The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law — Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, what did he really say? Who is “naked”? After the President’s Budget speech yesterday and the Opposition’s press briefings, it is clear who is exposed.

¶ 02 Hon. Kabir Hashim said, “Know now that you are on the wrong path.” You had power for seventy years; we watched your path. In the end, there was only one chant: “The country is on fire.” Perhaps you think that burning path is the right one — what a path!

¶ 03 This is a people-centric Budget. Let me give examples. The President himself said why the Opposition lacks answers. Hon. Harsha de Silva spoke for 45 minutes, took another 10 or 15 minutes — he spoke for an hour. Next, Hon. Kabir Hashim spoke the longest. Tell me, what substantive critique did they raise? They begin by saying, “The Budget is good; there are commendable aspects; however…” That is where the Government has boxed in the Opposition. Understand that. What are the core features? Different from the last seventy years, we presented two Budgets with a difference. First, a truly people-centric Budget. Instead of tightening the people’s belt as previous rulers did, we tightened the rulers’ belt and loosened the people’s. That is the qualitative change. The fundamental reason for our success is that we have managed public finance without misuse. Because we managed state finances properly, within a year we could present a Budget of this merit. That is why the Opposition is at a loss for words today.

¶ 04 You say rule of law was only shown off. We have upheld the rule of law — bring your examples to the contrary. Hon. Chamara Sampath challenged us here, saying there was political interference in the Lasantha murder. He challenged us to arrest the shooters within three days. The Minister of Public Security accepted the challenge — and within two and a half days, the shooters were arrested. Even the cyclist was arrested. That is the difference.

¶ 05 We did not interfere in the Anuradhapura incident. We do not interfere in Police work, even if our own is at fault. We have set a bold example; we let the law act. Therefore, do not lecture us on rule of law. We strengthened institutions’ independence and allowed the law to operate within those independent bodies.

¶ 06 Regarding the question shouted from the floor — why wasn’t the Hon. Member arrested — I will answer. Please listen. The Hon. Deputy Chair has asked me to proceed. We do not interfere in institutional functions. Even the Hon. Member’s house was searched. Under your time such searches would not happen; you were afraid and shielded yourselves. Understand that.

¶ 07 On e-visa, Hon. Harsha de Silva raised it. There is no issue for this Government on that matter. There are already eight cases before the Supreme Court; arguments are on the 17th. In addition, the Auditor General has issued a report recommending that, subject to the Supreme Court’s decisions in those cases, a more suitable service provider be selected through a transparent tender process. Once the cases conclude, we will act accordingly. We inherited this with landmines within three to four kilometres; after all necessary interventions, those issues are being resolved. Therefore, there is no valid criticism against this Government on that.

¶ 08 This Budget allocates Rs. 1,500 million for the national programme “The Whole Nation Together.” We must all contribute to make it a success. For seventy years, politics interfered in and nourished the epidemics of ice, heroin, and cannabis. The President has had to inherit that curse as well. Under his leadership, we are establishing district and divisional structures and village public security committees to implement this programme. This scourge affects young, old, Government and Opposition, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim alike. To reverse this, all must come under one MOH and support us. I request the Opposition’s cooperation.

¶ 09 On so-called constitutional autocracy, we have nothing to hide. In our time, we have given democracy amply. Those who today talk of constitutional autocracy used to jail our party leaders with assorted commissions. The current President and the Minister of Public Security faced such persecutions; only with the intervention of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal were they overturned. Constitutional autocracy is something that binds them, not us. For the first time, we have a President governing strictly within the Constitution, not outside it. Previous Presidents from the first to the eighth have Supreme Court findings of constitutional violations. So do not hang that label on us.

¶ 10 Thank you for the opportunity.