Mr. Speaker

¶ 01 Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)

¶ 02 Official Report

¶ 03 Volume 315 - No. 1

¶ 04 Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

¶ 05 Tenth Parliament

¶ 06 First Session

¶ 07 Thursday, 21st November, 2024

¶ 08 (Uncorrected)

¶ 09 Principal Contents: - Proclamation of the Hon. President summoning the meeting [Col. 3] - Election of Mr. Speaker [Col. 7] - Oaths or Affirmations of Members [Col. 9] - Congratulations to Mr. Speaker [Col. 21] - Election of Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees [Col. 24] - Election of Deputy Chairman of Committees [Col. 25] - Messages from the President: - First Sitting of Tenth Parliament [Col. 26] - Public Security Proclamation [Col. 26] - Announcements: - Leader of the House of Parliament and the Chief Government Whip [Col. 27] - Leader of the Opposition [Col. 27] - Orientation Programme on Parliamentary Procedures, Parliamentary Business and Related Matters [Col. 27] - Ceremonial Sitting of Parliament [Col. 28] - Address to Parliament by the Hon. President [Cols. 29-74]

¶ 10 Members of Parliament (as elected/appointed following the 2024 General Election):

¶ 11 A - Gammadda Ajantha (Matara) - Kannaik-kalanathan A. (Jaffna) - Mrs. Athawuda, Athawuda Arachchillage Sagarika Gangani (Kegalle) - Appuhami, Makavita Arachchi Don Hector Hyginus (Puttalam) - Abeyaratne, Abeyaratne Herath Mudiyanselage Harischandra (Puttalam) - Abeygunawardena, W. Piyathissa (Kalutara) - Abeywickrama, Upali Priyantha (Gampaha) - Abeysinghe, Chaturanga (Colombo) - Abeysinghe, Nihal (Kalutara) - Abeyseana, H. T. Krishantha Silva (Gampaha) - Mrs. Amarasuriya, Harini (Colombo) - Mrs. Ambika, Samivel (Badulla) - Arkam, Mohamed Ilyas Mohamed (Matara) - Archuna, Ramanadan (Jaffna) - Jayadeva Chandrawansa (Kurunegala) - Aslam, M. K. Mohamed (Kurunegala) - Adambawa, Aboobakker (National List) - Mrs. Ariyaratne, Kaushalya (Colombo) - Ariyawansa, Basuriya-ge (Ratnapura)

¶ 12 I - Indika, Najith (National List) - Ilankumaran, Karunanadan (Jaffna)

¶ 13 U - Udumalebewa, [Name unclear in OCR] (Digamadulla) - Mrs. Umanga, Oshani (Kalutara)

¶ 14 E - Egodawithanage, Asitha Niroshan (Colombo)

¶ 15 K - Kabir, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed (Kegalle) - Karunathilaka, Anura (National List) - Karunathilaka, Gayanna (Galle) - Karunanayake, Ravi (National List) - Karunaratne, Namal (Kurunegala) - Mrs. Kaleichelvi, Krishnan (Nuwara Eliya) - Mrs. Kawiratne, Jambugaha Pitiye Gedara Kumari Wijeratne (Matale) - Kitsiri, Gamlakshage Upul (Ratnapura) - Mrs. Kiriella, Chamindrani Bandara (Kandy) - Kugadason, Kadiravelu Sanmugam (Trincomalee) - Kumar, H. M. Dinindu Saman (Badulla) - Kumar, H. M. Saran (Monaragala) - Kumar, K. D. Chaminda Lalin (Gampaha) - Kumar, Herath Mudiyanselage Gayan Janaka (Puttalam) - Mrs. Kottahachchige, Nilanni (Kalutara) - Kodithuwakku, Kodithuwakku Arachchi Jagath Manuwarna (Kandy) - Kodithuwakku, Janith Ruchan (National List) - Kodeeswaran, Kavindran (Digamadulla)

¶ 16 G - Mrs. Gangani, M.A.C.S. Chathuri (Monaragala) - Gamage, Thittagalla Gamage Rathna (Galle) - Gamage, Sunil Kumara (National List) - Galappaththi, Arachchige Nihal (Hambantota) - Galappaththi, Chatura Harsha Kumara (Matara) - Gihan, Ajith (Puttalam) - Gunaratne, Ruchan Wijewira (Monaragala) - Gunawardena, I. M. Nishantha Jagath Kumara (Kurunegala) - Gunasinghe, Millagale Chedarallalage Nandana Upali (Kegalle) - Mrs. Gunasinghe, Samanmali (Colombo) - Gunasekara, Eranga (Colombo) - Gunasena, P. P. Ashoka (Kurunegala) - Gunasena, Medage Manjula Prasanna Kumara (Kandy)

¶ 17 C - Chandrasekar, Ramalingam (National List)

¶ 18 J - Jayakody, Anton Sarath (Puttalam) - Jayakody, Punya Sri Kumara (National List) - Jayatissa, Appuhamilage Nalinda (Kalutara) - Jayamaha, Nalin Bandara (Kurunegala) - Jayaratne, Anuradha Lanka Pradeep (Kandy) - Jayawardena, R. M. (Monaragala) - Jayawardena, Senadheera Don Bheshan (Gampaha) - Jayeweera, Susanta (National List) - Jayeweera, Herath Arachchige Kosala Nuwan (Kegalle) - Jayasinghe, S. P. S. Mahindawanse (Gampaha) - Mrs. Jayasinghe, Jayanetti Koralelage Don Thushari (Kandy) - Jayasundara, Thotagamuwae Kankanamge (Galle) - Jayasekara, Aruna (National List) - Jayasekara, Dayasiri (Kurunegala)

¶ 19 T - Jegatheeswaran, Arumugam Mailvaganam (Jaffna) - Tahir, Mohamathaliyar Mohamed (Digamadulla) - Thigambaram, Palani (Nuwara Eliya) - Thilakanadan, Selvathambi (Vanni) - Mrs. Thilakaratne, Premasiri Pathiranalage Anushka Darshani (Nuwara Eliya) - Thilakaratne, Sugath (National List) - Thennekon, T. M. Chandana Mihira Bandara (Kurunegala) - Thondaman, Jeevan Kumaravel (Nuwara Eliya)

¶ 20 D - Dammika, Hettithanthri Patabendige (Kegalle) - De Lal, Nalligama Hewage Asela Nalin (Galle) - Dissanayake, Don Ather Chamar Sampath (Badulla) - De Silva, Ginige Mahendra Harsha (Colombo) - De Silva, Sugath Wasantha (National List) - Danushaan, Denagama Vitharanage Chanaka (Hambantota) - Dissanayake, Gamagedara (Matale) - Dissanayake, D. M. Dharmapriya (Kurunegala) - Dissanayake, D. M. Sujeewa Indika (Kurunegala) - Dissanayake, Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Thanura Harshana (Kandy) - Dodawatta, Susanta (Colombo) - Dharmasena, Wijesinghe Herath Mudiyanselage (Monaragala)

¶ 21 N - Navarathna, Wasala Mudiyanselage Susanta Kumara (Anuradhapura) - Nanayakkara, Sena (Anuradhapura) - Nanayakkara, Harshana (Colombo) - Nipunaarachchi, Lakshman (Colombo) - Nelson, Heva Gajaman Paththinige Kings Kumar (Polonnaruwa)

¶ 22 P - Pathmakumara, Nandana (Matara) - Padmakumara, Subasinghe Shantha (Ratnapura) - Panagoda-ge, Aruna (Colombo) - Pannilage, Upali (National List) - Palihena, Palihena Don Nimal Karunasiri (Anuradhapura) - Pasmin, Mohamed Sarif Mohamed (Kandy) - Pinnagoda Withana, Jagath Premlal (Kalutara) - Piyanissa, Lankapeliyagedara Wasantha (Digamadulla) - Pushpakumara, Rallage Karuwalamulle Wasantha (Ratnapura) - Perera, Ajith Pathmakantha (Kalutara) - Perera, Kasadoruge Sujith Sanjaya (Kegalle) - Perera, Kolomba Thanthrigey Nishantha (Galle) - Perera, Hettiarachchige Dinesh Hemanta (Matale) - Ponnambalam, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam (Jaffna) - Mrs. Polraj, Saroja Savitri (Matara) - Pradeep, Sundaralingam (Ratnapura) - Perananthu (Anthony) Anil Jayanta (Gampaha) - Fernando, T. J. Priyan Stephanie (Gampaha) - Fernando, Mihidukulasooriya Wibeddege Janath Chitral (Puttalam) - Prabhu, Kandasaamy (Batticaloa) - Prasad, Warnakulasooriya Maddu Muthukala Amila (Gampaha) - Priyadarshana, A. A. Ajith Shantha (Monaragala) - Priyasanjana, Akmeemana Gamage Roshan (Trincomalee) - Mrs. Prematilaka, Gammanaliyana-ge Hasara Nayanathara (Galle) - Premadasa, Sajith (Colombo) - Premanath, Baraniwala Liyanage Lal (Matara)

¶ 23 B - Bandara, Kekerivatte Rallage Nanda (Kegalle) - Bandara, T. M. Ravindra Aruna (Badulla) - Bandara, Nungamuwa Rallage Padmasiri (Polonnaruwa) - Balagalla, B. R. M. Sudath (Badulla) - Basnayake, Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Gedara Kumbure Gedara (Kandy) - Biyanwila, Biyanwilage Sunil Jayalath (Matale)

¶ 24 Bh - Bhashana, H. G. Lasith (Gampaha)

¶ 25 M - Madarasinghe, Saliya Sandaruwan (Hambantota) - Maddumabandara, Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Ranjin (National List) - Maduranga, N. R. Prageeth (Gampaha) - Marikkar, Saidulla Mustajab (Colombo) - Mastan, Kader Kader (Jaffna)

¶ 26 H - Maharuff, Imran (Trincomalee) - Madugoda, Gamage Chanaka Sampath (Galle) - Mapalagama, Ruwan Nishantha (Gampaha) - Muneer, M. M. Mohamed (Gampaha) - Menthapala, Abechikrema Liyanage (Matara) - Mohamed, Mohamed Farook Riyas (Kandy)

¶ 27 R - Ranganath, Aluthduwa Hevagunawardena Danushka (Kalutara) - Rajeevan, Jeyachandramurthy (Jaffna) - Ranasinghe, R. A. Sanjeewa (Kalutara) - Ranasinghe, Ruchan Chaminda (National List) - Ranasinghe, Herath Mudiyanselage Susil (Anuradhapura) - Ratnasiri, Banneka Mudiyanselage Sunil (Polonnaruwa) - Ratnayake, Gamini (National List) - Ratnayake, Bimal Niroshan (National List) - Ratnayake, Manjula Meewana Sugath (Digamadulla) - Ratnayake, Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Suranga (Anuradhapura) - Mrs. Rathchatte, Abeysinghe Mudiyanselage Medagedara Muthumanike (Digamadulla) - Ranwala, R. A. Asoka Sapumal (Gampaha) - Thurairasa (Vanni) - Rahuman, Mohamed Mujibur (Colombo) - Rajakaruna, Harshana Supun (Gampaha) - Rajapaksa, Dingiriyalage Sunil (Ratnapura) - Rajapaksa, Rajapaksa Pedige Wimal Kumar (Kegalle) - Rajapaksa, Lakshman Namal (National List) - Radhakrishnan, Velusamy (Nuwara Eliya) - Rasamanickam, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (Batticaloa) - Rishad, Bathiudeen (Vanni) - Rukmal, Udumalagala Gamage Thilanka (Galle) - Ruwanthilaka, Jayakody Arachchige (Gampaha)

¶ 28 L - Mrs. Lakmali, Rajagalabada Gamage Nilusha (Ratnapura) - Lakshmana, Namal Sudarshana (Kurunegala) - Lal Kantha, Kurugamage Don (Kandy) - Liyanage, Udagama Liyanage Waruna Priyantha (Ratnapura)

¶ 29 W/V - Watagala, Sunil (Colombo) - Mrs. Wasalage, Deepthi Nirojani (Matale) - Wasalathilaka, Wasalathilakage Nayana Priyankara (Badulla) - Welipitiya, Welipitiyalage Rohan Kanchana (Kegalle) - Wickramaratne, Idampitiye Gedara Wanigasuriya Mudiyanselage Jagath (Polonnaruwa) - Wijepala, K. M. Ananda (Kurunegala) - Wijemuni, Hansaka (Kandy) - Wijeratne, Mungheane Mudiyanselage Priyantha Kumar (Digamadulla) - Wijeratne, Rajawardhane Gedara (Nuwara Eliya) - Wijesinghe, N. D. (Gampaha) - Mrs. Wijesinghe, Wijesinghe Mudiyanselage Hiruni Madusha (Puttalam) - Wijesiri, B. M. (Kurunegala) - Wijesiri, Lokugastota Vitharanage Chaminda (Badulla) - Wijesundara, Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Rohana Bandara (Anuradhapura) - Withanage, Ankumbura Arachchige Heshan Wijaya (Ratnapura) - Witharana, Arachchinda Senarath (Hambantota) - Vidyaratne, K. V. Samantha (Badulla) - Weeraratna, Eranga Udesh (National List) - Wedaarachchi, Dilip (Hambantota)

¶ 30 S - Sritharan, Sivasgnanam (Jaffna) - Sreenesan, Gnanamuthu (Batticaloa) - Sribachanantharajah, Shanmuganathan (Jaffna) - Sathiyalingam, Pathmanadan (National List) - Samarakoon, Mallawa Mudiyanselage Thilina Tharuka (Anuradhapura) - Samarawira, Nishantha (Galle) - Samarasinghe, Ratnayake Hettige Upali (National List) - Samarasinghe, Herath Mudiyanselage Wasantha (Anuradhapura) - Sarath, Tikiri Bandalage (Polonnaruwa) - Sally, Mohamed Risvi (Colombo) - Sirinath, Ileyathambi (Batticaloa) - Mrs. Sujeewa, W. A. Hemali (Gampaha) - Suraveera Arachchi, Trimesh Manjula (Nuwara Eliya) - Suraveera, Devananda (Colombo) - Suriyaarachchi, Chandana (Colombo) - Suriya-Peruma, Harshana (National List) - Suriyabandara, G. D. (Kurunegala) - Senarath, Prabha Ruwan (Hambantota) - Senevi, Hiniduma Sunil (Ratnapura) - Senewiratne, Senanayake Senewiratne Herath Mudiyanselage Welakonawatte Gedara Madhura Daham Bandara (Nuwara Eliya) - Selcharaj, Kithnan (Badulla) - Senaratne, Dimiyawa Arachchillage Janaka (Ratnapura)

¶ 31 H (continued) - Hakeem, Abdul Rauff Hibbathul (Kandy) - Handunnetti, Sunil (Matara) - Hisbullah, Mahmood Lebbe Alim Mohamed (Batticaloa) - Hettiarachchi, H. A. D. Sudarsha Champika (Gampaha) - Hettiarachchige, Chandima (Kalutara) - Mrs. Hemachandra, Lakmali Kanchana (National List) - Hemachandra, Arun (Trincomalee) - Herath, Appuhami Arachchilage Jeevantha Bhagya Sri (Anuradhapura) - Mrs. Herath, H. M. Geetha Ratna Kumari (Kurunegala) - Herath, H. M. Vijitha (Gampaha) - Hewage, Athula Welandagoda (Hambantota) - Faisal, Mohamed Jaleel (Puttalam)

¶ 32 The Executive:

¶ 33 President: Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake

¶ 34 Cabinet of Ministers: - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education – Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, and Leader of the House of Parliament – Hon. Bimal Ratnayake - Minister of Health and Mass Media, and Chief Government Whip – Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation – Hon. K. D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism – Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources – Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Industries and Enterprise Development – Hon. Sunil Handunnetti - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure – Hon. K. V. Samantha Vidyaratne - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development – Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government – Hon. A. H. M. H. Abeyaratne - Minister of Science and Technology – Hon. Krishantha Abeyseana - Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing – Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports – Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage - Minister of Power and Energy – Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Labour – Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayanta - Minister of Justice and National Integration – Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara - Minister of Environment – Hon. Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment – Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Women and Child Affairs – Hon. Saroja Savitri Polraj - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs – Hon. (Dr.) Hiniduma Sunil Senevi

¶ 35 State/Deputy Ministers: - State Minister of Economic Development – Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayanta - State Minister of Agriculture and Livestock – Hon. Namal Karunaratne - State Minister of Industries and Enterprise Development – Hon. Chaturanga Abeysinghe - State Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation – Hon. Janith Ruwan Kodithuwakku - State Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources – Hon. Ratna Gamage - State Minister of Youth Affairs – Hon. Eranga Gunasekara - State Minister of Transport and Highways – Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Kumara Gunasena - State Minister of Environment – Hon. Anton Jayakody - State Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security – Hon. R. M. Jayawardena - State Minister of Labour – Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - State Minister of Defence – Hon. Aruna Jayasekara - State Minister of Sports – Hon. Sugath Thilakaratne - State Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs – Hon. Gamagedara Dissanayake - State Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment – Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa - State Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure – Hon. Sundaralingam Pradeep - State Minister of National Integration – Hon. Mohamed Muneer - State Minister of Tourism – Hon. Ruwan Chaminda Ranasinghe - State Minister of Lands and Irrigation – Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - State Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – Hon. Sunil Watagala - State Minister of Health and Mass Media – Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni - State Minister of Digital Economy – Hon. Eranga Weeraratna - State Minister of Cooperative Development – Hon. Upali Samarasinghe - State Minister of Housing – Hon. T. B. Sarath - State Minister of Women and Child Affairs – Hon. (Dr.) Namal Sudarshana - State Minister of Finance and Treasury – Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriya-Peruma - State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government – Hon. Ruwan Senarath - State Minister of Education and Higher Education – Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senewiratne - State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment – Hon. Arun Hemachandra - State Minister of Vocational Education – Hon. Nalin Hewage

¶ 36 Parliament: - Mr. Speaker – Hon. Asoka Sapumal Ranchela - Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees – Hon. (Dr.) Risvi Sally - Deputy Chairman of Committees – Hon. Hemali Weerasekara

¶ 37 Principal Officers: - Secretary-General of Parliament – Mrs. K. A. Rohanadeera - Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament – Mr. G. K. A. Chaminda Kumara Kularatne - Assistant Secretary-General – Mr. A. H. M. H. H. S. Abeyaratne

¶ 38 Office of the Secretary-General of Parliament: - Coordinating Secretary to the Secretary-General – Mrs. S. P. Gamage

¶ 39 Constitutional Council: - Mrs. T. M. N. P. Thennekon (Deputy Chief Officer); Mrs. S. R. W. Gunasekara (Assistant Chief Officer)

¶ 40 Internal Audit Division: - Chief Internal Auditor – Mr. W. K. D. C. Withana - Chief Officer – Mrs. G. N. D. Thilakaratne - Assistant Parliamentary Officer – Mrs. W. R. G. S. Shamalie

¶ 41 Serjeant-at-Arms Department: - Serjeant-at-Arms – Mr. Kushan Sampath Jayaratna - Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms – Mr. N. A. S. Kure - Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms – Mr. K. S. L. Kadigamuwa - Mr. P. D. N. Fernando (Deputy Chief Officer); Mr. U. D. M. M. Wijesinghe (Assistant Chief Officer); Mr. A. G. R. K. Aberathna (Parliamentary Officer); Mrs. N. A. Dharmadasa (Telephone Superintendent); Mrs. K. T. D. Suriyabandara (Assistant Parliamentary Officer)

¶ 42 Administration Department: - Director (Administration) – Mrs. C. I. Dissanayake - Deputy Director (Administration) – Mrs. E. D. S. M. Fernando

¶ 43 Establishments Branch: - Mr. W. A. K. C. Udapola (Assistant Director – Administration); Mr. P. G. P. Priyankara, Mrs. V. P. J. S. Widanapathirana (Chief Officers); Mrs. J. A. D. Jayasinghe (Deputy Chief Officer); Mrs. K. I. M. Perera, Mrs. W. S. Y. Soysa, Mrs. G. M. H. S. Gamlath, Mrs. R. R. G. D. K. Jayathilaka (Assistant Chief Officers); Mrs. H. A. R. R. Gunasekara (Assistant Parliamentary Officer)

¶ 44 Members’ Services Branch: - Mr. E. D. J. Wickramasinghe (Assistant Director – Administration); Mr. K. P. Chandana, Mr. W. P. J. Pushpakumara Pathirana (Chief Officers); Mr. J. Nazeerdeen (Deputy Chief Officer); Mr. A. G. M. M. Nuzki (Parliamentary Officer)

¶ 45 Human Resources Development Branch: - Mr. P. K. D. S. W. Wijegunawardana (Chief Officer); Mrs. G. K. S. Priyadarshani, Mrs. C. S. C. Fonseka (Assistant Chief Officers)

¶ 46 International Relations and Protocol Branch: - Mrs. G. V. Ama Sudanthi, Mrs. T. W. A. Jayaratna, Mr. H. N. D. R. B. Nanayakkara (Senior Assistant Parliamentary Protocol Officers)

¶ 47 Transport Branch: - Mr. H. M. L. A. Samaranayake (Transport Officer); Mrs. R. C. Kulanilka, Mr. D. A. M. Baddewithana (Assistant Chief Officers); Mr. R. P. H. Kularathna, Mr. G. M. Prasanna (Assistant Parliamentary Officers)

¶ 48 Right to Information Unit: - Mrs. N. N. Hettige (Parliamentary Officer)