Vulgar theatre
12 March 2017
Friday’s unruly behavior in Parliament is nothing new to Lankans
who are largely acclimatized to rowdy scenes in the legislature.
Although these events do grab headlines and television and radio time,
as happened on this occasion, many will agree that they are hardly
newsworthy – except perhaps to make people wonder yet again why their
tax rupees are wasted in lavishly supporting their representatives who
are embroiled in fighting each other over their own petty issues rather
than effectively coming to grips with matters of importance to the
country. About two years ago, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya revealed that as
much as Rs. 4.6 million a day is spent on parliamentary sittings. We do
not know what that figure included – possibly the mere establishment
cost of the sittings excluding the ever growing fat emoluments and
perks that our lawmakers enjoy. However that be, it must have surely
gone up like everything else since 2015. Maybe our Parliament is better
than the Tamil Nadu State Assembly at its worst. But we must be
ranking high in the list of the world’s most riotous legislatures if
such a list has ever been compiled.
When an opposition
frontbencher, unable to have his way, asked Speaker Jayasuriya to "act
according to his conscience," the speaker was able to say he always
does that. Given the even handed manner in which he conducts the
affairs of the House and his gentlemanly conduct in and out of the
legislature, there will be little disagreement on that score. The
current issue the JO is fighting relates to Mr. Wimal Weerawansa’s
claim that his National Freedom Front is no longer a constituent of the
United People’s Freedom Alliance under whose banner he and the rest of
his group were elected to the sitting Parliament. He wants the NFF
recognized as a distinct independent entity. What is implied but
remains unsaid is that he should be accorded privileges that go with
such status including the right to attend party leaders meetings, make
statements on important issues etc. When former President Mahinda
Rajapaksa suffered an unexpected defeat at the prematurely called
presidential election in 2015, the leadership of the SLFP was thrust on
the winning candidate. There was no opposition to that from within an
SLFP then licking its wounds. The president thereupon took steps to
consolidate his hold over the blue party of which he had long been a
loyalist and the SLFP-led UPFA. Weerawansa is very much a part of the
JO and a loyalist of the former president as are many others who were
elected to the incumbent Parliament on the UPFA ticket. Withdrawing from
the UPFA and claiming an independent existence is no more than a
barely disguised attempt by Weerawansa to butter his bread on both
sides.
When the speaker permitted the JO, rather than the
opposition which includes the JVP and the TNA, to vent their spleen on
Friday, the Leader of the House, Mr. Lakshman Kirliella, took umbrage
and led the government MPs out of the chamber. He had argued that the
interminable squabbling was becoming entrenched and parliamentary time
was being wasted to the detriment of government business. The speaker,
who said he had agreed to let the JO have their say kept his word and
the government side (for the first time in parliamentary history it was
reported yesterday) walked out. Jayasuriya wisely adjourned
proceedings till March 21. Whether the interim would serve as a
cooling-off period or whether events occurring outside such as numerous
street protests hampering traffic movements on already overcrowded
roads remains to be seen. We can be happy that our legislators have at
least not lost their sense of humor. An opposition colleague asked
Kiriella who re-entered the chamber after the House adjourned whether
he had ensured and early end to proceedings "so that you’ll can go for
the match?" The smiling minister gathered his papers and left.
The
country is in the throes of the worst droughts in a decade and close
to a million people are in dire need of relief. Quite apart from
trucking drinking water to those in acute distress, provisions will have
to be made to compensate farmers who were unable to cultivate their
fields the last season. Large numbers urgently require food assistance.
Yet, in such a scenario, Parliament had a few days ago passed a
supplementary estimate of nearly Rs. 500 million to buy luxury vehicles
for 11 ministers, state ministers and others including the leader of
the opposition – something a columnist writing for this issue has seen
as "obscene." But the stridently vociferous JO MP’s as The Island noted
on Friday was silent on "yahapalana extravagance, MPs privileges."
Queried on the subject at a press conference last week, JO leaders
lamely admitted that they haven’t taken a stance on such expenditure
knowing, no doubt, that they had done much the same. All but one of the
vehicles to be purchased will each cost the taxpayer over Rs. 40
million! The cheaper one is some Rs. 37 million! As a reader’s letter
said yesterday, the picture is dismal with irredeemable debt,
unfavorable markets, diminished reserves, flight of foreign capital,
lack of FDI, declining rupee values and increased street unrest. "But
undeterred by misfortune, if the press report is correct, the cabinet
has approved and the House will no doubt dutifully follow, a massive
provision of 143 million, to allow the payment of 100,000 rupees a month
per MP to equip their electorate offices!"
The political
class must realize that these words encompass public opinion. But we
have rulers who buy loyalty by lining the pockets of the MPs, both in
the government and opposition, and bestowing cabinet office with fat
salaries and lavish perquisites for the sole purpose of remaining in
power. People rejected by the electorate have been brought into
Parliament via national lists and anointed with higher office. Given
all its weaknesses let Parliament at least now reduce making the
legislature a platform of vulgar theatre. Calling on the so-called
"Honorable Members" to totally desist will be a waste of breath.
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