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- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Upul Kithsiri JJB AI summary Proposed amendments to the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, are presented as necessary to identify ultimate beneficial ownership of companies and strengthen safeguards against money laundering, terrorism financing, and other unlawful activity. The speech links the reforms to improving investor confidence and international recognition, citing past legal gaps, opaque company ownership, delays in land allocation, approval-related corruption, and banking obstacles faced by investors. It also refers to recent government action on market issues such as rice, salt, and vehicle imports as part of a broader claim that the administration is removing barriers to economic development. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. B. Ariyawansha SJB AI summary Hon. B. Ariyawansha supported the Companies (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would help address past practices such as importing caraway and pepper for re-export, which he said disadvantaged local farmers. He highlighted the sharp decline in Sri Lanka’s pepper harvest and the resulting hardship for farmers in districts including Ratnapura, Matara, Monaragala, Kandy, and Matale. He called for a targeted programme through agricultural and export development institutions to provide technology, fertilizer, agro-chemicals, and knowledge transfer to improve pepper yields and increase foreign exchange earnings. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana stated that Sri Lanka’s economy is showing signs of recovery, citing a 101% increase in FDI during the first six months and 4.8% GDP growth in the first quarter. He referred to Bloomberg’s projection that GDP could return to 2018 levels by 2026 and noted the Central Bank Governor’s expectation of similar second-quarter growth, with a target of 5% growth for the year. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Hon. Roshan Akmeemana said the Government’s priorities are economic stabilization and growth, alongside action against fraud and corruption. He linked the Companies Act amendment to the earlier Proceeds of Crime Act, stating that it would close loopholes allowing illicit funds to be laundered through companies by requiring disclosure of beneficial ownership and real interests. He also cited economic indicators, including increased government revenue, higher remittances, and targets to reduce poverty by 2027 and eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath supported the amendments to the Companies Act, No. 07 of 2007, stating that they implement FATF Recommendation 24 on beneficial ownership by requiring companies to disclose their true share owners. He argued that the measure is necessary to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and corruption, and said it would improve Sri Lanka’s legal credibility and investment climate by assuring transparency for lawful investors. He noted that concerns about applicability to foreign companies had been raised before the Supreme Court and said the amendments followed discussion and consensus without evidence of adverse impact on investors. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Rathnasiri disputed Opposition claims about Port Authority land in Trincomalee being used for a solar project, stating that approval had been granted on 01.07.2023 under the previous administration. He also defended the formation of youth clubs under “A Tomorrow for Youth” and alleged past misuse of National Youth Services Council and election-period funds by political opponents. He argued that the Government had prioritised economic recovery and rule of law by passing several legal reforms, including criminal procedure, proceeds of crime, foreign judgments, and Companies Act amendments, and linked these measures to improved tourism, remittances, and foreign investment prospects. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha stated that importers had violated existing regulations and were seeking an amendment to the Gazette to regularize earlier irregularities. He said the Government was investigating past documentation issues, including vehicles released subject to post-audit, and had ordered the relevant audits. He argued that amending the Gazette to permit release would amount to changing the law to accommodate a breach, which he said was not feasible. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahman challenged the Minister’s claim that a required cancellation document had not been submitted, citing the Controller General of Imports and Exports as saying the issue was the need to amend the relevant Gazette. He argued that importers had submitted all required documents but that releases remained blocked because of the Gazette-related problem. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahman raised concerns over differing customs duty treatment for BYD ATTO 3 electric vehicles, stating that new imports were declared at 100 kW and charged Rs. 5.5 million while used vehicles were treated as 150 kW and charged Rs. 9.5–10 million, despite BYD listing the model at 150 kW. He questioned whether the lower duty treatment indicated improper links between importers and the government, and urged the Minister and government to release 500–600 vehicles reportedly stuck at the port after payment in foreign currency. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahman raised concerns over imported vehicles held at Hambantota Port, stating that importers are incurring demurrage and need a clear decision to either release the vehicles or return them. He questioned current vehicle pricing and Customs’ reclassification of certain hybrid vehicles, such as WagonR units, as petrol vehicles, which he said has increased duties from about Rs. 3.5 million to Rs. 4 million. He urged the Minister to urgently engage with importers and provide a resolution. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahman, speaking during the Companies (Amendment) Bill debate, raised concerns over the halted release of imported vehicles at Hambantota Port. He said around 600–700 vehicles have been held by Customs since 27 May 2025 over a “cross-border” issue, despite importers claiming the practice has operated since 2013 and imports were permitted under Gazette No. 2428/07. He asked why the Government has not resolved the matter or made a decision, noting that dollar payments have already been made and only Customs duty and release remain. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake urged that proposed measures be relaxed until key state and trade-related systems, including e-filing, the Registrar of Companies, ASYCUDA and Sri Lanka Customs, are sufficiently online and functional. He argued that the priority should be building an effective system rather than merely raising revenue, and called for collective effort to strengthen the economy. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake urged the Government to reconsider the handling of the SVAT system, arguing that manual intervention and VAT cash-flow burdens could undermine exporters’ profitability and competitiveness. He warned that without appropriate tax relief, especially for SMEs, businesses may be weakened or relocate overseas, and asked the Minister to address these concerns. He also defended continuation of the IMF-supported open economic policy framework, crediting earlier reforms and recent economic stabilization efforts for enabling current operations. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake argued that earlier implementation of reforms such as BOO schemes, commercialization or privatization of SriLankan Airlines, and other policy changes could have addressed current economic pressures. He called for dedicated support for exporters and protection for consumers, citing high taxes, interest rates, utility costs, transport costs, wage increases, and land and property taxes as burdens on SMEs and entrepreneurs. He urged the Government to create space for business activity while noting the need to raise Rs. 5 trillion for expenditure under the new fiscal framework and warning of payment difficulties if fiscal discipline is not sustained. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised concerns over the Companies Registrar’s malfunctioning online system, questioning vendor arrangements and urging a stable, scalable platform to restore faster company registration and improve ease of doing business. He also warned that proposed Foreign Exchange Act and Companies Act provisions on outward investment limits and beneficial ownership could deter foreign investors if applied impractically. He called for more economically rational policies on renewable energy, LNG procurement, trade agreements, market access, para-tariffs, and infrastructure project delays, arguing that economic management should be driven by cost, investment, and competitiveness rather than political considerations. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Anushka Thilakarathne, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Anushka Thilakarathne referred to Supreme Court rulings that fundamental rights were violated by the Emergency Regulations imposed in July 2022 during the Aragalaya period. Supporting the Companies (Amendment) Bill, she said it would close loopholes, align Sri Lanka with international standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, and allow requested public access to beneficial ownership information. She cited concerns about foundations and trusts allegedly used to launder funds, and argued that improved public trust in government had contributed to increased tax registrations. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana - Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister supported amendments to the Companies Act to strengthen company registration procedures by identifying beneficial ownership, control, and connected parties. He said the reforms address money laundering and terrorism financing risks, align Sri Lanka more fully with FATF Recommendation 24, and should improve rather than deter investment by increasing transparency and regulatory stability. He also responded to concerns about the Registrar of Companies website outage, stating it occurred during a service transition back to the Ministry, was under investigation, and had been rectified after about 10 days. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Nimal Palihena JJB AI summary Hon. Nimal Palihena supported the amendments to the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, stating that they are intended to identify ultimate beneficial owners of companies and align Sri Lanka with international standards, including FATF Recommendation 24. He argued that stronger powers for the Registrar of Companies to obtain, maintain, and refer information are needed to prevent misuse of corporate structures for money laundering, terror financing, and unclear ownership. He said mandatory filings and beneficial ownership disclosure would improve public trust, investor confidence, and orderly business regulation, and requested cooperation to pass and implement the reforms. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 The Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage - Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports JJB AI summary Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage supported the Companies Act amendment introducing beneficial ownership disclosure, stating it would require information on directors, shareholders, beneficial owners and sources of capital to prevent fraud, money laundering and hidden unlawful interests in companies. He argued the measure aligns with the Government’s “Clean Sri Lanka” agenda and would not deter legitimate investors, but would target those unable to explain the lawful origins of their funds. He also linked the reform to improving Sri Lanka’s business environment, international benchmarks such as the World Bank’s B-READY index, and the need to improve operational efficiency in institutions including the Registrar of Companies. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 23 July 2025 Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Tourism JJB AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe defended the Government’s renewable energy tariff revision, arguing that reducing the rate from 37% to 20% was intended to balance the interests of consumers, businesses and solar investors rather than harm investors. Speaking on the Companies (Amendment) Bill, he said the amendments address gaps in the 2007 law by requiring disclosure of beneficial ownership in line with FATF Recommendation 24. He argued that stronger transparency provisions are needed to curb money laundering, terrorism financing and the black economy, and called on the Opposition to support the Bill as part of efforts to promote political and economic stability. Debate: Companies (Amendment) Bill – Second Reading Read →