The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I intended to raise this when you were in the Chair. As you know, the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill was scheduled for debate tomorrow. At the Parliamentary Business Committee yesterday, it was discussed and decided to withdraw that temporarily and take up a debate on new education reforms. We in the Opposition discussed this today among party leaders. We pointed out yesterday as well that proceeding without a clear White Paper would be unproductive. Proper debate on education reforms should be centered on such a White Paper; otherwise positions shift arbitrarily about what is in or out.

¶ 02 Yesterday the Hon. Prime Minister also presented points on the new reforms, but not via a White Paper — rather a PowerPoint presentation. Debating a transformative change in education solely on a PowerPoint is inappropriate and irregular. Therefore, if the debate is to proceed tomorrow, the Government should present at least a formal document — a White Paper — on the reforms, so that we can anchor the debate on it.

¶ 03 Also, we requested not a one-day debate but about three days, since Members across the aisle have many views on these transformative changes. So, if the debate is to be held tomorrow on education reforms, we require a formal White Paper. Otherwise, debating on a mere presentation would amount to undue imposition on free education.