The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, both Government Members and the people must know: after an 11 percent increase in April, the Government is now planning a 53 percent electricity tariff increase in May. Do you know that? The amount to be extracted from consumers is Rs. 41.5 billion. Roughly half—Rs. 20.5 billion—will cover losses from the low-grade coal fraud by generating replacement power from diesel to make up the lost 250 GWh due to substandard coal. So the 53 percent hike in May is to collect Rs. 20.5 billion from 7.5 million electricity consumers to pay for the coal scam. The President says he will recover from the suppliers and companies; in practice you are billing the people.

¶ 02 Why isn’t this being disclosed? Yesterday I also pointed out the omission of LPG consumers—25 lakh out of 60 lakh households use gas; they got no relief. I invited the President even today to provide relief to those 2.5 million LPG consumers. I doubt it has happened. We ask: correct this and withdraw the planned 53 percent tariff hike in May. Don’t charge consumers Rs. 100 per unit to cover diesel generation necessitated by low-grade coal.

¶ 03 Many Government MPs representing farming areas spoke. Tell me the Maha season paddy price: for 8 kg wet paddy, Rs. 85-95; with 14 percent moisture, Rs. 100-103. The Government promised Rs. 120 per kg; where is it? You even said in fields that Rs. 150 would be set by law in Parliament. Where are those who ate farmers’ rice and those who drank “punakku”? Today this Government is feeding punakku to the innocent people.

¶ 04 You have orphaned 7.5 million electricity consumers and pushed farmers, fishers, workers, the poor, self-employed, MSMEs, services and tourism into crisis due to failed governance. The coal you imported was poor; the governance is poor—no standards. People are suffering.

¶ 05 There is a reported two-week truce window; we pray it becomes a lasting peace. In that period, strengthen supply chains for fuel, fertilizer, gas, medicines and essentials. Engage in genuine scenario planning—not social media theatrics—to prepare for contingencies.

¶ 06 You said big fertilizer reliefs are coming. Do we actually have TSP, MOP and Urea? Politicians and some officials say all is fine; go to the villages and you hear the shortages are real. With the ceasefire, Brent crude has fallen to about US$95 per barrel. Therefore, reduce the fuel prices that were hiked citing the Middle East war. We pray for lasting peace; lower the war-premium prices immediately.

¶ 07 The President slept 39 days, saw a big dream, and suddenly came with a promise parade yesterday. Yet the promised relief for “Didwa” victims still isn’t delivered.

¶ 08 Our health system is collapsing. The linear accelerator at the oncology unit of Batticaloa Hospital is out of service and can’t be repaired. You talk big on electricity, but here is a mother in Rajarata who used to get Rs. 100-150 monthly bills and just received an Rs. 80,000 bill; her power has been disconnected for four months. Officials told her to come after New Year. This is one example among many voiceless people. My proposal: train staff across the 341 Divisional and Assistant Divisional Secretariat divisions and appoint an Ombudsman—“Dukgannārāla”—in each DS office to hear and resolve such grievances.

¶ 09 We welcome the end of the health sector strike, but the sufferers were our patients. The Health Minister has a responsibility to provide relief to them. Do you know 393 difficult-service hospitals were arbitrarily cut to 126? Difficult-service tenures have been extended from one year to two. The Minister must discuss this with medical associations. We do not endorse strikes—ordinary people suffer—but when the Minister points a finger, more fingers point back. Solve through dialogue. Don’t politicize and uproot the medical transfers system—don’t drag it to the Pelawatte party office. Keep it under the independent Public Service Commission per establishment code.

¶ 10 Also resolve the long-standing issues of Dengue Control Assistants—about 301 are still not made permanent. Ensure justice.

¶ 11 Finally, a female employee of Parliament has suffered harassment. A committee headed by a High Court Judge has found verbal, not sexual, harassment and made recommendations. Implement them to ensure no woman here faces harassment. We speak for the 52 percent of the population—women. Fulfilling duties to them is the Government’s responsibility.

¶ 12 Thank you.