The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam

¶ 01 Similarly, for programs like “Urumaya – A Home for You, A Tomorrow for the Nation,” please include the Tamil translations so Tamil speakers can understand what we are journeying towards. We hope for many good things through this Government.

¶ 02 For example, a Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has been established. In the past, Governments had separate ministries for the three major religions. Now there is only a Buddha Sasana Ministry. Through Clean Sri Lanka, I hope you will convert it into a Ministry of Religious Harmony that respects all faiths equally.

¶ 03 Clean Sri Lanka is to be implemented on three major pillars: social, environmental, and ethical. This is good. Under the social pillar, many things have been identified, especially cleanliness. Dengue is a major problem in our health sector across Sri Lanka. I said we should start with ourselves because even in Government departments we find many mosquito breeding sites. Hence, this program must be advanced.

¶ 04 You also propose measures on safety and road traffic. That is good. Today, bus drivers carrying 60–70 passengers are often on their mobile phones while driving. Buses play loud music so passengers cannot speak and drivers cannot hear horns from vehicles behind. These practices hinder road safety. We also have many unprotected level crossings; we read about daily fatalities in the newspapers. Please address these through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 05 Food insecurity is a major problem. Non-communicable diseases have seriously affected our people. There is a School Canteen Policy with lists of what can be sold, but in most schools it is not enforced. Please start Clean Sri Lanka with such small, practical measures.

¶ 06 On drug safety: in small hospitals and pharmacies, I think only about 10 per cent have pharmacists. Even some public hospitals lack pharmacists. Please start Clean Sri Lanka here too.

¶ 07 In our areas, many Government officers, particularly in the Forest Department, do not know Tamil. They clash with our people as they do not know the local language and create fear. Together with people who facilitate them, they are destroying forests. Deforestation is gravely affecting our environment. Forest officers are also placing boundary stones on the lands of displaced people and preventing access to their own lands. Please address this through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 08 Improper waste disposal is a serious problem. Garbage management is poor; instead, there are bad dumping practices harming the environment. Gravel extraction is another major issue. Those who obtain permits do not follow controls; they dig deep pits where people and animals fall and die. I request the Minister responsible for the environment to pay close attention and take action through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 09 Road traffic accidents are rising due to traffic rule violations. In emergency units, many patients are accident victims. A key reason is cattle and animals roaming on roads at night because there are insufficient grazing lands; even wild animals come due to lack of pasture, and departments like Forest Department obstruct creating grazing lands. Clean Sri Lanka should act on this. If we implement such small measures, the program will succeed.

¶ 10 Illegal constructions also cause major problems. Many places lack drainage; paddy fields are filled and houses built. Address this through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 11 Removal of unnecessary items: many unused vehicles are parked in departments and ministries. They should be repaired for use or auctioned to earn revenue. These yards become mosquito breeding sites; address this through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 12 On ethics: corruption has become a fashionable word. Eradication must begin at the grassroots. Consider what percentage of public-funded physical infrastructure is actually used. I can give a list from my district: many new buildings costing millions remain unused. In Vavuniya, a community water project built at great cost was closed after one month. Such public assets must be properly used; take action through Clean Sri Lanka.

¶ 13 Furthermore, buildings constructed for one purpose are being used for others. In the Northern Province, the only cooperative school in Vavuniya has, since 2009, been used for another purpose; cooperative studies are not conducted. Through Clean Sri Lanka, please hand that one cooperative school back to the appropriate authorities for the Northern Province.

¶ 14 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major issue; excessive use of fertilizer is cited as a cause. Farmers say those who should advise them on proper application do not visit and monitor. Clean Sri Lanka is needed to address this.

¶ 15 I believe changes are needed in the implementation flow. Starting from the Presidential Secretariat, the program goes directly to the district and then to the village level. There is also a Provincial Council tier between central and district administration, and local authorities that play a key role come under Provincial Councils. Therefore, adjust the flow: central – provincial – district.

¶ 16 On the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination, especially Biology, there are many translation errors; students cannot understand questions. I have spoken to the Hon. Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training. Clean Sri Lanka should be used to fix this, appointing more qualified translators.

¶ 17 We have all sworn to uphold the Constitution. I hope that through Clean Sri Lanka preparations will be made to fully implement the 13th Amendment. The program must succeed. A new Government was formed with a two-thirds majority after people alternated governments claiming they worked without democracy. If you fail in Clean Sri Lanka and other programs, the people will lose faith in democracy. Do not create a situation where the country shifts to another path. Thank you. Vanakkam.