The Hon. Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, after this unusual exchange, I must correct the Opposition Leader’s data on NEXT. The group has several facilities: Katunayake Manufacturing (about 1,434 employees), Katunayake Embellishment (about 100), Katunayake Product Development (about 82), and NMA Operations (about 1,149)—total around 2,825. There are three additional factories outside Katunayake in Andigama and Nawagattegama. The company has proposed reducing headcount by about 1,416—not the blanket closure as portrayed. I table this document for the House.

¶ 02 The Opposition Leader also vowed before the election in Embilipitiya that he would not ally with “corrupt elements” or do “deal politics.” Yet today he courts the very groups he demonized, and those who attacked our district leadership now stand beside him and sign joint letters. Before the presidential polls, you held monks’ conventions warning the country would be ruined if the NPP/JVP won; now some of those very actors stand with you.

¶ 03 Turning to today’s business: two Extraordinary Gazettes dated 31 January 2025—Nos. 2421/30 and 2421/41—were presented.

¶ 04 - Gazette 2421/30: To further support tourism development, the departure levy previously at USD 60 will be continued with a 50% concession, reducing it to USD 30 for departures from BIA and Jaffna, to attract more tourists this year, with a revenue target around USD 4 billion.

¶ 05 - Gazette 2421/41: Luxury Tax threshold on motor vehicles increased from Rs. 3.5 million to Rs. 5 million, so small cars like Altos are not hit by the luxury tax. We thank the Minister for these pragmatic adjustments.

¶ 06 On local authorities: out of 340 bodies, our side won 267. In Ratnapura District, all 17 were won by us with larger margins. We will establish more than 150 administrations by next month. In 2018, even at the peak of their wave, the Pohottuwa won 226. Despite all the mockery, we have secured a strong mandate within six months of governance.

¶ 07 To those chanting “IMF”: we would prefer total sovereignty, but the country was pushed into the IMF pit by those who ruled before; we must climb out from that very pit. Despite predictions of collapse—rupee at 4,000–6,000, queues—what you now see are queues to the courts by thieves; fuel and gas queues are gone. Markets are stabilizing; the stock market is rising; growth has resumed.

¶ 08 Sustain your leadership of the Opposition as long as you wish—we wish you well to remain there for a very long time.