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- 9 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB AI summary Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government intends to introduce a new Constitution, but will first prioritize holding long-delayed Provincial Council Elections, particularly to restore representation in the North and East. She explained that no Budget allocation has been made for the constitutional process this year because it will begin only after those elections. She also objected to the language used by another Member and requested the Chair to address unparliamentary remarks and maintain civility in parliamentary proceedings. Oral Question: Hon. Prime Minister on University Development and Conflict Resolution Read →
- 9 April 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam requested permission to question the Prime Minister, noting that Opposition Members have limited monthly opportunities to do so. He asked whether the Government would urgently allocate funds for the preparation of a new Constitution, given that no provision for it had been made in the current year’s Budget. Oral Question: Hon. Prime Minister on University Development and Conflict Resolution Read →
- 9 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva stated that he had invited all MPs to a symposium on poverty assistance, but no Government members attended. He emphasized that the event was conducted by recognized academics and was intended to address the non-partisan need to ensure assistance reaches the poor. He said he requested that the presentation be printed and sent to the Speaker for circulation to all MPs, noting that the Committee on Public Finance holds such discussions to support national policy work rather than for political purposes. Committee Report: Committee on Public Finance (VAT and Aswesuma) Read →
- 9 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning AI summary The Deputy Minister clarified a point regarding reported inclusion and exclusion errors, noting that the Department of Census and Statistics acknowledged such errors can occur but questioned the credibility of the specific figures cited due to issues such as sample size and relevance. He placed this clarification on record. Committee Report: Committee on Public Finance (VAT and Aswesuma) Read →
- 9 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill and the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme. He said the Committee had no objection to extending or expanding Aswesuma payments, but raised concerns about significant exclusion and inclusion errors in beneficiary selection, citing survey findings and urging the Government to address them using updated household income data. He also stated that exporter groups had requested a delay in removing the SVAT system due to tariff-related pressures, but the Government did not accept the proposed deferral, leading him and Hon. Ravi Karunanayake to oppose the Bill while Government Members approved it. Papers Presented: Customs Resolution, Ministry Reports, Annual Reports Read →
- 9 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB AI summary A Resolution under Schedule “A” of the Customs Ordinance relating to Import Duties, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2421/05 of 27 January 2025, was presented and referred to the Committee on Public Finance. An order made under Section 10A of the Customs Ordinance concerning preferential and general duties on imported goods, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2421/43 of 31 January 2025, was also tabled. Papers Presented: Customs Resolution, Ministry Reports, Annual Reports Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe supported the Proceeds of Crime Bill, arguing that previous laws and COPE recommendations were not effectively implemented and that the new Government is acting urgently to recover stolen public funds. He cited alleged corruption cases including the Central Bank bond scam, MIG aircraft deal, Gin-Nilwala project, unexplained assets, and embezzlement identified in recent COPE proceedings. He linked the Bill to the Government’s election pledge and the public demand after the 2022 protests for action against theft, fraud, and corruption, stating that further laws would be introduced if necessary. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika expressed condolences over the death of Hon. Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera and said his political vision would be continued. Supporting the Bill, he argued that public demands after the 2022 bankruptcy, including the recovery of stolen assets, reflected widespread concern over corruption and unlawful enrichment by politicians. He said earlier laws were inadequate or unenforced, linked the Bill to the IMF’s 2023 governance recommendations, and stated that the Government had prioritized it as part of its policy to recover assets and address corrupt governance. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper supported the objective of the Proceeds of Crime Bill but argued that Sri Lanka already has multiple laws enabling seizure or recovery of criminal proceeds and that the main failure lies in weak implementation and justice-sector delays. He questioned whether the Bill would be effective in recovering assets linked to major controversies such as the Central Bank bond issue, Easter attacks, sugar tax losses, fertilizer payments, and overseas assets, and said he would seek evidence of actual recoveries after one year. He raised concerns that the Bill may undermine the presumption of innocence, have retrospective effects, and permit seizure of property arising from civil transactions, urging the Minister of Justice to consult the Attorney General before passage. He also briefly referred to tariff issues and criticized remarks made by Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna about Islam and Muslims. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra JJB AI summary Hon. Arun Hemachandra defended the Bill’s asset recovery provisions, stating that they are not retrospective and do not infringe fundamental rights, while enabling the freezing and recovery of property derived from earlier crimes. He cited international examples from the UK, Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, and Nigeria to support the need for conviction- and non-conviction-based recovery mechanisms and international cooperation. He argued that Sri Lanka previously lacked adequate tools to investigate unexplained wealth among politicians, officials, and others, and said the Bill would help create a healthier political culture by requiring proof of lawful acquisition. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra supported the Second Reading of the Bill, presenting it as a timely measure to recover or freeze assets derived from past wrongdoing and to strengthen accountability for unexplained wealth. He criticised the Opposition for what he described as a lack of constructive engagement, noting that they had opportunities to act between 2015 and 2019 and did not challenge the Bill in the Supreme Court. He argued that the Bill does not have retrospective effect, does not violate fundamental rights or Article 12 of the Constitution, and said the Government is prepared to conduct investigations and implement the law once enacted. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing JJB AI summary Minister Anura Karunathilaka supported the Second Reading of the Proceeds of Crime Bill, arguing that existing anti-corruption and money-laundering laws were insufficient to recover assets disguised as lawful property. He cited international investigative reports on offshore foundations, luxury assets, art collections, and alleged transactions linked to former Sri Lankan political and official figures as examples of the types of wealth the Bill is intended to address. He said public demand and international expectations had created the need for stronger legal mechanisms to investigate, seize, and recover proceeds of crime, particularly from political corruption, official abuse, narcotics, and organized crime. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake JJB AI summary Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake supported the Second Reading of the Proceeds of Crime Bill, presenting it as a key measure to recover unlawfully acquired assets and address gaps in existing legal frameworks for tackling corruption, fraud, and financial crime. He referred to alleged misuse of public assets, suspicious properties, offshore money movements, and past amnesty proposals as reasons for creating stronger powers for investigation, restraint, preservation, and management of recovered property. He highlighted provisions on disclosure of unlawful assets, expanded powers for the Bribery Commission, a specialized Police investigation division, search and digital access powers, preservation of property, establishment of a management authority, and proportionate punishment. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri supported the objective of the Proceeds of Crime Bill if it enables recovery of unlawfully acquired assets, but questioned whether the Government is using it to distract from other issues, including the undisclosed India agreement. He demanded specific timelines for recovering alleged funds linked to Uganda and Medamulana, bringing back Arjuna Mahendran, and recovering proceeds from the Central Bank bond scam. He proposed that those who made false allegations or defamatory claims should also face legal consequences, while alleging that several current officials and appointees facing corruption accusations should be investigated and cleared before holding office. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Handunnetti supported the proposal to scrutinize the accounts and funds of political parties, arguing that parties wield state power and can be used to defraud the public. Referring to recent allegations of businessmen infiltrating and damaging established parties such as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he urged the Minister of Justice to consider an amendment to the Bill to enable investigations into those who misappropriated party assets. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera requested that any agreements signed by the Government be provided to Members for scrutiny, citing earlier calls for transparency before signing such documents. He also urged the Government to implement a unique digital identification number system, arguing that it is necessary to control and eradicate corruption and that other anti-corruption laws would be ineffective without such a mechanism. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera supported the Proceeds of Crime Bill as a necessary starting point against corruption, but questioned whether it would be applied fairly and in good faith. He urged the Minister of Justice to introduce separate legislation requiring transparent auditing of political parties, including sources of donations and campaign expenditure, arguing that party finances and “fraternal donations” should face the same scrutiny as alleged bribes or racketeer funding. He also called for safeguards against abuse of investigative powers, review of rights and rule-of-law concerns in the Bill, and cautioned against disproportionate use of public property charges. He additionally expressed concern that MPs had not been given advance access to agreements signed with India. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB AI summary Jagath Vithana stated his opposition to theft, corruption, and arbitrary conduct, alleging that collusion between officials and politicians had contributed to the situation under discussion. He called for all responsible persons, irrespective of party affiliation, to be punished and for misappropriated money to be recovered. He expressed full support for the Proceeds of Crime Bill and said he was willing to appear before any committee or inquiry on the matter. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB AI summary Hon. Jagath Vithana alleged that funds were provided during the 2015 presidential campaign on the condition that Arjuna Mahendran be appointed Central Bank Governor, and claimed those funds were subsequently multiplied through the bond transactions. He stated that campaign organizers had widely received money, including from Sathasivam, and questioned why he had not been called to give evidence. He urged that the bond scam be pursued fully and said he was prepared to testify on his claims. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →
- 8 April 2025 The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB AI summary Hon. Jagath Vithana said he was willing to assist the Government on transport matters, starting in Kalutara with a small team and without vehicles or perks, but suggested the proposal had not yet received approval. He alleged corruption in the Sri Lanka Transport Board, referred to past excess payments and bus acquisitions, and said he had received a file on alleged corruption from the head of Lanka Ashok Leyland. He also requested time to speak further on the bond scam, including in the presence of Minister Nalinda Jayatissa. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Read →