Although the occasional heated exchange of words did take place, most of the debates concluded without major disagreements.

The sittings were a milestone in the careers of seven of the lawmakers including the Prime Minister, Ministers W.J.M. Lokubandara, Tyronne Fernando, P.Daya-ratne, Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake, H.G.P.Nelson and MP Anura Bandaranaike who completed 25 years of being successively elected to Parliament since their entry in August, 1977.

For all seven members who spoke, it was a time for reminiscing their experiences of the past quarter century with the Prime Minister stating that it was no mean feat to serve for 25 unbroken years in a legislature.

The Parliamentary Scholarship's Bill initiated by the seven MPs was debated and passed on Tuesday. The Bill will give the opportunity for promising young persons to go abroad for their higher studies.

The Youth Corps Bill too was taken up for debate and passed unanimously. It provides for the training of youth in vocational education and other disciplines.

Although opposition members did not oppose the Bill , they shared little of the government members optimism about the introduction of such a Bill as a solution to the problems of the youth stating it was a politically motivated move to create a "UNP brigade" to terrorise opposition forces.

"This could become a political platoon. The minister in charge of the subject would have too many powers vested in him, " warned JVP Kurunegala district MP Bimal Ratnayake.

The youngest MP in parliament Duminda Dissanayake spoke with some optimism that the much ignored issues of the youth would be addressed to at least a small extent by this Bill.

It was upto Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda to speak about the dark reality that most avoided talking about. "......Our political system has become so corrupt , our parliamentary representatives so jaundiced and the atmosphere so poisoned that every good intention is seen as evil," he said.

Much of the disquiet between the members of the two sides came to light during the oral question/answer time.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister A.H.M.Azwer said the questions included in the order book by several government MPs had identified UNP supporters as being responsible for attacks on certain individuals and said that by doing so, these MPs were passing insinuations on members of a certain party which violated standing orders of Parliament.

He also said that series of questions asked by former PA Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle about the names, salaries, official and residential addresses and telephone numbers of the private secretaries, co-ordinating secretaries and public relations officers of several ministers were unnecessary.

"The only reason I asked the questions was that when the UNPers when in opposition, they accused us of having our wives, daughters and sons in these posts. I just wanted to prove to the country that they were doing the same things that we did. I was trying to do you a favour but I have been proved wrong," Mr. Fernandopulle said amidst shouts of protest from the government benches.

Mr.Fernandopulle also pointed out that a part of his question where he asked what the relationship the appointees had to the minister in question had been omitted only to be told by Speaker Joseph Michael Perera that it had been his decision.

"I did omit that section so that I could safeguard the respectably of the MPs. But in the future I will not do so. If both sides want to sling mud at one another, they can do so," the Speaker said.

Repeated arguments between the two sides led the Speaker to request the parliamentarians to be aware that there were school children watching them from the public galleries.

"This is becoming like a fish market . Both sides must co-operate if I am to conduct the proceedings of this House," he said.

The problems at question time did not end there. JVP Bimal Ratnayake stated that he was not satisfied with the answer given by Mr. Moragoda to his query regarding the complaints received by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The Premier intervened saying he would discuss with the SLMM and make available the information at his office in Parliament as it was difficult to bring the bulky document files to the House.

This did not satisfy the JVP MPs who insisted that the information be made available to them at least in the Parliament library. "Even if they have to be loaded onto a lorry and brought here, they must be made available to us," JVPs Wimal Weerawansa insisted.

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