News
Criticism of Basil’s silence on economic situation throws House into turmoil
FM has not spoken for three months – Opposition
All questions are answered by State Minister, claims govt.
I can’t force MPs to attend parliament – Speaker
By Saman Indrajith
A tense situation arose in Parliament yesterday when the Opposition asked the Speaker to summon Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to the House. Opposition MPs claimed Minister Rajapaksa had not spoken in the House for three months.
A heated argument ensued between the government and opposition after Chief Opposition Whip SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella, raising a point of order, said that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa had not spoken in the chamber of the House for the past three months or answered questions posed by the MPs. “There is an economic crisis. It was on 10 December last year that the Finance Minister spoke in this House. For the past three months he has not spoken a single word. The Finance Minister should be here to explain to the House the country’s economic situation. We call upon the Speaker to summon the Finance Minister to Parliament immediately. He has time to go around the world begging for money, but cannot come here. This is a shame. He has asked for USD 300 million from Russia, which is fighting a war. The Speaker should summon him. As per Article 148 of the Constitution parliament has the controlling powers over public finances. If the Speaker fails to protect that power what is he doing in that chair,” MP Kiriella queried.
Leader of the House Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the Chief Opposition Whip should withdraw his statement that the Finance Minister was not attending the House. All the questions raised by the MPs expecting answers from the Finance Minister had been answered to by the State Finance Minister on behalf of the minister. Even debates have been conducted in this House on documents tabled by the Finance Ministry. The Finance Minister came to the House from time to time. It is wrong to state that he did not come to parliament. Some of his statements have been debated here.
Chief Opposition Whip: The Finance Minister should come to the House and make a statement on the current economic situation. You have asked for USD 300 million from Russia. It is a country facing a war. It is a shame to ask for money from a country at war.
Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara: Ukrainian President addressed the parliament of that country in the middle of a war.
SLPP MP Jayantha Ketagoda: The Finance Minister came to the chamber. You did not see him because you were asleep then.
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando: It is wrong for the Chief Opposition Whip and Opposition MPs to say that the Finance Minister did not present reports to the House regularly. How many times has the Opposition leader raised questions under the Standing Order 27/2 to be answered by the Finance Minister? All those questions were answered fully by the State Minister of Finance as per the Finance Minister’s instructions. MP Kiriella says that his country is bankrupt. I would like to recall the conduct of finance ministers during the times of your government. One of them resigned and did not contest the election. Another has lost the election. There was one state finance minister who did not face the election and came to parliament through the national list. That was how the finance ministers of your government fared. You have been saying the economy would collapse after 01 Jan, this year. Arrangements had even been made to come live on Facebook when the country’s economy collapsed. Did that happen? We have given time for a debate to the Opposition today. No other government has done so. You can compare how much time you allocated for the Opposition during the times of the five year yahapalana government. We have given you time to state whatever issues you have. Even today we have allocated five to six hours for the Opposition. MP Kiriella stands up at the commencement of sittings in a bid to be seen on TV. But television stations are not interested in what he says. This is the truth. He is my friend. He is doing his best to attract media attention, but in vain. The issue raised by him today is also the same. Everybody knows that the Finance Minister is controlling the economy well.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: I am not in a position to force a minister to make a ministerial statement. But if any Member of Parliament continues to abstain from coming to parliament for three months, he will lose his parliament seat as per the Standing Orders.
Interdicted Deputy Director at the National Hospital, Sri Lanka (NHSL) Dr. Rukshan Bellana yesterday (29) alleged that the powers that be moved against him for seeking the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption) investigation into a massive fraud at the NHSL laboratory.
Dr. Bellana said so in response to The Island query regarding the circumstances the Health Ministry interdicted him on 18 December, through a letter, as directed by the Health Committee of the Public Service (PSC) Commission. “That letter has been signed by an Additional Secretary, as Health Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe was overseas,” Dr. Bellana said.
Dr. Bellana stated that the government had paid for reagents, contaminated or close to expiry dates, obtained from a leading local medical supplier, since 2022. He emphasised that his complaint to the CIABOC, and subsequent complaint to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), were entirely based on the issues raised by the National Audit Office (NAO).
Responding to another query, Dr. Bellana said that the public funds, amounting to Rs. 900 mn, had been spent on chemical reagents past expiry dates. Regardless of the intervention made by the NAO, the NHSL continued to procure supplies from the same company, Dr. Bellana said, adding that he had received the unconditional support of the civil society. Among them were Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA), President of Academy of Health Professionals Ravi Kumudesh, and leader of Mage Rata Sanjaya Mahawatta.
Dr. Bellana said that he had complained about the scam to the CIABOC in June this year.
Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, who also lodged a complaint with CIABOC, regarding the same matter, is on record as having said in September this year that the reagents had been procured over a three-year period without the proper approval of the Medical Supplies Division of the Ministry. Dr. Sanjeewa has alleged that some of the reagents were either contaminated or close to expiry dates, while contracts had been given to a single company at unapproved prices.
Dr. Bellana said that had there been a proper system for CIABOC and law enforcement authorities to act on findings made by the NAO they wouldn’t have personally intervened in the NHSL laboratory matter. “Parliament should look into this. Did Parliament take up the NHSL laboratory matter at the relevant watchdog committee or at the Sectoral Oversight Committee that handled health?” Dr. Bellana asked.
Asked whether the letter that informed him of his interdiction gave any specific reason for the action taken, Dr. Bellana said the Ministry had found fault with him for speaking to the media. The irate ex-official said that he never hesitated to take a stand against injustice. “When former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was accused of corruption, pertaining to medical procurement, I condemned the Minister. Lambasted those responsible for wrongdoings.”
Dr. Bellana said that the NAO had dealt with mega crime involving the public and private sector. “That is the undeniable truth. Parliament should look into this as public money is its responsibility. Having vowed to stamp out corruption, the NPP was allowing and encouraging those who had been making money at the expense of the sick, Dr. Bellana said.
Dr. Bellana said that as many as 10,000 tests were conducted daily at the NHSL. The racketeers had been active during Aragalaya as the NHSL and the private supplier reached agreement in 2022 and the process continued even after the last presidential election, conducted in September 2024.
Dr. Bellana said that the long delay in finalising the Auditor General’s appointment exposed the government. If those holding high political office were genuinely interested in fighting corruption, they wouldn’t have allowed that Office of AG stay vacant even for a day.
Dr. Bellana noted the tough statements issued by the Bar Association, Transparency International Sri Lanka and the Committee on Public Finance demanding the immediate appointment of AG.
Health Ministry officials were not available for comment.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
BIA unions, including those affiliated to political parties, are demanding bonuses equal to five months’ basic salaries.
A group of workers yesterday (29) protested outside BIA urging the Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Private) Ltd to increase their bonuses. They claimed that the Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Private) Ltd., Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Harsha Abeywickrama, had assured them that they would be paid bonuses worth five times their basic salaries.
The SriLankan Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya (SLNSS) of the airport, the Podujana Sewaka Sangamaya, the Pragathishili Sewaka Sangamaya, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, and the SLNSS of SriLankan Airlines joined the protest.
The Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority has issued an urgent safety warning to residents living along the banks of the Kotmale Oya and the Mahaweli River, as water levels in the Kotmale Reservoir are reaching maximum capacity.
According to a special weather advisory issued by the Department of Meteorology on December 26, 2025, heavy rainfall is expected in the catchment areas over the coming days.
In response, the Mahaweli Authority released a statement on December 27, warning that spill gates may have to be opened to manage the water flow.
Eng. A.M.A.K. Seneviratne, Resident Engineer and Deputy Director of the Kotmale Reservoir, stated that the opening of spill gates would lead to a significant rise in the water levels of both the Kotmale Oya and the Mahaweli River.
Areas on Alert
Residents in the following Divisional Secretariat divisions are urged to remain extra vigilant:
• Nuwara Eliya District: Kotmale West and Kotmale East.
• Kandy District: Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Doluwa, Pasbage Korale, and Ganga Ihala Korale.
Authorities have advised the public in these low-lying and river-adjacent areas to monitor the situation closely and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety and the protection of their property.
By S.K. Samaranayake
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Dr. Bellana: “I was removed as NHSL Deputy Director for exposing Rs. 900 mn fraud”
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