Topic
Public Finance
5,915 speeches · 726 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. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 283 |
| 2 | Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, M.P. JJB | 229 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 171 |
| 4 | Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, M.P. JJB | 167 |
| 5 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 153 |
| 6 | Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 147 |
| 7 | Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M.P. SJB | 140 |
| 8 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 135 |
| 9 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 115 |
| 10 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 92 |
Speeches
5,915 on this topic- 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 Hon. Kanchana Welipitiya JJB AI summary Hon. Kanchana Welipitiya defended the 2026 Budget and the Government’s 2025 expenditure record, arguing that implementation was delayed by local government election restrictions but that substantial work had since begun, including agricultural infrastructure projects and housing in Kegalle. He said the Government had strengthened the Treasury by reducing corruption, delivered the public sector wage increase, and halted the New Year relief pack due to Opposition complaints to the Election Commission. He also clarified that proposed vehicle imports were for state institutions and temporary use by MPs, not permits, and highlighted health-sector plans including upgraded divisional hospitals and expanded local medical coverage. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe said economic centres currently operate under inconsistent arrangements and noted unresolved audit queries relating to Rs. 1,100 million in government funds. He stated that the Government has begun regularising the centres and proposed a company structure to bring all 18 economic centres under one framework. He rejected claims that the centres were “encircled,” saying only Dambulla had such a situation due to farmers bringing produce, and added that Dambulla and Keppetipola were functioning well, citing current onion and potato prices. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake stated that he regretted a prior wrongdoing and would not elaborate further. Referring to the Budget debate, he said that while the Government may praise its measures, Opposition Members have a role in identifying shortcomings, and he urged ministers not to respond to criticism by filing cases or making CID complaints against him. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake criticised the implementation of the 2025 Budget, citing capital expenditure progress of only 24 per cent. Referring to the 2026 Budget Speech, he urged the President to allocate funds through Ministers and MPs, assign clear responsibilities, and ensure implementation achieves at least 90 per cent capital expenditure progress in the coming year. He also briefly referred to public criticism regarding a “doctor” travelling Business Class, but said that matter was not his focus. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake criticized the Government’s anti-narcotics campaign, citing arrests linked to local councillors’ family members and calling for investigations into their assets and bank accounts, while questioning the timing of an IGP circular restricting publication of suspect photos and investigation details. He argued that the 2025 Budget had poor implementation, claiming many proposals were not carried out, capital expenditure progress was low, and several allocations in Anuradhapura-related projects showed little or no progress. He also said promised relief measures, such as a New Year relief pack, were not delivered, while large direct transfers such as funding for SriLankan Airlines were recorded as full progress despite not representing grassroots development. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake stated that the previous remarks were not incorrect and that he was adding to them. He referred to a similar Budget presentation on 28 October 2016, noting that a proposal had been brought to reduce the VAT threshold. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake objected to Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe selectively citing him or his side as examples and referred to earlier comments on VAT. He appeared to dispute the Minister’s characterization and sought to clarify his position in the context of the VAT discussion. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe said the Government would continue strengthening the economy during 2026–2028 while reducing the cost of living and supporting farmers. He noted that implementation of the 2025 Budget had been limited to about six months due to late passage and elections, and that pending capital projects were at tender, procurement, or negotiating committee stages, with efforts planned to maximize execution in the next two months. He urged the Opposition to engage substantively in the Budget debate and argued that the Budget was intended to benefit the whole country. 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. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe began to speak on the strategic objectives of the 2026 Budget and requested that his remarks be kept on record. The exchange was interrupted when the Chair addressed another Member, ruling that Hon. Archchuna’s point of order was not valid. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe responded to Opposition criticisms of the Government’s economic programme, development plans, and second Budget, arguing that some claims were unfounded. He said the Government had modified and was implementing IMF-related understandings, and noted that a U.S. travel-related statement on Sri Lanka had been corrected. He invited the Opposition to debate the Budget’s policy points and proposals substantively, while rejecting allegations relating to corruption campaigns, vehicle sales, and other claims. Adjourned Debate on Budget Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 10 November 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe briefly opened his contribution on the second day of the Budget Debate, stating his intention to participate. The Chair indicated that he could be granted an additional ten minutes if required. 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 Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe said that his side had not had the opportunity since 1994 to implement policies associated with earlier leaders such as D.S. Senanayake, Dudley Senanayake, John Kotelawala, J.R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa, Gamini Dissanayake, and Lalith Athulathmudali. He stated that, from the Opposition, they would assist the Government and offer an export strategy developed with grant support, before being interrupted as his allotted time had ended. 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 Sri Lanka had been returned to macroeconomic normalcy before the present Government assumed office, citing the 2024 Annual Economic Review and World Bank assessments on inflation, growth, exchange rates, Central Bank independence, debt restructuring and reforms. He said the Government’s Budget followed IMF parameters too closely and should give greater attention to poverty, Aswesuma applicants and households vulnerable to economic shocks. He criticized Ministers for remarks about welfare applicants, for discouraging protests despite previously opposing development projects, and for allegedly using policing, prosecutions and political lists as tools of retaliation. He also questioned the Government’s handling of Sri Lanka’s international image, referring to a US travel advisory and the President’s comments at the UN in the context of tourism promotion. 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 criticized the Government’s implementation capacity, claiming that overall expenditure execution was only about 15 percent and that some items had virtually no spending. He cited numerous resignations of officials from state institutions as evidence of administrative failure, tabling a list of 26 resigned officers, while contrasting this with his experience in previous ministries where he said public officials were effectively managed. He argued that the issue lay not with the public service but with Government leadership, which he described as unable to work constructively with officials. 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 criticized the Government’s implementation record following the previous Budget, saying proposed legal reforms, including laws on inter-institutional information exchange, investment protection, and amendments to the Paddy Marketing Board Act, had not been enacted. He argued that several budget allocations for education modernization, scholarships, vocational training, sports, tourism promotion, and beneficiary empowerment had seen little or partial expenditure, describing unspent public funds as a failure of administration. He urged the Speaker and Government to ensure that presented Bills and allocated development funds are acted on promptly rather than remaining unimplemented. 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 →