The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Mr. Chairman, at this debate on the Heads of Expenditure of the Ministry of Industries and Enterprise Development, I wish to raise specifically the Government’s decision to impose a 15 percent tax on export services.

¶ 02 I state clearly that this tax is highly damaging to an export-promotion policy. It adversely affects, in particular, the information technology export sector. We see a strange situation: the Government says it will impose 15 percent; the Minister says he is opposed to it. There must be one policy. Is it policy to impose 15 percent on export services? Does the Minister support it? It is not proper to sit in Government and then go outside to say one opposes it, that it harms technology promotion.

¶ 03 We also heard this 15 percent framed as a victory: “The IMF asked for 30 percent; we negotiated it down to 15 percent.” We accept that we must work within the IMF framework. But can an international institution decide our export tax policy? Reducing from 30 to 15 is not a triumph. We believe the 15 percent levy will drive many successful IT and digital service exporters into hardship. We strongly oppose it and urge that it be withdrawn without delay.

¶ 04 Minister, I also wish to raise the United States trade tariff policy. I have raised this during foreign policy discussions as well. The global tariff environment is deteriorating, creating serious headwinds for our exports and trade policy. There must be a coordinated response by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Industries Ministry, and all relevant economic agencies to the global tariff war triggered, inter alia, by President Donald Trump’s policies and the cascading retaliatory tariffs. How will your Ministry face an ongoing global trade/tariff war while aiming to build a production economy and export-oriented industrial growth?

¶ 05 Further, I must note with regret that the freedom formerly afforded to raise broader subjects prior to the debate appears curtailed today. Though not directly on today’s Head, I must raise an incident that impacts tourism and the environment. We have learned that yesterday in the Minneriya–Kaudulla area, a tusker known as “Unicorn” has been killed. In Asian elephants, only males develop tusks; earlier estimates based on Deraniyagala’s surveys suggested about 11 percent of males are tuskers, but specialists now say it may have fallen to around seven percent. I table photographs taken when the tusker was alive among the Minneriya–Kaudulla herds, and after the killing.

¶ 06 To protect our elephant population, we must implement a far more systematic program: identify their habitats, movement and ecological corridors, and use GPS collars for tracking. I urge the Government to adopt a GPS tracking system to protect our elephants in habitats such as Kala Wewa, Kahalla-Pallekele, Yala, Kumana, Wilpattu, Udawalawe, Wasgamuwa, and Somawathiya.

¶ 07 I next raise an issue that directly affects Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister. I referred to this this morning as well. I am deeply concerned that, under a Government led by an educated Prime Minister, recruitment opportunities for 35,000 graduates are being restricted based on physical attributes. The Minister championed a program to provide employment to graduates across the country; videos exist of those assurances. Please provide a structured solution without evasion.

¶ 08 We are told there is a court case obstructing implementation—this is the same excuse the previous Government gave, though it was not said on the election platform. You yourself promised a formal program. I propose that the first step of providing placements to 35,000 graduates—initial induction with stipends—be implemented immediately, to at least start the process. Do not drive 35,000 graduates to the streets for political gain; honor your promises and implement the policy. Thank you.