The Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, Madam Prime Minister, Honourable Ministers, Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Members.

¶ 02 Today is a very special day in our parliamentary history. For decades, political power alternated between two main camps. In the recent Presidential and General Elections, that power was entrusted to a new camp—ours. This is a landmark in our parliamentary history.

¶ 03 The mandate we have received is significant not only in quantity—reflected in the large number of Members returned under our proportional system—but in its quality. After a long time, people from all provinces—North, South, East, West—and all communities contributed to establishing a new government.

¶ 04 For years, political power bases were built on provincial, ethnic, and religious lines, which bred distance, suspicion and mistrust among our people. When one camp adopts ethnonationalism, it inevitably fuels a counter-ethnonationalism elsewhere. We have witnessed its destructive effects in our politics and society. Yet all our people, across all regions, placed their trust in us. We honour them first.

¶ 05 Democracy is plural: different parties and views must coexist. We do not seek one-party rule. Whether people voted for us or not, they are citizens whose aspirations we are bound to fulfill. The bond forged at the election is this: we presented our policies and future vision; the people, believing in them, gave us power. They have fulfilled their part; now we must fulfill ours, without ever violating that bond.

¶ 06 Though we differ in region, culture, language or religion, this election showed we can unite for a common purpose. This is a powerful opening to build national unity. I assure you: we will not allow a return to ethnonationalist or religious extremism. Our land has been soaked with blood and tears; suspicion, mistrust and anger have grown. We all share the duty to ensure our children inherit a different country. Let political contests be about economic and democratic programmes—not about race or religion.

¶ 07 The people also mandated us to change a long-degenerating political culture. I have served in this House since 2000 and witnessed how Parliament’s prestige eroded and public trust broke down. A Parliament that becomes the people’s adversary is unfit to lead or to steward the nation’s finances or laws. Therefore, we must restore Parliament’s dignity and centrality.

¶ 08 This House includes many new Members. With the Speaker and staff, let us re-establish a high standard. Parliament will not be a hidden cave. With modern technology, all proceedings should be open to the people. We, as their representatives, must accept constant public scrutiny. Power does not end accountability; the people will examine us until the next transfer of power. Let us pass that test.

¶ 09 This election saw the largest number of public servants support the government. Yet, the public image of the service is mixed, and many officials themselves are dissatisfied. We must build a state service that satisfies both the people and the officials—capable, service-oriented, and aligned to national goals. Around the world, political leadership and an effective public service together drive transformation. We will rebuild a competent, citizen-focused service.

¶ 10 On democracy and freedom: no citizen should feel marginalized because of religion, language, culture, or political choice. Freedom must be secure for all. Central to this is restoring the rule of law—not only by enacting progressive laws, which we have done, but by enforcing them and restoring public confidence that the law works. We do not seek vengeance or witch-hunts. But crimes tied to upheavals must be re-examined; victims must receive justice and perpetrators be punished. Without justice for past crimes and for corruption, the people’s dream of justice will die. We will act to restore faith in law and its supremacy.

¶ 11 On the economy: when we assumed office from the Opposition, we knew the depth and breadth of the crisis. Our economy, fragile and vulnerable, cannot withstand shocks or abrupt turns. Our immediate objective has been to stabilize the economy and anchor confidence. We have no room for errors.

¶ 12 We stated during the Presidential Election that we inherit an IMF-supported programme. Breaking with it leaves no viable path forward. We therefore pledged to manage the economy in line with agreed parameters. The third review, delayed due to elections, is now underway; we expect to reach a staff-level agreement by the 23rd of this month—a decisive step. Debt restructuring, integral to the programme, was already near its final stages. We will conclude bilateral agreements swiftly and finalize the initial understanding with international bondholders by end-December. These steps will help restore credibility in our financial sector. Yet, programme compliance alone will not cure the structural economic malaise; we need a new economic strategy with three pillars:

¶ 13 - Rapid expansion of goods and services production, and dispersion beyond the Western Province so all provinces contribute. - Broad participation of people in the economy so that citizens become stakeholders and benefits flow to them. - Fair distribution of economic gains; concentrated wealth undermines both economic and social stability.

¶ 14 On markets: Sri Lanka is a small market prone to monopolies that distort prices—seen in staples like paddy and rice. Too often, prices are set not by market fundamentals but by dominant players’ power. Our duty is to ensure uninterrupted, quality goods and services at fair prices. We will use a mix of policies: foster competition where feasible; regulate through empowered authorities where necessary; maintain a state presence in highly sensitive markets such as energy and in critical nodes of the financial market; and organize markets, including by strengthening cooperative networks as strong competitive actors.

¶ 15 For short- to medium-term momentum, we will prioritize: - Tourism: target 4 million arrivals and USD 8 billion in earnings within 3–4 years, up from the 3.2 million visitors and USD 4.3 billion in 2018. - IT and digital services: expand professionals from about 85,000 to 200,000 within five years; lift exports from roughly USD 1.2 billion toward USD 5 billion, with strong focus on language and relevant education. - Trade and maritime hub: leverage our geostrategic position; upgrade port efficiency and logistics to become a leading regional hub. - Agriculture: revitalize seed research and farms, strengthen extension, and target export-oriented crops. We have increased the fertilizer support per hectare from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 and will support where needed to make agriculture a leading, profitable sector. - Fisheries: return idle boats to sea; our fuel support has already helped relaunch a significant number of boats. - Minerals and natural resources: build value-added industries through public–private collaboration, bringing in technology and capital as needed.

¶ 16 On science, technology and digitalization: modern markets are driven by innovation. We are establishing a dedicated Ministry of Science and Technology, appointing Prof. Krishantha Abeyseena as Minister and engaging experts such as Mr. Gomika Udugamasooriya as Presidential Advisor. We will also drive a national digital transformation through a separate ministry. Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya has agreed to serve as Secretary to the Ministry, Chair of ICTA, and Presidential Advisor on Digital, to integrate leadership. We aim for a USD 15 billion digital economy, improving public service delivery and propelling growth—building a truly digital Sri Lanka.

¶ 17 “Clean Sri Lanka”: We will launch a Presidential Task Force-led programme not only for environmental cleanliness but also to transform civic attitudes—protecting public assets, respecting shared spaces, and improving everyday conduct, from road use to public hygiene. Even basic issues—such as the lack of clean public toilets that affects especially women—must be addressed. We seek a kinder, more empathetic society where courtesy, patience, and humanity replace conflict and harshness. Education, literature, law, and public attitudes will be mobilized for this social transformation.

¶ 18 Eradicating poverty: Every citizen deserves decent nutrition, education for children, housing, income, and mental peace. We will prioritize eliminating poverty—rural, urban, and especially in the plantation sector. As a start, the “Aswesuma” benefit will be increased in the forthcoming Budget to a fairer level. We plan school supplies grants for children from struggling families from the next school year. Pensions have been raised by Rs. 3,000 from October. We envisage a fair salary increase for public servants in the upcoming Budget.

¶ 19 Child malnutrition among under-5s must end; we will launch targeted support. We will also support pregnant mothers facing anemia to ensure maternal and child nutrition. There will always be vulnerable groups; government must never abandon them. We will develop specific mechanisms and allowances to support persons with disabilities and their families.

¶ 20 Sustainable poverty reduction requires profitable livelihoods. Agriculture and fisheries must become viable enterprises. We will also create new local economic opportunities, and inculcate an “entrepreneurship at home” ethos—turning the urge to migrate into a drive to build SMEs here—backed by technical assistance, finance, and market access. Our domestic market of 22–23 million is small; we must help our businesses reach external markets. We will reform our diplomatic service to prioritize economic diplomacy—helping firms find markets—and enable sectors like construction to compete abroad. We will also add value to unique Sri Lankan products and steer SMEs in line with national strategy.

¶ 21 On the fiscal roadmap: We expect to present an interim Appropriation Bill in early December to provide funds for the first quarter of next year, present the full Budget in early February, and pass it by mid-March. Our programme will be embedded in that Budget.

¶ 22 I believe a new era of transformation has begun for our economy, society, and lives. Though we differ in politics and may have sharp debates, we share a common purpose: to build a better country. My government is committed to that responsibility, and I look forward to the support of all party leaders and Members, including the Opposition.

¶ 23 Let me conclude with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

¶ 24 Thank you. Theruwan Saranai! May God bless you!