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- 3 December 2024 The Hon. M. S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M. S. Uthumalebbe thanked voters and party leaders for his election to Parliament and highlighted the severe impact of recent floods in Ampara District, citing damage to over 46,000 families, homes, roads, bridges and about 85,000 acres of paddy land. He urged the Government to provide greater compensation and relief to affected farmers, noting that previous flood compensation remained unpaid and that Rs. 40,000 per acre was insufficient. He also called for an investigation into the deaths of madrasa students and civilians in a tractor accident during flood evacuations, questioning who authorized unsafe transport through floodwaters. He further demanded urgent infrastructure action, particularly construction of a proper bridge at Mavadippalli, where he said repeated drownings had occurred. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB AI summary Expressing disappointment at disruptions during the debate on the President’s programme, the member said Parliament should focus on rebuilding the country rather than isolated incidents. He argued that the Government’s mandate reflects a collective public call for national reconstruction and responsible conduct by all MPs. He highlighted the NPP’s emphasis on human development and integrated reform of health, education, and social systems, noting concerns over high out-of-pocket health spending and pledging disciplined rebuilding of these sectors. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Sunil Handunnetti - Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development JJB AI summary Hon. Sunil Handunnetti defended the new Government’s early performance, arguing that criticism about inexperience is premature given that it has held only a few Cabinet meetings and has already responded effectively to recent floods. He said the President’s policy vision centres on a national production economy, wider public participation, equitable distribution of benefits, export expansion, tourism growth, digitalization, and the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme. As Industry Minister, he criticized past policies that left many state industrial institutions inactive or marked for sale, and argued that state-owned industry should be revived as a strong competitive pillar alongside the private sector. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake said the Government’s pledge to build a prosperous country must be backed by a clear roadmap, particularly as Sri Lanka proceeds with IMF reviews and faces debt repayments from 2027 to 2043. He urged the Government to use its strong mandate to address public problems without delay and to consider Opposition views constructively. Referring to the President’s commitment to justice for victims, he called for investigations and disclosure of the truth regarding the killings of Vijaya Kumaratunga, Rohana Wijeweera, and victims of 1989 violence in his village, including justice for their families. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa - Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa supported the Government’s policy statement, arguing that the NPP received a mandate to change the political culture and economic direction after 76 years of governance. He said poverty levels, including the number of families receiving Aswesuma assistance and claims that 41 per cent of the population earns less than two US dollars a day, show the need for short-, medium- and long-term reforms. He called for an end to corruption and misuse of public assets, and said investigations and punishment were needed for illicitly acquired wealth while welcoming constructive criticism and proposals. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Mrs.) Chamindranee Kiriella SJB AI summary Hon. Chamindranee Kiriella thanked the voters of Kandy for electing her as a first-time MP and said she would continue the public service of her father, Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, with particular emphasis on women’s issues. She welcomed the increased number of women in the 10th Parliament and noted women’s representation in senior offices, while observing that Sri Lanka remains low in global rankings for female parliamentary representation. Referring to the President’s statement on the IMF programme, she recalled the NPP’s earlier opposition to the agreement and urged the Government, in its forthcoming Budget, to provide relief to families, especially mothers struggling to feed their children nutritiously. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Ruwan Mapalagama JJB AI summary Hon. Ruwan Mapalagama thanked voters in Gampaha for the National People’s Power mandate and framed the 2024 presidential and parliamentary results as a peaceful democratic rejection of corrupt and hereditary politics. He argued that the mandate requires delivering justice for victims of past killings and implementing the NPP programme “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life,” defining prosperity as social, cultural, intellectual, and moral development as well as economic improvement. He criticized previous administrations for failures such as examination delays, paper shortages, electricity bill printing issues, and temporary identity card measures, and pledged that NPP MPs would not betray the public mandate. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Mrs.) Hemali Weerasekara - Deputy Chairperson of Committees JJB AI summary Hon. Hemali Weerasekara highlighted women’s social, economic and political inequalities, arguing that past policies weakened welfare services and that women’s representation remains low despite their majority share of the electorate. She described the NPP’s “Women, Together as One” mobilization programme and called for policies to raise women’s representation in political structures to at least 50 percent. She proposed labour law reforms, socializing care work, expanding women’s entrepreneurship through credit, training and village-level industrial initiatives, and strengthening legal and institutional protections against violence in line with international commitments. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva referred to past instances where parliamentary procedure was bypassed, including after the 2018 constitutional crisis, during the 2019 presidential nomination period, and under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tax cuts, which he linked to the economic collapse. He urged the Government not to routinely use its two-thirds majority to suspend Standing Orders and requested more time for the Opposition to study and debate the Vote on Account, including debt servicing provisions and implications of the IMF agreement. Debate: President's Policy Statement Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayathissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB AI summary Minister Nalinda Jayathissa supported the President’s Policy Statement and emphasized that the NPP’s electoral mandate should be respected in parliamentary conduct, criticizing Opposition actions that he said disrupted agreed debate time. He outlined Government responses to recent disasters, economic difficulties, rice supply shortages, and production support for farmers and fishers, including rice imports through state channels and broader import facilitation. He detailed social protection measures, including extended Aswesuma allowances, increased benefits for poor and extremely poor households, proposed increases for elders, kidney patients and persons with disabilities, and Rs. 6,000 grants for vulnerable schoolchildren. He also said the Government would review Development Officer recruitments and would not permit a return to ethnic or religious extremism. Debate: President's Policy Statement Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, citing Standing Order No. 31, questioned the Minister of Agriculture on the proposal to restart cultivation with a grant of Rs. 40,000 per acre. He noted that only Rs. 1 billion had been allocated and that farmers lacked cash due to past difficulties in obtaining fertilizer and funding, and requested sufficient funds to at least begin cultivation activities. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. Gayantha Karunatilleka - Chief Opposition Whip SJB AI summary Gayantha Karunatilleka noted that party leaders had agreed to include the Vote on Account in the Order Paper and asked when it would be presented. He emphasized that, because it covers government revenue and expenditure for the next three months, Members need sufficient time to study it. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva cautioned the Speaker against allowing a Vote on Account or similar fiscal measure to bypass the Committee on Public Finance, arguing that such instances had occurred only in exceptional or controversial circumstances. He cited precedents from the October 2018 constitutional crisis, the period before the 2019 election, and under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and urged that the practice not be normalized. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Read →
- 3 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB AI summary Dr. Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana raised a procedural concern that the Committee on Public Finance had not yet been appointed and therefore had no Chair. He noted that the Vote on Account should be presented to that Committee, implying that its absence affected the proper scrutiny process. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Read →
- 3 December 2024 Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB AI summary Several supplementary estimates, fiscal reports, a Strategic Development Projects Act notification, and institutional reports were presented and referred to the Committee on Public Finance, the Committee on Public Accounts, or other relevant committees as appropriate. The Prime Minister also tabled reports relating to the Ombudsman, oversight follow-up under Standing Order 119(4), and the Election Commission’s report on the 2018 Local Authorities Elections. Regulations under the Universities Act establishing new departments at Eastern University were also laid on the Table. Papers: Supplementary Estimates and Notifications Read →