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The
forgotten dead
Thursday,
according to the parliament schedule was dedicated to the task of
remembering the dead. Three condolence motions were taken up for
discussion, that of Samarapala Wijewardane of Dodangaslanda,
Sarath Gunawardhane of Hikkaduwa and W. P. M. B. Dissanayake of
Gampola. Gunawardana and Dissanayake both died this year.
Yet
predictably, the chamber was empty when remembering the dead.
Those present were the members listed to speak. |
So
much so that a senior government ranker mused that: "Once you go,
not even the crows remember you." And if attendance during
condolence motions proves anything, that is, in death, how frail the
bonds of friendship among parliamentarians are indeed.
Wijesekera,
JVP comrades and a fishy affair
Fisheries
Minister Mahinda Wijesekera's stars have not had a beneficial glow for a
while. Adding to his woes, an adjournment motion was moved on Thursday
afternoon questioning the prudence of a ministerial move to ban a
traditional fishing technique due to alleged unsustainable fishing
practices. And what perhaps hurt most was to have the comrades in the
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a party that Wijesekera himself proudly
represented during his salad days moving the motion.
The
thrust of the JVP argument was that a minister who claimed to understand
the fishing industry and fisherfolk
grievances was playing into the hands of Indian fishermen who
continue to violate Sri Lanka's territorial waters, while all sorts of
restrictions were being imposed on local fishermen.
And
of course, they went further and delved into a 'fishier' subject -
Wijesekera and the alleged deals. And by way of proof, all PA's
Hambantota District MP Mahinda Amaraweera could do was to pin faith on
The Sunday Leader revelations, the rag they love to hate!
Near
death experience
The
past week had its moments of drama, debate and near death experiences.
Students from over 40 schools visited the hollowed precincts to see the
House in session, perhaps little knowing that sometimes parliament took
the quality of an 'adults only' movie.
Included
among these students was a Year 8 student from Elpitiya Ananda Vidyalaya.
On Wednesday afternoon, he was waiting to board the shuttle that would
take him from the main entrance to the car park when he fell into the
Diywanna Oya.
His
teachers along with the security personnel and patrolling staff quickly
helped him out and provided immediate medical attention. After being
admitted to the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, he was declared out of
danger.
The
near drowning experience apart, another issue is the practicality and
prudence in bringing primary level students to see the House. They are
too young to understand what's going on and there is nobody assigned to
explain procedures and traditions to ensure some element of education is
added to these so called 'educational tours.'
They
don't know the rules, travel far and often sans breakfast in their own
admission and some children faint in the galleries and outside. And the
culmination is the devastating blow delivered to representative
democracy when these youngsters see their own representatives playing 'pandu'
inside the House. And what educational purpose could it serve if
children are so young and visit the House only to look at buildings but
learn nothing about the system?
Quick
action
A
fortnight ago, The Sunday Leader highlighted the state of affairs at the
public canteen in parliament that is 'public' in name only. The story
had a beneficial effect and the administrators for a change, have
quickly moved to remedy the situation.
Though
called a public tearoom, there is nothing available in the canteen from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the public, officials, security officers and
visitors of other categories pause there for a snack and tea. The
subsidised food is so popular and according to the canteen staff, they
disappear within half an hour of delivery.
And
now on sitting days, food is being catered twice and the biggest
beneficiaries last week were the hundreds of school goers who travelled
from far to visit parliament.
Electronic
voting system
It
was an expensive exercise to start off with, but some Rs. 3 million was
spent on the electronic voting system that was installed in parliament
to facilitate 'efficient and accurate' voting by the members.
Log
into the website www.parliament.lk and click on the chapter titled
"the chamber." It speaks of the wonderful new facility
provided and goes on to say that the system, despite its availability
remains unutilised, as the standing orders have not been amended
facilitating the use.
What
is indeed wrong with this Banana republic? So much of money has been
spent on the system and money was spent yet again to rectify a technical
error. There were big questions raised about the tenders, quality of the
product and the Speaker had even made a special statement in this
regard.
At
the end of it all, the system is finally in working order, and the vote
is taken as usual - by raising the hands, by name or by row. And all the
while the pretty device stares back at you like a new wall decoration!
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