Topic
Infrastructure
2,546 speeches · 378 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 | 137 |
| 2 | Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 105 |
| 3 | Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, M.P. JJB | 83 |
| 4 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 76 |
| 5 | Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 62 |
| 6 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 47 |
| 7 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 46 |
| 8 | Hon. Ajith P. Perera, M.P. SJB | 43 |
| 9 | Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena, M.P. JJB | 36 |
| 10 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 34 |
Speeches
2,546 on this topic- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu JJB AI summary Kanthasamy Prabu supported Budget 2026 allocations for developing the Valaichchenai Fisheries Harbour, noting earlier requests for expansion, lighting, and facilities, and asked the Fisheries Minister to consider a feasibility study for a new harbour at Palchenai in Vakarai to assist deep-sea fishers facing long travel, rough seas, low incomes, and inadequate berthing space. He also requested safety measures for inland fishers affected by crocodile and elephant attacks, increased support for fingerling production, livelihood assistance, and fishing gear. Addressing science, technology, and the digital economy allocations, he urged district-level vocational and multidisciplinary training, improved Vidatha Resource Centres, and support for youth inventors, entrepreneurs, and researchers, while also calling for protection of Batticaloa antiquity sites to promote tourism. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe emphasized the economic importance of the fisheries sector in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and called for improved harbour infrastructure, particularly the completion of coastal protection works and operationalization of the Oluvil Fisheries Harbour. He argued that making the harbour functional would support deep-sea fishing, exports, local livelihoods, and national income. He also requested urgent compensation and relief for fishers in Ampara District affected by the 2024 floods and the ongoing flooding, noting damage to boats and fishing gear in areas including Pottuvil, Akkaraipattu, Thirukkovil, Oluvil, and Addalaichenai. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah SLMC AI summary Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah welcomed the Rs. 350 million allocation in the 2026 Budget for expanding the Valaichchenai Fisheries Harbour, noting its importance to fishers in Batticaloa and Ampara, and urged continued investment in fisheries safety, equipment, inland fisheries support, housing, water, education, and healthcare. He requested specific facilities including an ice factory at Oluvil, anchorage and fishermen’s village facilities around Ullai and Kattukalai, surveys and support for fishing areas in Pottuvil, a jetty at Manchanthoduwai, and a bund across Meeravodai in Ottamavadi. He also urged the Digital Economy and Science and Technology Ministries to prioritize the Eastern Province by improving broadband and fibre connectivity, establishing innovation and advanced technology centres in Batticaloa, and expanding startup incubation, ICT training, BPO, and IT service centres to create employment. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam highlighted the dependence of North and East communities on fisheries, agriculture and livestock, and thanked the Government and Eastern Province Governor for progressing funding for a bridge between Kaluvankeni and Punnakkuda to assist fishers during the monsoon. He said decisions from a District Development Committee meeting on fisheries had not been implemented, particularly the request for marine-grade beacon lights at key coastal locations to guide small boats returning offshore. He noted that only inadequate solar lights had been received despite claims of funding, and sought fulfilment of the State Minister’s assurance to provide proper beacon lights. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB AI summary Hon. Hector Appuhamy urged more equitable allocations for fisheries, arguing that the Puttalam District and lagoon-based fisheries had been neglected despite their contribution to livelihoods and foreign exchange. He called for tax relief on boats, engines, nets, fuel and other inputs, improved disaster and emergency rescue systems including ambulance-type high-speed boats and helicopter support, and action on a missing fisher from Halawatha. He also requested a phased approach rather than an immediate ban on tractors with winches used by stake-net operators, a fundamental redesign of the proposed fisher pension scheme, better export market mechanisms, and fisheries infrastructure development across all coastal regions rather than selected areas. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Chithral Fernando proposed digitizing Parliament alongside the digital economy agenda, arguing that Hansards, Gazettes, and other parliamentary documents should be distributed electronically to reduce waste. He sought clarification on the Fisheries Ministry’s Rs. 100 million allocation for satellite-based oceanographic information, urging the Government to seek Indian ISRO support for systems such as NavIC and GAGAN to improve fisher safety, rescue coordination, and identification of fishing grounds. He also asked the Fisheries Minister whether a requested report on banning winches in stake-net fishing had been submitted, and called for a grace period while alternatives are developed. He further raised concerns over an alleged illegal rice import linked to a private entity using the name “United Nations Human Rights Organization,” calling for enforcement of licensing laws, release of the full audio recording, and clear answers regarding the relevant container and impact on local paddy farmers. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) Chrishantha Abeysena - Minister of Science and Technology JJB AI summary The Minister outlined the Ministry’s first-year work to develop and implement a national research and development policy across 14 institutions, with coordination across other ministries and approximately Rs. 21 billion in science and technology-related public allocations. He said national research priorities, expert committees, a common evaluation framework, a research management MIS, ethical governance mechanisms, and a commercialization policy framework are being developed to improve transparency, coordination, and outcomes. He also detailed the revival of the Vidatha programme, including Cabinet-approved strategic planning, increased allocations from Rs. 902.8 million in 2025 to Rs. 1,151 million, and plans to upgrade 73 resource centres into mini-incubation centres to support small industries in collaboration with relevant ministries. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir argued that digitalization should begin with practical access points such as schools, local authorities and Divisional Secretariats, ensuring smart classroom initiatives reach all students and the public is properly informed. He questioned how the previous year’s reported Rs. 3,000 million allocation for digitalization was spent and noted that local authority revenue functions such as stall rent, Stamp Duty and court fees remain undigitalized. He also raised concern that local authorities are spending large sums on private digital systems, calling for better coordination and accountability. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir urged the Government to allocate funds to rehabilitate and develop the Oluvil Harbour for fisheries, noting its importance to deep-sea vessel owners in Sainthamaruthu and Kalmunai and the potential benefit to more than 25,000 people. He said fishers affected by the 2024 floods and rough seas had still not received relief, and called for support during seasonal rough-sea periods, preservation facilities at Eastern landing sites, and delivery of long-promised landing sites in areas such as Kinniya. He also requested restoration of the non-functional Sainthamaruthu telecommunications tower and provision of satellite connectivity for deep-sea fishers to improve safety and reduce costly search-and-rescue operations. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Chandima Hettiaratchi JJB AI summary Hon. Chandima Hettiaratchi defended the Government’s digital economy allocations and progress, citing completed physical implementation of GovPay, Lanka Government Network 2.0, Lanka Government Cloud 2.0, AI upgrades to the State Information Center, cybersecurity initiatives, and work on a National Data Exchange. He said the Government was open to further parliamentary and public discussion on digital transformation and Digital ID, while also noting progress on a National Science Policy and research commercialization. On fisheries, he argued that fuel prices had fallen compared with the previous administration and highlighted digital support for fishing vessels, satellite-based fish field intelligence, and a Beruwala slipway project intended to support boat owners and foreign exchange earnings. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC AI summary G.G. Ponnambalam marked Prabhakaran’s birth anniversary and argued that political actors, including the JVP, have had to acknowledge Tamil nationalist history to engage with the North and East. He criticized fisheries policy in the North and East, saying post-war revival has been inadequate, Mayiliddy Harbour development has not benefited local small-scale fishers, Indian bottom trawling remains unresolved, and sea cucumber leases should prioritize local communities over politically connected outsiders. He urged the Fisheries Minister to ensure development first benefits war-affected local fishers and called for stronger action with India. He also proposed a holistic digital economy strategy for the North and East, citing Jaffna’s IT graduates, diaspora links, lower costs, land availability, and potential for tech parks, startups, and cross-border partnerships with South India. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Rathna Gamage - Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Rathna Gamage outlined the Fisheries Ministry’s 2026 budget allocations, stating that nearly Rs. 15 billion, including funds through the Budget, restructuring support and Provincial Councils, would support harbour development, landing sites, distressed state entities and post-harvest loss reduction. He said the Government aims to modernize fisheries as a production-sector industry, improve fisher livelihoods, increase fish consumption toward nutritional targets, and expand value-added exports, while addressing inherited problems in harbours and state institutions. He also noted fuel assistance provided to fishers, planned investments in northern and eastern facilities, and increased funding for inland fisheries alongside initiatives such as the “Aqua Planet - Sri Lanka, International Expo 2025.” Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper raised concerns about fisheries livelihoods in Trincomalee, urging the Fisheries Minister to meet 1,845 families affected by a cage fishing agreement with Global Ceylon Seafoods and to provide either alternative fishing opportunities or an alternative site for the company rather than cash relief. He also called for urgent action in Kalmunai and Karaithivu–Mavadippalli following early monsoon impacts, including bridge and railing works and dry-ration relief for affected fishers. Addressing the Digital Economy portfolio, he highlighted problems in immigration digitization, proposed a secure online mechanism to check travel bans, and called for better EV charging infrastructure and updated legal frameworks for international digital payments and taxation. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Chathura Galappaththi SJB AI summary Hon. Chathura Galappaththi emphasized that achieving a US$15 billion digital economy requires moving beyond basic digitization to full digitalization of state processes, with all ministries aligned under a common vision. He specifically urged end-to-end digitization of public procurement within the next year to address corruption concerns, and cited stalled digital initiatives in the justice and railway sectors as evidence that ministerial interest is not translating into administrative action. He also called for capacity building across ministry IT units, procurement rules that allow capable SME technology firms to bid, stronger commercialization support for startups, and a targeted strategy with tax incentives to attract foreign venture capital and entrepreneurs to Sri Lanka. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Thanura Dissanayake JJB AI summary Hon. Thanura Dissanayake outlined the Government’s digital transformation agenda during the Budget Head debate, emphasizing the need to align policy, infrastructure and human capital with global technological change. He cited initiatives including GovPay, rural connectivity expansion through 100 communication towers annually, data protection reforms, Digital Economy Month, and a target of a US$15 billion digital economy by 2030. He also referred to power sector reforms to support data centres, startup and fintech events, the planned rollout of Sri Lanka’s Unified Digital Identity by Q3 2026, and digital systems for transport payments and President’s Fund access through Divisional Secretariats. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Eranga Weeraratne - Deputy Minister of Digital Economy JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister outlined the Digital Economy Ministry’s 2026 Budget-related programme, citing over Rs. 25.5 billion in investment and a Cabinet-approved Digital Economy Blueprint to coordinate digitization across government. He highlighted expanded GovPay services, proposed removal of payment gateway commissions for government e-payments from 1 January 2026, a LankaQR relaunch with temporary zero merchant fees, and use of digital payment histories for credit scoring. He also reported progress on government cloud modernization, digitized civil certificates for overseas Sri Lankans, President’s Fund applications, the JICA-supported digital terrestrial television transition, rural connectivity towers, school connectivity and broadband support for low-income students. He announced a 5G spectrum auction scheduled for 23 December targeting over Rs. 9 billion, with measures to support competition and infrastructure sharing. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan ITAK AI summary Hon. Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan argued that the 2026 allocation to the Digital Economy Ministry is insufficient for Sri Lanka’s stated digital transformation goals and called for a whole-of-government approach rather than piecemeal digitization. Citing examples from South Korea, India, Japan, the United States and China, he urged integrated digital public infrastructure, security-by-design for SLUDI, stronger central coordination, policy stability, and investment in broadband, skills and digital inclusion. He proposed a four-pillar roadmap covering governance and accountability, trust and inclusion, interoperable public services, and economic acceleration through infrastructure, FinTech clarity and global expertise, with the aim of achieving a USD 15 billion digital economy by 2030. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources JJB AI summary The Minister said the fisheries sector is being treated as a key area for economic recovery, with emphasis on modernizing fleets, expanding deep-sea activity, and shifting toward aquaculture, mariculture, and value addition. He noted past fuel support of Rs. 2.3 billion during the crisis, but said permanent subsidies are a broader policy issue and that fishers should become more productive rather than dependent on transfers. He outlined Budget 2026 allocations for harbour development, inland fisheries, life-saving equipment, post-harvest loss reduction, satellite communications, and projects in Kankesanthurai and Myliddy. He also addressed coastal protection, local canned fish production, salt supply concerns, a national fisheries exhibition, and ongoing efforts to resolve beach-seine-related issues around Negombo. Debate: Appropriation Bill, 2026 - Committee Stage, Sixteenth Allotted Day Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB AI summary Bimal Rathnayake said the remaining 2 km of an access road would be completed and that improvements to the road and online facilities were already being addressed. He acknowledged that ensuring train punctuality remains a major challenge and said efforts are being made to improve it. He also commended railway staff for helping an A/L student reach an examination on time and a resident who helped prevent a level-crossing accident between Kurunegala and Muttetugala. Oral Questions: Second Round - Colombo-Mannar Train Service and Related Questions Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA AI summary Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan argued that unreliable train punctuality reduces public transport patronage and that improved train services would attract more passengers. He requested that the bus service be continued in the interim, stating that it would be better used once train punctuality improves. Oral Questions: Second Round - Colombo-Mannar Train Service and Related Questions Read →