The Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Tourism

## Summary Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe spoke in support of a Bill to abolish the parliamentary pension scheme for Members of Parliament, framing it as fulfillment of a key National People's Power manifesto commitment. He argued that parliamentary service constitutes a temporary public mandate rather than a conventional career, and that it is neither just nor ethical for elected representatives to receive lifelong pensions — particularly after a single term — while ordinary citizens struggle to meet basic needs. He contended that Sri Lanka's economic collapse reflected a political culture of excessive privilege disconnected from the public, and that abolishing the pension scheme would help restore public trust and establish a new political culture grounded in accountability and integrity. The Deputy Minister clarified that the Bill does not seek to reduce operational support for MPs, but rather to end a system of entitlement that he characterized as inconsistent with democratic service.