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- 6 May 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella supported the Second Reading of the Rescues, Rehabilitation and Insolvency Bill, noting that it repeals the 1853 Insolvency Ordinance and is intended to provide restructuring and relief mechanisms, particularly for MSMEs affected by the economic crisis and tax changes. She stressed that the Bill’s objectives depend on timely implementation, especially the establishment of the Insolvency Regulatory Authority and merit-based appointments to its key posts. She criticized delays in activating statutory bodies and raised concerns about political appointments, citing an alleged USD 2.5 million public funds fraud and calling for accountability and proper appointment procedures. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. R.M. Jayawardhana - Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister supported the Bill to create a modern rescue, rehabilitation and insolvency framework, arguing that the current liquidation-focused regime destroys businesses, jobs and entrepreneurial capacity. He said the Bill would provide structured, time-bound mechanisms such as dialogue, restructuring plans and administrative intervention, including an initial 60-day rehabilitation window, to preserve viable enterprises. He linked the need for reform to the impact of Covid-19, the 2022 economic crisis, and pressures on MSMEs, and argued that the legislation would strengthen domestic and foreign investor confidence by aligning Sri Lanka with international insolvency practices. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Chithral Fernando linked the insolvency debate to broader concerns about alleged mismanagement of public funds, citing the SJB’s Supreme Court fundamental rights case and the recent USD 2.5 million cross-border payment incident. He questioned why Parliament was not promptly informed despite reported Central Bank warnings and conflicting official explanations, arguing that Parliament’s control over public finance and COPF’s mandate over public debt and debt service required disclosure. He also raised concerns about the impact on public confidence in digital banking and called on the Government to acknowledge any mistakes and provide transparent information. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Bhagya Sri Herath supported the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill, describing it as a necessary reform that replaces outdated insolvency approaches with court-supervised restructuring, administrators, and business reorganization options to preserve viable firms and jobs. He noted that the Opposition had not objected to the Bill, while criticizing Opposition claims about political interference in the public service and raising past employment practices. He also defended the Government’s housing policy, stating that priority is being given to completing unfinished housing units, resolving land and title issues, and building 50,000 houses in the year. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi welcomed the new insolvency legislation as a comprehensive reform of an outdated framework, noting its creation of an Independent Insolvency Regulatory Authority and new procedures for personal bankruptcy and MSMEs, while acknowledging contributions by current and former ministers. He urged the Justice Minister to proceed with delayed criminal and civil law reforms. He also raised concerns about stalled annual transfers in the public service, naming several officials and citing a specific case of non-compliance, and requested that they be summoned before the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committee. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra rejected claims that the Government had supported the Neelagama incident and accused the Opposition of misinformation, before addressing the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill. He said the Bill modernizes Sri Lanka’s insolvency framework, drawing on older domestic laws and international models, to help viable businesses, especially MSMEs, restructure after shocks rather than face liquidation. Citing crises such as the war, Easter attacks, Covid-19, debt distress and supply chain disruptions, he argued the legislation would protect jobs, preserve asset value and prevent unnecessary business closures, and urged Members to support it. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. U.P. Abeywickrama, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. U.P. Abeywickrama supported the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill at Second Reading, stating that it modernizes outdated insolvency and company law frameworks and creates better conditions for businesses, individuals, entrepreneurs, and legal and commercial practitioners. He said the reform would contribute to economic recovery and reflected the Government’s wider efforts to stabilize the country, rebuild international confidence, and improve governance. He also criticized the Opposition over its past economic record and its response to a recent fraudulent foreign remittance incident involving the Ministry of Finance, while emphasizing the Government’s engagement with public officials and salary increases for public servants. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran linked the debate to the Tamil community’s continued demands for justice, remembrance of civilians killed in the war, political detainees, and missing persons, and appealed to the international community for accountability. Addressing the Bill on rescuing and rehabilitating distressed enterprises and individuals, he welcomed its objective of reviving MSMEs and protecting jobs, but urged that its procedures be equally accessible to MSMEs and individuals in the Vanni and other affected regions. He cited the exclusion of broadcast-seeded paddy cultivation from relevant agricultural and insurance circulars as an example of regional neglect, and called for the Bill’s implementation to ensure regional equity, awareness, and access. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Sarath Kumara, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Sarath Kumara supported the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill at its Second Reading, arguing that existing insolvency laws are inadequate in light of the sharp rise in non-performing loans and the impact of the economic crisis. He said the Bill would shift the legal framework from creditor-focused enforcement toward business rescue, restructuring, orderly liquidation, job protection, and improved creditor recoveries. He highlighted standstill provisions and relief from pressures such as parate enforcement as measures to help debtors and entrepreneurs re-enter economic activity, while linking the reform to restoring investor confidence and economic recovery. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns over the Sports Ministry preventing Sri Lanka’s junior volleyball teams from attending the CAVA championship, delays in restoring upcountry railway services, and alleged government statements undermining the judiciary. He called for implementation of the Budget promise to make eligible casual workers permanent, changes to women police recruitment age and qualification criteria, and reconsideration of the digital ID project involving an Indian company. He also demanded investigations into land permit renewal delays and alleged corruption, publication of beneficiary lists for government loan and housing claims, and urged that Neville Fernando Hospital remain under Health Ministry oversight rather than be transferred to the Air Force. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe - Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe defended the Government’s approach to public administration and disaster-resilient housing, stating it would protect lawful public officers and build 20,000 homes for people affected by floods and landslides. He said the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill modernizes the 1853 Insolvency Ordinance by prioritizing rescue and rehabilitation before insolvency, with particular relevance to SMEs affected by recent crises and parate action. He outlined provisions including an Insolvency Regulatory Authority, structured repayment and turnaround plans, insolvency practitioners, possible use of District or Commercial Courts, relief for smaller loans and individuals, protection from perpetual credit blacklisting, and standstill periods before parate enforcement. He argued the framework would help viable businesses recover, preserve jobs and supply chains, and attract capital to distressed enterprises. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage - Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports JJB AI summary The Minister supported the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill, stating that it would help revive failing businesses, facilitate efficient liquidation where necessary, and create better opportunities for entrepreneurs affected by insolvency or external economic factors. He also criticised the Opposition for not engaging with the Bill’s substance. Separately, he outlined concerns about the decline of Sri Lankan cricket and said he had appointed an Interim Cricket Committee, chaired by Eran Wickramaratne and including former cricketers such as Sidath Wettimuny, Kumar Sangakkara, and Roshan Mahanama, to reform Sri Lanka Cricket and strengthen the sport’s future. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahuman raised concerns during debate on the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill about the alleged disappearance of about USD 2.5 million from the Treasury and questioned why the Opposition was denied adequate time to debate it. He demanded that the President, as Minister of Finance, make a statement to Parliament, and questioned the delay in referring the matter to the CID, the interdiction of junior officers, and the role of the Finance Ministry Secretary. He also alleged inconsistencies surrounding the death of Ranga Rajapaksha, criticized premature statements describing it as suicide, and said the Justice Minister had misled Parliament regarding whether the family had lodged a complaint. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB AI summary The Minister said the Government would not introduce certain proposed Committee Stage amendments at that time because the Attorney-General had advised that some changes could not be accommodated immediately. He thanked the Chair of the Committee on Public Finance for convening it quickly and stated that the Committee would be reconvened soon to reconsider Members’ proposals and bring any necessary amendment later. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva sought clarification from the Minister on whether two proposals submitted by the Committee on Public Finance, following consultations with 15 stakeholder groups, would be incorporated at Committee Stage. He specifically asked whether the Bill’s 60-day period for MSMEs to negotiate with creditors and present a restructuring plan to court would be amended to 180 days, as proposed by the Committee, instead of relying on extensions through court orders. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB AI summary The Minister moved the Second Reading of a new insolvency and rescue Bill, describing it as a comprehensive reform to replace Sri Lanka’s outdated Insolvency Ordinance and amend related provisions in the Companies Act and Inland Revenue Act. He argued that the current liquidation-focused framework lacks effective restructuring options for companies, partnerships and individuals, contributing to disorderly recoveries, non-performing loans and loss of business value. The Bill would introduce rescue and insolvency procedures, creditor participation, moratoria, regulated insolvency professionals, a Regulatory Authority, and special mechanisms for MSMEs and “no assets, no income” debtors. He urged Parliament to support the Bill, citing international models and technical assistance, including from the IMF and World Bank. Debate: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency (Corporate and Personal) Bill - Second Reading Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB AI summary The Prime Minister presented the Telecommunication Levy (Amendment) Bill to amend the Telecommunication Levy Act, No. 21 of 2011, and the Finance (Amendment) Bill to amend the Finance Act, No. 35 of 2018. Both Bills were ordered to be printed, scheduled for Second Reading on 20 May 2026, and referred to the Committee on Public Finance. Bills Presented Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka JJB AI summary Hon. Anura Karunathilaka said no final decision had been reached on SriLankan Airlines’ future business model, with discussions continuing on options such as public-private partnership, management arrangements or continued State ownership. He detailed the airline’s debt position, Cabinet-approved debt settlement arrangements, payments to State banks, projected Treasury outflows, and outstanding sovereign bond liabilities. He also clarified that ground handling remains under SriLankan Airlines, while SriLankan Catering has separate audited accounts, and outlined recent profitability, route management, load factor, staffing and passenger-share data. He stated that bonuses paid in 2025 were reduced and justified on industrial relations grounds, and that they did not conflict with the IMF programme. Questions under Standing Order 27(2) and Points of Order Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake sought clarification on whether the Cabinet had approved a definite course of action, specifically through a strategic partnership or a public-private partnership model. The intervention pressed for a direct answer on the approved policy pathway. Questions under Standing Order 27(2) and Points of Order Read →
- 6 May 2026 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Minister of Energy JJB AI summary The Minister stated that SriLankan Airlines’ restructuring process has progressed with the completion of the Rs. 91.3 billion State bank loan restructuring, including a Rs. 25.2 billion payment in December 2025 to Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank, with further Government capital payments scheduled twice yearly until 2030. He said the USD 175 million sovereign bond guarantee is being restructured and is expected to be completed by end-2026. He acknowledged the Auditor-General’s concern over the airline’s going concern status, noting continued Government support but said the Government does not intend to continue operations in the current form and is discussing a viable business model with the Treasury and potential investors. Questions under Standing Order 27(2) and Points of Order Read →