The picture of an MP as an opportunist and a political hustler was perhaps receiving more credibility at the end of the week, when the parliamentarians this week, basically showed callous disregard to an adjournment debate called for by the Parliamentary Opposition on the most important issue of the day - the North - East situation. Elsewhere in this paper, we have recorded that even those in the opposition who moved the motion were absent save for one, and that there was only one opposition frontbencher to participate in the debate. From the government ranks, the big guns who participated in the talkathons in Bangkok and Oslo and jet from one capital to another briefing foreign governments were also conspicuous by their absence from the assembly that flows - the sovereignty of the people of Sri Lanka.

To think that these are the same MPs who will be called upon to play a pivotal role in the political fortunes of this country would send the shivers down the spine of any citizen who is expecting that the people's representatives will not abdicate his role, nor alienate or undermine the rights of the people.

The UNF made attempts earlier to strengthen the hands of Members of Parliament through a committee system, but watching the lackadaisical performances of our MPs today in the House it seems that there are only a few parliamentarians who are worthy of being empowered by such well meaning innovations.

There was also the botched attempt to make conscience voting possible to at least redeem the image of the MP as a vote machine, but whose preference on any given issue can be bought if the correct price is tendered.

None of these attempts to uplift the image of the people's representatives has worked, but on the other hand the parliamentarians themselves seem to be working overtime to maintain their image as a rapacious lot who do not give serious thought to the role of the House in arriving at a suitable policy that will prevail with regard to the issues of the day.

As the year end recess approaches, the MPs both government and opposition will perhaps need to reflect on the issue of their role in governance in this country, in the dual contexts that MPs are by and large seen as being there for the money, the perks and the kudos, even though they will be soon called upon to decide on the future course of this country.

Are MPs for hire?- - Or are they available for outright purchase? This has been and will be the relevant question, when voting time on some of the pivotal issues of our time arrives.

The adjournment debate on the North-East last Monday where only 32 MPs were present in a Parliament that has 225,gave the impression that MPs are only going through the motions when they ask for time to debate an issue of overwhelming public importance. It gave the impression that things are predestined in this country, or predetermined on a different agenda that has nothing really to do with the workings of the House.

In other words, Parliament seems to be becoming utterly irrelevant, and how does this augur for democracy and good governance in a polity that sees Parliament ironically as the cornerstone of these values.

Measures such as those proposed in the system of committees didn't seem to mend anything. All they do, it appears, despite good intentions, is that MPs will be absent, further complicating the already convoluted political developments of our time.

This is a matter on the other hand of political culture, but can a political culture be inculcated when even the basics of attending Parliament and on so important an issue seems to be treated with almost contemptuous indifference by both sides of the Honorable House?

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