Vegetable Shortage Hits Parliament

The vegetable shortage experienced last week due to the protest launched by farmers and vegetable traders affected the parliament as well.
Meals at the parliamentary complex last Wednesday (14) had not included any vegetables or fruits.
The legislators in the House had even noticed the lack of vegetables and fruits.
UNP parliamentarian Gamini Jayawickrema Perera who addressed the House after lunch that day has said that the restaurants in parliament have been affected by the vegetable shortage due to the protest.
The lunch that day consisted of rice, meat, fish, potatoes, dhal, soya and a seeni sambol. The fruits that are normally given for dessert have also not been served that day.

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Nothing To Worry
The stir caused by Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s move to remove his tie inside the parliament Chamber as a mark of protest continues.
Recently, UNP MP Thalatha Atukorale was engaged in a friendly chat with UPFA MPs Malini Fonseka and Dr. Sudharshani Fernandopulle in the parliament lobby when Wickremesinghe had walked passed them.
Seeing Wickremesinghe, Fonseka had joked saying that he has already removed his tie and don’t know which part of his attire would come off next.
Atukorale’s witty reply was, “Don’t worry about that. Regardless of what happens, we are safe.”
Everyone has had a good laugh before joining the official sessions in the House.

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Wanted, Officers Who Say “Yes”

Senior Minister for International Monetary Affairs, Dr. Sarath Amunugama says the country needed a public sector consisting officers who say “Yes.”
He said the current attitude of “No” and “Can’t” among the public servants need to change along with the country’s path towards development.
According to Dr. Amunugama, most foreign investors are deterred by the negative attitudes of some public servants in the country.
Speaking in a true professional manner, he added that an explanation should be called from any public official who says any particular work could not be done.
However, realising that his comments may not go down that well among a majority of the public officials, Dr. Amunugama said with a smile, “I don’t know if it would be implemented, but this is my personal feeling.

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All Set, But No Electricity
Ministers these days are faced with a predicament when invited to open projects implemented in rural areas.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe recently opened a water project in Dodangoda where the water did not flow from the taps during the ceremony.
Minister Jagath Pushpakumara was recently faced with a similar situation.
Pushpakumara was invited to open a rural electrification programme in Kataragama when it was revealed that the CEB had not provided the power supply to the project.
In fact, the project was limited to several electricity poles and wires without electricity being provided to the houses in the respective village.
Although wires had been drawn to the houses, there was no electricity running through it.
An angry Minister Pushpakumara addressing the villagers charged that it was an act of sabotage by some officials at the CEB to place the government in difficulty.
He even went to the extent of claiming that it was a conspiracy by someone at the Power and Energy Minister.

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Ranil Becomes A State Invitee
Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has now become a state invitee handing out gifts at state events, which is a feat that was not granted to previous opposition leaders.
Wickremesinghe recently graced the National Youth Awards Ceremony organised by the Youth Affairs Ministry at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Homagama.
The Opposition Leader was invited to hand over the prizes for the best sportsman and woman for the year.
Seeing the UNP Leader, a minister who also graced the occasion has told a few government members in lighter vein that Wickremesinghe was now playing an active role in the government.

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Father And Son
It was a proud moment for President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week when eldest son, parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa took oaths as a lawyer.
Interestingly, the tie worn by Namal when taking oaths had been the same one worn by his father when he took oaths as a lawyer in 1972.
The President, First Lady, Basil and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and several Ministers were present in the Supreme Court complex when Namal took oaths.