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- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna SJB AI summary Hon. Harshana Rajakaruna expressed condolences for disaster victims and said severe damage in Gampaha could have been reduced through better preparedness, citing prior warnings from meteorological authorities and international sources. He accused the Government of delayed and inadequate disaster management, including failing to declare and use emergency measures promptly, and urged officials and MPs to be present on the ground. He proposed establishing a permanent Disaster Management Fund, ensuring women’s representation in its management, using insurance mechanisms to support SMEs and households, and providing basic equipment to frontline officers such as Grama Niladharis. He also acknowledged assistance from foreign countries, the private sector, media, security forces, public officers, and community volunteers. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Chithral Fernando argued that post-disaster coordination in Puttalam, particularly Wennappuwa and Naththandiya, was inadequate, noting that the local Disaster Committee had not met and Opposition MPs were not consulted. He criticized the absence of Ministers and MPs in affected areas, the lack of data for relief distribution, failures in communication and telecom resilience, and insufficient media coordination through an official information centre. He cited the death of Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya and tabled a White House paper on Hurricane Katrina, urging the Government to learn lessons and take disaster management more seriously. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Ajith Agalakada JJB AI summary Ajith Agalakada said the Third Reading of the Second Appropriation Bill was taking place amid a major natural disaster, and commended officials, security forces, local authorities, and service agencies for limiting damage in Monaragala District. He argued that the Government inherited a weakened economy due to earlier administrations’ policies, but had improved revenue, reduced the deficit, managed debt, stabilized the rupee, and planned further recovery in 2026. Citing past disaster responses after the tsunami and during COVID-19, he said the Government had empowered officials with spending authority for urgent relief and pledged to restore all losses except lives while using the recovery effort to advance the country. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Jagath Vithana SJB AI summary Hon. Jagath Vithana described relief work he undertook after the disaster and criticized the delayed presence of state officials in several affected villages. He urged a systematic land-use policy to gazette residential, agricultural, and commercial zones, relocate people from high-risk areas to safer state lands, and provide support for restoring agricultural livelihoods. He called for reallocating public funds from celebrations and vehicle imports to disaster relief, and argued that Sri Lanka’s damage far exceeds IMF support. He also proposed reinstating regulated oil palm cultivation, raising concerns about losses in tea cultivation, fertilizer costs, and declining agricultural productivity. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. (Mrs.) Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Sagarika Athauda expressed condolences to those affected by the disaster and described it as one of Sri Lanka’s most severe natural disasters, citing rainfall of around 500 mm in some areas and landslides as the main cause of deaths. Referring to Kegalle District, she said authorities convened the District Disaster Management Committee on 27 November, carried out evacuations with the Police and Armed Forces, maintained camps with food, health services and counselling, and restored roads, water and electricity within two days. She stated that as of 1 December, 11,884 families and 42,898 persons in Kegalle had been affected and disputed Opposition claims of inadequate relief, arguing that officials, volunteers and political authorities had worked continuously to minimize deaths and support recovery. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Kavinda Heshan Jayawardhana questioned why substantial funds were spent on National Disaster Management Plan workshops, including one involving the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, while authorities allegedly failed to prepare for or mitigate the disaster in question. He argued that the disaster was not properly managed, resulting in loss of life, and demanded government accountability for those deaths. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Deputy Chairperson AI summary Criticized the Government’s disaster response around 28 November, arguing that declaring a public holiday and failing to declare a state of disaster under Sections 11 and 12 of the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act, No. 13 of 2005, showed serious administrative weakness. Citing the National Disaster Management Plan 2023–2030, the speech said Sri Lanka is highly exposed to climate and disaster risks, with major impacts on the economy, children, infrastructure, agriculture, floods, cyclones, and landslide-prone areas. The member argued that proper implementation of the Act and the Plan could have reduced the loss of life, property damage, and wider social and economic harm. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB AI summary Clarifies Government disaster relief payments, stating that Rs. 10,000 is paid to water-logged households and Rs. 25,000 is provided for initial cleaning and sanitation. He says further compensation, based on assessments, can reach up to Rs. 2.5 million for fully or partially damaged houses, and rejects claims by an Opposition Member as misleading. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu JJB AI summary Hon. Kanthasamy Prabu expressed condolences for deaths caused by Cyclone “Dissha” and detailed the impact in Batticaloa District, including affected families, temporary shelters, and emergency support to students and communities. He said the Government had taken preventive measures, released emergency funds, advanced money to Divisional Secretariats and Grama Niladhari divisions, and amended circulars to speed relief. He defended the Government’s disaster response, thanked officials and ministers involved, and criticized political actors whom he said were mischaracterizing disaster deaths and misusing relief efforts for political purposes. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. B. Ariyawansha SJB AI summary B. Ariyawansha addressed the impact of the “Dissha” cyclone, floods and landslides, expressing condolences and commending the tri-forces, officials, police, MPs and media outlets for relief efforts. He rejected criticism of Opposition and media interventions, stating that in many affected villages government representation was limited while Opposition members and local officials assisted residents. Referring to Ratnapura District and specific displaced communities, he said government assistance such as Rs. 3,100 weekly payments and seven-perch land allocations was inadequate, and called for sufficient relief, safer land or housing programmes, including possible multi-storey housing. He also requested higher compensation, proposing at least Rs. 2.5 million for fully damaged houses and increased grants for partial damage. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. K. Ilankumaran JJB AI summary K. Ilankumaran expressed condolences for deaths caused by Cyclone “Dissha” and reported that 16,918 families in Jaffna District and 8,778 families in Kilinochchi were affected, with shelters and relief measures arranged. He defended the Government’s response, stating that allocations were proportionate, emergency food and procurement decisions were expedited, and Rs. 25,000 was approved for affected students. He commended the President, the relevant Minister, officials and the tri-forces, while rejecting allegations of unequal treatment or misuse of relief funds and stating that foreign relief sent to his party office was distributed to affected people. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Ramanathan Archchuna urged authorities to identify assets and liabilities rather than seek funds from Sri Lankans working abroad under claims of rebuilding the country. He said that, if necessary, he would raise funds from the diaspora specifically for the North and East. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna criticized the Government’s Budget priorities and urged that allocations be cut and redirected to war heroes, rescue personnel, and affected households, proposing Rs. 1 million per household through proper administrative channels. He referred to a Sinhala war hero and Colonel Buddhika’s team who assisted him, asked the Health Minister to look into action taken against staff at Kuliyapitiya Hospital after a rescue-related incident, and criticized politicians for not visiting the family of a pilot who died in Kuliyapitiya. He also said he was willing to forgo a vehicle allowance or cab facility and would seek diaspora funds to support people in the North, East, and elsewhere if needed. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna criticized the Government’s disaster response and treatment of security forces, referring to flooding after water was released from the Kotmale Dam and alleging that MPs avoided hardship while military personnel lacked basic facilities. He praised specific military officers and personnel who assisted him during the emergency and objected to them being inadequately recognized. He also questioned the allocation of Rs. 360 million to Jaffna, alleging it was distributed to government party supporters, and urged that such funds be directed instead to estate workers. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna AI summary Ramanathan Archchuna criticized the Government’s flood relief response in the Northern Province, arguing that the uniform Rs. 25,000 assistance was inequitable for victims with differing levels of loss, including those whose homes were destroyed. He recounted being rescued during the floods by Navy personnel and praised the armed forces, while warning against downsizing them and alleging inadequate safety equipment such as life jackets for rescue teams. He also objected to expenditure on new parliamentary vehicles and urged that such funds be redirected as larger payments to families who lost homes. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development JJB AI summary The Minister said the final Committee Stage debate was overtaken by the impact of the “Dissha” cyclone, defending the declaration of special leave for public servants through Circular 30/2025 while noting that essential and disaster relief staff could still be called in. He outlined extensive national and Anuradhapura District damage, including nearly 500 deaths, around 350 missing persons, major displacement, widespread housing and crop losses, and damage to hundreds of tanks and irrigation structures. He said the Government had appointed an Essential Services Commissioner-General, was organizing cleaning and relief operations, and would need to plan for replanting, agricultural inputs, and mitigation. He also rejected criticism of rescue efforts, citing the Kalawewa bridge bus rescue as an example of coordinated action by the Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence under difficult conditions. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Rohana Bandara AI summary Hon. Rohana Bandara argued that the 2026 Budget debate had become disconnected from the country’s disaster situation and urged the Government to consider converting available allocations into a special disaster relief and reconstruction budget. He called for cross-party cooperation rather than blame, citing lessons from the tsunami and criticizing attempts to politicize disaster preparedness and media reporting. Referring to Anuradhapura, he said over 71,000 acres of cultivation had been affected and requested practical, fair compensation beyond standard crop-loss formulas, along with rapid, universal disbursement of housing relief without burdensome means-testing. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage JJB AI summary Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage criticized the Opposition for politicizing the current disaster response and contrasted it with what he described as government-led and community-supported relief efforts. He said the President had issued circulars enabling officials to act swiftly, and described district-level clean-up and rescue work, including assistance by Galle local authorities in Kandy. Addressing Budget concerns under the Ministry of Finance, he argued that reduced unnecessary expenditure and Treasury savings had strengthened the State’s capacity to fund relief without destabilizing the economy, adding that supplementary estimates or an interim budget could be used if allocations proved insufficient. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem compared the scale of the current climate disaster with the tsunami, estimating asset losses of USD 6–7 billion, and urged the Government to treat Opposition proposals constructively. He called on the President to immediately convene an international donor conference, engage key world leaders and former Presidents, seek USD 2–3 billion in urgent support, and negotiate debt-service deferral with the IMF and bilateral creditors if needed. He highlighted severe flooding, landslides, road closures and displacement in areas including Kandy, Gampola, Akurana, Delthota and Pattiyagama, and proposed using LRC, JEDB and SPC lands for relocation subject to NBRO safety certification. He also urged mobilising university engineering faculties and experienced former officials to assist with geotechnical assessments, reconstruction planning and fundraising. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →
- 5 December 2025 The Hon. D.V. Chanaka SLPP AI summary Hon. D.V. Chanaka expressed condolences over deaths from floods and landslides and thanked officials, security forces, volunteers and organizations involved in relief, while stating that his party had provided food aid and would distribute schoolbooks to affected children. He urged that procurement of new double cabs for MPs be cancelled and the funds redirected to essential medicines, citing existing drug shortages, and said he would request that his own vehicle allocation be transferred to the Health sector. He said his party would not oppose the Supplementary Estimate or vote against the Budget on this occasion, but called for revisions to prioritize disaster needs, especially housing. He questioned the Government’s preparedness despite prior meteorological briefings and reservoir management concerns, and called for an independent inquiry into accountability after immediate relief work. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage: Budget Debate on Disaster Response and Government Allocations Read →