The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to join this debate on a set of regulations brought under the Ministry of Trade. Our Government Members keep accusing the Opposition: “Do not trip us; do not be hypocrites.” We remember the hypocrisy, protests, and agitations you did when you were in the Opposition that drove this country to ruin over 76 years. Those now in the front row, beating their chests in the morning like petroleum, should look within and ask how those now in Government benches, when in Opposition, opposed every development proposal brought to develop this country.

¶ 02 Today you bring regulations to protect domestic industry. Give us confidence. Before taking power you said you would not give the oil tanks to India and that only spineless leaders would. Will President Anura Kumara now not give them? Is your Government not agreeing? Did you not go to India and say “yes”? From where can we have faith, Hon. Presiding Member? For 76 years you spoke nationalism; once elected you went to India and China. When in Opposition, you demonized every proposal of every government—President Anura Kumara Dissanayake did this. Today you shamelessly agree; the people are watching.

¶ 03 You now talk of those who took compensation for burnt houses. Your Chief Organizer said he saw it—that is fine. Back then, in Opposition, you shouted that they set fires to take compensation. We did not have Government; documents did not surface. If those funds were given legally or illegally, as you say, now set up a lawful process to vest such monies in the State for the benefit of the people who voted for you. We will raise our hands in support.

¶ 04 You said you would cancel bar licences. Did you? You said Arjuna Mahendran would be brought; now you say there is no way. Shamelessly you say so. That is our problem. We are not opposing you; but you are now embarrassed by your own words.

¶ 05 Our colleague Mujibur Rahuman spoke of a massive daytime robbery. You accused officials of being thieves then. Now you wear purple sashes—what are you doing? A bond is a performance security: if the contractor abandons the contract, the Government can recover losses. If the TEC says “his bond is invalid; cannot be accepted,” and the contractor left earlier works undone, yet you ignore this crucial safeguard and award again to the very person associated with laundering black money with Rajapaksa cronies and Ranil Wickremesinghe, then no matter what regulations you pass, people know you are lying and deceiving. We will not oppose good things; bring them and we will support.

¶ 06 One more point, Hon. Presiding Member. The Chief Organizer says money coming to the Treasury should go to the innocent people. That is right. But Parliament has provided an insurance cover for MPs. Earlier it was Rs. 250,000; now Rs. 1 million annually? No—now you pay Rs. 1 million? (Note: figure raised to Rs. 10 lakhs). Did not half your Government MPs take that Rs. 1 million cover? Do not scrap it; but if your Chief Organizer and Leader of the House shout to the gallery about people’s tax money taken by the Rajapaksas, and you also take these benefits, that is wrong. If you can walk the talk, good. Illness may occur; medicine is needed—that is fine. But your public talk and behaviour are one thing to society and voters; inside you rely on public funds. Say openly you take it—do not be afraid. Otherwise we see your spine. Do not show one face to one group and do another. I say this not to cut it, but so MPs know: if all 159 of you take the Rs. 1 million insurance, and if what was done earlier was wrong, what you do is also wrong. Have the spine to say, “We do not want it; give it to those in need.” Thank you for the time, Hon. Presiding Member.