The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, today we seek approval for the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme under Act No. 24 of 2002. Practically, we are extending for six months the benefits of about 500,000 beneficiaries whose payments ended last December. Beyond cash, this year we will deliver major projects for these families: notably, 16,000 houses—at least one per GN division—and, across ministries, a total target of 50,000 houses, including flats in Colombo and suburbs, enabling the extremely poor to own homes. This complements Aswesuma while we implement the Praja Shakthi programme to drive community-led, targeted development.

¶ 02 On prices: from December 2024 through 2025 we intervened to reduce prices across many items. Examples: white onions fell from Rs. 660 to Rs. 450 (−32%); dried sprats from Rs. 550 to Rs. 350 (−36%); “haal messo” from Rs. 960 to Rs. 830 (−13%); brown sugar from Rs. 360 to Rs. 245 (−Rs. 95); red onions by 18–20%; imported potatoes from Rs. 290 to Rs. 200, and as of yesterday Rs. 160; large onions from Rs. 275 in last December to Rs. 160 now. We reduced milk powder by Rs. 125 per kg and will reduce further in April; wheat flour also reduced. Overall, prices of 56% of essential foods have been reduced. We maintained Nadu at Rs. 230 and Kekulu at Rs. 220, with Sathosa selling at Rs. 220 and Rs. 210 respectively. While reducing prices through state leverage, we also roll out social protection and housing, and advance education reforms.

¶ 03 Some in the Opposition say “do reforms but don’t add obscenity.” Despite our explanations, they repeat falsehoods while signing a no-confidence motion. Why sign it—just to keep it in the drawer? Some factions haven’t signed; others say they will. So far, it’s a bluff.

¶ 04 On the “copybook” argument raised earlier, our colleague explained handwriting pedagogy; we may have to return a Grade 5 rule book to those who only wrote in copybooks. Sri Lanka is highly literate, yet many A/L passers lack vocational and technical skills and practical education, burdening children and parents. Hence the reform rests on five pillars: curriculum, infrastructure, human resources, monitoring and evaluation, and public awareness. The Opposition should have engaged in a broad, intellectual dialogue and pointed out specific gaps—this is for our children’s future.

¶ 05 Instead, they tried to brand the reform as “obscenity” based on a single word in a line referencing a website in the Grade 6 English module. They even claimed book colours resembled a rainbow flag. Primary education begins with colours and symbols; beauty includes colour, but they stoked “colour blindness” to derail reform. Then they rushed to the Opposition Leader’s office to sign an NCM. Where is it now? If you have the spine, table it. Perhaps they realized their own ranks won’t back it.

¶ 06 We are not rolling back reform. Schools start on the 21st; we commence Grade 1 reforms now, and all other reforms will be implemented in sequence. A lapse occurred—we will fix it, inform the public, defeat the conspiracy to sabotage reform, and ensure no child is left behind, delivering Grade 6 learning properly to all.