POLITICS

Foolproof mechanism With speculation rife about a possible snap poll, little wonder that the Elections Department and the parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms are keen on a foolproof voting and counting mechanism. At a special demonstration given to Sri Lankan parliamentarians by some Indian experts on computerised new Indian voting and counting equipment, there was one man full of questions: naturally, Elections Chief Dayananda Dissanayake.

He had a host of queries on what should be done in the event booth capturing, faulty machines and simple robbing of counting machines occurs. Besides him, there were quite a few interested legislators questioning the Indian expert on how the machines could be used to halt the terrible election malpractices here.

The machine, each costing only Indian Rs. 11,000 was being promoted mostly to cure the hora voting as this machine provides a sufficiently secure system of voting. Despite its efficiency, the machine had is own drawbacks. Chief among them is the lack of provision in the machine to record spoiled votes, a phenomena the Polls Chief was very concerned about.

He told the visitors that 7.5 % of voters spoiled their votes during the last conducted poll and stressed on the need to allow such protest to be recorded.  The officer of course agreed to include an additional button denoting 'protest,' but quipped, "They can't write prose, but they can press."

Good wine needs no bush

Dr. Rajitha Senaratne is one government minister who is often spared the pain of opposition onslaughts. Despite all the bon homie, when votes on the Lands Ministry was taken up for debate during the committee stage debate of the budget, Dr. Senaratne was in the mood to defend himself and to inform the house of accolades collected by him so far.

The generally modest Senaratne was seen praising his own tail as he read out a letter from the late Hector Kobbekaduwa's daughter applauding his work and went on to mention that rare Presidential praise has been showered on him recently when President Kumaratunga herself had commended the Ministry's performance. But then, good wine needs no bush and there's no need to praise one's own tail say the opposition benches.

Offender vs. Defender

The opposition has threatened to expose reeking corruption of at least 24 ministries and as the budget debate progressed, they have been piling accusations on each ministry. For what its worth, the anti-corruption crusade seems to be stage managed only by one man. But, it seems that the PA has left the job in the hands of a single MP, Kandy Parliamentarian Mahindananada Aluthgamage, with very little aid from others.

This prompted a senior opposition member from Ratnapura to observe in the lobby, "The government has a sole defender, Rajitha Senaratne, and we have a single offender, Aluthgamage!"

Gastronomic chaos

Budget debates often have many a parliamentary restaurant overflowing with diners as often, their representatives host these visitors to lunch. Sometimes, this leads to chaos as in this case.

The parliamentary reporters walked into their dining hall at 1 p.m. to find the floor strewn with rice and gravy splattered tablecloths last Tuesday. There were several hundreds dining there as Assisting Wanni Rehabilitation Minister, Noordeen Mashoor had directed his 'guests' to the press dining room. Many a scribe there muttered that the place needed some rehabilitation subsequent to the visitors' onslaught.

Dinner talk

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse is a master at the slippery game. His answers often conceal than reveal. He hosted journalists to dinner last Monday at his residence where scribes were doing their best to extract information from the host. One queried what he would have to say about the current political situation and blandly he said, "Things will work out."

Another wanted to know what the PA intended doing after the budget, and the reply was another bland "nothing special." Then he was asked what political surprises awaited the people, and the man beamed. "We would hate to spoil the festive season. After Christmas, there's New Year. And then, the diary would be full of events," he said.

He comes from Jaffna

It is a known fact that Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Resettlement Minister Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister T. Maheswaran just fail to see eye to eye. The situation is nothing new. Cashing in on the feelings of dissent last week during Jayawardena's Ministry votes were opposition members who love to goad both ministers. So it was no surprise when PA's Athauda Seneviratne sought to do the same.

In doing so, he forgot that the PA's pet aversion was The Sunday Leader as he dubbed it the most "transparent" publication, albeit its writers touring the globe simply to cover the Premier and being basically the beneficiary of government benevolence at all times.

In Jayalath's case, Athauda felt the newspaper exposes were in order, and relevant. "This Ministry has siphoned out enormous amounts of money allocated for resettlement of refugees. The Minister is unable to step on north east soil without people protesting against his presence. At least Maheswaran represents the area, and would be careful about his dealings as it is his home," he scoffed, doing his best to drive a further wedge.

While Maheswaran looked pleased as punch, the Minister rested his cheek on his palm and watched the scenario without a word. "He comes from Jaffna," noted the MP.

In-house romance

Many would agree that legislators are indeed a romantic lot. Their passion, be it for power or anything else, presumably runs very high. There is enough proof that cupid does touch our elected representatives hearts often and regularly as well. And we are not talking about the outside romances, but an in-house romance that is currently attracting a lot of attention.

The romance became pubic knowledge when the rumour mill had it that the lady spent half her time sending lovelorn text messages to her Romeo from her mobile phone. The duo it seemed has had enough of hide and seek. Many legislators say that the most common sight now is to find them sitting together in the members lobby, chatting away. Well, all's fair in love and war and making love seems obviously more important than making legislation!

Only prelates make lead stories

The sudden passing away of Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thero has shocked and saddened the public, more so the Desha Hithaishees, if the lobby-talk about the defenders of the nation is any indicator. One such patriotic member was giving a run down on the newspaper coverage of the priest's death and quipped that only one Sinhala newspaper failed to have it as the lead story.

He said that the editor of the publication has reputedly informed his news desk that though popular, this was no chief prelate to make his death the lead story. "Some editors seem unable to understand that reaching the people is more difficult than being a chief priest," said the patriot MP who pledged to draw attention to this matter when the blue and red type patriots meet again.

 More Stories....