Bimal claims most of inherited issues already tackled by NPP govt.

By Saman Indrajith

Leader of the House and Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament on Tuesday that during its first 100 days, the JVP/NPP government had to address problems inherited from previous regimes. Most of these issues had now been tackled and were in the process of being solved.

Delivering the concluding speech of the second reading debate on the 2025 Budget from the government benches, Minister Ratnayake stated: “None of these problems were caused by any decisions we made. Yet, we took responsibility for them, as we believe it is our duty to find solutions. We addressed them in a manner that ensures they will not recur. In doing so, we always opted for sustainable solutions.

Soon after assuming power, the government faced several pressing issues, including delays in passport issuance, shortages of rice, coconut, and salt in the market, a backlog in container clearance at the port, and a crisis following the release of the Grade Five scholarship examination results, which threatened to bring parents onto the streets. Additionally, the prices of essential goods reached unprecedented highs, and an underworld killing spree emerged. All these problems were the result of mismanagement by previous administrations.

“We introduced scientific solutions to each of these issues, and all of them are now on the path to being resolved. The passport issuance delay is being addressed, and there are no longer queues at the passport office. We regret the inconveniences caused by the shortages of rice, coconut, and salt. Short-term measures were implemented to address these shortages, and we assure you that these issues will be a thing of the past by next November, thanks to the long-term solutions currently being implemented. Container clearance at the Colombo Port has almost returned to normal levels, and the issue is being resolved in a way that prevents its recurrence. The Grade Five scholarship issue was resolved by the courts, delivering a solution acceptable to the majority of parents and fair to most students. Prices of essential goods are declining, as shown by retail chain statistics, which also indicate an increase in sales. As for the underworld killing spree, the police and security forces have been tasked with bringing it under control,” Ratnayake said.

“In addition, there were two moral issues: the first concerned the education certificates of the former Speaker, and the second involved the name change of a female Opposition MP. Since obtaining the former Speaker’s education certificates from overseas seemed time-consuming, immediate steps were taken to secure his resignation. Regarding the name change issue, Chief Government Whip Minister Nalinda Jayatissa informed the House on the same day that questionable remarks made by one of our MPs would be retracted, and we agreed to expunge them from the Hansard records.

“The 2025 Budget has also been prepared to address policy needs and provide solutions to the many problems our nation faces. A country cannot be developed by economists alone if there is no proper political management in place. Consider African nations with vast deposits of diamonds and oil that remain underdeveloped due to a lack of political management. During the debate, it was mentioned that foreign investors, who had come here with projects worth over $450 billion, turned away and invested elsewhere. This is unsurprising, as they were deterred by the corrupt political environment that prevailed at the time. A country cannot progress without political stability, backed by discipline, social stability upheld by discipline, and financial stability maintained by discipline. This Budget envisions achieving these stabilities.

For us, this is a historic occasion, as it is our first budget. We have long dreamed of presenting a budget of this nature to develop our country in line with our vision for systemic change. This Budget is also a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for sharing that vision with us to transform this country,” Ratnayake said.