The initiation

In the country’s foremost lawmaking body – the Parliament – the ‘freshers’ or the first-time legislators gathered last week in a committee room for their ‘orientation’ – both to the House and the parliamentary practice.

Introduced post the 1977 general election with aspects being added with the passage of time, all parliamentarians who enter the House for the first time are given an introduction to the building, on accessing parliamentary services and the overall functioning as a Member of Parliament. This includes the conduct, attire and the discharge of duties as a parliamentarian.

This year, following the August 17 parliamentary elections, over a third of 225 elected and nominated legislators – all of them fresh-faced and new – attended an orientation which, according to parliamentary officials, is the “first step to prepare legislators for the job of an MP.”

“It is a program that seeks to ‘orient’ parliamentarians to best discharge their duties as legislators,” says the current Secretary General of Parliament, Dhammika Dassanayake, who also considers it part of the parliamentary process.

The orientation programme is also the initial introduction to the Standing Orders, or the Code governing the House.

According to officials associated with the orientation, the sessions are designed to prevent mishaps and to ‘best orient’ parliamentarians to perform their duties as MPs.

“There are no courses or training institutions for MPs. The public expectations are extremely high of any legislator and it is the House’s responsibility to prepare them to effectively function as meaningful contributors to the legislation-making process. It needs to begin with basic orientation,” a senior parliamentary official said.

First point of contact

The information counter that is specially opened for the MPs elected by a parliamentary election is the first point of contact for most, and the basic information about orientation is offered at that point by parliament staff.

May’s ‘Parliamentary Bible’

No legislator, old or new, is worth his or her salt without some knowledge of Thomas Erskine May and his works, former Speaker and an authority on parliamentary tradition and practice, Anura Bandaranaike once said, emphasizing the nexus between the Westminster tradition and Sri Lankan Parliamentary practice.

Titled ‘Erskine May’s Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament’ is a parliamentary authority originally written by British constitutional theorist and Clerk of the House of Commons, Thomas Erskine May.

Considered the most authoritative and influential work on parliamentary procedure and British constitutional convention, the 496-paged book has become part of the uncodified constitution of the United Kingdom and is often referred to as the “British Parliamentary Bible,” acting as a rule book for British parliamentarians, since its first publication in 1844. With many new editions, the latest being in 2011, May’s work continues to influence and inspire other countries, particularly in countries which use the Westminster system.

Chapter VII of Book II deals with Practice and Proceedings in Parliament. The chapter deals with the meeting of a new parliament, election of the Speaker, administration of oath, ceremonial address to the House and other addresses, placement of MPs and so on.

While there had been no real introduction to May or his collated body of knowledge during orientations for first time legislators in Sri Lanka, May is liberally quoted and his work is often used to navigate situations in the House. “It is a taste one is expected to develop and expand on,” remarked a former secretary general of parliament, Nihal Seneviratne.

Among those who used to repeatedly refer to May, often when the Standing Orders of Parliament fell silent or remained unclear, was A.H.M. Azwer, a former minister of parliamentary affairs, in addition to incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the late Anura Bandaranaike.

“From what clothes to wear, the allocation of seats, how to speak and what guidelines are there for speakers, making intervention to moving motions, accessing parliamentary services to taking the oath as a legislator are all explained during the program,” an administrative official said.

For those who have been associated with the delivery of orientation programs for new MPs, it is a delightful experience to recall the frequently asked questions: “accessing restaurants to services to the directions to the MPs dining to taking oaths.”

“Some ask about receiving their salaries, where to sit and the basis on which seats are allocated and when they would be able to speak first in the House. Generally, very genuine questions are asked.

“Swearing in is also an emotional and ‘family event’ for almost all legislators. There is general excitement when they ask about passes and how they would be facilitated. But this year, orientation followed the convening of the 8th Parliament, so some things were clarified well before the orientation,”’ an official from the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms said.

New MPs are also explained how to cast their vote, what ‘ayes’ means in the House and specially about the presentation of papers, asking oral questions and tabling motions.

Parliamentary practice and tradition

“It is about the making of a wholesome legislator – the preparation for greater things in the premier lawmaking body. During my time, MPs-elect took the orientation seriously and they often ended up in the libraries, reading up on parliamentary practice and tradition. It is hoped that the current members also feel encouraged to do so, as the representatives of the people,” said Nihal Seneviratne, who had a long stint as a Secretary General of Parliament.

However, parliamentary officials do feel that beyond the introductions that are simply meant to prepare the first timers to serve the House, additional knowledge building can be meaningful. “This means, going beyond the computer literacy and general orientation that is offered.

Sri Lanka had some of the finest of legislators a couple of decades ago. They were erudite and simply brilliant. There should be something that goes beyond the orientation that should help produce legislators of the kind now lost to this country. There had been so much of breakdown in discipline among legislators that we can often only speak of a glorious past. Those will stand out and make us all proud,” a parliamentary official added.