The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I am pleased to speak in today’s debate on regulations under the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act. The TRC is undertaking measures to strengthen national spectrum management, address current technical and operational challenges, improve efficiency, and facilitate digital services through regulatory and public oversight systems. I expect these will benefit the people.

¶ 03 Since the 26th, Development Officers have been on a hunger strike outside the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Secretariat, demanding permanent appointments as teachers. The Hon. Minister Bimal Rathnayake also referred to this. The Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and other MPs met with the protesting officers. Across the country, 16,100 Development Officers have served in schools for 5–6 years. Their demand to be regularized into the Teachers’ Service is reasonable. The previous Government’s Education Minister, Susil Premajayantha, had commenced inducting them via interviews; after the change of Government, it was stopped. We hear that in the Southern Province, teacher appointments were given without competitive exams. Therefore, for those already teaching in schools, conduct interviews and regularize them as teachers.

¶ 04 Today, His Excellency the President met the protesting officers. I request that their just demands be granted.

¶ 05 There are 43,000 teacher vacancies nationwide; in the Eastern Province alone, about 5,000 long-standing vacancies, likely rising to 6,000 after many “Sahasaviya” teachers retire this month. We ask the Prime Minister to fill the Eastern Province vacancies and regularize Development Officers as teachers.

¶ 06 To my colleague Hon. Aslam’s remarks about SLMC and Tamil parties: as Deputy National Organizer of the SLMC, I must say we are a democratic party that gives voice to those affected without communalism, as taught by our late leader M.H.M. Ashraff. Do not view us otherwise. As an Opposition party, it is our duty to guide the Government. We will support good work and ask you to fulfill promises.

¶ 07 Do not mischaracterize SLMC in Parliament. Our just demand is that the Cabinet includes a Muslim Minister representing our people. Even in Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Cabinet—which burned our center—they had two Muslim Ministers (Foreign and Justice). You said you are non-communal; then appoint a Muslim Minister now. You recently made a Jeddah Consul General appointment that we flagged and which was corrected. Minister Bimal Rathnayake acknowledged many Muslim votes helped this Government in both Presidential and Parliamentary elections. Understand our community’s sentiments; appoint a Muslim to Cabinet to prove your non-communal stance. Thank you.