The Hon. Wasantha Pushpa Kumara

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today is important as we add reforms to the NMRA Act, enabling a truly people-oriented Government to better serve the public. For 76 years, people elected representatives hoping for policies and laws that uplift them. Too often, rulers used power for privilege—flying abroad even for minor ailments at public expense—while failing to ensure basic facilities at home.

¶ 02 Our people demanded a system change and elected true representatives, enabling the National People’s Power Government to focus on public welfare, reducing rulers’ privileges and increasing people’s benefits. Under Gazette No. 2446/34 of 21 July 2025, the NMRA is empowered to determine Maximum Ceiling Prices (MCP) for any brand or product imported or manufactured in Sri Lanka, and to set a formula for pricing. This lets us set an MCP across pharmacological groups so that even among 550 brand names dispensed in pharmacies, the authority can cap maximum prices, yielding significant savings to the public.

¶ 03 These reforms are part of a broader agenda across health, education, transport and justice. Recent actions such as opening the Criminal Proceeds Investigations Division under Hon. Ananda Wijepala show our commitment to correct past wrongs, punish misuse of state resources, and recover public wealth.

¶ 04 Thank you.