Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna

¶ 01 When coal is procured through competitive bidding, who benefits? Not the country; not the electricity consumer. Then who? The coal mafia. You came to effect a “systems change” to solve issues like these, but we do not see it. History shows that with long-term tenders, prices are stable; there is planning; quality can be controlled; and corruption space is reduced. But with emergency procurements, fear is stoked to take decisions—“we must pay high prices; there is no oversight; substandard coal is brought in; doors to corruption are opened.” This Government too failed to call long-term tenders on time, frightened the country, and paved the way for emergency purchases. At times there are electricity mafias, coal mafias, powerful politicians—anyone could be behind it. But the losses fall on consumers and the people. Therefore, I say to officials making these decisions: those who push emergency procurements today can flee the country, but officials cannot. Every official who clears emergency procurements will one day have to answer, even from remand custody. The country does not need fear-driven, ad hoc fixes that nourish mafias. We need a long-term, transparent coal tendering system that benefits the country. A Government was brought in after the DOB struggle to do this. If you repeat the old ways—blaming each other—this change of Government brings no benefit. I stress the need for a long-term tender system. That ensures national interest, power security, is the lone path against corruption, and the way to deliver cheaper electricity.

¶ 02 Next, on the National Women’s Commission, which the Leader of the Opposition also raised this morning. I speak as one who was in the group that initiated it. Hon. Presiding Member, with the leadership of Hon. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, twelve of us women MPs in the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus worked tirelessly to bring the Women’s Empowerment Act in 2024. Accordingly, the National Women’s Commission was established. We discussed this with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on many occasions, made necessary amendments, and with great effort set it up to stand for the rights of women facing injustice. Yet, today, the Government that has the highest percentage of women MPs cannot ensure the proper functioning of a Commission appointed by a Government with fewer women MPs. We created that child; we care for it; do not let it fall.

¶ 03 I remember we were mocked as “those who came hanging on saree tails.” But those who “came hanging on saree tails” established the Commission and did the legislative work.