The Hon. Sarath Kumara, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the 2025 ceremonial Budget presented by our Government.

¶ 02 For decades, Budgets were presented to this House but hardly became reality on the ground—they remained ritual documents. That is why public trust in traditional parties collapsed and their once “Gullivers” became “Lilliputians.” Today, we have presented a Budget the people can believe in—one that directs funds to where people feel it. This is a Budget for justice, equality, solidarity, and humanity.

¶ 03 We have restored a measure of stability to an economy that was in severe uncertainty, and through this Budget we bring renewed hope. The Opposition said this Budget is not historic. Perhaps, compared to your past Budgets, that is true: yours never became historic. Ours is crafted to rapidly transform our social and economic fabric.

¶ 04 We no longer see constant strikes and protests to win demands, because we now have a Government that understands people’s heartbeat, their pain, and their problems. Therefore this is a sensitive Budget: we increased public service salaries; enhanced Mahapola and student stipends; are moving to uplift private-sector wages; and have acted for the wellbeing of estate communities, farmers, workers, and students.

¶ 05 We expect rapid socio-economic transformation. Allocations include: Health Rs. 604 billion; Education Rs. 619 billion; Transport Rs. 483 billion; Water, Housing, Rural Development, Sports and Youth Rs. 190 billion; Agriculture Rs. 254 billion; Environment Rs. 44 billion; Public Security Rs. 278 billion; National Security Rs. 404 billion; Economic services and development Rs. 99 billion; Energy supply Rs. 21 billion; Public administration Rs. 296 billion; and a massive Rs. 749 billion for social protection. The Opposition asks how we will fund this. We say: you could not, which is why you are in Opposition. We will, with domestic and foreign borrowing bridging an estimated revenue of Rs. 4,990 billion (tax Rs. 4,590 billion; non-tax Rs. 370 billion; grants Rs. 30 billion) against spending of Rs. 8,835 billion.

¶ 06 Fisherfolk have toiled under sun and rain; farmers labour with calloused hands; upcountry workers struggle in the cold to produce national wealth. Previous governments ignored them. This Budget is sensitive to them all—farmers, workers, public servants, the private sector—and allocates a fair share of the national product to each.

¶ 07 On public administration, we accept the challenge to improve. That is why we allocate Rs. 21.8 billion for digitizing the State, Rs. 255 billion for infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation, and Rs. 20.9 billion for research and development—because we are responsible for our children’s future.

¶ 08 We saw how the previous President’s administration misused funds intended for youth. COPE revealed Rs. 1,800 million in cheques issued on the eve of the presidential election. We will end that sordid history and be an accountable government for children, youth, and the people.

¶ 09 As Ernesto Che Guevara said, “The life of a single human being is worth more than all the property of the richest man on earth.” We act to ensure better, happier lives for all our people. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.