The Hon. (Dr.) Rizvie Salih - Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill and the related Amendment to the Judicature Act, legislation which seeks to prohibit and effectively prosecute the trafficking of dangerous drugs on the high seas. This is not merely a technical Amendment or simply a matter of jurisdiction. It is, in truth, a matter of national survival.

¶ 02 Before I entered Parliament, for nearly four decades, I stood beside hospital beds, spoke to anxious mothers and to youth helplessly trapped in addiction. I have seen young men whose futures were brighter than the moon and then whose lives dimmed due to narcotic addiction. Drug use is no longer isolated; it is rampant, racing to epidemic proportions, destroying individuals, families, livelihoods and the moral fabric of communities.

¶ 03 As a physician, I have seen physical consequences: anaemia, collapsed veins, malnutrition, liver failure, psychological breakdown, immunocompromised infections. As a citizen: school dropouts, crime, domestic violence, despair. As a Parliamentarian: a generational threat to the very youth we must protect.

¶ 04 Sri Lanka’s location at the crossroads of maritime routes brings opportunity and vulnerability. International drug syndicates exploit the high seas, moving beyond territorial boundaries and jurisdictions; when intercepted, gaps in our law create challenges.

¶ 05 Under current law, trafficking on the high seas is not adequately criminalized. This void hampers law enforcement and prosecutors, especially with foreign nationals apprehended beyond our waters. The proposed Amendments address this deficiency, align us with international conventions, strengthen decisive action when vessels are intercepted, and clarify jurisdiction.

¶ 06 Amending the Judicature Act empowers our High Court with forum jurisdiction to hear and determine such offences. This is responsible governance and legislative maturity.

¶ 07 However, legislation alone is not enough. Addiction is both a criminal justice issue and a public health crisis. Be firm with traffickers, but compassionate with victims. Many who experimented out of curiosity or peer pressure now curse that day. As we strengthen maritime enforcement, we must strengthen rehabilitation on land; as we empower courts, empower families; as we close legal loopholes, open avenues for prevention, education and treatment. A nation that only punishes without healing will not solve the problem; one that only heals without deterrence will not stop supply. We must do both with balance, wisdom, compassion and humanity.

¶ 08 These Amendments also carry diplomatic dimensions. By aligning with international norms, Sri Lanka reaffirms commitment to cooperative maritime security and a rules-based order, enhancing credibility, intelligence-sharing and demonstrating that we will not allow our waters to be corridors of destruction.

¶ 09 By supporting these Bills, we send messages: to traffickers, that Sri Lanka’s seas are not a sanctuary; to law enforcement, that Parliament stands with them; to our people, that we are vigilant. History will judge us not by length of debate but by strength of decisions. When youth health is threatened, hesitation is negligence. These Bills are measured and necessary. Let us pass them with unity—on national security and protection of our children there are no partisan divides.

¶ 10 Thank you for the time allotted, Sir.