The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe invited rebuttal. MSMEs — over 1.1 million — contribute about 52 percent to GDP and provide livelihoods to 4.5 million. In 2022, over 260,000 MSMEs closed; we estimate another 150,000 in the past two years. Twice, for political reasons, you suspended parate auctions; but when you resumed auctions, did you restructure their loans? You restructured international debt, protected EPF/ETF and banks, but what about ordinary citizens and MSMEs? This is a pro-poor government in name, but what happened to those who contribute 52 percent to GDP? I invite you to an open debate with MSME representatives on whether justice was done.

¶ 02 People expect solutions, not rhetoric. What is your national export policy and strategy? I will not detail the issues flagged in an international report that could discourage exporters, but you must address them.

¶ 03 Please improve ease of doing business via state facilitation. Before the elections, you met MSMEs extensively and made promises. Where are those now? At least now, expedite MSME loan restructuring. You accelerated auctions after consolidating power post-elections. This is unfair. Engage MSMEs and provide solutions.

¶ 04 On social empowerment: do you accept that Aswesuma alone cannot end poverty? If not, what is your alternative? CPAN estimates poverty at 25 percent, and some analysts say 40–50 percent. Poverty eradication requires production, savings, investment, consumption, and exports. Aswesuma only addresses consumption. Please analyze all past programmes, retain strengths, remove weaknesses, and present a new comprehensive strategy.

¶ 05 Off-topic but urgent: Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, please inform Hon. Vijitha Herath. A licensed agency “Rainbow” in Maharagama allegedly collected Rs. 850,000–1,850,000 per person claiming placements in Romania, affecting around 500 people — a fraud of about Rs. 740 million. I met victims at the Gangodawila Court today. CID has taken some steps. However, despite years of fraud, the Bureau only suspended the licence in August 2025. Legal officers of SLBFE reportedly failed to appear in many hearings for the victims. We have provided free legal assistance and will continue until justice is done. The SLBFE Legal Division must stand for the victims.

¶ 06 Finally, please pay special attention to MSMEs. Also, let us connect traditional industry villages to global markets; we will fully support. Exporting traditional crafts will bring in dollars.

¶ 07 Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, reassess whether growth, remittances, export earnings, and FDI will be sufficient by 2028 when debt service resumes. I feel they are not. We must not repeat 2022 in 2028.

¶ 08 Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, please explain the macro-linked bond feature in the 11th tranche agreement. Whenever growth rises due to stimulus to agriculture, industry, services, and self-employment, debt relief reduces via the macro-linked bond. This paradox discourages growth. We expected you to change the flawed IMF agreement; you did not. At least clarify it to the country.

¶ 09 You signalled left, turned right. Please correct course.

¶ 10 Thank you.