The Hon. (Ms.) Krishnan Kalaichelvi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, first I thank you for allowing me to deliver my maiden speech in this Parliament. Defeating politicians who thought Nuwara Eliya District could never be changed, the people placed their trust in the National People’s Power and, for the first time in history, elected five MPs under the Compass symbol from Nuwara Eliya. I extend my gratitude to the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people who made this historic change and also for electing me as one of the five.

¶ 02 Due to its geography, Nuwara Eliya is routinely affected by multiple disasters each monsoon. Surrounded by hills, the recent downpours damaged the estate workers’ houses and disrupted their lives, and more broadly the livelihoods of all—including agricultural lands—were severely affected. To deliver relief, our five MPs and the District Development Committee (DDC) Chairman, together with the District Secretary, convened the DDC meeting on the 28th. As NPP Members, we visited affected areas, met the people and worked to provide needed assistance, especially to affected farmers, ensuring necessary facilities after on-site inspections.

¶ 03 We learned that the disasters are not caused by ordinary people’s actions, but by past governments’ irregular constructions, improper canal systems and related mismanagement. Areas like Kandapola, Nuwara Eliya, Kotmale, Dunsinane, Thalawakele, Agarapathana, Hatton, Maskeliya and Bogawantalawa are especially disaster-prone. Nuwara Eliya’s population is largely estate Tamil workers. The Opposition says Government officials should visit to assist; during the recent rains, around 1,500 people from about 480 families were affected.

¶ 04 We also found that, despite NBRO warnings that certain “Line Rooms” housing around 500 people from 40–50 families would certainly face landslides in the next monsoon, ministers in the previous government still built houses there for their own agendas. Today, we are happy we could visit and serve our hill-country Tamil estate communities. Under the leadership of our President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, each NPP MP went to the ground, identified needs correctly and worked collectively to address them.

¶ 05 We will ensure scientific solutions to housing and other facilities for our people going forward. We will certainly do this. Thank you.