national sports broadcasts were siphoned—e.g., a 2011 Cabinet Paper removed the national broadcaster’s monopoly, shifting rights to CSN. The national channel earned about Rs. 400 million during the 2011 Cricket World Cup but now earns nothing in such events. I propose that events of national interest be simulcast on the national channel, with a revenue‑sharing model that compensates the rights-holder while giving the national channel a fair share (e.g., 25%). This is a win‑win and will help restore public institutions to break-even and profitability.

¶ 06 We seek the cooperation of the Opposition to build a prosperous country and a better life for our people.

¶ 07 Thank you.