The Hon. Upali Samarasingha - Deputy Minister of Co-operative Development

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today we discuss the prevailing national and social situation. The Opposition always tries to equate our movement and leadership with their past errors. The role of the Opposition is to point out Government shortcomings, support what is right, and oppose what is wrong. Our movement worked long in Opposition. During the tsunami, when we had very few MPs, the country was destabilized and people suffered. From Opposition we intervened massively for the people and stability—criticized, but also worked.

¶ 02 The Southern railway line was destroyed by the tsunami. The Government planned to give it to a foreign party at huge cost; our unions rebuilt it voluntarily in about 57 days, giving economic benefit and public convenience without seeking any gain. We cleaned homes, repaired the Galle bus stand—thinking of country and people, not which Government was in power.

¶ 03 During COVID, with only three MPs, we thought to save the country and people. We distributed large numbers of face masks, supported hospitals including Medawachchiya, provided quarantine facilities, and equipment for schools to take temperatures. We did not try to rile people with COVID for power.

¶ 04 When “Didwa” struck soon after we took office, it destabilized the country like a tsunami. Despite Opposition rhetoric about their strength and skills, which district roads did they clean, which schools or bridges did they fix? We mobilized our party membership and volunteers, thousands of people, and delivered support within months. Some MPs helped—we acknowledge that. But organized intervention was needed; we did that when others could not.

¶ 05 The world crisis has affected us, but the Opposition thinks only of how to seize power from crises. One Government MP said some who came are unrecognizable now—turned fair and big. These jibes hide other agendas. We don’t judge by skin color. If there are allegations of corruption, go to courts and the Bribery Commission. But as a nation, we must act collectively in common crises. We did so in Opposition; now in Government we focus on lifting the country out of these problems rather than blaming one person or one decade. Structural and policy paths over many years led here; since taking over we have set examples, given maximum relief, and cut our own privileges—despite some in Opposition asking not to cut pensions or vehicle permits. Our measures and policies aim at real relief and forward movement.

¶ 06 Amid fuel challenges we too had our allowances reduced and queued at sheds like everyone; today queues are gone or reduced. We didn’t get special treatment even during the height of the crisis.

¶ 07 We have provided facilities to agriculture; we did not stop construction; we prepared for the Yala season; and kept major infrastructure going. I believe we can overcome this crisis.

¶ 08 Thank you.