Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 What was the method you used to reduce electricity tariffs? I saw that again this week there are ideas and attempts underway to increase electricity tariffs. What is being said now is that within a year you curbed corruption, fraud and waste. But despite that, electricity tariffs have not come down. If so, you have failed to reduce electricity tariffs, failed to reduce prices of essential food items, and failed to reduce fuel prices. Accordingly, the promises stated in your policy statement have not been fulfilled.

¶ 02 Next, DOB: your talk about political appointments. You said one of the main crises in Sri Lanka’s public service and foreign service is political appointments, and that you would stop them. But I say there is no desire to actually stop political appointments. The reason is that to run the state and consolidate your base, appointing officers you trust is beneficial. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. However, you said this country was destroyed because of political appointments and that you would stop them. Yet now you are making political appointments. Today’s Adjournment Motion is about how you have broken the promises you made to the people before you formed this government. There have been political appointments to the CID. In addition, secretaries to ministries have been appointed from outside the civil service. Appointments have been made to the foreign service too. So within this one-year period you have broken the proposals and promises you presented.

¶ 03 The next main issue is the tender mafia. Even today I say a key crisis in this country is DOB the tender problem. When will we move to an online tender system? What did you say over this year about tenders? Starting from the grassroots, the main accusation against local authority members is that they steal from road projects. Now, when doing roads and other works in the areas under your government’s local bodies, what new tender procedure have you created? If you are still using the old system, you have failed there too. The government has an opportunity to say whether you have introduced a new method.

¶ 04 Next: a plug system for digitalization in Divisional Secretaries’ offices was handed to an institution. You said that even if the price was higher, there was no issue. But as soon as there was a public and political outcry, you withdrew it—stopped it saying it was turning into a tender fraud.

¶ 05 The Trade Minister is also here. Next: when converting paddy procured by the Paddy Marketing Board into rice, a tender procedure was designed so that only selected rice millers could participate. It was said the process was designed to allow only the selected to enter. I saw it has been temporarily halted. I do not know the details. We present what the public informs us.

¶ 06 Next, yesterday the Metro Bus company was launched. There is a mention about procuring buses. Lanka Ashok Leyland is a company in which the Government of Sri Lanka holds a 42 per cent stake. While you say state enterprises are good and must be strengthened, you plan to bypass Lanka Ashok Leyland and import buses from another company. What does that say? It shows your double standards. On one hand you say state enterprises must be strengthened; on the other, the buses needed for Sri Lanka are brought from other companies, in another way, from another country. Then you place numerous conditions that prevent certain companies from bidding. What conditions? That they must have made 750 buses a year; must have sent 50 buses to five countries; you set conditions that companies like Ashok Leyland and others cannot meet, and then what do you do? You allow the company you prefer to enter. As I said earlier, in the rice business you try to give the tender to whoever you want; when importing buses, you give the tender to whoever you want. While saying state enterprises must be strengthened, you abandon them and give tenders to others. These are the questions we have.

¶ 07 Next, an even more serious matter: the coal Boam issue. These are questions the public raises with me—it is not personal. So do not pick personal quarrels with me; there is no need for that. What is the current problem with coal? Generally, Sri Lanka should call for coal tenders in March. But this year, tenders were called in September for emergency purchases. Next, when awarding that tender, the 0010111018 conditions were reduced. When importing buses you increased conditions to give it to the country you want; when importing coal you reduced conditions by 90 per cent. The Minister is in the House; he can answer. If it is false, say “false.” This is the information I received. Next, which company was it given to? I have information that it was given to a company that violated the procurement process in Sri Lanka—in the rice procurement process. If so, within the tender procedure, did you reduce the conditions with Cabinet approval or with the Procurement Commission’s permission? The Minister is accountable to answer. I repeat: whatever the answer, please bring the tender procedure into an online system, to a state where others can see it. That is my proposal.

¶ 08 Next, the Easter attack. This government came to power making many sensational statements about the Easter attack—saying that once in power you would do everything and resolve it. Instead of concluding investigations and delivering punishment, you have turned it into a football, continuing to use the victims’ pain for politics. You have failed to fulfill your promises there too, over a full year.

¶ 09 Next, I wish to speak about promotions in the public service. I have received information. Under the category of long-delayed promotions, the Special Task Force could recruit 170 persons; there are vacancies. But during this period, they have not been recruited. There is a significant number of such officers. They have been ignored, and—