Young professionals entering Parliament, an emerging trend - Minister Sumedha Jayasena

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sumedha G. Jayasena said the development drive launched countrywide under the far-sighted vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paved the way for the Government to achieve resounding victory at all the recently concluded elections. The Government has also made significant improvement in the country’s education and health sectors. The Minister in an interview with the Sunday Observer said all these measures taken by the Government have provided benefits to the people and they have placed their confidence in the President and the Government.

The Minister described the election of a lot of new young MPs to Parliament as a very positive sign. Most of these new young MPs can be identified as a group of intelligent and emerging politicians. They are working with dedication and cooperation, irrespective of political difference. The Government is also in a position to implement a very successful program in association with the MPs on the Government side.

According to the present electoral system, it is difficult for a woman to enter mainstream politics at once. A few women parliamentarians have been elected to Parliament based on the political background of their families. The UPFA Government took steps to field some women candidates at the Local Government polls with the intention of increasing women representation in Local Government Bodies. A Women’s Forum has also been formed in Parliament with the participation of women MPs chaired by me. Through this forum, we intend to raise a voice to increase women’s participation in politics. The Minister said to prevent unfortunate incidents like the Mulleriyawa incident, politicians of the same political party should act in a friendly and responsible manner. The party high command should also take necessary steps to prevent such activities. A politician should always adopt a balanced approach in politics and should be able to act in unison with other politicians of his own political party.

Q: What are the initiatives you have taken as Parliamentary Affairs Minister?

A: The main responsibility of this Ministry is to cater to the needs of 225 Parliamentarians and provide necessary staff and other facilities to perform their duties in an efficient manner. To make office work of Parliamentarians easier, office equipment is provided to these offices every three years. As a new step, the Ministry has granted permission for each MP to recruit an unemployed graduate as a Research Officer. The Ministry has also taken steps to increase the salaries of the personal staff of Parliamentarians. The Ministry has introduced a health insurance for MPs. Parliamentarians have made a request to extend insurance benefits to their families as well.

At present we are discussing this matter.

Personal staff of some Parliamentarians do not have a proper understanding of the duties entrusted to them. Sometimes these appointments have been given to those who worked for politicians during their election campaigns. Some of them do not have the ability to perform their duties properly. Sometimes qualified people not suitable for certain position have been appointed to such posts.

There are some occasions where such people have tarnished the image of politicians.

There are instances where they misuse their position. Some staff members behave in a manner which discredits the Minister or MP. The Ministry has implemented a training program at district level to provide proper understanding to staff of Parliamentarians on parliamentary affairs, information technology and the new circulars that have been introduced.

This two-day residential program would provide them with a experience of how to perform their official duties. A large number of Parliamentarians have appreciated the move taken by the Ministry to train personal staff.

This training will be provided to staff of both Government and Opposition MPs. A one day workshop was conducted for new research officers recruited by Parliamentarians.

The sole intention of my Ministry is to treat all Parliamentarians equally. Sometimes I focus attention to the needs of Opposition MPs because we should not create division among Parliamentarians.

A Parliamentarian should complete five years to obtain a vehicle permit.

However, following a decision taken by the Government, this time vehicle permits were given to all newly elected MPs. My Ministry has no contact with the people, it has to deal with the requirements of Parliamentarians. However, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has made financial allocation to conduct development activities in my district in Moneragala.

Q: What lessons can be learnt from Parliamentary systems of other countries?

A: I think during the time of Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. H. Mohamed, a deligation had gone to Butan to study their Parliamentary system.

At present we have a lack of opportunity to visit and study Parliamentary traditions in other countries.

I intend to implement a program to provide the opportunity to Parliamentarians to study Parliamentary systems in foreign countries. Parliamentary traditions in most countries are similar to ours, but there may be some differences.

Q: There are many allegations that discipline and conduct in Parliament has deteriorated. What is your comment?

A: I endorse that. We have to admit that the conduct of some politicians inside the Chamber is not in keeping with parliamentary tradition. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has also stressed this in Parliament on several occasions. I was first elected to Parliament in 1989.

Discipline and conduct was maintained those days compared with what is happening now.

Q: What can be done to instill discipline and decorum in Parliament?

A: A lot of schoolchildren come daily to visit Parliament. On some days students from 25 or 30 schools come to see Parliament. When students witness Parliamentarians misbehaving in the House, it will send a wrong picture. My Ministry is not in a position to take steps to overcome this situation. Although I am the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, I can’t interfere into the affairs of Parliament.

It is the Speaker who has powers to take action. We have discussed this issue at the Consultative Committee meeting in Parliament where I am also a member. Both Government and Opposition members participate and it is chaired by the Speaker.

Q: There are many young MPs in Parliament. Do you see this as a positive trend for the future?

A: A lot new young MPs have been elected to Parliament from the Government and Opposition.

This as a very positive trend. As we have seen, earlier most members elected were older people.

Professionals such as doctors, engineers and lawyers are among these newly elected young MPs.

Therefore we can identify these MPs as a group of intelligent and emerging politicians. I see the representation of these intelligent youth as a significant development in politics.

They are working with a lot of cooperation irrespective of political differences. Some of these young MPs are the children of prominent politicians and so they have political experience. The Government is also in a position to implement a successful program in association with these young MPs.

Q: There are only a handful of women MPs in Parliament. What are the barriers that prevent more women from entering politics? What can be done to resolve these issues?

A: Since the inception of the Parliamentary system, the number of women MPs represented in Parliament has been confined to a few members. According to the present electoral system, it is difficult for a woman to enter mainstream politics.

A few women Parliamentarians who represent Parliament have been elected based on the political background of their families. I entered into politics due to the sudden demise of my husband. Otherwise it is difficult for a woman to enter into mainstream politics under the present electoral system.

We made a request to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to increase women representation in Parliament and politics. My personal view is, it is not suitable to demand a quota for this. The UPFA Government took steps to field women candidates at the Local Government polls with the intention of increasing women representation in Local Government Bodies. When I was the Women’s Affairs Minister, various suggestions were made by me to increase women participation in politics and to give nomination to at least one woman candidate to contest the Pradeshiya Sabha.

A Women’s Forum has also been formed in Parliament with the participation of women MPs and is chaired by me. Women MPs in the Opposition have given an effective contribution to this forum.

Through this forum, we intend to raise a voice to increase women participation in politics. Women MPs in the Government and Opposition also requested to increase women participation when amendments were made to the Constitution. Even the President has agreed to give more opportunities to us.

However if a woman candidate tries her best to enter politics, male counterparts do not allow her to enter into mainstream politics. According to the present electoral system those who have financial power have more opportunities to win an election. There are some women candidates who have been successful to enter politics by representing Local government institutions, Provincial councils and Parliament. At present, there is a considerable improvement in women in politics.

However, this should be started at Local Government level. Except for women candidates who possess a political background, other candidates have no means of directly entering to mainstream politics. Some alternative should be introduced to provide more opportunities to women to enter politics.

Q:Do you see the PR system as being the major cause of problems in today’s politics?

A:Certainly. The preferential system has led to various problems specially with candidates of the same political party. Under the preferential system, a powerful Opposition is also created in Parliament. According to the present forward march of the Government, if elections are held under the previous electoral system, the Opposition may not be able even to secure the present number of seats they have obtained in Parliament. It is not suitable to create such a Parliament without a viable Opposition. Under the former electoral system, the Opposition is also in a position to get a considerable number of MPs in comparison to the number of MPs elected from the winning party. As a result, a vibrant opposition was created. Such an Opposition is needed. There is a need of a program to prevent various clashes and violent incidents developing in the field of politics.

Q: What can be done to eliminate violence in politics like the Mulleriyawa incident?

A: To prevent such unfortunate incidents, members of the same political party should act in a friendly and responsible manner. The party high command should also take necessary steps to prevent such activities.

A politician should always adopt a balanced approach in politics and should be able to act in unison with other politicians of his own political party.

This would help to minimise clashes. I have represented Parliament for the past 22 years having a balanced approach. Except on certain policy matters, I don’t criticise the Opposition.

As a policy, I don’t criticise Opposition politicians of my district. In today’s context if the policies and conduct of a candidate is not good, he still can win election by throwing his money.

Q: What reason do you attribute for the Government’s massive victory in all three rounds of Local Government polls?

A: The development drive implemented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the key reason for this significant victory. In a situation where certain sections claimed that terrorism cannot be defeated, the President successfully eradicated terrorism.

The Government’s development drive has been launched in every district. Even before the end of military operations, the Government commenced the “Nagenahira Navodaya” program to develop the Eastern province.

Under this program, the Government has done a massive development in the Eastern province by improving infrastructure facilities.

The majority of the people have endorsed the program initiated by the President to develop the country. As they witnessed the bold moves taken by the President to defeat terrorism, a group of 17 prominent UNP MPs also joined the Government and extended their support to the President to form a very stable Government.

The “Deyata Kirula” educational exhibition was held in the Moneragala district in February this year. But even today various development projects commenced under Deyata Kirula are being implemented in the Moneragala district.

Earlier there was no program to cover Grama Niladhari divisions in the country. Through the Samurdhi movement the government has launched development in the villages.

The government has commenced several mega development projects such as ports, airports, highways and coal power plants. Majority of the displaced people have been re-settled. At present there is no obstacle to carry out the government’s development drive. This development drive launched countrywide under the President helped the government to achieve resounding victories in all the recently concluded elections.

The government has also made a significant development in the education and health sectors. All these measures have provided benefit to the people, they have placed their confidence on the President.

Q: What is the impact on the working of Parliament due to the absence of a vibrant Opposition?

A: At present there is no vibrant Opposition and even a vibrant Opposition Leader as well. The Opposition is split due to lack of proper leadership. In this scenario the government is becoming more and more stronger. Except for few Opposition MPS like Dayasiri Jayasekera, it is very difficult to find even a proper speaker in the Opposition. The JVP is also split due to an internal political crisis.

According to this trend, there is no possibility of forming a vibrant Opposition in the future as well. But there should be a vibrant Opposition in a country to make constructive criticism on the programs implemented by the government. Constructive criticism made by the Opposition would help the government to rectify its errors and do a better service for the public.

Q:Instances where there is no quorum or the absence of responsible Ministers to answer Opposition questions in Parliament have come to public notice. What remedial measures could be taken to rectify this situation?

A: The lack of quorum has become a problem in Parliament, political parties should have a program to at least keep their newly elected MPs in the Chamber. If some MPs come to Parliament, they have to attend various consultative committee meetings held in the Parliamentary complex. It is important to create a program to maintain the quorum in Parliament.

I think this issue can be discussed at the Parliament House Committee to find a solution to this issue. It is very important that Ministers should be in the Chamber to answer questions. If the Minister is not in a position to attend Parliament, The Deputy Minister can answer questions.

If a question has been raised from a Ministry, that relevant Minister should be in Parliament to respond to that question. Because when that Minister or Deputy Minister is absent, the Chief Government Whip is not in a position to answer to all the supplementary questions raised by MPs on various Ministries.

Therefore it is vital for the participation of the Minister or Deputy Minister to answer questions. Even the Speaker has repeatedly brought this issue up. The President has also given instructions to Ministers to be in Parliament to answer the questions.

Q: Moneragala is supposed to be a backward area. Have any viable development projects been launched to raise the living conditions of the people who are mostly peasants?

A: Six years ago, Moneragala was the poorest district in the country. This situation has changed and a lot of development is taking place in the district. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of infrastructure development has been made in Moneragala under the “Deyata Kirula” exhibition. At present the government is in the process of developing hospitals in the Moneragala district. The Terrorist problem seriously affected a large number of people who were dependent on agriculture. They are now engaged in agricultural activities.

The road network in the area has been developed which has enabled the farmers to bring their produce to the town. When the PA Government came to power in 1994, electricity had been given only to nine percent of the households in the district. Now electricity has been given to 72 percent of households.

The Government will provide electricity to all households in the Moneragala district as it intends to provide electricity to all households in the country by 2012. The Economic Development Ministry has also provided a large amount of money to develop three electorates in the Moneragala district. A lot of development has taken place in the district.

Q: A lack of adequate water is a major setback for agricultural development in Moneragala. Haven’t the irrigation authorities studied this problem and taken remedial measures?

A:The Government has already taken steps in this regard. The Uva Province Chief Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa has decided to renovate nearly 400 small tanks in the district. Of them, nearly 40 tanks have already been renovated. In addition the Economic Development Ministry has allocated money to renovate large scale tanks and irrigation systems in the district. So there is no possibility of agriculture activities being disrupted due to shortage of water.