The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I was told the time allocated to Hon. Hector Appuhamy is also given to me.

¶ 02 Today we debate tax reductions and increases. Yesterday we discussed how the economy and public finance fared over the past six months. Today marks 100 days of this Government. We must see what you have done in these 100 days. Your policy statement “A Prosperous Country, a Beautiful Life” said you would reduce VAT even on non-essential food items, school supplies, medicines, and fertilizer. After 100 days, you have failed to deliver. Nadu rice that was Rs. 180 per kg is now Rs. 250–260. You set a controlled price at Rs. 230, yet the Government failed to enforce it. Have you reduced the price of even a single essential?

¶ 03 I recall that in the first 100 days of Good Governance, we fulfilled 100 promises. We reduced fuel prices by 30–40 percent and some food prices by 80–90 percent. 80 percent of public servants voted for you, yet you have done nothing for them. In our first 100 days we raised public servants’ salaries by Rs. 10,000 and added it to the basic. The President devolved part of the executive powers to Parliament then. After 100 days, you have brought no such proposals. We established Independent Commissions; you are weakening parliamentary independence. Opposition members’ participation in the Parliamentary Business Committee has been cut—now only four members can attend. Is this how you strengthen parliamentary democracy?

¶ 04 You spoke of medicines. Health Minister Nalinda Jayathissa insulted the Basnayake Nilame of Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya and even deities, saying they have ample money. If there is money, why can’t you remove the 18 percent VAT on medicines? These were your election promises. Fertilizer prices remain sky-high. Back then you clutched paddy shoots and stood for farmers, yet you have not reduced VAT on fertilizer. During elections you promised Rs. 25,000 fertilizer subsidy per acre. Reaping has begun, yet payments have not been credited. Is this how you fulfill promises?

¶ 05 You also spoke about senior citizens. Under Good Governance we gave 15 percent interest on senior citizens’ savings; the Ranil-Rajapaksa Government reduced it to 8 percent; you have reduced it to 7.5 percent and imposed a new 10 percent tax on the balance, netting seniors and depositors only 6.5 percent. Your policy statement promised to add five percent to senior citizens’ interest—so it should be 12.5 percent, but now it is 6.5 percent.

¶ 06 Regarding schoolchildren, your pledge said VAT on school supplies would be removed. Instead, you levy 18 percent VAT on 4.1 million students while giving Rs. 6,000 only to one in four. In history we gave free education, uniforms, textbooks, insurance—without discrimination. Now you create a division inside classrooms—poor vs. rich—psychological harm to both groups. Yesterday you claimed economic growth and deposits have increased; if so, provide relief without fanfare.

¶ 07 On fuel, before coming to power you said you would immediately reduce prices. You still collect the Rs. 70 tax per litre of petrol and Rs. 50 per litre of diesel introduced under Ranil Wickremesinghe. Why not reduce those taxes?

¶ 08 You now speak of “Clean Sri Lanka.” Good; implement it. People voted to end corruption, fraud, theft, and to punish offenders—not to remove grape garlands on buses, take down Buddha statues, or remove mirrors from three-wheelers. The former Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee is now the President; its former Secretary is now the Minister in charge of Police. You have the files and know the cases. Please implement what you promised; we will support anti-corruption laws and actions. Three factors caused 76 years of destruction: theft; lack of consistent policy; and the wars—LTTE’s 30-year war and the 1971, 1988–89 insurrections by the JVP. Terrorist acts by JVP and LTTE destroyed resources equal to multiple times our debt. Now instead of lecturing others, implement what you promised. We are ready to help build the country. I urge the former Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Committee—now the Minister in charge of Police—to act.