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- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana defended the NPP’s formation of administrations in local authorities after the recent elections, arguing that support from independents or individual members of other parties reflected the public mandate and was not “deal politics.” He contrasted this with alleged Opposition party arrangements and disciplinary action against councillors, and said the NPP’s approach was to use democratic means to advance its political programme. He also cited economic indicators, including current account surpluses, tourism growth, remittance increases and a lower policy rate, to argue that stability and growth were emerging under the Government. He criticised Opposition figures for earlier defending Keheliya Rambukwella over the fake drug import issue and urged patience for the Government to implement its policies. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna criticized NPP MPs from Jaffna over unreleased lands, saying that as Government members they should facilitate access directly rather than petition the President, and raised complaints from unemployed University of Jaffna graduates regarding alleged unfulfilled election promises on appointments. He alleged inaction on corruption complaints involving Northern hospitals, including Jaffna Teaching Hospital and Chavakachcheri Base Hospital, and called for proper financial statements on Patients’ Welfare Society funds and donated medical equipment rather than only internal audits. He also raised concerns about deaths and alleged medical negligence at Mannar, Dickoya, and Jaffna hospitals, and described his earlier efforts at Chavakachcheri to expose missing donated equipment and inadequate hospital facilities. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera spoke in support of the government during debate on an Order under the Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act and Regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, arguing that the NPP inherited a bankrupt economy and has restored stability and reserves. He rejected Opposition claims that industries are collapsing and alleged political “deals” in local authorities, citing recent local election gains including Colombo and Galle. He criticized previous administrations for factory closures, tax concessions to associates, unpaid tax arrears, and conduct that he said damaged tourism and investment, while stating that the current government is rebuilding public and investor trust. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva objected to off-topic remarks under Standing Order 91(e) and criticised the Government for opposing key economic reform laws during the crisis, including measures on Central Bank independence, public finance, public debt and economic transformation, while now relying on those frameworks. He supported digitising tax payments but questioned a tender for 15 million polycarbonate ID cards, proposing cheaper temporary cards and legal changes if a physical card is needed alongside a Unique ID system. He argued that stabilization is insufficient without investment-led growth, called for verification of claimed FDI inflows, and raised concern over factory closures and the unresolved U.S. tariff issue before the expiry of the 90-day window. He urged the Government to prioritise jobs, incomes, investment and poverty reduction, citing Department of Census and Statistics figures that a four-member family in Colombo needs Rs. 70,328 per month to survive. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that Sri Lanka’s economic strategy should focus on export-led growth, faster investment facilitation, and practical revenue reforms to reduce debt and raise incomes. He proposed improving valuation and taxation of long-term land leases to foreigners, saying this could raise significantly more revenue than the proposed stamp duty increase without burdening Sri Lankans. He also called for fairer treatment between public and private sector workers, including EPF returns, and suggested raising migrant worker wage benchmarks to increase remittances by about USD 1 billion annually. He urged the Government to cut red tape, speed up land allocation and approvals, and use investment incentives such as tax holidays and qualifying payments to generate future revenue. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana - Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister supported the Orders and Regulations as necessary updates to outdated laws, including changes under the Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act to revise long-standing thresholds and provide additional revenue to Provincial Councils. He said easing restrictions on electric bicycles and cautiously resuming vehicle imports would support economic activity without causing a foreign exchange crisis, and argued that investor interest and business confidence indicate economic stabilization. He also rejected Opposition claims about local authority gains, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to action against corruption, and said legal reforms are needed to align old legislation with current economic plans. Debate: Stamp Duty (Special Provisions) Act Order and Imports and Exports (Control) Act Regulations Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning AI summary The Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning stated that identified gaps in the programme are being addressed to help beneficiaries integrate into economic activity. He said implementation work has begun and discussions are ongoing to further strengthen the programme. Question under Standing Order 27(2): Aswesuma Welfare Programme (Leader of Opposition) Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake said acting principals have sustained small, rural, estate-sector and border village schools for 15–20 years, despite repeated recruitment of graded principals who tend to move to urban schools. He questioned the Government on whether these acting principals would be absorbed or removed, noting that previous proposals to place them in Class III had not received Cabinet or Department of Management Services approval. He urged that they be granted Class III status at minimum, especially as their court case had been withdrawn by consent. Oral Question: Acting Principals in Government Schools (Q.Unspecified/2024) Read →
- 20 June 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake argued that the Paddy Marketing Board’s limited purchasing, around 3% of Maha season output, prevents the establishment of a fair paddy price and has allowed market distortion by large purchasers. He asked the Deputy Minister to identify the top paddy buyers and proposed using existing bank lending to support about 4,000 youth entrepreneurs, each handling 50,000 kg, as a structural solution. He urged the Government to adopt the “radical change” it has promised and take up this entrepreneurship-based approach. Oral Question: Paddy Marketing Board - Purchase of Paddy (Q.310/2024) Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Vijitha Herath JJB AI summary Vijitha Herath said that while the minimum wage had been USD 300 before 2019, subsequent shocks including the Easter Sunday attacks and COVID-19 led to an economic crisis, making recovery through remittances, tourism and exports a priority. He stated that any immediate redetermination of the minimum wage must consider reactions from relevant countries, but preliminary discussions are already under way as the economy stabilizes, with further action to follow. Ministerial Statements Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake thanked the Minister for the reply and highlighted the foreign exchange potential of tourism and worker remittances. He recalled the 2016 policy setting a US$300 minimum for migrant workers and urged the Minister to review and raise the effective minimum to about US$350, arguing that current earnings of roughly US$175–250 limit monthly remittance inflows. Ministerial Statements Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB AI summary The Minister said Sri Lanka removed the mandatory US$300 minimum monthly wage for migrant workers in 2021 and currently relies on host-country wage laws, bilateral labour agreements, contract vetting, mission monitoring, and recruitment regulation to protect workers in the Middle East. He outlined wage arrangements in Qatar and Kuwait, noted the absence of statutory minima in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and described SLBFE and embassy mechanisms for dispute resolution, complaints, blacklisting abusive employers, and repatriation support. He stated that the 2023 National Policy and Action Plan does not reintroduce a fixed outbound minimum wage, but the Ministry is open to reviewing such a mechanism through consultations. He also said SLBFE is preparing standardized wage guideline benchmarks for high-demand jobs to reduce wage theft and protect remittances. Ministerial Statements Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns about transfers within the Foreign Employment Bureau, noting that many employees from Badulla were affected because previous Ministers from the area had overseen the Bureau. He requested the Minister to ensure transfers are carried out fairly and with consideration for hardship, such as arranging nearer postings where possible and giving staff time to secure accommodation. Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Rohana Bandara raised concerns about Sri Lankan youth seeking employment in Korea, stating that some who passed required examinations had not received placements while others had, and requested ministerial attention to the issue. He also asked what measures the Government was taking to ensure the safety of approximately 20,000 Sri Lankan workers in Israel amid the Israel–Iran conflict, including whether it would intervene to evacuate them if necessary. Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB AI summary Minister Vijitha Herath stated that South Korea has no “E.S.” visa scheme and that seasonal employment is handled under the E-8 visa categories for agriculture and fisheries, including arrangements through provincial government MOUs and relatives of F-6 visa holders. He said three persons self-registered with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and departed in 2025 under the approved process, while seven unregistered jobseekers were stopped at Katunayake Airport in September 2024 for violating the SLBFE Act. The Minister added that Rs. 7,172,400 paid to Sejong World (Pvt.) Ltd. had been refunded by court order, the agency’s licence was suspended, private-sector recruitment for South Korean seasonal jobs is not permitted, and CID and Bribery Commission investigations are ongoing into visas obtained through an improperly executed MOU. Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) Read →
- 19 June 2025 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to provide year-by-year figures since 2015 for Sri Lankans who left for seasonal employment in South Korea under the E.S. visa scheme. He also sought clarification on whether an external party is now involved in the process and whether that involvement has caused inconvenience to Sri Lankan jobseekers. Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) Read →
- 18 June 2025 The Hon. Ismail Muththu Mohamed AI summary Hon. Ismail Muththu Mohamed noted the All Ceylon Makkal Congress’s performance in recent local authority elections and argued that the current local election system is flawed, citing alleged political interference in forming a council administration. He questioned whether Opposition-led councils in the North and East would receive government funding and support, stressing that local authorities need resources for roads, preschools, sanitation and livelihood development in war-affected areas. He also requested the Education Minister to issue long-delayed original certificates to over 1,000 teacher trainees from several training colleges, and called for the historic Mannar saltern to be modernized in response to the national salt shortage. Debate: Orders under Reciprocal Recognition, Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act No. 49 of 2024 Read →
- 18 June 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran urged the Government to address unemployment among Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medical graduates, noting that increased university intakes and limited public appointments have created a growing backlog. He proposed creating about 7,043 new cadre positions, including Medical Officers and Community Medical Officers, based on district population needs, and called for expedited appointments for current and upcoming graduates. He also recommended adjusting university intake to match available training resources and job opportunities, protecting traditional apprenticeship-based knowledge, and developing indigenous medicine through tourism and export links. Debate: Orders under Reciprocal Recognition, Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act No. 49 of 2024 Read →
- 18 June 2025 The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda SLPP AI summary Hon. Chanaka Madugoda supported the Orders under the Foreign Judgments Act, while noting that they apply only to civil and commercial judgments and suggesting future consideration of criminal cooperation frameworks. He questioned the exclusion of major partner countries such as China, Russia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, called for longer appeal or objection periods, and urged clearer criteria for ministerial discretion. He also argued that open voting is preferable to secret ballots in the CMC context and raised concerns about reported shift and overtime changes affecting Ceylon Petroleum Corporation workers, asking the Government to intervene. Debate: Orders under Reciprocal Recognition, Registration and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act No. 49 of 2024 Read →
- 18 June 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Under Standing Order 19(2)(a), Sajith Premadasa requested an urgent debate, with the support of more than twenty Members, on the implications of the Israel–Iran war for Sri Lanka. He highlighted concerns over the safety of 10,000–20,000 Sri Lankan workers in Israel, risks to tea exports to Iran, possible disruption to oil supplies via the Strait of Hormuz, and wider economic impacts on growth, industry, services, agriculture, and the public. He asked that Standing Orders be suspended to hold the debate immediately or the next day, and called for a formal Government position and plan rather than separate ministerial statements. Procedural: Urgent Debate Motion on Israel–Iran War (Standing Order 19) Read →