News

Deputy Speaker Geetanjana Gunawardena last week paid a visit to the journalists’ lunch room in Parliament to inquire if things were in order.

However when he showed up many journalists were not present.

It was a pity because with the kind of food that is being dished out to journalists, and probably staff members as well, he would have had quite a lot of complaints to listen to.

But the fact that he bothered to look into the welfare of the Parliamentary correspondents is a welcome move, especially when other higher ups at the place try to make life more and more difficult for scribes covering Parliament.

On such example is a circular sent to all Heads of Departments – a ‘Manual of Departmental Regulations’.

In the section dealing with disciplinary procedures staff members have been strictly forbidden to pass on any unofficial information to journalists and they have also been forbidden to give any document for publication to a newspaper without the prior approval of the Secretary General of Parliament.

Muzzling the staff will not prevent unsavoury news about Parliament from getting to the media. What is needed is not more gagging but real democracy within the most important democratic institution of the country.

Several members of the catering department of Parliament say they have been denied their due promotions while others who violate departmental regulations have been given appointments. Some have also written to the Secretary General of Parliament regarding the issue but have had no reply. They say several employees in the department openly flout regulations and undertake private work. They also allege that several staff members play cards inside a changing room with bets running into several thousands of rupees during office hours but complaints to higher ups have fallen on deaf ears.

During the course of a debate in Parliament, Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle inadvertently referred to JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa as Wijeweera much to the amusement of many. That didn’t deter the minister who went on to say that ‘Wimal Weerawansa is the Rohana Wijeweera of today’.

A rather embarrassed Mr. Weerawansa was seen shaking his head but anyone who has been listening to Mr. Fernandopulle would know how much he likes singing praises of the JVP and its members particularly Mr.Weerawansa.