The Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced to the House today that he endorsed the certificate on three Bills on 17.12.2025. Accordingly, the Hon. Speaker endorsed the certificate on the Bills titled Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment), the Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment), and the Strategic Development Projects (Amendment).
The primary purpose of the Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill was to amend the Social Security Contribution Levy Act, No. 25 of 2022. The Bill was presented to Parliament on 09.10.2025, and the Bill was passed in Parliament on 05.12.2025.
The Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Bill, duly passed on 05.12.2025, aimed to amend Section 2 of the principal enactment. Accordingly, amendments to the Bill aimed to limit the gross collection of ten per centum to have been applicable only for the time period from April 1, 2023, to October 1, 2025, increase the gross collection levy from persons carrying on a business of bookmaker or business of gambling to eighteen per centum from October 1, 2025, and increase the casino entrance levy from persons who are citizens of Sri Lanka to United States Dollars one hundred.
The Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Bill, presented to Parliament on 14.11.2025, was passed in Parliament on 05.12.2025 for the purpose of amending the Strategic Development Projects Act, No. 14 of 2008. Accordingly, said amendments included reducing the maximum tax holiday period from twenty-five years to ten years and mandating a new process for project identification, the Board of Investment (BOI) identifying a project and referring it to the Ministry of Finance for a mandatory ex-ante cost-benefit analysis before any tax holiday or concession was granted, establishing new requirements for ex-post monitoring by the BOI, including the authority to impose administrative penalties or restrict or revoke exemptions for non-compliance with key performance indicators, requiring tax returns to be filed, and mandating the Ministry of Finance to publish an annual report on tax expenditures related to these projects.
Accordingly, the said three Bills will come into force as the Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Act, No. 24 of 2025, the Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Act, No. 25 of 2025, and the Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Act, No. 26 of 2025.
2026-06-03
The Deputy High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, paid a farewell call on the Hon. Speaker of Parliament of Sri Lanka, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, at the Parliament premises recently (Jun. 01). The Secretary General of Parliament Ms. Kushani Rohanadeera was also present at the occasion.During the meeting, the outgoing Deputy High Commissioner expressed his sincere gratitude to the Hon. Speaker for his cooperation, support, and guidance in further strengthening the cordial Parliamentary relations and longstanding friendship between India and Sri Lanka. He also conveyed his appreciation to the Secretary-General of Parliament, Ms. Kushani Rohanadeera and the Parliamentary staff for their collaboration in enhancing engagement and cooperation between the legislatures of the two countries.The Hon. Speaker commended Dr. Pandey for his dedicated service in Sri Lanka and thanked the Government and people of India for the steadfast support extended to Sri Lanka during times of need. He particularly appreciated India’s assistance in the aftermath of the recent Cyclone Ditwah and its continued support amid challenges arising from the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The Hon. Speaker also expressed his gratitude for the training programmes and capacity-building initiatives provided for Members of Parliament and Parliamentary staff.Dr. Pandey also paid a farewell call on the Hon. Deputy Speaker, Dr. Rizvie Salih and expressed his appreciation for the support and cooperation extended during his tenure in Sri Lanka. The Hon. Deputy Speaker commended Dr. Pandey’s contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and thanked him for his efforts in fostering parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. During the cordial discussions, the Hon. Speaker and Deputy Speaker extended their best wishes to Dr. Pandey for success in his future endeavors.
2026-06-02
During the weekend of the sacred Vesak festival, which commemorates the three auspicious events in the life of Lord Buddha, the Parliament of Sri Lanka was transformed into a beautiful setting adorned with the splendour of Vesak.The Parliament premises were beautifully decorated with colourful Vesak lanterns, illuminated lights, Buddhist flags and various other Vesak decorations. These decorations created a serene and visually appealing atmosphere, providing spiritual comfort and tranquillity to all who visited or witnessed the surroundings.The decorations also helped convey the true meaning of Vesak by reminding society of the core values of Buddhism, including loving-kindness, compassion, peaceful coexistence and moral integrity. At night, the glittering lanterns and illuminated displays added a unique charm and beauty to the Parliament complex.Reflecting the universal message of Buddhism that transcends race, religion and culture, the Vesak decorations highlighted the importance of building a society that values peace, coexistence and humanity.In parallel with these celebrations, a special ceremony was held around the sacred Bo tree planted within the Parliamentary premises, which originated from a sapling of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi. Oil lamps were lit around the Bo tree as part of the observances. Through these religious rituals, homage was paid to the teachings of the Buddha, while prayers were offered for peace, prosperity, and well-being for the nation and its people.Parliament, resplendent with the vitality of the Vesak festival, became another striking symbol of Sri Lanka’s proud Buddhist culture and rich spiritual heritage, demonstrating the importance of these enduring traditions to the nation and its people.
2026-05-30
Today marks the noble and sacred Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, which commemorates the 2570th Sambuddha Triple Blessed Event (Birth, Enlightenment, and Passing Away). This day is of paramount importance not only to the Buddhist community worldwide but also to us as Sri Lankans, as the heritage and foundation of our country’s social and cultural value system are deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy.The theme for this year's Vesak Day is "Abhittharetha Kalyane," which means "Let us rally swiftly for the common good." This is indeed the greatest example we can draw from the life of our great teacher, Gautama Buddha, who renounced everything and dedicated his entire life to the well-being and happiness of the general public.I also believe that the manner in which our Sri Lankan nation stood together for the well-being of fellow citizens affected by past natural disasters clearly reflected these core Buddhist religious values inherent within our society.Therefore, in leading our lives according to the profound spiritual message taught by the Buddha, we must always act for the well-being and happiness of the public. Religion serves as one of the fundamental pillars in building a society that can act for the benefit of suffering fellow human beings as well as for the welfare of the collective community. To achieve this, a new revival must also be brought about within religion. I believe that such a religious awakening can foster a social awakening, thereby inheriting a healthier and more prosperous society.Accordingly, on this noble Triple Blessed Day, while inviting everyone to resolutely unite and commit to the common good as a whole society, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the Sri Lankan and global Buddhist community celebrating the festival of Vesak today.May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all...!Dr. Jagath WickramaratneSpeakerParliament of Sri Lanka
2026-05-27
A Parliamentary delegation comprising twenty Members of Parliament and four officials of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, led by the (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Hon. Deputy Minister of Mass Media, departed from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on 25th May 2026 to participate in the Workshop for Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka being held in Beijing and Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China. The programme is organized by the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China from 26th May to 5th June 2026.The delegation arrived in Beijing on 25th May 2026 and commenced official engagements on 26th May 2026 with the Opening Ceremony of the Workshop held at the Fenghui Centre in Beijing.Addressing the Opening Ceremony on behalf of the Sri Lankan delegation, (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Hon. Deputy Minister delivered a statement at the event in her capacity as Head of Delegation. Remarks were also made by Ms. Poornima Gunasekera, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing and Mrs. Qiu Aijun, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission of China. The programme includes a series of lectures, discussions, institutional visits and field engagements in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangdong Province, focusing on governance, economic development, infrastructure modernization, technological innovation, green development, and sustainable development initiatives in China.Sri Lanka’s participation in the Workshop underscores the continued commitment of both countries to further strengthening longstanding bilateral relations, enhancing Parliamentary diplomacy, and promoting institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange between Sri Lanka and the People’s Republic of China.The Sri Lankan delegation comprises T.B. Sarath, Hon. Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply; Hon. Members of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dasanayake; Rohana Bandara; W.H.M. Dharmasena; Upul Kithsiri; Thahir Marikar; Chandana Thennakoon; Dharmapriya Dissanayake; Susantha Kumara Nawarathna; Nandana Pathmakumara; Stefani Fernando; (Dr.) Sri Bavanandarajah; E.M. Basnayaka; Mohammed Sharif Fasmin; (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam; Dinesh Hemantha Perera; Samantha Ranasingha; Abthul Wazeeth and Roshan Akmeemana.The delegation also includes Mr. Hansa Abeyrathne, Assistant Secretary-General; Mr. Gamage Sarath Kumara, Director (Finance); Mr. Lal Kumarasiri, Senior Parliamentary Interpreter and Mrs. Ama Vithanage, Chief Parliamentary Protocol Officer.
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