Topic
Corruption & Governance Reform
2,708 speeches · 349 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 91 |
| 2 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 86 |
| 3 | Hon. Mujibur Rahman, M.P. SJB | 80 |
| 4 | Hon. Ajith P. Perera, M.P. SJB | 70 |
| 5 | Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri, M.P. SJB | 68 |
| 6 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 68 |
| 7 | Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna, M.P. Independent Group 17 - Jaffna | 67 |
| 8 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 65 |
| 9 | Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, M.P. NDF | 64 |
| 10 | Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, M.P. JJB | 64 |
Speeches
2,708 on this topic- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana JJB AI summary Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana alleged that land leased in 2014 for a learning centre for novice monks has instead been misused for commercial purposes, including parking for a supermarket and storage for a construction company, generating private income. He argued that this was contrary to the lease purpose and cited provisions under the Land Alienation Act and the UDA’s authority to re-enter and recover the land if the intended purpose is not fulfilled. He asked the Deputy Minister whether the Ministry is prepared to reclaim the land and prevent further misuse of public property. Adjournment Debate: NMRA Medicine Supply and State Land Leasing Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana JJB AI summary Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana raised a question to the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing concerning alleged misuse of prime state lands obtained cheaply and subleased for excessive profit. He asked whether the UDA owns land near the Second Bypass Road in Kalapaluwawa, Kaduwela, and, if so, its extent and whether it has been leased, including the lessee, purpose, and terms. Adjournment Debate: NMRA Medicine Supply and State Land Leasing Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB AI summary Hon. Hector Appuhamy sought clarification on procurement of medicines, referring to documents he had tabled showing a locally produced injection priced at Rs. 150 compared with Rs. 300 from an Indian supplier. He argued this appeared inconsistent with the Government’s stated preference for local suppliers and warned against a repeat of the previous medicine crisis. He requested that the Minister examine the price comparisons and review the actions of the NMRA Chairman and officials, with a response after verification if immediate details were unavailable. Adjournment Debate: NMRA Medicine Supply and State Land Leasing Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB AI summary Hon. Hector Appuhamy raised a Special Question to the Minister of Health on medicine shortages and the functioning of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority. He sought details on the number of lifesaving and priority medicines currently in shortage, urgent procurement mechanisms for local and imported medicines, and the process for identifying essential medicines and determining prices. He alleged that the NMRA Chairman and some officials were creating difficulties for local manufacturers, favouring Indian manufacturers, and causing registration delays that affect local production, exports, patients, and government supply. He asked what operational plan and corrective action the Minister would take regarding the NMRA leadership and these issues. Adjournment Debate: NMRA Medicine Supply and State Land Leasing Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage - Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports JJB AI summary The Minister defended the regulations under the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973, stating they had been gazetted, reviewed in Committee and brought before Parliament after extensive study. He outlined key provisions including eight-year limits for principal federation offices, mandatory women’s representation in relevant sports bodies, and disqualification of persons involved in fraud or corruption. He also described Ministry initiatives to strengthen sports federations, restore rugby, promote regional talent identification, revive cycling and boxing events, develop school grounds, and provide allowances for school, national and elite athletes and coaches. He said air tickets would be provided only for planned and approved events, rejecting ad hoc requests outside procedure and budget. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the reintroduction of Sports Law regulations aimed at depoliticizing sports administration, but urged adequate funding for high-performance and national athlete pools, including air tickets for junior athletes attending Commonwealth Games trials. He raised concerns over the weakening of Samurdhi services, alleged pressure on the JEDB Chairman over land-related files, and tabled an investigation report relating to reported CIABOC indictments. He also questioned a floating armoury licence, coal procurement delays, LPG pricing, the appointment of the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman, and the impact of issuing tourist driving licences at the airport on local transport operators. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Ashoka Gunasena JJB AI summary Hon. Ashoka Gunasena supported the regulations and amendment bills before Parliament, linking them to the Government’s policy of “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life.” He argued that past Samurdhi policies had failed to reduce poverty and had been politicized, and said the amendment would bring Samurdhi community banks and societies under national audit to address alleged misuse of poor people’s deposits. He also connected welfare reform, rubber sector measures, and sports policy to broader decentralized and community-centred national development. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB AI summary K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna addressed allegations made during debate on the Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill regarding the resignation of the Janatha Estates Development Board Chairman. He stated that the former Chairman, Jayanta Nilakaratne, resigned for personal reasons and denied claims that ministerial or secretarial pressure was exerted to allocate state lands to associates. He said the Ministry would act against corruption in the JEDB and was prepared to disclose and pursue cases involving the capture of public estate lands by politicians or influential persons. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised allegations of corruption and disciplinary issues involving the newly appointed Government Agent/District Secretary M. Piratheepan, tabling several letters and documents from past years and calling for action consistent with the Government’s anti-corruption commitments. He also referred to alleged misconduct in the Northern Province health sector, including cases involving doctors and a questioned building contract, and asked why action such as interdiction had not been taken. He proposed wider use of fingerprint attendance systems and cameras across public services, including Parliament, to enforce attendance discipline and equal standards for all public officials. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Kanchana Welipitiya JJB AI summary Kanchana Welipitiya supported the sports regulations being approved under the Sports Law alongside other Bills and regulations, arguing that they would place 73 sports associations under a clearer legal framework, limit key office-bearers’ tenures to eight years, and reduce politicization in sports administration. He cited examples from Kegalle District of politicians holding multiple sports association posts, contending that this had affected talent selection and discouraged genuine athletes. He also highlighted provisions for women’s representation and inclusion of persons with disabilities, and briefly defended the Government’s broader economic initiatives in agriculture, dairy and coconut cultivation against Opposition criticism. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera argued that poverty alleviation schemes from food stamps and Samurdhi to Aswesuma have remained largely cash-transfer based and have not provided a scientific, time-bound pathway for beneficiaries to exit poverty. He said the Government should stop using welfare as a political tool and present a concrete programme including seed capital, microenterprise and self-employment support, knowledge assistance, and clear graduation timelines. He also linked persistent poverty to wider social problems, including crime, and urged the Government to implement a sincere plan to uplift poor households. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, during the debate on the Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill and related Judicature Act regulations, raised concerns over the resignation of the JEDB Chairman, alleging pressure from the Ministry Secretary to allocate circuit bungalows and distribute JEDB land to associates. He called for an inquiry into the matter, noting that the Chairman had been appointed with presidential and Cabinet approval. He also alleged interference in the judiciary through transfers and restraints on judges, citing specific cases and appointments, and urged the Minister of Justice to address what he described as threats to judicial independence and democracy. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB AI summary Minister K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna said the Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill would update the 1956 Act by replacing references to the Rubber Controller and related bodies and funds with the current Director-General and Department of Rubber Development structure. He outlined plans to rehabilitate neglected rubber and coconut lands, expand rubber cultivation to new districts, meet sustainability certification requirements including EUDR-related standards, improve research, disease control, worker training and inputs, and target rubber exports of USD 2 billion by 2030. He also described fertilizer subsidy measures for tea and coconut, the use of a Russian fertilizer grant, a target of USD 1.5 billion in coconut exports by 2030, and the launch of a Northern Coconut Triangle programme covering 16,000 acres. He said the Government would rely on expert advisory groups and invited constructive proposals from the Opposition. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa - Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister defended lawful action against illegal entry while outlining the Ministry’s household empowerment programme targeting two million low-income families over five years, supported by central government, World Bank and ADB funding. He said the Samurdhi amendment is needed because Rs. 250 billion in 1,097 Samurdhi banks and related community organizations have lacked adequate audit, discipline and accountability, enabling misuse and corruption. The amendment would insert Section 28A to apply the National Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018, to Samurdhi Community-Based Bank accounts, and he linked it to the government’s broader anti-corruption and economic stabilization efforts. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB AI summary Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi supported the Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would bring 1,097 Samurdhi Community-Based Banks and 335 unions under government audit to strengthen transparency, accountability and state oversight. He cited audit findings that these funds had remained outside annual financial statements and Auditor General review, and alleged past misuse of Samurdhi and Divi Neguma funds for political and unauthorized purposes. He also referred to broader NPP government measures on public financial management and public service reforms, including salary increases, disaster loan increases and a proposed national salary structure. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Sugath Thilakaratne - Deputy Minister of Sports JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Sugath Thilakaratne defended the Ministry’s support for athletes, stating that nutrition allowances and air tickets for approved overseas tours are being provided across sports. He said new regulations under the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973 will impose term limits on federation office-bearers to improve governance, reduce entrenched administration, and prioritize athlete development. He outlined plans for Olympic-focused squads for 2028 and 2032, foreign coaching and technical support in selected sports, expanded school sports funding, coach recruitment, athlete insurance, and development of sports tourism and the sports economy. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi urged the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to introduce legal provisions preventing sports club office-bearers from simultaneously holding positions in national sports federations. He argued that such overlapping roles do not benefit national sport and called on the Minister to focus on mobilizing youth for national contribution rather than serving political interests. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi raised an urgent concern that clinical placements at Neville Fernando Hospital for final-year medical students of the University of Moratuwa may have been stopped, urging the Education and Health Ministers to resolve the matter to avoid delays in degree completion. He questioned the Sports Ministry’s reform agenda, particularly the delayed regulations promised for Sri Lanka Cricket, and asked for clarification on governance, funding, and accountability issues involving SLC. He also sought answers on the suitability of Sanath Jayasuriya serving as national Head Coach while facing ICC charges, the status of the proposed Polhena cricket stadium, and the Ministry’s use of over Rs. 400 million reportedly provided by SLC. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary The Minister moved the Second Reading and presented related items on the Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill and regulations under the Sports and Judicature Acts. Addressing the Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, he said the amendment would bring 1,097 Samurdhi banks and 335 community-based bank societies, with about 4 million members and Rs. 250 billion in transactions, under Auditor General oversight through Article 154 of the Constitution and the National Audit Act. He argued this was necessary to improve transparency, address pending audit inquiries and allegations of fraud, and protect public funds and employees. He also noted the continued growth in welfare applicants, including 3.74 million Aswesuma applications, and said the scale of poverty assistance required a reassessment of past approaches. Debate: Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill, Rubber Control (Amendment) Bill, Sports Law Regulations, and Judicature Act Rules Read →
- 20 August 2025 The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti - Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development JJB AI summary Sunil Handunnetti stated that any action regarding State assets would be based only on valuations by State institutions and court decisions. He said the Government would not sell or dispose of assets through unsolicited proposals, and that any disposal would require a transparent tender process, selection of the highest bid, and Cabinet approval. Oral Question: National Gem and Jewellery Authority Property (Q.4/2024) Read →