The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you. My time is limited. Let me conclude the debate with a few points.

¶ 02 First, where does the Samagi Jana Balawegaya stand? With the Rajapaksa regime, with Ranil Wickremesinghe’s regime, or with Clean Sri Lanka — which they repeatedly reference? Reports say SJB is in talks with Ranil Wickremesinghe — a man whose political and economic crimes led the people to send him home and give us 159 seats without us even asking for so many. What are you discussing with him? And then you come here saying you support Clean Sri Lanka — your speeches contradict themselves.

¶ 03 You know the people’s mandate. You too once opposed the Rajapaksas. Ranil’s regime is a by-product of the Rajapaksa regime. You know how they plundered public funds. Even today, the main state residences in Colombo are occupied by the Rajapaksas; Presidential Security is deployed heavily around them. We have acted smartly: either pay market rent or leave; otherwise take Rs. 30,000 and go. The ordinary people, civil servants, military, police, and teachers have served the nation — not only former Presidents.

¶ 04 Do not think the people do not understand the language of corruption and body language. They will not back you while you consort with Rajapaksas and Ranil yet claim to support Clean Sri Lanka. The people have built a moral power we too must respect. When our Speaker could not produce timely educational certification, we accepted the people’s demand and he resigned. That is moral power.

¶ 05 Second, some mocked this as a mere shramadana project. Many countries — Singapore, the USA, China — have advanced through such national programmes. Regional party colleagues, including Hon. (Dr.) Sathiyalingam and Hon. Hizbullah, essentially supported the thrust, noting Singapore took 25 years. We have simply named and organized what the people mandated us to do; this is not copied from Singapore. Those citing Trump should understand US law and transitions: Trump took office 75 days after the November 5 election, after a formal transition, and his first pen strokes were to quit WHO and the Paris Climate Agreement — both positions contrary to environmental protection that SJB claims to support. Do not bring Trump lessons here. We formed Cabinet and got moving within 63 days.

¶ 06 On road safety: we are pressing hard. A World Bank team acknowledged our Transport Ministry’s leadership focus on road safety. We have identified blackspots with RDA; works have begun, with only a few high-cost bridges and bends pending. We are also convening top private sector leaders to partner on road safety. After the Ghandara bus accident, I immediately tasked the NTC Chair, Dr. Dileepa Witharana, to deploy a team and report. Each morning I check if any accident occurred that implicates our ministry — that is Clean Sri Lanka: integrity and keeping one’s word.

¶ 07 This is a lifestyle, not perks. We could misuse office and become rich in a week — but that is not who we are. You cannot grasp voluntary, selfless service — that is why you panic when our colleagues spend personal resources. Our personal and political lives were scrutinized, and people endorsed our values. We will work 10 to 15 years to make this the new normal — a society beyond racism, with dignity and safety, including for women in public transport.

¶ 08 To Hon. (Dr.) Sathiyalingam: the Tamil version of the Clean Sri Lanka presentation exists; I have brought a hard copy to place on record and request it be sent to him. We recognize some institutions still lack proper Tamil signage — even top private hospitals. This must change.

¶ 09 Regarding claims that the Hon. Prime Minister did not speak on Clean Sri Lanka and appeared with Hon. Mano Ganesan — I will table the Tamil-language PowerPoint and related materials and ensure availability in the Library.