Hon. Chamara Sampath Dassanayake

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I must raise this matter. Fine, you applied some lime and paint and the Government opened the main Colombo bus terminal yesterday. But a few cosmetic repairs here and there do not solve our people’s problems. Tomorrow and the day after, people from across the country will come through that terminal, and the government will promote it as “we built the Malimawa Bus Terminal.” That is fine, but let me highlight some other issues.

¶ 02 The up-country railway line has been damaged for about six months now. A BIDE train remains at Nawalpitiya, and engines and coaches are still stuck at Peradeniya. The bridge is still not repaired. As a result, services on the up-country line have not resumed. During the time of the tsunami, our government rebuilt the southern line from Telwatte in two months. Yet you still cannot repair the up-country line. I must say that here.

¶ 03 Today’s debate concerns the extension of the State of Emergency under the portfolio of the Minister in charge of the Police and Public Security. The Deputy Minister is also present. Minister, we must protect local entrepreneurs, local industrialists, and our domestic resources. Do not keep stretching your hand abroad for everything. First protect our own.

¶ 04 A telling example: with Cabinet approval, a Sri Lankan businessman was ready to supply 50,000 pairs of shoes for the police. You did not run a tender. What did you do? You gave a voucher of Rs. 7,000 instead. With a Rs. 7,000 voucher, police officers will not buy shoes; they will spend it on a gas cylinder, pay the electricity bill, or meet other urgent needs in this economic crisis. Less than five percent bought shoes. Many are polishing their old pairs again. The local supplier lost out; nothing productive happened.

¶ 05 Also, a leading businesswoman told me that while VAT is levied and the government is insisting on settling SVAT, getting SVAT refunds has become extremely difficult. What used to be paid within 45 days now takes over 90 days, and still isn’t received. On top of that, some officials are demanding “facilitation” to release SVAT. I say: you must run a government efficiently in peacetime too, not only under the cover of a war. If you govern properly, small problems won’t pile up.

¶ 06 Now, two ministers are in the House. Let me say this before both of you. Under HS codes, 2,600 items are being imported. Think about this. If you remove the cess on these 2,600 items as decided, what will happen? Eliminating cess across the board would be disastrous.

¶ 07 For example, vegetables and fruits will start coming in from abroad. Even pumpkins would be imported from India or elsewhere and our people will stop growing them. Chicken and fish—everything—will be imported. This is a big problem. If I were the Minister of Industries, I would resign. Soon we will import pumpkin, vegetables, eggs, and many more items. Please look into this immediately.

¶ 08 Next, the Department of Immigration and Emigration is under the Ministry of Public Security, isn’t it? They cannot issue passports properly, nor even identity cards on time. People are not asking you to build mega projects like Randenigala or Victoria. Just provide IDs properly, issue passports efficiently, and even number plates on time. You imported vehicles and earned billions in revenue. Fine. But now every vehicle has a temporary number—issue the permanent number plates properly. Due to cess removal, soon even mushroom packs will be imported, and locals will not cultivate even mushrooms.

¶ 09 Answer this: annually we import about USD 7 billion of goods from India, and USD 6 billion from China. Do not allow these destructive policies. These are the hard-earned foreign exchange of millions of Sri Lankans. Garments are closing. It was announced that a factory in Thulhiriya will close on May 1. This is becoming a serious issue.

¶ 10 Another matter: “crows” are back at the Foreign Employment Bureau. We had “crows” in our time too; now Malimawa’s “crows” are operating there—suspending recruitment agents’ permits with some petition, then a few days later, after collecting something, restoring those permits.

¶ 11 Workers going to Saudi Arabia—even domestic workers and masons—are now being asked to answer an English paper. Bangladesh and other countries have rejected this method. The salary is only SAR 1,000—about Rs. 85,000. During our government’s time, the Bureau registered about 450 insurance covers a day; now it is less than 15. Foreign employment is rapidly declining. If needed, invite the Foreign Employment Minister to any forum; we will debate face-to-face with facts.

¶ 12 Minister in charge of Police: in 2021, by Gazette, interviews were held to recruit women to the police. Ultimately that exam was cancelled and a new Gazette issued in 2026. Those who sat in 2021 are now over 25 and cannot apply again. You did the same with the 51ers—age-barred from applying. Now you are planning another ASP exam. Why repeat an exam when the Department of Examinations says it cannot be held this year? There are candidates who have already passed. Recruit from the existing list rather than re-examining. Please respond later during media statements.

¶ 13 Next, on the expressway from Katunayake to Mattala, STF personnel—about 130—were stationed for emergencies like firefighting. Now 30 have been removed, and the plan is to replace STF with a private company. Do not hide everything under “war.” There are many issues; resolve the small ones before they become big.

¶ 14 Industrialists are in deep trouble due to cess changes. I also earlier raised an issue about the Commissioner at the Motor Traffic Department, saying he was changing number plates for bribes. I said that three months ago. No one listened then; now the Bribery Commission has arrested him and he is on remand.

¶ 15 On gas: everyone talks of coal. The President said he had never tasted coal; some said they had never drunk it either. I warned on December 18 that there would be a gas shortage. Minister Kanchana Wijesekera then said we got gas at 15 cents less per dollar, saving money for the government. If so, when gas was Rs. 3,500–4,000, why didn’t prices decrease? Instead, within this month, gas went up by Rs. 1,000. If you award to the lowest tenderer and prices still rise immediately, what is the point? You could have maintained stability.

¶ 16 On police women officers: transfers are being given without sensitivity—moving women from Kakirawa to Thandikirmale. Women have children and families. We must support them if we want to build the nation. You gazetted female recruitment, interviewed them, and only had to send them for training—now you are doing something else and repeating exams. These are avoidable issues. We are not here to throw stones meaninglessly; we speak based on information we receive.

¶ 17 At the CEB unbundling, packages were promised to those who would be laid off. Those compensation payments have not been made. People are waiting to leave only after receiving what was promised.

¶ 18 Another issue: a six-acre state land belonging to the Mundalama Divisional Secretariat has allegedly been sold to one Justin Kumar Gelleson by Jinnath Baby, a member of the Kalpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha. The Divisional Secretary has opposed it and there is a document signed by the Divisional Secretary. I table that document.

¶ 19 When we raise these matters, the government is offended. But we must speak what must be spoken, even if it hurts.

¶ 20 One more matter. The Minister in charge of the subject is laying an oil pipeline from Muthurajawela to the port for bunker vessels. Tenders were called, and three institutions have been given this tender. This project had been tendered earlier too; China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd. applied but was rejected. Now, the Minister of Power seeks to award it back to the previously rejected party. There are demands for “santhosam”—bribes. We raise these because who else will bring these to the House?

¶ 21 On teacher advisors: they do an immense service, but pay anomalies remain unresolved. The government keeps stalling and telling lies. One day, the lies will be exposed. Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairperson of Committees, for the time.