The Colombo District Waste Management Subcommittee, operating under the Colombo District Coordinating Committee, convened at Parliament on 22 July with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The meeting reviewed the current measures being implemented to address issues relating to the disposal of municipal solid waste in the Western Province, following up on matters discussed at previous meetings. Particular attention was also given to future plans for improving solid waste management. In addition, discussions focused on promoting the proper use of compost bins among the public.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to develop an effective mechanism to ensure the proper implementation of existing waste management policies. The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of raising public awareness of citizens’ responsibility to dispose of waste appropriately.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara; Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Colombo District Development Committee Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi; Colombo District Secretary Ginige Prasanna Janaka Kumara; Chief Secretary of the Western Province Pradeep Pushpakumara; officials of the Colombo District Secretariat, the Waste Management Authority (WMA), the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), and the Colombo Municipal Council.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated in Parliament on 22 July that the key political policy of the current Government is not to use the Presidential Residence or the official bungalows previously allocated to Cabinet Ministers.

The Prime Minister stated that, although these buildings are not being used as official residences, the Government is maintaining them to prevent deterioration and has launched a special programme to repurpose them for the benefit of the public.

The Prime Minister further noted that, in line with the recommendations of the special committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, steps are already underway to utilize the Presidential Residence and all such properties for commercial activities or other public purposes.

The Prime Minister also stated that judicial proceedings have already commenced in some of these former official bungalows, contributing to a more efficient administration of the country’s judicial system.

Rejecting claims circulating on social media that Ministers are residing in official residences or bungalows, Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized that no member of the current Cabinet is living in official residences. She clarified that while some Ministers are residing at the Madiwela Members’ Housing Complex, none are occupying official ministerial bungalows.

Reaffirming that the Government is delivering on the promises made to the people as planned, the Prime Minister stressed that it is inappropriate to raise questions in Parliament based solely on false information circulating on social media.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a discussion on July 21 at Parliament with officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Digital Economy, GovTech Agency, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Telecom, Dialog, and other relevant institutions to review the progress of the digitalisation process of the education sector.

During the discussion, officials briefed the Prime Minister on the progress made under the Task Force appointed under the leadership of Prime Minister’s Secretary Pradeep Saputhanthri, with the objective of providing the required digital facilities to support the new education reforms initiated by the present Government.

The officials highlighted that several initiatives have been implemented during the past year, including the development of digital infrastructure in schools, installation of smart boards, provision of internet facilities, and supply of computers to schools.

They further informed that, with the technical assistance of the Sri Lanka Air Force, significant progress has been made in the implementation of the HRM module of the NEMIS (National Education Management Information System). The data entry process for four provinces has been fully completed, while arrangements have been made to complete the inclusion of information from the remaining five provinces within the next three months.

The NEMIS system is expected to be used for teacher transfers in the future. At present, teacher transfer processes in the Sabaragamuwa and Western Provinces have already commenced through this system.

Furthermore, updating and enhancing the Human Resource Management Module containing relevant data is also scheduled to be carried out in the coming period.

The progress of providing internet facilities to schools through Fibre technology was also discussed in detail. It was decided to complete the provision of these facilities by December 31. For schools where providing internet facilities through Fibre technology is practically challenging, Wireless or Satellite technology will be considered as alternative solutions.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Education will take necessary steps to proceed with the implementation process after considering competitive proposals submitted by all service providers.

The meeting also focused on several future development initiatives, including the full implementation of the LMS (Learning Management System) and NEMIS (National Education Management Information System) platforms while connecting all schools to these systems, updating the “e-Thaksalawa” digital learning platform, and entering into an agreement between the Ministry of Education and the GovTech Agency to further advance the digitalisation of education.

The occasion was attended by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madhura Seneviratne,Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne, Prime Minister’s Secretary Pradeep Saputhanthri,Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy and a group of senior government officials.

Prime Minister’s Media

It is a social responsibility.

Parliament’s responsibility should not limit to approving expenditure.

It must also examine whether our public spending is producing the social and economic outcomes we need.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya made these remarks while participating in the roundtable dialogue on "Financing the Care Economy: The Role of Parliament" held on 21 July 2026.

The roundtable was jointly organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament.

The dialogue brought together Members of Parliament with an interest in the economy and finance, gender equality, and social care to strengthen understanding and exchange ideas on addressing barriers to economic growth through a gender-responsive analysis of the economy and the national budget.

Discussions focused on the importance of investing in the care economy and identifying practical measures to ensure that targeted investments in social care are reflected in the next Government Budget.

Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated,

When adequate and affordable care services are unavailable, families have to find their own solutions. In most cases, it is women who adjust their lives. They reduce their working hours, turn down employment opportunities, interrupt their careers or leave the workforce altogether. As a result, women lose income, professional opportunities and economic independence, while the country loses skills, knowledge and productive potential.

The Prime Minister stressed that care should no longer be regarded solely as a private responsibility but as a national economic and public policy priority

The Prime Minister stated,

’We need to stop treating care simply as a private responsibility to be managed within individual households. Care is a social responsibility. It is an economic issue. It is a gender equality issue. And it is a matter of public policy.’

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further emphasized that investing in the care economy is not merely a social expenditure but a strategic investment in Sri Lanka’s economic growth and human capital. She noted that affordable childcare, quality early childhood education, eldercare services, support for persons with disabilities, and stronger social protection systems enable more women to participate in the workforce, create employment opportunities within the care sector, and strengthen families and communities.

The Prime Minister stated,

’Budgets are not simply financial documents. They reflect our priorities as a country. The decisions we make about where public resources are allocated tell us what we value and what we consider important for our development.

The Prime Minister also stressed that building a more inclusive and competitive economy requires creating the social infrastructure that allows women to fully participate in economic life.

Highlighting Parliament’s responsibility, the Prime Minister noted Parliament must go beyond approving public expenditure to ensure national budgets support investments in care infrastructure, social protection and public services that reduce the burden of unpaid care work and create more equitable opportunities for women.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for stronger evidence to support policymaking, noting that unpaid care and domestic work remain largely absent from traditional economic indicators despite being indispensable to the functioning of the formal economy.

The occasion was attended by Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, Chair of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament and Minister of Women and Child Affairs Ms Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Ministers, Members of Parliament and Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus in Parliament, Diplomatic Corps, Country Director and all representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in Sri Lanka, Representatives from International agencies, Domain Experts and Civil Society Leaders.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

A discussion on the implementation of a comprehensive national program with regulatory and educational solutions to protect children in Sri Lanka from cyber threats, online violence and negative impacts on their wellbeing was held in Parliament on July 21 under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

In this special discussion organized with the participation of a multi-disciplinary working group of the Digital Education Task Force, there was consideration of how to balance ensuring access to the benefits of children’s digital participation with also safeguarding them from online harms.

As a number of countries around the world are discussing imposing age restrictions on children’s access to social media, there was a discussion of the complex process to introduce and enforce such bans - and the effectiveness of such measures to protect children from online harms. It was observed that in the first country to impose such a ban, a study found that 85% of children continued to use these platforms through other means. Potential unintended consequences of a ban were also discussed, including lost access to learning opportunities, increased use of risky platforms, loss of social connection and privacy risks for all users.

It was highlighted that a ’smart mix’ of multiple tools and strategies were recommended to effectively address the different types of harm that children faced, including grooming and exploitation, exposure to harmful content, disruption of sleep and compulsive online behaviours, and negative effects on development and mental wellbeing. These strategies included increased digital literacy and empowerment of parents as well as children, but also a focus on increasing accountability of online platforms, disabling addictive features and focusing on the implementation of ’Safety-by-design’ and effective responses to harm.

There was a discussion of the government’s commitment to following an evidence-informed approach and to cross-Ministerial cooperation for a comprehensive approach to child online safety and digital wellbeing.

In line with this process, there was also the presentation of draft school-level guidelines for online safety, cyber-security and digital wellbeing, for students, educators and parents. These have been developed drawing on international frameworks, national experience and existing Sri Lankan resource materials, with special attention to emerging risks and sources of harm. Following approval of the finalised guidelines by the appropriate bodies, they will be made available to schools nationwide with accompanying training and orientation for their implementation.

The event was attended by Minister of Digital Economic Affairs Eranga Weeraratne, Minister of Children and Women’s Affairs Saroja Savitri Paulraj, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madhura Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economic Affairs, government officials and members of the Digital Education Task Force.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that while the public had, over the years, become disillusioned by the nature of debates and exchanges in the Parliamentary Chamber, that perception is now changing as Parliament’s committee system has emerged as a vital mechanism through which significant and meaningful work is carried out.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the Adjournment Debate in Parliament on 21 July.

Elaborating further, the Prime Minister noted that unfounded allegations made by Opposition Members of Parliament in the Chamber, without evidence or factual basis, have contributed to creating a negative public perception of Parliament. However, she emphasized that Parliamentary Committees are functioning actively to ensure financial oversight, prevent the misuse of public funds, and safeguard democratic governance.

She further highlighted the important role played by the Committee on Public Petitions, describing it as a valuable platform through which citizens who have been unable to obtain justice elsewhere can raise their grievances through their elected representatives and seek effective solutions.

The Prime Minister stressed that committee recommendations should be issued with clearly defined timeframes and that where such recommendations are not implemented, the relevant public officials should be summoned again for follow-up and accountability. She emphasized the need to strengthen this monitoring process.

The Prime Minister also stated that public officials appearing before Parliamentary Committees should not regard the process as an inconvenience or a burden. Instead, they must recognize it as a serious responsibility in upholding the value of the people’s vote and the proper use of taxpayers’ money.

She further noted that these committee proceedings help educate the public about the role of Parliament and elected representatives, whose work is funded by public tax revenue, while also fostering a broader public dialogue on how democracy functions in practice.

Prime Minister’s Media Division