The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda

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

¶ 02 During the Committee Stage debate on the Special Spending Units of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, first let me thank the people of Galle District. Tomorrow marks one year since we, as MPs, achieved a great victory. I thank the beloved people of Galle and our team led by Mohan de Silva, and our candidate team. We will continue to honor the trust placed in us.

¶ 03 Recently, we spoke here about the “76-year curse” and the claim that all 225 MPs are a curse. Those who made such accusations now hold power in Parliament. They must now prove what they preached.

¶ 04 Speaking on 2026 and the President’s Head today: the President obtained power with the consent of the majority. For 2025, Rs. 9 billion was allocated for his Head. We do not object to the funds a President needs to build the framework to deliver. But, while Rs. 9 billion was allocated in 2025, Rs. 11 billion is allocated in 2026; projections show Rs. 12 billion in 2027 and Rs. 12.4 billion in 2028. A clear issue arises, because in your policy declaration “A Prosperous Country, a Beautiful Life”, on page 194 you say the Executive Presidency will be abolished. But we do not see that, since you have projected allocations up to 2028. As someone personally in favor of the Executive Presidency, I admit I am pleased that you are not abolishing it, despite having promised to do so.

¶ 05 This Government signals left but turns right. I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s remark: “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” Apply that to your Government and you can escape public discontent.

¶ 06 On Clean Sri Lanka: conceptually I agree. But although you set it as your main tag line and allocated Rs. 5 billion in 2025, on the ground we do not see progress. You linked Pradeshiya Sabhas, cleaned 6,065 places, held shramadanas, cleaned beaches and locations, and we saw Ministers appearing with “Clean Sri Lanka” boards. You intervened to remove accessories from three-wheelers and buses. But the overall message has not taken root across the land. If you could not make it real in 2025, at least do so in 2026. Previous governments also did such programs but through institutions without political branding.

¶ 07 You once portrayed MPs as fat-bellied men eating in the parliamentary canteen and criticized their privileges and housing. Since we debate Parliament’s Head today, let me say: in 2025 you spent Rs. 1,568 million for facilities to MPs. In 2026 this increases to Rs. 1,621 million. In 2025 you spent Rs. 282 million more than our Government. In 2026 you add a further Rs. 53 million. You project Rs. 1,826 million in 2027—Rs. 205 million more than 2026—and Rs. 1,962 million in 2028—Rs. 676 million more than earlier. Therefore, what exactly are these facilities?

¶ 08 On vehicles: no need to debate now. But it was President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who in 2020 fully stopped the vehicle scheme for MPs.

¶ 09 The President made an election promise to cut 90% of expenditure under the President’s Head. He said only 10% would be spent. Today that has proven false. Since April, more than the allocation given to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in 2024, Rs. 1.4 trillion has been allocated for the President’s expenses. You criticized the former when he took funds; now President Anura Kumara has allocated Rs. 1.4 trillion since April for his Head—contrary to his public pledge.

¶ 10 That said, the Presidential Fund is doing many commendable services. A good decision was to route assistance through Divisional Secretaries for illnesses and similar needs. We request adding more social welfare allocations under the President’s Head—scholarships, and assistance for patients. Sometimes criteria exclude some who need help. Please consider extending support from the Fund for people burdened by medical costs, including overseas treatment.

¶ 11 Also, school teams represent Sri Lanka in sports overseas. Parents often struggle—selling items, seeking donations, with school development societies—to fund tickets. Such exposure is crucial to nurture future Olympians. For parents who cannot afford air tickets, please create a mechanism under the Presidential Fund to support them.

¶ 12 Likewise, students who enter university after A/Ls cannot afford tablets or computers. Although Mahapola has been enhanced, consider support from the Presidential Fund to enable these students to purchase devices essential for higher education.

¶ 13 On the Police Commission: I will not dwell long. But those who once stood for the Police Commission now move to weaken it—that is farcical. Also, last November, after all exams, interviews, and practicals were completed to recruit 100 Sub Inspectors, on the very day they were to be recruited, the Minister in charge suddenly halted it. A year has passed and 100 capable SIs have been denied recruitment. Please refrain from such unlawful acts.

¶ 14 On your slogans: in Opposition you had slogans; after coming to power, you continue to live by slogans. Recently in this House you focused on the estate sector allowance. It is good; all 225 of us support it. So why falsely paint the Opposition as against it? We fully support increasing estate workers’ wages.

¶ 15 In my district there are over 90,000 small tea holders. While protecting estate workers, also extend assistance to smallholders engaged in tea cultivation. The whole Parliament supports raising estate wages; so let us not quarrel over that.

¶ 16 Parliament is a family, including its staff, who serve all of us with dedication—the catering and housekeeping, security, finance and supplies, communications, Hansard, ICT, legislative services, administration, and engineering departments. They face problems. A serious one: the annual leave allowance (in lieu of unused leave), approved unanimously in 2003 by the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Committee and paid continuously for 21 years to staff of the Speaker, Secretary-General, Chief Government Whip, Leader of the House, and Leader of the Opposition, has been abolished this year. This is unjust. Staff are extremely disappointed. The Government side has been informed but no satisfactory response yet. We trust you will reinstate it.

¶ 17 Also, a committee appointed by the Speaker to revise parliamentary staff salaries has issued a report. Some service categories have enjoyed certain benefits for 5–6 years, while about 845 staff have had none. We request reconsideration to create a pay system that grants benefits to all. Further, with the new public service pay revision via Management Services Circular 04/2025, the long-paid 40% attendance allowance has been reduced to 23%, and the special 30% allowance reduced to 16%. That is wrong; please intervene. Also, uniform entitlements for 2025 have not yet been provided.