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- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam criticized the Government for allegedly providing Rs. 966 billion in relief to billionaire businessmen while continuing to tax poorer citizens. He addressed the President directly, saying the public still has faith in him, but urged him to ensure Ministers and MPs do not misuse his name. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam raised concerns during the Defence Votes debate about unresolved accountability issues, asking the President to clarify whether the Government would pursue a domestic or international process. He cited alleged killings linked to the Tripoli platoon, State Intelligence personnel, Manik Farm detainees, and the Easter attacks, questioning why key individuals had not been investigated or questioned. He also said no tangible progress had been made on a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the disappeared, or alleged killings, and noted a rise in Defence allocations for diets and uniforms from Rs. 70 billion in 2023 to Rs. 135 billion in 2025. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva re-tabled the Committee on Public Finance report on outsourcing online visa and passport application services between the consortium and the Department of Immigration and Emigration. He noted that a court case had arisen from the earlier report and that procedural follow-up in the new Parliament had not yet occurred. He said a requested forensic audit by the Auditor-General was believed to be nearing completion and urged Parliament to take necessary action thereafter, including directing the Police and relevant officials to proceed. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB AI summary The Minister said investigations into the Easter attacks and recent organised-crime killings require tracing links between multiple incidents, and that police, intelligence and the CID are pursuing such connections for national security. He also responded to debate on Presidential overseas travel expenditure, comparing reported costs under previous Presidents with Rs. 1.8 million spent from the Presidential Secretariat for President Anura Dissanayake’s first five months. He detailed Secretariat costs for visits to India, China and Dubai, noting that some air tickets were provided by host countries and that separate ministry expenses could be provided later. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam ACTC AI summary Hon. G.G. Ponnambalam opposed the Defence and Public Security allocations in the 2025 Budget, arguing that increased defence spending and military salary hikes are unjustified in the absence of war and amid fiscal constraints and reduced social welfare expenditure. He said the heavy military presence in the North and East, particularly the reported soldier-to-civilian ratios in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, signals continued militarization of Tamil-speaking areas and contradicts the Government’s stated commitment to ending racism. He also criticized the defence establishment’s employment of preschool teachers at higher salaries than the Education Ministry, saying it militarizes education in impoverished war-affected areas. He tabled two reports on military deployment and stated that his party would call for a Division and vote against the Defence and Public Security Heads. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan JJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Sellaththamby Thilaganathan stated that the 2025 Defence Ministry allocation of Rs. 442 billion reflects a 3 percent increase, mainly due to salary increments for the armed forces, and linked national security to economic growth indicators such as tourism and the stock market. He outlined allocations across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Security Department, disaster management and development activities, noting nearly Rs. 5 billion for the Kotelawala Defence University and its expansion. He also said military-occupied lands in the Northern Province are being released in stages, giving figures for Mullaitivu District and stating that the remaining lands would soon be released for public use. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Chathura Galappaththi SJB AI summary Chathura Galappaththi argued that national security should be understood broadly, including food, energy, health, economic, environmental, technological and data security, citing the 2022 shortages as evidence of interconnected risks. He said the Budget lacks adequate focus on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, despite earlier moves to establish a National AI Centre and strategy, and raised concerns about the security of biometric, fuel QR, vaccination, education and NMRA-related data. He called for investigations into data breaches and proposed requiring wind power investors to establish data centres in Sri Lanka to securely host national data. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Ananda Wijepala JJB AI summary Ananda Wijepala responded to concerns raised over passport issuance, stating that the long-running “N Series” passport system had operated for 22 years without proper tender procedures and that previous governments had failed to address the issue. He said the current administration inherited severe queues and a backlog of 125,000 passports, has introduced 24-hour operations, increased daily issuance to 4,000, and raised quotas at four regional offices. He explained that the e-passport tender is subject to a Court of Appeal injunction, while a temporary shift to “P Series” machine-readable passports is being handled under legal advice without payments yet being made, and that a new tender process will proceed after the court case concludes. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman SJB AI summary Mujibur Rahuman raised concerns over the continuing passport issuance crisis at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, noting public hardship despite the Government’s earlier pledge to resolve the issue. He questioned procurement decisions linked to e-passports and machine-readable passports, alleging higher unit costs, reduced passport pages for the same public fee, and a significant financial loss to citizens and the State. He also warned of possible security weaknesses in the new blue passport compared with the previous version and urged the relevant Ministers to address the matter. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Eranga Gunasekara JJB AI summary Hon. Eranga Gunasekara defended the Government’s Budget allocation, stating that Rs. 300 million referred specifically to the “Sri Lankan Day” initiative and not to the broader programme for building a “prosperous country and beautiful life,” for which he said Rs. 8,835 billion had been allocated. He criticised the Opposition’s handling of the Easter Sunday attacks, narcotics issues, and passport delays under previous administrations, while asserting that the current Government is pursuing investigations without political interference. He also said passport issuance had improved through 24-hour operations, rising from about 1,200–2,500 to over 4,000 passports per day. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP AI summary Namal Rajapaksa argued that national security must be treated as inseparable from sustainable development, economic stability, energy security and institutional coordination, rather than as isolated incidents or partisan issues. He cited pre-Easter attack incidents, current armed gang activity, drug trafficking routes, and tensions between security institutions as examples of warning signs that require intelligence-led, coordinated responses. He urged the Government to address emerging threats over the next five years, including extremism, organized crime linked to narcotics and maritime trafficking, cyber security risks, and public unrest, and asked the responsible Minister to inform Parliament of the Government’s plans. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Continued (Afternoon) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha corrected Opposition claims about Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, citing Central Bank figures showing reserves of about USD 6.12 billion at end-December 2024 and around USD 6.065 billion at end-January 2025, rather than a fall from USD 6 billion to USD 5.7 billion. He said “usable” reserve qualifications and banking arrangements also existed under the previous administration, and argued that reserves fluctuate with imports and debt servicing. He stated that the Government aims to build reserves sustainably through export promotion, particularly services exports, and foreign direct investment, targeting USD 15 billion. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka raised concerns about police staffing, working conditions, recruitment, and promotions, noting around 20,000 vacancies, prolonged acting leadership, long duty hours, unclear salary increments, and the need for careful background checks for new recruits. He urged measures to restore public trust amid allegations of police links to serious crimes, including improved job satisfaction, risk allowances, fair promotion pathways, and reinstatement of departmental competitive examinations. He also proposed expanding police hospital facilities, creating a one-stop service at Police Headquarters for pension and administrative matters, allowing serving lower-rank graduate officers to attend relevant interviews, and resolving allowance disparities affecting Parliament Police officers attached to the Ministerial Security Division. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala said the Government is undertaking a comprehensive salary review for the Police, including basic salary increases, allowances, and possible pathways for qualified lower-rank officers to sit for the ASP examination. He defended current policing and intelligence efforts, citing recent arrest timelines and firearm seizures, while arguing that organized crime and narcotics networks have long-standing political links from previous administrations. He stated that the NPP Government does not patronize gangs, that the Police Commission is functioning independently, and that new Defence Secretary orders require reassessment of firearms issued on threat grounds and action regarding deserters. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 An Hon. Member AI summary An Hon. Member noted that a “Sri Lankan Day” has been designated and stated that Rs. 300 million has been allocated for it. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake criticized the Government’s budgeting for the “A Prosperous Country” programme, arguing that it lacked clear and proper estimates. He demanded that the required funding be specified accurately and said the President should review the estimates. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 An Hon. Member AI summary A Member briefly asked for the projected cost of the matter under discussion. No further details, context, or proposal were provided in the excerpt. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake challenged claims that the previous government had done nothing, citing Central Bank data on dollar and foreign reserves. He raised concerns that newly established police stations in Badulla District are operating in rented premises without proper buildings and requested Budget attention for constructing facilities. He also questioned the adequacy and purpose of the Rs. 300 million allocation for the “A Prosperous Country – Beautiful Life” programme, arguing it was insufficient for the stated objective. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake argued that recent shootings and killings show public security is deteriorating and warned that international circulation of such incidents could harm the recovering tourism sector. He questioned the Government’s ability to curb underworld activity, citing the failure to locate Ishara Sewwandi, and urged the Minister of Public Security to ensure Police, CID and STF personnel receive proper allowances, stating that only part of the promised 40 per cent adjustment had been added to basic salaries. He also criticised the 2025 Budget narrative for omitting the 2022-2024 period under Ranil Wickremesinghe and raised concerns about declining foreign reserves and the future exchange rate. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →
- 28 February 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera outlined the Defence Ministry’s 2025 Budget allocations, noting that they cover 25 institutions beyond the tri-forces, including intelligence, disaster management, defence education, the Coast Guard and meteorology. He defended the allocation by citing the security forces’ roles in war, disaster response, COVID-19, the Easter attacks and the economic crisis, while linking the Budget to the Government’s stated mandate for reform and accountability. Responding to concerns from Northern MPs, he said unnecessary military-held lands would be released while essential areas are retained, compensation would be paid, the Palaly–Achchuveli road had been reopened, the Palaly runway would be developed, and access to a Kilinochchi school playground would be urgently addressed. He also stated that troop numbers in the North and East were far below claims made in debate, with total tri-forces strength island-wide now under 200,000. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Read →