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- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna criticized the Government over delays and inconsistencies relating to the appointment of the IGP and references to the Governor, and questioned its handling of earlier rice distribution. She argued that current relief measures, including 5 kg of rice, are insufficient amid high prices for rice and coconuts, and called for greater assistance to low-income households and measures to revive the economy. She also urged the Government to fulfil promises made to the public and public servants, including teachers, and to recognize existing teacher qualifications. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahman briefly referred to a prior commitment or statement that the Central Bank Governor would be removed. The remark appears to raise or remind the House of that promise in the context of accountability over the Governor’s position. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna questioned the Government’s borrowing during its first five months, claiming it had raised Rs. 5,200 billion through Treasury bills and bonds, exceeding the previous year’s total revenue, and challenged the Government to identify five projects completed with those funds. She referred to earlier campaign-period allegations about short-term borrowing and said subsequent Central Bank data had confirmed her claims. She also stated that Central Bank operations had changed after she raised concerns about indirect money creation through short-term liquidity injections. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary She states that justice must be served to all in relation to past tragedies and cautions against political exploitation of victims’ families. She then questions claims made in the debate that private-sector minimum wages will rise from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 in April 2025 and Rs. 30,000 in 2026, saying she could not find any official record of such an agreement. She asks the Government to clarify which employer body or company signed the agreement, what certification exists, and indicates an intention to table relevant documentation. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna argued that the Government is continuing and benefiting from the IMF programme initiated under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and said its success should be judged by whether ministries can utilize at least 60 to 65 per cent of capital allocations. She welcomed the Government’s improved engagement with India, including economic and energy cooperation, while recalling that UNP members who supported close India-Sri Lanka relations in the past were killed. She tabled a document listing alleged JVP-era killings of UNP and other party members and contrasted this with references made by Government members to Batalanda. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe rejected a claim he attributed to social media misinformation and clarified that the purchase price in question was Rs. 1,350. He urged the other Member not to make false statements on that basis. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna referred to a procurement issue involving “Sama Posha,” stating that, as understood until the previous day, a tender worth around Rs. 2.9 to 3.0 billion was to be called for 807,000 units at about Rs. 370 each. She said that if the Trade Minister had corrected the alleged mistake, it was welcome, and asked to be allowed to complete her remarks without interruption. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe clarified the contents of a government relief commodity bag, listing essential food items such as rice, meat, onions, potatoes, lentils, canned fish, sugar, flour, tea, and Suposha. He responded to concerns about suppliers, stating that while representatives of major companies may have been involved, contracts were awarded through tenders and not unfairly to affiliated entities. He added that two state institutions had been selected and that Suposha was procured from the company producing Triposha. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Hon. Mujibur Rahman requested that the Ministry table the quality report on STC rice, citing reported problems. He criticized the Budget for lacking a concrete plan to raise state revenue and close the financing gap, and alleged that manifesto commitments to zero-rate VAT on essential goods and services had been broken, particularly with a new 15% tax on IT services and exports. He also questioned the Government’s handling of earlier corruption pledges, including the bond scam, and raised concerns that Customs enforcement teams were harassing small and medium traders beyond the scope of the Customs Ordinance. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahman SJB AI summary Requested that STC rice not be included in relief packs, citing quality concerns. He asked the Minister to table the STC rice quality report in the House. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe rejected claims about the Government’s New Year relief goods pack, saying misinformation from social media had been repeated in Parliament. He clarified that the pack includes state-produced Suposha, not Samaposha, procured at about Rs. 135 per 200g packet, and said supplies, brown sugar from Pelawatte, and STC rice were being sourced with quality checks. He stated the objective is to provide a Rs. 5,000 pack for Rs. 2,500 to 807,000 Aswesuma registrants who did not receive benefits in the second round, and urged Members to verify concerns with the relevant authorities before raising them. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Hector Appuhamy SJB AI summary Hon. Hector Appuhamy criticized the 2025 Budget debate for continuing election-style rhetoric and questioned whether the Government could meet its domestic revenue targets without further borrowing, calling for clear disclosure of any new borrowing plans or agreements. He urged immediate action on problems faced by Sri Lankans overseas regarding driving licences, disputed Government claims over Italian visa processing, and demanded relief or alternatives for daily-wage workers affected by suspended sand, clay and gravel licences. He also raised concerns about the quality of New Year rice packs and asked the Government to address national security comprehensively if heightened screening at Parliament reflected wider risks. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna supported the Ministry of Finance expenditure, stating that the Budget seeks to restart stalled projects and strengthen agriculture, irrigation, livestock, rural livelihoods, digitalization, and food security. He highlighted allocations of Rs. 56.8 billion for agriculture and Rs. 78.1 billion for irrigation, including over Rs. 32,000 million for the North Central Province Great Canal, and emphasized restoring small tanks and reviving dairy, poultry, and other livestock sectors. He said investigations into fertilizer subsidy irregularities and institutional malpractice are ongoing and that action must proceed through legal processes while the Government works to improve production and ensure access to nutritious meals. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Mano Ganesan SJB AI summary Hon. Mano Ganesan said his party would vote against the Government’s maiden Budget, arguing that it contains expenditure without clear revenue and gives insufficient new provision for hill country Tamils, with much of the allocation tied to Indian-supported projects. He urged the Government to expand Tamil-medium classes in Colombo national schools, continue earlier hill country initiatives, permit reputed foreign universities to operate in Sri Lanka, and adopt pragmatic engagement on projects such as the Hambantota refinery and Trincomalee oil tanks. He also demanded that Minister Bimal Rathnayake table the alleged list of bar licences given as political bribes, while arguing that MPs require proper facilities and vehicles to perform their duties and that such facilities should not be demonized. He rejected suggestions that the Opposition’s absence during the Batalanda debate indicated support for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, saying any wrongdoing should be pursued through legal action. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka questioned why the subsidized Aswesuma goods pack includes Samaposha instead of the state-owned Suposha, arguing that use of Suposha could benefit a state enterprise and support services for pregnant mothers, and raised concerns about possible links with Ceylon Biscuits Limited through the Sathosa chair. He urged the Government to reconsider proposed changes to doctors’ and nursing officers’ overtime, holiday duty, allowances, and promotion structures, presenting them as unfair to health-sector workers. He stated that the SLPP would vote against the Budget, citing unmet election pledges and concerns over water standards, Customs container disposal, fuel and electricity price promises, graduate employment, vehicle taxes, withholding tax, and taxes on school supplies, food, and online content creators. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary The Minister said the 2025 Budget is intended as the first step in implementing the Government’s mandate for social, political and economic transformation, with priorities including economic stabilization, poverty reduction, digitalization, investment promotion and regional development. He cited positive growth in late 2024, the Public Financial Management and Public Debt Management Acts, strengthened Aswesuma benefits, support for SMEs and capital markets, transport and technology infrastructure, and agriculture, health and education allocations as key measures. He defended the Government’s debt management and public sector salary reforms, stating that basic salaries and increments would rise substantially and that phased payments would be reflected in payslips without salary cuts. He also emphasized reducing Western Province-centered development by expanding industry, infrastructure and foreign investment to rural areas while using Sri Lanka’s location as a maritime hub without aligning with geopolitical conflicts. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 Hon. Thurairasa Rachitharan AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Rachitharan raised concerns over delayed pension payments due from 1 January 2020 to public servants who retired between 2016 and 2019, noting that the payments were suspended under the previous Government and have now been further extended in three instalments up to 2027 under the Budget. He said many affected pensioners had already waited five years, around 2,000 had died, and urged the Minister to ensure the outstanding payments are made promptly so retired public servants can receive their dues. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Thurairasa Ravikaran raised concerns on behalf of the Northern Province Association for Protecting Pensioners’ Rights, presenting grievances relating to pensioners to the Minister of Finance and relevant authorities. He framed the matter as one requiring government attention during the debate, seeking consideration of the issues affecting pensioners in the Northern Province. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary During the Committee Stage debate on the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry allocations, Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam attributed continuing economic hardship in the North and East to past fiscal mismanagement and the lack of post-war livelihood and development opportunities. He called for unused infrastructure such as the Kankesanthurai Presidential Palace to be repurposed, rehabilitation of small irrigation tanks and release of agricultural lands, establishment of traditional medicine production and other factories, and reopening of the Lanka Siddha Ayurveda Medical College. He also requested more assessment officers for local authorities and increased budgetary support for the Northern and Eastern Provinces to strengthen village economies and post-war recovery. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →
- 21 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera said the Government is responding to public demands under the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Head, while criticizing the Opposition for inconsistent arguments during the debate. Drawing on COPE observations, he emphasized the need to strengthen oversight of around 430 state enterprises and related entities, particularly subsidiaries and sub-subsidiaries linked to institutions such as the National Youth Services Council. He called for reinforcing the Department of Public Enterprises and associated budget and management mechanisms to improve fiscal discipline, accountability, and delivery of Budget objectives. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Read →