Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva

¶ 01 Thank you. I will take three minutes, Hon. Deputy Chair; no issue.

¶ 02 They also raised issues on the national transmission company and distribution companies. In response, a letter from the Director General of the Power Sector Reforms Secretariat, Pubudu Niroshan, to Minister Kumara Jayakody has leaked on social media, essentially saying regardless of what WB/ADB/JICA say, the Government’s policy stands. Today’s Supreme Court Determination notes, and I quote:

¶ 03 “... one of the reforms introduced by the Act was to ‘unbundle’ the Ceylon Electricity Board, ... recognises the need, and is designed to attract new investment into the Electricity Industry...”

¶ 04 Thus, the need for this law goes beyond the Government. As I said, to attract private investment into the sector and fill the gaps, WB, ADB and JICA have concerns. But the Court only determines constitutionality, not policy. Sectoral economic reforms are a matter of Government policy; Parliament can discuss at Committee Stage. A copy of the joint WB/ADB/JICA letter has been sent to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development. The Minister complains about politicization and why “they” got it—but it was sent to the parliamentary Committee, not to SJB. All Committee Members received it, because Committee Stage Amendments are now in play. For someone with no responsibility to articulate positions on behalf of Parliament is disrespectful to Parliament.

¶ 05 The Supreme Court also said, I quote:

¶ 06 “... again a matter of policy, and is not a matter on which this Court can deliberate...”

¶ 07 Hon. Deputy Chair, if under your transitional programme the maximum growth next year is 3%, that is meagre. If the Government cannot do capital investment, the solution is to work with domestic and foreign private sectors. If the current amendments close the space for that, can we exceed 3%? That is a big question. Those are the key points I wished to make. Thank you for the time.