2026-02-18 / debate: Special Commodity Levy Act Order, Customs Ordinance Resolution, Motor Traffic Act Regulations 2026-02-18
## Summary
Hon. Rohana Bandara raised several constituency and policy concerns spanning multiple sectors. On labour matters, he highlighted hardships faced by Civil Security Department personnel being transferred far from home districts — including those being redeployed to the Wildlife Department for electric fence duties — and called for fair treatment of long-serving staff; he also urged a revised age criterion for postal substitute recruitment to accommodate current serving staff. Regarding graduate recruitment, he requested that the examination deadline extension be accompanied by recognition of degrees completed up to 31 December 2025, to allow public officers whose studies were delayed by COVID to qualify for the teaching service. On the Supplementary Charge List debate, he argued that import taxes on agricultural produce such as potatoes and onions must be seasonally calibrated and data-driven rather than applied uniformly year-round, and called on the Government to transparently channel tax revenues to directly support farmers — thereby reducing the conditions that lead to protests and produce dumping — while also urging installation of paddy drying machines to address falling paddy prices in Anuradhapura.
Hon. Presiding Member, first, some issues from my constituents.
Personnel in the Civil Security Department face many hardships. Some are attached to Police and transferred far from their homes without adequate transport or food allowances; their pay is not commensurate. About 5,000 CSD personnel are to be attached to the Wildlife Department for electric fence protection, with transfer lists already out—again far from home districts. Many joined to protect their own villages and have served 20–30 years; forcing distant transfers is unfair and seems intended to push them out of service. Please ensure justice.
Postal “outside substitutes” have been gazetted as “registered substitutes”, but the latest recruitment limits age to under 30, excluding many now serving who met qualifications at entry. Please allow a fair age window.
The Prime Minister is present; I thank you, and raise the graduates’ recruitment exam. The recent Gazette extends the deadline to 05 March for open candidates. Please also allow serving public officers—whose degree completion was delayed by COVID and other crises—to sit, by recognizing degrees completed up to at least 31 December 2025, so they too can enter the teaching service.
On today’s SCL topic: the Gazette covers about 100 items under 62 categories, but the debate has focused on potatoes and onions. Taxes should not be used to mask other issues. Seasonal realities matter: onions come to market once a year; potatoes, twice—first from lowlands around March–April, then from upcountry around September–October. I do not oppose taxes per se; taxes and import controls can protect farmers. But the mechanism must be fair and data-driven, not uniform year-round without regard to seasons and historical price patterns. Otherwise consumers may face undue burdens while producers remain dissatisfied.
Even with tax, potato retail prices may not exceed around Rs. 150/kg, yet many local farmers cannot produce at that cost. Will the Government channel tax proceeds transparently to support farmers, reducing the need for protests and roadside dumping of produce? Let us design a system so consumers get stable prices and farmers receive timely, fair support from these revenues—before they take to the streets.
Paddy farmers also face distress; prices in Anuradhapura fell to about Rs. 78/kg last week. Funds were allocated for paddy drying machines—install them and deliver real relief. Thank you.