SRILANKA, Dec. 4 — Leader of the House and Minister Bimal Ratnayake said in Parliament yesterday (03) that the country will be rebuilt and a better country will be gifted to the children within two years.
He said this while participating in the 2026 Budget committee stage debate on the expenditure heads of the Plantations and Community Infrastructure Ministry, the Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Ministry and the Finance and Economic Development Ministry.
Minister Ratnayake said, “The disaster has had a huge impact on the economy and society. We are working on this in a planned manner. Priority activities have been identified. Permanent and temporary activities have been identified. We are looking at every issue from this perspective at this time. More attention has been paid to these emergency and temporary remedies.
“There are a large number of areas that have been destroyed. The impact on the Jaffna district is less. Kilinochchi was affected to some extent. The Vavuniya district was affected to some extent. Mannar and Mullaitivu have been affected the most. Many Grama seva divisions in the Mannar district have been Submerged. Efforts are being made to rescue the people from their hardships. There have been some obstacles to boat traffic in Nainativu. We have given instructions for that. About 35,000 acres of paddy fields in Mannar have been damaged. We will take steps to compensate them soon. In the Northern Province we provide maximum support to the Government agents.
“Similarly, engineers provide support voluntarily. It is not possible to provide everything under normal circumstances. But everyone is working together. This should be done as a national effort. But each grama sewa niladhari is given Rs. 50,000. For the first time in Sri Lanka, a Divisional Secretary is being given Rs. 500 lakhs. Rs. 25,000 has been given to clean houses. Steps have been taken to pay it by now. It will take some time in the Central Hills and the Badulla, Kurunegala, and Puttalam districts. Steps have already been taken to pay Rs. 25,000 to several districts. The Government agents have confirmed that some districts have received the money. The officials can understand how the Government works.
The Galagedara-Kandy road has been opened within two days. The Kadugannawa road has been re-opened. There may be various allegations against Government officials. But today all Government officials are providing their services very well. Attention has been paid to small businesses. Our attention has also been paid to resettlement. These people are being resettled in places certified by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO). That institute is doing its job very quickly.
“Steps have been taken to bring the transport sector back to normal. Steps are being taken to complete 98 percent of the country’s roads by December 10. A large number of train engines have been brought from Rambukkana. Three main railway lines are expected to be completed very soon. Steps are being taken to ensure safe transportation. A total of 4,200 SLTB buses are expected to operate tomorrow. A total of 150 train journeys have been made. Bus operations have started. It will take a considerable time to develop bridges. A train and bus operation will be started from Kandy to Ambepussa and from there to Polgahawela.
“Similarly SriLankan Airlines does not charge any fee for cancelling tickets. We will start cleaning the areas that were affected from tomorrow. We have also focused on the most difficult areas. We have done well this year. All these are external circumstances. The strategies we have taken are not wrong. They say that we will fall due to external factors. We have endured this political campaign patiently. We will not panic.
“Let us work as a people. Be right before the people. Local Government institutions are working very well. We will overcome these challenges. We will rebuild this country and gift our children a better country in two years.”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa urged the Government in Parliament yesterday (03) to withdraw the current Budget and present a revised spending plan tailored to support the more than 1.5 million people affected by Cyclone ‘Ditwah’.
He said that the Government’s existing Budget does not reflect the country’s post-disaster realities and called for a short delay to prepare a new relief-focused budget.
Premadasa said that Sri Lanka should convene an international donor conference to secure urgent humanitarian and recovery assistance. He said that if the Government is unable to organise such a conference, the Opposition is prepared to take the lead in calling and coordinating international support.
He stated this while participating in the 2026 Budget committee stage debate on the expenditure heads of the Plantations and Community Infrastructure Ministry, Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Ministry, and the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry.
The Opposition Leader said, “Immediate discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must be held to negotiate a new agreement as the current IMF conditions are placing undue pressure on the people in the aftermath of the disaster. Therefore a revised programme could offer more space to protect disaster-affected vulnerable groups.
“I urge the Government not to use emergency regulations to suppress the media or restrict democratic freedoms. The regulations should be used solely to support disaster-affected communities.
“The devastation from the disaster has so far caused 465 deaths, 366 people missing, and tens of thousands displaced. Therefore, I urge the Government to hold a national day of mourning and to construct a unified national plan focused on relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation. Public officials, Tri-Forces officers, Police officers, and volunteers had provided exemplary service and deserve special recognition.
“I also urge the Government to revise outdated circulars to allow officials to deliver assistance quickly to the affected, stabilise food prices by addressing the black-market mafia, and adopt a coordinated national development framework that prioritises recovery of agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and essential services.
“Why did the Government not issue an emergency disaster declaration despite advance warnings? I call upon the Government to conduct an investigation into gaps in early warning systems, including delays in communicating forecasts, and the absence of a functioning Doppler radar system.”
“Politics must be set aside during a national crisis and the Opposition stands ready to work with the Government to rebuild the country at this crucial time.”
‘Govt had no prior warning about cyclone’
NPP Parliamentarian Lakmali Hemachandra yesterday challenged MP Dilith Jayaweera and the Opposition to prove that anyone had given any prior warning regarding the cyclone.
The MP stated that no such prior warning had been given and the Opposition was trying to do politics on the basis of the dead.
Stating that the media and the Opposition also have a huge responsibility in a time of national disaster, the MP stated that a television channel owned by Jayaweera had taken steps to spread this view.
While MP Hemachandra was speaking, a heated situation was erupted in the House and Jayaweera stated that he was not a media person from his media organisation.
MP Hemachandra said that the Government respects all Government officials who are working for the people affected by the cyclone. The five officers of the Air Force and Navy who died in their mission should be remembered. It is because of such officers who sacrificed their lives that the people are safe today.
“Also, the majority of the Opposition members provided support for the recovery from this situation and for the victims. But some people are acting in a way that discredits the Opposition,” she said.
MP Kins Nelson also said that a warning had been issued on November 12, about the impending cyclone. Several MPs spoke about this.
Parliament observes a minute’s silence
All Members of Parliament observed a minute’s silence in Parliament yesterday in memory of all those who lost their lives and those who were affected by Cyclone ‘Ditwah’.
Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka proposed that the minute’s silence be observed.
