The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 [10.42 a.m.]

¶ 02 Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see Members of the JVP and the Alliance now speaking earnestly about energy and production. Had they been in Opposition before, they would have been strangling the Government’s neck and taking to the streets. The Mover spoke about energy, the Stone Age, slavery, production and thermal power. But that is not the real issue.

¶ 03 Your Government, along with you, Mr. Speaker, is quite unsuccessful; you know it. The current war climate affects the world. You said the Strait of Hormuz is open and we have oil till April—it was “lorry talk.” If so, why increase oil prices? India manages these matters—learn from India, with 1.58 billion people; Sri Lanka has 22 million. The President admitted he cannot handle this. If we truly had oil until April, why raise prices now? The President looked helpless yesterday. World Bank reports say Sri Lanka has Asia’s highest electricity tariffs; 33 percent cannot afford meals; youth lack jobs. The rupee moved from 290 to 315 per dollar. This is today’s reality.

¶ 04 It was said our fuel price increase is only 8 percent while others also rose. But many countries did not raise fuel that much. According to my document, Cambodia’s rise is 6.8 percent; Vietnam 5.8 percent. Sri Lanka ranks third highest in fuel price increases. We warned: you lack experience and capability, only protests; you destroyed billions; you did not allow the Sampur power plant; you cursed the country. The LTTE and the JVP destroyed this country. Electricity tariffs have made Sri Lanka the third highest globally. You came to power promising a 30 percent reduction—and to reduce fuel prices, and said no rice imports. Yet you placed special orders for rice. The President has contradicted his own earlier televised promises. If allowed, I can show those clips, but the Secretary-General does not permit it.

¶ 05 Electricity bills have risen: Rs. 4,700 to Rs. 5,100; Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 6,400; Rs. 8,000 to around Rs. 9,000—about 20 percent. It will go higher due to the coal fraud. The Minister in charge of Police sits here. There is an Auditor General’s report on the coal fraud—finally accepted after much delay. On the fertilizer ship scandal too, we were misled. Sampling and testing were given to unqualified entities; tenders were manipulated; blacklisted or unregistered companies were used. Even those laboratories later said the coal was substandard; losses exceed Rs. 40 billion. While India runs plants that can use lower-grade coal, we were defrauded. Stop going after small fry; go after the tender frauds.

¶ 06 From 13 November to 30 December 2025, after a ship arrived on the 25th, nothing was done for 40 days to import coal. That is the core failure. Other countries do not have this problem now; even Pakistan, though bankrupt, did not raise electricity tariffs like we did. We have not paid solar, wind and hydro generators for three months; this is leading to a major crisis. Due to coal disruptions, more than 50 percent of our power system suffers losses; we cannot bring in seven ships by April. After delays, you awarded emergency processing to Taranjot Resources (Pvt.) Ltd., another problematic company, never supplying coal above 5,900 kcal/kg.

¶ 07 The World Happiness Index places Sri Lanka at 134—near the bottom. On the Corruption Perceptions Index we are at 107 now; in 2014 we were at 85. Do not blame 2023 on others—you were in charge then. If the Strait of Hormuz is now open and we had oil till April, reduce fuel prices. A massive electricity crisis—over 50 percent—is looming. No other country hiked tariffs due to this war; you did, strangling the public. Farmers say producing a kilo of paddy will cost Rs. 120–130; water is short; Ditva-affected people have not been adequately assisted. If you cannot manage, within a month or two this country will be bankrupt again.