Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the government was prepared to respond to questions during the designated question time regarding coal supply arrangements. He clarified that agents for Russian, South African, or Indonesian coal do not need to appear before Parliament, as the government has already provided answers on all supply matters. He further noted that shipment schedules have been reported up to mid-April, with the 25th ship due by that time, and indicated readiness to address questions on individual shipments.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa responded to a claim that the Leader of the Opposition's parliamentary privilege had been infringed, asserting that the matter is for the Speaker to determine. He maintained that all questions regarding coal supply raised during the 20 February debate were addressed, and that the government remains willing to answer any further questions submitted under Standing Order 27(2). He noted that the only outstanding question — from Hon. Marikkar concerning a Homagama People's Bank account — remains unanswered due to the questioner's failure to provide the account name or number to the House, and offered to consolidate and respond to any combined questions through the relevant Ministry.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the government's journalist accreditation system administered by the Department of Government Information, noting that eligibility has been tightened to exclude individuals who previously held cards without genuinely working as journalists. He outlined the practical protections the accreditation card affords, including police intervention and a complaints mechanism for journalists facing difficulties while on duty, with the Ministry prepared to escalate delays to the Ministry of Public Security. Regarding historic cases of journalist killings and abductions, he noted that CID investigations are ongoing and expressed hope that proceedings would be expedited.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa acknowledged the difficult working conditions and inadequate, irregular payments faced by regional journalists, who travel extensively and work in challenging environments to serve the public. He noted the irony that journalists who report on labour rights violations experience similar issues themselves. He stated that the matter had been raised with the Labour Minister and would continue to receive attention, while also calling on media institutions to pay their regional correspondents fairly and promptly, recognising that these institutions rely heavily on their regional networks.

## Summary Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa provided written answers to parliamentary questions regarding the status and welfare of regional journalists in Sri Lanka. He reported that 876 regional journalists hold valid accreditation cards as of 31 December 2025, and acknowledged that payment delays by media institutions have been formally raised with media heads by the Director General of Government Information. The 2026 Budget has allocated Rs. 100 million for journalist skills development and technology access, a significant increase from the Rs. 7 million allocated in 2025, which supported 61 scholarships. He also outlined several professional development and safety initiatives, including provincial awareness programmes on ethical reporting, district-level skills workshops, and the near-finalised establishment of the Sri Lanka Institute of Accredited Media Professionals through pending legislation.

## Summary Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa provided a comprehensive update on nurse recruitment and training, acknowledging that the current workforce of approximately 43,553 nurses is insufficient for service demands. He outlined that approximately 3,441 new nursing appointments had been granted between May and November 2024, with a further cohort of 517 graduate nurses expected to receive permanent appointments the following month, and an additional 2,900 completing training for induction by October. He detailed planned recruitment covering the 2020–2024 training cohorts, totalling around 2,915 trainees registering in March with training commencing in April, alongside further Gazette notifications in May to address backlogs across multiple cohorts. He also reported progress on specialist nursing roles, including 517 Nursing Sisters in training, 217 Public Health Nursing Officers in training, and 69 Matron vacancies notified to the Public Service Commission, projecting a net addition of approximately 6,800 nurses within a 15-month period.

Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the ongoing effort to upgrade diploma nursing schools to degree-level institutions, confirming that the process began during discussions held between September and November 2024 under the Prime Minister's health portfolio and is now being managed jointly by the Ministries of Education and Higher Education through a committee. He outlined the complexity of the undertaking, which involves converting existing nursing schools rather than establishing new institutions, along with requirements for academic staffing, facility upgrades, and public service integration of graduates. While committing to proceeding as quickly as possible, he declined to provide a firm timeline for completion.

## Summary Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa provided a detailed ministerial response on the nursing service in Sri Lanka, covering its history, current workforce, and professional framework. He stated that formal nursing education began in 1939 at the Colombo School of Nursing, and that as of 30 September 2025, a total of 43,553 nurses are serving across central government and provincial public services. He outlined the functions of the nursing service spanning hospital, community, mental health, and specialized care, and detailed entry qualifications including A/L stream requirements, a 95:5 female-to-male intake ratio, and conditions such as age, height, and marital status. He also confirmed the availability of post-basic diploma and certificate programmes as well as degree-level education pathways, including BSc and MSc nursing through the Open University and private universities, with provision for study leave and lateral university entry.

The Speaker addressed a procedural irregularity, acknowledging that a particular matter fell outside standard parliamentary practice. While permitting the Minister of Fisheries to respond to the question raised by the Hon. Member, the Speaker explicitly stipulated that this allowance should not be regarded as establishing a precedent or becoming an accepted parliamentary practice.

Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, acting on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, tabled a report under Standing Order 119(4) detailing observations and actions taken on matters raised by the Committee on Public Accounts relating to that Ministry. He moved that the report be referred back to the Committee on Public Accounts, which was agreed to without division.