Hon. Kins Nelson

Hon. Kins Nelson seconded a motion by Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara concerning the Civil Security Department (CSD), whose members historically performed village defence roles during wartime. He raised concerns about the President's Budget Speech proposal to second 5,000 CSD members to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Police, arguing that such transfers require proper training and that Wildlife protected zones have specific entry restrictions. He further urged that secondments be made within members' home districts — citing Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee — as many CSD members are farmers dependent on cultivation to supplement low wages, and distant postings would cause hardship to their families. He also called on the Minister to address longstanding shortfalls in basic equipment such as uniforms, boots, and raincoats, referencing a protest by CSD members' spouses in Kantale as evidence of the welfare concerns.

Hon. Kins Nelson raised a supplementary question urging the Minister to ensure that District Secretaries are formally notified of a new circular governing decentralised funds. He noted that the previous year's withholding of decentralised funds from Opposition MPs was unprecedented, and criticised an earlier requirement setting a minimum project threshold of Rs. 500,000. He highlighted that, following a proposal by the Leader of the Opposition, the President has since amended the policy to permit projects of Rs. 200,000 and to allow allocations to temples, preschools, and schools. Nelson requested that District Secretaries be directed to operate under the revised circular without delay.

Hon. Kins Nelson raised two matters in supplementary questions to the Minister. First, he asked for a definite date for the opening of the Kaduruwela Trade Complex, noting that the project was initiated in 2022 with an allocation of Rs. 65 million, that over Rs. 7 million has already been spent by the Municipal Council, but that the complex has remained closed for some time. Second, he raised a concern regarding decentralised funds announced in the Budget Speech, specifically that a new amendment lowering the minimum project value threshold from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 200,000 has not been communicated to District Secretaries or District Coordinating Committee Chairs. He proposed that both parties be formally notified of the amendment and that clear responsibility be assigned to District Secretaries to ensure proper implementation, rather than leaving approvals to be handled arbitrarily.

## Summary Hon. Kins Nelson directed a question to the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government regarding an abandoned shopping complex in Kaduruwela Town. The member sought specific information on whether the Minister is aware of the abandoned structure, the total expenditure incurred during its construction, and what remedial measures the government intends to take to return the facility to operational use. The question implies concern over unutilised public infrastructure and potential wastage of government funds.

Hon. Kins Nelson raised three main issues in his speech. First, he argued that over 1,000 luxury vehicles stranded at the Port—including those imported by approximately 400 private individuals—should be released under reasonable taxation rather than the proposed ~350% duty, which he characterised as excessive, in order to generate government revenue. Second, he reported on his attendance at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Human–Wildlife Coexistence in Gaborone, Botswana (19–21 January 2026), drawing parallels between African and Sri Lankan human-elephant conflict challenges, and formally proposed that Sri Lanka collaborate with the EU-linked organisation Inter Pares on a data-driven programme to address the issue; he tabled proposals previously submitted by Mr. S.W. Wickramaratne for the Minister of Environment's consideration. Third, he called for the reopening of campsites and Block 2 of Yala National Park during the current peak tourist season, arguing that their closure discourages visitors, reduces revenue, and inadvertently facilitates poaching.

Hon. Kins Nelson made a brief but urgent statement to the Speaker, characterizing the matter before the House as one involving a life at risk. The speech is extremely brief and lacks additional detail regarding the specific individual, circumstance, or legislation being referenced.

Hon. Kins Nelson spoke in support of the Bill while raising several concerns about its implementation and scope. He highlighted the vulnerability of approximately three million people, predominantly women, burdened by microfinance debts, and called for women's representation on the proposed Authority's governing body. He urged clarification and consultation with village-level organisations such as death donation societies and farmer groups regarding whether they would fall under Central Bank oversight, and proposed amendments where necessary. He also raised concerns about the misuse of leased vehicles and pledged valuables by unregulated lenders, calling for stricter supervision of pawn shops, and cautioned against policies that would harm small village institutions or legitimate businesses while allowing criminal operators to profit.