The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I think the Opposition’s adjournment motion is good—it examines our first year’s balance sheet. I suggest you examine two balance sheets: the government’s and the Opposition’s. You, who governed for 70-plus years, could not fulfil your promises; today’s laments have no meaning.

¶ 02 Just as we presented “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life,” you too had themes: J.R. Jayewardene’s “Dharmishta Samajaya” ended in an adharmic society with thousands killed; then “Suba Anagathayak” produced a dire future; “Mahinda Chinthanaya” intensified violence; finally “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” led to fuel, power, and fertilizer shortages and mass protests. At the end of that 76-year journey, you went to the Opposition and we came to government.

¶ 03 Now, what has happened to the Opposition’s strength? When we crushed the underworld, the Opposition flattened; when we hit the drug networks, the Opposition shattered; when we hit corruption, the Opposition became dust. For the first time in 70 years the scattered Opposition is in one heap—broken into pieces. Today the real political divide is clear: on one side, those connected to the underworld, narcotics, and corruption; on the other, the progressive, educated leadership uniting for the country.

¶ 04 You predicted calamity if we came to power. Former Minister Susil Premajayantha warned of a return to queues if our journey stopped. But under us there were no fuel, milk powder, or gas queues. Ranil Wickremesinghe said, “If you give parliamentary power to an unlicensed group, who knows where the country will go?” Where is the country now? International organizations and the people acknowledge the progress, even if some jealous, spiteful Opposition members cannot.

¶ 05 Ranil also claimed our policy statement would cause annual losses of billions; yet we have injected trillions of rupees into the Treasury and rapidly rebuilt foreign reserves. Your prophecies turned out false.

¶ 06 An Opposition MP Kachirathna told “Dinamina” that if the JVP/NPP came to power, not only dollars but even the rupee would vanish. What has vanished is the Opposition. You said religions would be banned, processions stopped, no more elephant festivals—none of that happened. Religious freedom and cultural festivals flourished; the historic Dalada Perahera proceeded beautifully.

¶ 07 You said the IMF would abandon us—did it? We are proceeding step by step, protecting the economy. You said we had no international standing, could not run even a small shop—now your political “shops” have collapsed; only a pickle stall remains.

¶ 08 You said within a year people’s vehicles and houses would be confiscated—nonsense. We said we would end racism and religious bigotry; we have spent a year without stoking them—a fact we are proud of.

¶ 09 Crime and narcotics: had our government not come, would these arrests have happened? Governments do not usually arrest their “own,” but we have pursued the networks to their roots. Today the law is equal for all—ministers, even presidents. Would cases against powerful politicians have proceeded without us?

¶ 10 On savings and redeployment: we curtailed waste, stopped fraud, and managed finances, then shared the gains fairly. Aswesuma benefits were raised from Rs. 8,500 to Rs. 10,000, and the Rs. 15,000 allowance to Rs. 17,500. The kidney patients’ allowance rose from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000. Elders’ allowance from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000. We increased salaries in the public and private sectors. On estate workers’ daily wage of Rs. 1,700: it is advancing; foundations are laid; we are in extensive talks with the President and stakeholders.