… demands that benefits be directed to halt brain drain
The Opposition yesterday announced it would reject the government’s offer of double cab pickup trucks, alleging that the procurement of 1,775 of them was part of a “shady deal”.
Participating in the 2026 Budget debate, Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa said Members of Parliament did not require such perks and demanded that benefits be directed toward professionals and skilled state-sector employees to help curb the country’s growing brain drain.
“We don’t need vehicle permits or double cabs. These privileges should go to teachers, doctors, engineers and other professionals who serve the nation,” Premadasa told the House.
He warned that low salaries, high taxes, and a lack of incentives were driving educated workers to leave the country, weakening the public sector.
Premadasa criticised the government for failing to deliver on key development and welfare pledges made in Budget 2025, accusing it of producing “a new reel of broken promises” instead of providing relief to the people.
Citing official progress reports
Premadasa said:
Only 20% of the Rs. 500 million had been allocated to modernise school education had been used.
Only 15% of the Rs. 200 million had been earmarked for university scholarships had been spent.
The programme to establish day-care centres for children with autism had achieved just 30% progress.
Agricultural and youth entrepreneurship projects had reached only 40–45% completion.
Premadasa said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had promised to build “a prosperous nation with a beautiful life”, the latter’s administration had, instead, created “a nation of suffering and helpless lives.”
He said that the government was acting under the direction of the IMF, saying that despite surpassing revenue and tax targets, ordinary citizens continued to struggle amidst soaring living costs and stagnant wages.
“The government has gone beyond even the IMF’s targets in tax collection,” Premadasa said. “Yet, there are no tangible solutions for unemployment, poverty or the cost of living.”
Joining the debate, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa announced that he and his colleagues had declined the official double cabs allocated to them, opting instead to hand over all three vehicles to the Ministry of Health to support medical services.
“We don’t need these vehicles. Our decision is to strengthen the country’s health sector,” Rajapaksa said.
Rajapaksa remarked that while the President’s four-and-a-half-hour Budget speech was “detailed and exhaustive,” he hoped to hear “the same speech next year as well.”
He said that despite political divisions, Opposition parties remained united in exposing what he described as the government’s attempts to mislead the public.
Rajapaksa said that discussions among Opposition parties were ongoing regarding a joint rally scheduled for 21 November, expressing confidence that all Opposition parties would participate.