The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, the previous speaker said people are living peacefully and happily. If so, why the emergency? To the Government Members: you often say no government like the NPP exists in the world. But when we ask questions, you do not answer.

¶ 02 This morning, when Hon. Minister Samantha Vidyaratna was here, I raised whether plantation workers are receiving the wage increase properly. Even a Government MP questioned the Minister. The Human Rights Commission has said the Government is at fault regarding plantation wages; workers have not received them properly. We have union experience: pay workers directly. Today the Government has allocated Rs. 5,000 million to large estates. Are they properly paying workers? You need a monitoring committee.

¶ 03 When the President visited Nuwara Eliya, he mentioned Wewenden Estate and that people are in hardship and need service. Yet, in my own area, people are protesting, saying their letters get no response and there is no progress in ‘Ditva’ relief.

¶ 04 On the housing scheme for disaster-affected: the Deputy Minister representing the hill country says they revived an “abandoned” project. Who abandoned it? I invite the Deputy Minister to come with me to Delhi and ask. Let the truth out. The halted housing was revived when I was Minister. The cost of a 550 sq. ft. house rose from Rs. 950,000 to Rs. 2.8 million due to inflation. We negotiated with India and secured Rs. 2.8 million per house.

¶ 05 Before the change of government, we had approvals for 1,300 houses and were ready to implement. After the change, they said: “These are Jeevan Thondaman’s 1,300 houses—change the beneficiary list!” You then proposed giving 10 perches of land, with private estate companies advising on beneficiaries, and the scheme stalled. Only now it is moving slowly. If what I say is false, check the Budget speeches of hill-country Government MPs: they promised 4,500 houses in 2024 and 4,500 in 2025—9,000 total. To date, not one house has been built in the hill country. The President even visited a simple house and claimed it was Government-built; come to the hill country and see.

¶ 06 I do not wish to attack you personally; the core problem is the plantation companies. Enforce the law properly there.

¶ 07 I also wish to raise in English a grave issue involving the Atamasthanadhipathi of Anuradhapura. I am shocked few Members voice it here. I thank the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the NCPA for pushing. An 11-year-old girl was raped. Is religion more important than our children? We need a Parliamentary Select Committee to prevent such abuses, not only in religious institutions but across sectors. We should be ashamed this happened under our watch.

¶ 08 Some outside say the girl was engaged in prostitution. I question their upbringing. She was a groomed 11-year-old child. I request the Chief Government Whip and the Leader of the Opposition to jointly establish a PSC including Caucus members and Party Leaders to craft feasible solutions. Silence will not solve it.

¶ 09 On the PTA, when Suresh Sallay’s name arises, Government Members get agitated; when Sangeethsan’s name arises, they dismiss it. Is singing a song a crime?

¶ 10 Finally, on plantation wages: workers are not receiving them properly; plucking targets are raised; workload increased. People will ask, “Why did we vote?” Do not answer, “You were in power all this time.” We came to address problems rooted in plantation companies, not politics. Thank you.