The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways

Listen to the answers. I will respond to your questions—please listen. Madam Presiding Member, after listening to Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, anyone would boil. Those who did politics behind Julampitiye Amare now come here and lecture us. Let me use a schoolroom image. A teacher tells the children: “We have a national song, a tree, a flower, a game.” A boy at the back stands up and asks: “Sorry sir, but do we have a nation?” For years, the Sri Lankan nation was not allowed to form; the flames of chauvinism were stoked. That fire engulfed our civilization; for decades, human development was torn apart, and our physical development was dismantled. Those leaders who lit those fires still try to burn this country again with the flames of racism. We will not allow it. We must cover our arrears—of human development that fell behind for years, and of physical development that vanished for years. We are committed to that. We came before the people promising economic, social, cultural and political transformation. Politically, within one year we have delivered through a scorecard—benefits from the top down, even the President’s, have been reduced; fuel, vehicles, official housing, salaries of Ministers curtailed; and with the law passed yesterday, we abolished pensions for certain categories. We have demonstrated political reform within a year. On corruption, independent institutions are allowed to work freely. Because of initial delays, the Opposition is shouting. Note that on the Corruption Perceptions Index we moved up 14 places, the score improving from 33 to 35. Governance has changed, even if the State machinery has not fully caught up yet—we believe it will with time. On the economy, from 1950 to 2023 Sri Lanka had a current account surplus only seven times. Because imports were constrained in 2023–2024 there was some surplus, but we closed 2025 with a current account surplus of USD 1,733 million. Those who said we couldn’t even run a tea kiosk, the NPP has shown how to run a country. How did we achieve this? First, remittances by our workers abroad—USD 8.1 billion last year, the highest ever. Second, goods and services exports—USD 17.218 billion last year, up 5.6% over 2024, the highest ever: goods USD 13.76 billion and services USD 3.65 billion. Third, FDI—USD 1,057 million, the highest ever. Fourth, tourism—surpassing the previous arrivals record (2018’s 2.3 million), with USD 3.2 billion in revenue, again a record. We keep breaking our own records: January 2025 remittances were USD 573 million; in January 2026, USD 751 million. Tourist arrivals in January 2025 were 252,761; in January 2026, 277,327. Not only USD revenue—rupee revenues have stabilized too. Sri Lanka Customs recorded over LKR 2,500 billion; Excise LKR 230 billion; Inland Revenue over LKR 2,200 billion—the highest in each department’s history. These are the outcomes of the economic, social and political transformation we promised and delivered through clean governance. The Opposition now goes hunting for strikes—because they have no real alternatives. If that is your politics, you won’t go far. We increased public sector salaries: LKR 110 billion in 2025; another LKR 110 billion in 2026; and another LKR 110 billion next year as well. Teachers were once at the bottom with constrained pay and many issues; today they receive significantly better salaries and can serve with dignity. We ask teachers: teach so that another weak Opposition is not created; teach so that such “people’s representatives” do not return here. That is your responsibility. This is how we must build the country—clearly demonstrating each pledge. You cannot fix a country by merely waiting for it to fall. To win power, the Opposition must be better than this—beat the targets we are setting. Growth in 2025: Q1 4.8%, Q2 4.9%, Q3 5.4%. Despite paying USD 3.9 billion in external debt and allowing USD 1.9 billion for imports, we built reserves to USD 6.8 billion, and kept the rupee stable. This is sound economic management—what the majority expected—and in a year we have shown it. Finally, this Government is not falling. To unseat it, you must present a more intelligent transformation beyond our economic, social and political reforms. Scribbling on placards will not topple this Government. Thank you.