A stormy scene unfolded in Parliament yesterday as the Opposition staged a walkout, accusing the government of blocking a debate on urgent policy measures, amid the worsening disaster situation. It claimed the government had ignored a warning of the Ditwah cyclone.
Sittings began at 9 am in line with the Business Committee’s 27 November agreement for Day 12 of the Committee Stage Debate on the 2026 Appropriation Bill. However, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne immediately announced an amended schedule for the Budget 2026 debates, citing the prevailing emergency. He suspended the House for 30 minutes for further discussions, and thereafter it was decided to conclude the day’s sitting at 12.30 pm.
SJB MP Kabir Hashim, raising alarm over the scale of the calamity, charged that both the Meteorology and Irrigation Departments had warned as early as 12 November of severe weather, but the government had failed to act on their warnings.
He said water in major reservoirs could have been released gradually, avoiding the sudden opening of spill gates that contributed to widespread flooding.
“Had the government released water, based on weather forecasts, 75 percent of the deaths could have been prevented,” Hashim told the House, adding that Parliament should have been given the chance to discuss the issue beforehand.
“Keep politics aside. Our expertise could have helped you handle the situation better. We faced a similar situation in 2016.”
Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunatilaka announced the decision to walk out, insisting the Opposition had never agreed to an early adjournment. TNA MPs Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam joined the protest.
Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake said that party leaders had been given the opportunity to speak on the disaster until 12.30 pm and that “some Opposition parties agreed” to the shortened sitting.
As the Speaker proceeded to the next item on the agenda, Opposition MPs rose and walked out, arguing they could better serve the public by assisting victims instead of wasting time in Parliament.
With the Opposition absent, budget heads of the Ministries of Youth Affairs and Sports, Women and Child Affairs, Buddhasasanna, Religious and Cultural Affairs, and Environment were passed without debate or amendment.
Parliament is scheduled to reconvene at 9 am on Wednesday, 03 December.
By Saman Indrajith