The Hon. D.V. Chanaka

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, our motion today is to remind the Government of promises due within the first year—not five-year plans.

¶ 02 First, the executive presidency: your signature pledge is abolition. I’m not saying do it within a year, but what steps have you initiated? Instead, the President’s budget has increased by Rs. 2 billion.

¶ 03 On “very short-term” promises: the President said on stage he would immediately reduce electricity bills—cut Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 6,000; Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 4,000; Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 2,000. Before the April election, tariffs were cut; after the election, they were raised again. With the additional 6% hike, we are back to prior levels. Same with fuel.

¶ 04 Tea estate workers were to receive Rs. 1,700 daily and 4,000 houses built within a year—has that been done? You say you inherited a bankrupt economy; yet at handover, GDP growth was 5.3% overall; agriculture 3.7%; industry 10.1%; tourism 2.6%. Under you, only tourism improved to 3.9; agriculture fell to 2; industry to 5.8. The World Bank says the FDI target of 1.5% of GDP is unmet—under 0.5%. Farmers are protesting: brinjal, onion, paddy, chillies, potatoes—meanwhile inflation has risen from -0.5% (deflation) at handover to 1.5% inflation now. Prices of essentials, including rice, are up. Cold rooms were opened in Dambulla but remain underutilized; farmers cannot sell produce, consumers face high prices. You judge problems by whether people come to the streets—this is not governance.