The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana

¶ 01 No, no, not you. Apologies. It was our Hon. Harsha de Silva.

¶ 02 Let me state the facts. That project started during the Yahapalana period, in 2019. From 2019 to 2024 construction went on, but works were not completed. India insisted it be opened because it was begun under Indian assistance. Sir, for six years this cold storage could not be completed, and now we are blamed that it has not started operations. It was said even this morning. An Indian company is the contractor; Sri Lanka’s CECB did the supervision. CECB said the construction lacked proper standards and system, so it could not proceed as done. The Indian company in turn said it could not do changes according to CECB conditions. Therefore, it could not be completed. However, the present Government brought the two institutions together, held discussions, and planned to finish the work. Accordingly, we have allocated some funds this time and commenced the remaining work, and we will complete it. Across Sri Lanka there are many such projects left incomplete. As the President said yesterday, there are thousands of buildings half-built for “development” and “progress” which have not been completed or put to use.

¶ 03 Let me say this too. In Monaragala District, there is a development project that began under your governments in 2001: the “Raja Ela” project. Despite regime changes over many years and spending billions of rupees, that 2001 project has not been completed. What did we do? Last year we allocated Rs. 600 million to complete it, and work has begun. We will complete it this year. That is how we do development—unlike spending for 30 years and showing fake progress.

¶ 04 What was the state of the country when we took office? You say that when Ranil Wickremesinghe became President he uplifted the economy and handed it over. Sir, when O/L results are released, one school may claim 100 per cent passes, others 50, 60, or 90 per cent. What was Ranil Wickremesinghe’s “economic growth”? Shrinking the broad economy into a small one and shutting segments.

¶ 05 During that so-called economic “recovery,” construction was shut, imports and other activities were stopped, and growth was shown by focusing on a small surviving slice. That is how growth was portrayed. What did we do? The President restarted the entire process and is showing growth with a broad economy. Anyone can show 100 per cent with one student passing. But if 500 students sit and 450 get A and B passes, that is 90 per cent. They present the economy they built: 75 per cent was shut and 25 per cent functioned—and growth was shown on that 25 per cent. We restarted to 100 per cent and resumed development.

¶ 06 There is much more to say. The Opposition says giving us a brand new vehicle would be of no use because the driver cannot drive. We know if you give a driver a brand new vehicle, he just needs fuel to go. But the economy handed to us after 76 years was like a condemned vehicle—stripped, missing essential parts. For not just the first year but for two years we must find and fit the missing parts. We are now sourcing those parts.

¶ 07 About 3,000 rural roads were half-built and work stopped for five years. An expressway started and partly built—no valuations, no GES—left in limbo. All loans halted. Restarting an economy where everything was stopped is not easy. The Opposition knows this. Yet they choose to mislead the people with lies amplified by certain channels.

¶ 08 There are three “dream Presidents” on the Opposition side. To make one of them the dream President, lies are spread to the maximum, while the other two also push their narratives; in the end all three do the same thing. To the Opposition that is fearful and agitated when we take true development to the people, we say: do not panic. The National People’s Power Government will definitely complete this mandate and take the ordinary people of this country to a place where they can live beautiful lives in a beautiful country. With that, I conclude. Thank you.

¶ 09 Question put, and agreed to. It being 6.00 p.m., Business was interrupted, and the Debate stood adjourned. Debate to be resumed on Monday, 10th November, 2025.