Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya made these remarks while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 28th Asia Pacific Social Work Conference 2025, held on 18 November at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo.

Organised by the Sri Lanka Association of Professional Social Workers (SLAPSW) and the National Institute of Social Development (NISD), the conference takes place from 18–21 November in Colombo under the theme “Social Work Responses to Climate Change and Other Environmental Issues.”

The Prime Minister further stated:

“Sri Lanka faces coastal erosion, unpredictable monsoons, urban flooding, droughts, and other climate-related challenges that directly affect agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. These environmental changes also worsen existing social inequalities, disproportionately impacting rural farmers, fisherfolk, plantation communities, and other marginalised groups.

Social workers play a critical role in addressing these challenges. They are often the first responders during disasters, providing immediate assistance, psycho-social support, and long-term rehabilitation. In Sri Lanka, social workers strengthen community resilience, support youth and women’s empowerment, and advocate for environmentally responsible practices.

The government supports these efforts through integrated approaches that combine climate adaptation, social protection, and community empowerment.

Our youth are making an important contribution to climate action and sustainability. Across Sri Lanka, students participate in school-based climate clubs, lead awareness campaigns, and organise community clean-up drives. Young people, through school clubs and the National Youth Services Council, are driving large-scale tree-planting and reforestation initiatives that restore degraded landscapes and protect vulnerable communities.

Technology and innovation, including digital disaster monitoring and climate-smart agriculture are helping communities respond effectively. The 2026 national budget reinforces this vision, prioritising national research and innovation through the establishment of a National Research and Development Institute and Council to ensure evidence-based solutions to environmental and social challenges.

It strengthens the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, expands support for children with disabilities from low-income families, and improves accessible public infrastructure. The budget also addresses the housing needs of vulnerable communities, including those living in landslide-prone areas and internally displaced families. Social protection reforms are being advanced through the Integrated Social Protection Registry and the People’s Income Support Programme, alongside measures to increase wages for estate workers and dedicated support for women’s empowerment.

In addition, the budget emphasises environmental research and strategies to mitigate human–wildlife conflict, supported by targeted infrastructure investments. No state can achieve environmental justice alone; collaboration is essential. This conference provides a platform to share experiences, research, and solutions, strengthening regional capacity and solidarity. Sri Lanka calls upon our partners to join us in building resilient communities, effective social work institutions, and inclusive policies that respond to climate challenges.”

The event was attended by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, Dr. Upali Pannilage, Prof. Machiko Ohara, President of the International Federation of Social Work Asia-Pacific, and other distinguished guests.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) has asked whether the NPP entered into a military agreement with the US as a condition for reduction of tariffs and precursor to signing SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement).

CPSL Leader Dr. G. Weerasinghe told The Island that the US had almost succeeded in finalising SOFA during the Yahapalana administration (2015-2019). On behalf of the party, Dr. Weerasinghe yesterday (18) issued the following statement: “We strongly condemn the NPP government for entering into a new military Memorandum of Understanding with the United States National Guard under the so-called State Partnership Programme (SPP). This agreement between the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the Montana National Guard represents another step in the militarisation of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ and the erosion of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

The new US–Sri Lanka MoU formalises cooperation on a wide range of military activities: joint training, maritime surveillance, air operations, and disaster-response integration between the US National Guard and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The agreement should be seen as a pretext for embedding US military structures within Sri Lanka.

This MoU has been signed in a context of heightened US militarism, including Washington’s open threats of aggression against Venezuela and complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Moreover, this is the second military agreement reached by the NPP government, following the earlier India–Sri Lanka defence MoU whose contents remain entirely concealed from the public.

There are critical questions that every Sri Lankan must ask:

Was signing this agreement a political condition for the reduction in tariffs?

Is this MoU a precursor to signing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States?

Will Sri Lanka’s military, naval and air force infrastructure facilities, as well as Sri Lanka’s ports and airports, be placed at the disposal of the US war machine?

Is Sri Lanka to be a pawn in US military aggression in Asia?

The CPSL reaffirms that Sri Lanka must be a non-aligned, sovereign country. We call on the NPP government to immediately disclose the content of all military agreements it has entered into, halt further defence cooperation with foreign powers, and place national security decisions under democratic scrutiny.

Further, we call upon all anti-imperialist and patriotic forces to come forward to protect the non-aligned status and sovereignty of the country.”

The Attorney General has cleared the draft of a Bill seeking to abolish pension entitlements granted to MPs and their spouses.

The Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has given the go ahead to repeal the Parliamentary Pensions Act No. 1 of 1971.

The Legal Draftsman has prepared the Bill aimed at abolishing the pension entitlements granted to Members of Parliament and their spouses.

Government sources said that the proposal, presented by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to publish the Bill in the Government Gazette and submit it to Parliament, for approval had received the Cabinet endorsement.

Earlier some ex-MPs opposed the move. A group, styling itself as ex-MPs Collective, declared that it was contemplating legal action in case the government moved to do away with MPs’ pension scheme.

Minister and Cabinet spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa is on record as having said that if any ex-MP found it difficult, he or she could, like any other citizen, seek assistance through government welfare programmes, such as Aswesuma.