Topic
Employment
1,754 speeches · 310 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. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 84 |
| 2 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 78 |
| 3 | Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, M.P. JJB | 60 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 45 |
| 5 | Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe, M.P. JJB | 41 |
| 6 | Hon. Sunil Handunnetti, M.P. JJB | 32 |
| 7 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 31 |
| 8 | Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, M.P. JJB | 30 |
| 9 | Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, M.P. NDF | 29 |
| 10 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 23 |
Speeches
1,754 on this topic- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana defended the 2026 Budget, rejecting Opposition claims that it merely follows an IMF agenda and arguing that the Government has stabilized the economy, improved public finances, restored investor confidence, and achieved higher-than-expected growth. He highlighted Budget measures including concessional housing loans and a contributory pension scheme for migrant workers, as well as funding to raise plantation workers’ wages. He said the Government’s engagement with the IMF is focused on negotiating terms that protect welfare and citizens’ rights, contrasting this with the 2015 administration’s IMF-linked VAT increases, subsidy cuts, and privatization efforts. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe JJB AI summary Mahinda Jayasinghe disputed Nizam Kariapper’s account of the plantation workers’ wage increase, stating that the agreement followed several discussions involving two ministries, the President, estate owners and other stakeholders. He said estate owners agreed to a Rs. 200 wage increase, while the Government agreed to provide a further Rs. 200 daily attendance incentive. He noted that around 100,000 plantation workers would benefit and that Rs. 5,000 million had been allocated for the measure. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister of Labour requested one minute to clarify matters raised by Hon. Nizam Kariapper regarding plantation workers’ wages. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj JJB AI summary Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj supported the Second Reading of the 2026 Budget, highlighting the Government’s decision to raise plantation workers’ daily wage to Rs. 1,750, including a Rs. 200 basic wage increase and a Rs. 200 Treasury-funded attendance allowance. He contrasted this with past wage struggles and previous increases under estate-sector political leadership, and challenged criticisms by Hon. Jeevan Thondaman regarding the wage measure. He also noted Budget allocations for estate-region infrastructure, including water supply, roads, transport, and tourism development, and thanked the President and Government on behalf of plantation workers. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Sunil Rajapaksha JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Rajapaksha defended the Government’s second Budget, arguing it was designed to rebuild an economy and society weakened by the previous administration and to improve living standards. He said the Government had reduced corruption, waste and unnecessary expenditure while prioritizing programmes such as Clean Sri Lanka, anti-drug efforts, support for MSMEs, social protection, agriculture, industry, entrepreneurship, tourism and the digital economy. He cited improved reserves, ratings, remittances, the current account, the budget deficit and borrowing limits as evidence of economic stabilization, and rejected Opposition claims that the economy was collapsing. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Dr. Sathiyalingam supported the 2026 Budget’s stabilisation efforts under IMF-backed fiscal management but argued that sustainable development requires equal treatment of all communities and stronger capital investment. He questioned the continued high Defence allocation of Rs. 455 billion sixteen years after the war, while education, agriculture, women and children, and social empowerment receive comparatively low allocations. He urged the release of lands held by state agencies in post-war areas, rehabilitation of tanks, support for SMEs, and targeted investment, port development, and tourism promotion in the Northern Province, including use of Indian assistance for Kankesanthurai Port. He also called for the Clean Sri Lanka programme to address corruption, drugs, racism, and alleged ethnic and language-based discrimination by state departments. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Anushka Thilakarathne, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Anushka Thilakarathne defended the Government’s second Budget, rejecting Opposition claims that it lacks coherence or fails to meet promises, and said it is aligned with the NPP policy declaration, “A Prosperous Country — A Beautiful Life.” She cited the President’s six stated goals, including inclusive growth, export diversification, debt sustainability, rural poverty eradication, and digitization, and highlighted rural road development, education reforms, and anti-corruption claims as evidence of implementation. She also referred to the plantation community’s historical struggles and said the Government had increased plantation workers’ wages by Rs. 1,750, presenting this as part of its commitment to uplift estate workers. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Susantha Dodawatta defended the Government’s second Budget, arguing that it reflects fiscal discipline and restored macroeconomic stability, citing improved revenue, reduced deficit figures, and growth in exports, remittances, tourism earnings and grants. He criticized the Opposition for lacking substantive analysis and urged policy-based debate. He highlighted Budget proposals for tourism development, including the Hamilton Canal–Negombo lagoon zone, Uva tourism clusters, upgrading state bungalows, tourism workforce training, and airport improvements, as well as measures to expand digital payments and explore data-centre revenue opportunities. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna welcomed the inclusion of her Private Member’s Proposal to introduce a contributory pension for overseas migrant workers, noting their contribution to foreign remittances. She raised concerns about human-elephant conflict in the Matale/Rattota area, citing a recent elephant death and the prolonged presence of wild elephants without an effective relocation mechanism. She requested vehicles, offices, housing and facilities for wildlife and electric-fence officers, and criticized unspent allocations and inadequate support for wildlife management. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna criticised the 2026 Budget as a continuation of IMF-aligned open-economy policies while blaming previous governments, arguing that it favours business interests over farmers, pensioners, teachers and public servants. She cited rising central government debt, falling foreign reserves, rupee depreciation and unresolved pension anomalies as evidence against claims of debt stabilization and economic relief. She demanded attention to retirees’ pension discrepancies, the difficulties faced by teachers and principals, and the situation of potato, onion and other farmers who she said are unable to sell their produce. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Shantha Padma Kumara Subasingha JJB AI summary Hon. Shantha Padma Kumara Subasingha supported the 2026 Budget, arguing that the Government had stabilized the economy, increased reserves, improved remittances, exports and investment, and presented a stronger fiscal position. He cited Budget provisions for public sector recruitment, restoration of pensions, salary increases, regularization of temporary staff, assistance to pregnant mothers, reduced fuel and electricity costs, and higher wages for plantation workers. He also highlighted allocations for Ratnapura-related development, including flood studies, the Ruwanpura Expressway and Railway, and relocation of state quarters. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna SJB AI summary Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna argued that the Government inherited an already stabilized economy and must now focus on delivering promised reforms rather than attributing delays to elections or past crises. He criticized the 2026 Budget for low implementation of previous pledges, inadequate relief for farmers, teachers, principals, graduates, and public sector groups, and for continuing IMF-linked taxation, fuel pricing, and electricity tariff policies despite earlier promises to change them. He also called for concrete action on abolishing the Executive Presidency, introducing a new Constitution, and urgently holding Provincial Council elections using the Government’s two-thirds majority if legislative changes are required. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda SLPP AI summary Chanaka Madugoda questioned the Government’s credibility in promising 75,000 jobs, citing its failure to deliver 30,000 jobs the previous year and the halting of appointments for selected Sub Inspectors of Police. He expressed the hope that at least 70–80 percent of the 2026 Budget proposals would be implemented. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB AI summary Minister Dammika Patabendi defended the 2026 Budget as a strategic economic plan rather than a forum for preferential politics, arguing that the National People’s Power Government had stabilised the economy and improved key indicators including growth, unemployment, exports, remittances, tourism earnings, revenue, and the primary surplus. He said the Budget is based on six pillars, including inclusive growth, export diversification, debt sustainability, rural poverty eradication, strengthening production, and digitalization. He highlighted proposed technology measures such as waiving government e-payment service fees from January 2026, allocating funds for data centres, AI and cloud capacity, broadband vouchers, telecom tower facilitation, an “AGNI” startup fund, and a Virtual Special Economic Zone, alongside energy-related initiatives in electrification, green hydrogen, and green ammonia. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe defended the 2026 Budget as aligned with six strategic pillars including inclusive growth, export diversification, debt sustainability, production, rural-urban equity and digitalization, while citing measures implemented in 2025 under economic stabilization constraints. He detailed proposals and allocations for public sector pensions, salary increases, regularization of temporary workers, housing and disaster loans, pension anomaly corrections, EPF/ETF and gratuity arrears in semi-state entities, and allowances for difficult schools and railway gatekeepers. He also highlighted private sector and plantation wage increases, including a proposed Rs. 5 billion allocation for a plantation attendance incentive, and referred to ongoing priorities in renewable energy, green hydrogen, government digitalization and social assistance. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe argued that Sri Lanka cannot develop or meet its debt obligations through borrowing alone without expanding domestic production and industry. He warned that the need to repay USD 6 billion next year could deepen economic decline and poverty if productive sectors are not revived. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe argued that Sri Lanka’s development requires expanding production and industrial exports, particularly through trade zones and electronics manufacturing. He cited the 400-acre Millaniya trade zone project initiated under a public-private partnership during his tenure, questioned why it was absent from the President’s development plan, and raised concern over plans to re-release the land to Dhammika Perera. He said his export strategy was grant-funded and called for at least 5,000 acres to be developed for electronics manufacturing, noting past local industrial capacity such as transformer production in the 1980s. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe argued that the 2025 Budget does not sufficiently reflect the promises made in the NPP manifesto and by the Government before taking office, including pledges on housing, worker protections, fuel and electricity prices, VAT relief, and investigations such as the Easter attacks. He said public expectations were high because the Government received its mandate amid economic collapse, but the Budget contains mostly intentions rather than concrete delivery. He urged that recovery requires specific measures to raise revenue, attract foreign direct investment, create jobs, advance technology, and expand production, warning that poverty could rise further if the economy faces another shock. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB AI summary Plans were outlined to deploy 10,000 Civil Security Department personnel to support Police duties with a special allowance, second about 5,000 personnel to the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and retain the remainder for CSD functions. The statement also proposed institutional regularization of the CSD, improved facilities, and measures to secure future employment and benefits for personnel seconded to the Police and Wildlife Department. Oral Question: Civil Security Department – Annual Income and Expenditure (Q.1113/2025) Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana asked what measures will be taken for Civil Security Department personnel who remain after secondments to the Wildlife Department and Police conclude. He noted that special duties are organized district-wise, but personnel are sometimes moved outside their districts, creating difficulties. Oral Question: Civil Security Department – Annual Income and Expenditure (Q.1113/2025) Read →