The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the opportunity.

¶ 02 Those calling others economic killers should first read court judgments carefully. Some who speak today — along with their party and the LTTE — inflicted destruction on this country far exceeding our total public debt. Yet they lecture us now.

¶ 03 Today people suffer under the current economic backdrop. The Department of Census and Statistics under the President shows poverty rising to between 25 and 30 per cent, compared to 6.7 per cent in 2012–2013. People pawn jewellery to survive; businesses cannot pay electricity bills. Farmers lack fertilizer; an announcement was made that saying “there is no fertilizer” would lead to arrest. Fertilizer costs Rs. 18,000–20,000 per bag; paddy cannot be sold at a fair price. Fuel costs render fishing unviable, yet you import fish; you import rice too — benefiting import lobbies while locals struggle. We saw 323 containers disappear at the port in the past. Low-quality coal forced burning 600,000–900,000 litres of diesel a day, passing costs to the people.

¶ 04 You promised jobs for graduates; now they are chased away when seeking meetings. The A/L exam schedule conflicts with syllabus coverage due to early exams, yet no intervention. On Cyclone Ditta, seven months on, over 35,000 still live in temporary or rented housing. Lands for relocation in vulnerable estates are not allocated due to vested interests. Some bridges and roads damaged months ago remain unrepaired or only now see minor works. You announced Indian support: a USD 100 million grant and another USD 300 million loan. What progress has been made?

¶ 05 Regarding the PTA: in a recent local election in the North, the JVP used a song promoting LTTE ideology in campaigns; their MPs shared it on social media. Yet a youth in Kilinochchi, Sangith, was arrested under the PTA for a rap song about the LTTE. If songs warrant arrests, who answers for the campaign song? Investigations are fine, but do not politicize them. Also, who speaks of the fact that the father of a suicide bomber was on your National List, and the lawyer who appeared for a bomber contested from your party?

¶ 06 Please investigate, but do not politicize.