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 April 2026 The Hon. Ravindra Bandara AI summary Hon. Ravindra Bandara rejected Opposition claims of a “coal scam,” arguing that the Attorney General’s report shows the supplier met the registration requirement before bid submission and that any shortfall in the registration fee was a bank processing issue later settled. He said the Government was not defending any company but due process, and called for scrutiny of historical coal procurement irregularities, including past cargo deviations, penalties and alleged tender bypassing. He also defended the Government’s renewable energy record, citing an increase of about 1,000 MW in renewable capacity from 2024 to 2025, while noting plans for batteries, pumped storage and grid-stability measures. He urged that all coal shipments, past and present, be investigated, penalties recovered where applicable, and systems corrected to avoid public losses and power cuts. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara alleged major fraud in a coal procurement process, citing the Auditor General’s report and claiming losses of about Rs. 30 billion due to poor-quality coal, irregular tender conditions, registration issues, and altered bid quantities. He questioned why the LCC Chairman resigned, why the Minister travelled to Russia, and why coal samples were tested in Indonesia, and argued that the government was protecting the Minister despite pending legal issues. He contrasted these allegations with the government’s anti-corruption mandate, called for investigations into past scandals including the bond issue, and accused the government of delaying elections and shielding allies. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam said his party initially did not sponsor the No-Confidence Motion against the Minister of Power because related matters were before COPE and the Colombo High Court, but the National Audit Office report required Parliament to take a position. He cited alleged procurement irregularities in the 2025/2026 LCC coal tender, including unregistered suppliers, relaxed criteria, reduced bid periods, lapsed testing accreditation, substandard coal, reduced Norochcholai output, and estimated losses of Rs. 2,237.7 million. He argued that the issue concerns ministerial ethics, public trust, and good governance, and called on the Minister to resign or step aside while court proceedings and accountability processes continue. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB AI summary Minister Nalinda Jayatissa rejected the No-Confidence Motion’s allegations on coal procurement, arguing that longstanding irregularities predated the current Government and that the present process registered suppliers, invited bids, allowed appeals, and awarded the tender to the lowest evaluated bidder without ministerial interference. He said changes to prequalification criteria were made in 2023 before the current administration, and no party challenged the award before the Procurement Appeals Board. He emphasized that the Government is now using both Load Port and Discharge Port reports from accredited laboratories to test coal quality, unlike earlier practices that relied mainly on Load Port reports, and is investigating discrepancies while pursuing penalties for deviations in calorific value, ash, sulphur and moisture. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. S.M. Marikkar SJB AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar seconded the No-Confidence Motion against Minister Punith Kumara Jayakody, alleging large-scale misuse and losses in coal procurement and citing findings attributed to the Auditor General’s Report. He argued that tender conditions and timelines were deliberately altered to favour an unqualified supplier, that the award proceeded without proper Attorney General concurrence, and that substandard coal shipments were accepted despite failed calorific value tests. He also criticised the President and Government for protecting the Minister, claiming the procurement failures contributed to financial loss, power cuts, and electricity tariff increases. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Hon. Ajith P. Perera alleged that a Minister facing corruption allegations over a coal tender was being protected by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake despite his previous anti-corruption stance. He claimed the tender-winning company, Trident Chemphar Limited, and its representatives had serious corruption-related records, and said the resignation letters of the Lanka Coal Company Chairman warning of irregularities were suppressed and replaced with a health-related resignation. He argued that these circumstances required an inquiry and made the Minister unfit to remain in office, and also accused the Minister of undermining solar power despite its significant contribution to national electricity generation. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Ajith P. Perera moved a no-confidence motion against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, alleging breaches of the parliamentary Code of Conduct, failure to meet constitutional and ministerial duties, and mishandling of coal procurement for the Norochcholai power plant. He cited PUCSL findings of substandard coal from nine vessels causing an estimated Rs. 8.49 billion loss and an Auditor General’s report that found flaws in the tender process and supplier selection. He also argued that the Minister’s indictment in the High Court under the Bribery Act for alleged corruption in a previous procurement role made his continued Cabinet tenure incompatible with public trust, good governance, and the Government’s anti-corruption mandate. Debate: No-Confidence Motion Against Minister of Energy (Hon. Kumara Jayakody) Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake raised a matter of privilege, alleging that unanswered questions to the Central Bank and other authorities on financial regulation, reserves, debt policy, governance, and alleged irregularities are obstructing his parliamentary duties and undermining oversight under Article 148. He asked the Speaker to rule on whether such delays breach privilege, to direct public institutions to provide complete and timely information, and to consider referral to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges or another authority. He also questioned whether the Central Bank’s independence should be re-examined for lack of corresponding accountability, and informed the House that he would complain to police about misuse of his social media byline. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary M.A.M. Thahir raised a Standing Order 27(2) question to the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government regarding a cultural centre built with government funds on waqf land belonging to the Kottantivu Mohideen Jumma Mosque in Puttalam. He asked why the completed centre has remained closed and not handed over for public use, citing mosque objections to reported moves by the District Secretariat to appropriate the land and noting that related mosque and water-supply infrastructure on the site are community-managed. He sought clarification on whether the centre can be handed over to the mosque for management and maintenance, when and by whom this would be done, and what action would be taken against officials responsible for delays or obstruction. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Responding on behalf of the Finance Minister, the Deputy Minister said the next Aswesuma web and printed publications are targeted for 30 October and 30 December 2026, respectively. He reported that an expert committee is reviewing beneficiary selection criteria, with a final draft to follow field testing, Cabinet approval and submission to Parliament. He provided beneficiary figures for disability, chronic kidney disease, elderly and centenarian allowances, noted appeals and objections pending before the Welfare Benefits Board, and placed district-wise annexes in the Library. He also outlined April Aswesuma top-up payments, related relief for fisheries, fertilizer and electricity, and said recertification assessments to address inclusion gaps would be finalized by 30 June. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), Rasamanickam questioned the adequacy of the Aswesuma welfare targeting system in the absence of an updated domestic poverty survey since the 2019 HIES, noting post-crisis poverty increases cited by the World Bank. He asked the Finance Minister whether a post-2019 national poverty estimate exists, when the 2025 HIES will be published, and whether Aswesuma eligibility criteria will be revised before the next phase. He also requested district-level data on beneficiaries and appeals, and asked what further measures and delivery mechanisms would protect households affected by cost-of-living pressures linked to the Middle East crisis. Private Notice Questions and Procedural Matters Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. P. Ruwan Senarath - Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister tabled the Government’s response on measures for solid waste management, confirming daily collection, temporary non-decaying waste centres, public awareness, monitoring, inter-local authority programmes, and efficient use of sanitary landfill sites. He also stated that the Ashraff Nagar waste retention facility and related infrastructure had been assigned to Comt Bio Gas Oluvil under a conditional public-private partnership MOU for recycling and related waste-to-energy, biogas, and compost activities, following a General Council decision on 17 March 2026. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary The Attorney-at-Law tabled a written answer stating that overcrowding and staff shortages affect Kalutara Prison and many other prisons nationwide, with new buildings planned at Kalutara and other institutions to ease congestion. He detailed ongoing recruitment and promotion processes for Prison Guards and Sergeants, including 317 Guard appointments in 2025, examinations and interviews for further vacancies, and expected deployments by June 2026. The answer said staff shortages contribute to operational difficulties, transfers, and occasional delays in producing inmates before courts, while new vehicles, further recruitments, and a staff review seeking revised cadre approval are intended to address these issues. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB AI summary Jagath Vithana asked the Minister of Justice and National Integration about overcrowding and staffing shortages at Kalutara Prison, noting that around 2,000 prisoners are held despite an approved capacity of 811. He sought details on measures to reduce overcrowding, fill Jailor and Sergeant vacancies, provide short-term relief for overworked staff, address vacant posts and irregular transfers, and prevent court production delays caused by staff shortages. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera (on behalf of the Hon. Kins Nelson) SJB AI summary Asked the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development for information on the status of two CWE rice supplying complexes in Hingurakgoda and Pannegamuwa, each reportedly with a 2,000 kg per hour capacity. The question seeks details on when the facilities were last used, why they are underutilized, what the audit report stated, and what measures will be taken to restore them to operation. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB AI summary On behalf of the Minister, Bimal Rathnayake tabled a response on rice imports and paddy procurement. It stated that imports of GR 11 rice equivalent to Keeri Samba were permitted by Gazette Extraordinary 2458/43 from 15 October to 10 November 2025, subject to importer limits, with institutional details and tax revenue placed in the Library. The response also noted that Rs. 10,000 million has been allocated in 2026 for paddy procurement, with the Paddy Marketing Board targeting 80,000 MT, refurbishing storage facilities, and releasing milled stocks through CWE, Lanka Sathosa, co-operatives, and the private sector. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 10 April 2026 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Rohana Bandara asked the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development to provide details on recent rice imports, including when the decision to import rice was taken to address shortages. He requested the names of government and private importers, quantities imported by each, tax revenue received, and measures to strengthen the public sector’s role in purchasing, storing, and selling paddy and rice. Oral Questions: Second Round and Supplementary Questions Read →
- 9 April 2026 The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law – Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB AI summary Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the debate concerned approval of regulations under the Army, Navy and Air Force Acts, the President’s Proclamation under the Public Security Ordinance, and a Resolution under the Essential Public Services Act, rather than the Easter attacks. He argued that the extension of Emergency Regulations for one month was needed to continue post-Cyclone Ditva relief, rehabilitation, and essential service distribution, and stated that these powers had been used for disaster response rather than suppression. He also outlined government relief measures, including housing and bereavement compensation, targeted welfare payments, fuel support for fishermen, fertilizer increases, and temporary absorption of electricity cost increases, while linking current fuel and gas pressures to Middle East tensions and global supply disruptions. Debate on Regulations under Defence Acts and Extension of State of Emergency Read →
- 9 April 2026 The Hon. V.S. Radhakrishnan SJB AI summary The Hon. V.S. Radhakrishnan raised concerns about rising violent crime, shootings, firearms linked to narcotics, and recent killings in Batticaloa and Jaffna, urging decisive police action without creating ethnic or regional divisions. He requested that upcoming police recruitment include Hill Country youth as officers and constables, noting that the President had agreed to this in a recent meeting. He also referred to economic pressures, calling for effective use of Indian assistance to address fuel and essential goods shortages and for adequate fertilizer supplies to support farmers. He highlighted strong GCE A/L results by Hill Country and Northern students to reject negative stereotypes and called for national unity free of regionalism, sectarianism, and racism. Debate on Regulations under Defence Acts and Extension of State of Emergency Read →
- 9 April 2026 The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister supported extending the Emergency Regulations and related orders, arguing they are needed to maintain essential services, continue relief after the “Dicha” cyclone, and respond to external risks including the Middle East conflict’s impact on energy security. He rejected claims that the Government was using emergency powers to suppress rights, stating it was acting under law and had stabilized an economy inherited in bankruptcy. He also cited reforms abolishing certain privileges of former Presidents and MPs’ pensions as examples of political morality, and said the Government would resist ethnic or religious divisiveness while pursuing “National Unity through Equality.” Debate on Regulations under Defence Acts and Extension of State of Emergency Read →