The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, today we debate the Special Expenditure Units. Rather than only discussing figures, I wish to speak about their purpose, the politics and the nature of governance they represent. Through these units—the President, Prime Minister’s Office, Office of the Leader of the House, Office of the Chief Government Whip, Parliament, and Independent Commissions—the tone and culture of governance are set.

¶ 02 Over the past week and this morning, the Opposition’s portrayals of our government’s aims have varied. I tried to discern a coherent argument or logic in their statements; it is difficult. To have a successful debate, I urge the Opposition to sustain one argument for more than 24 hours. When they keep bringing a laundry list of new points daily, coherence is lost.

¶ 03 Understanding our governance requires asking why we formed a government and why we engage in politics. Among our 159 members there is great diversity of background and experience, yet we are bound by a shared purpose: clarity and conviction about our goal in politics. That is what unites us.

¶ 04 By contrast, the Opposition may have more social homogeneity—kinship, schools, caste, ethnicity, religion—yet politically they are fragmented, lacking a clear, shared political objective; hence they cannot sustain a consistent argument.

¶ 05 Despite our internal diversity, we share conviction about our purpose. The leadership and determination emanating from the President, and our collective confidence in our aim, enable us to act with unity and stability, present a coherent budget and policy path for 2026, and proceed step by step without panic, answering criticisms calmly.

¶ 06 In last week’s Second Reading debate, key Opposition speakers even acknowledged, in their own words, that for the first time the Treasury is overflowing. One remark trivialized this by saying even a preschool child could fill a Treasury, implying previous rulers lacked even preschool education. We should think more seriously about economic policy.

¶ 07 We are accused of abandoning left/Marxist principles for neoliberalism. But a core tenet of neoliberalism is the state’s withdrawal from the economy. Our decisions demonstrate the opposite: deliberate, necessary state intervention where required—for example, the special mechanism to raise plantation workers’ wages. We recognize the need to intervene for historically neglected communities, within a tightly managed, disciplined fiscal framework, channeling benefits to essential groups. Criticism often ignores our vision and ultimate goals.

¶ 08 Policy stability and continuity matter. We are accused of taking decisions in Pelawatte. We do not hide that our party office is in Pelawatte; that is where we meet and discuss policy. There is nothing wrong with maintaining party discipline and organization; a stable party underpins a stable government. Protecting the party and the movement is essential to consistent governance.

¶ 09 Hon. Prime Minister, you have two more minutes.

¶ 10 Thank you.

¶ 11 For those without appreciation of party discipline, Pelawatte may feel like a threat. For us, it sustains collective purpose and leadership. None of us has personal agendas; our shared aim is national development and serving the people. The trust and collective spirit we have built allow us to decide without fear and stand for one another.

¶ 12 If the Opposition moves beyond simple barbs and presents critiques with political weight and logic, this Parliament’s time would be better used. Today’s debate concerns expenditure at crucial institutional centers of our government’s stability and leadership; how we manage money and preserve institutional independence reveals the substance of our governance. Thank you for the time.