Having read Jayatissa Fernando's letter in The Island of February 7, 2008, this writer thought it proper to describe some incidents, some which have transpired outside the Parliament, as well. In fact, it was a news item which appeared in a Sunday newspaper on February 10, 2008 (Irida Lankadipa) which brought back memories of a long forgotten incident. The news item referred to , had stated that the Indian Government had requested our Government to grant all powers to the Provincial Councils, if the Provincial Council system is to be established.

Way back in the early 1950's the then Prime Minister, late Mr. Sir John Kotelawala attended the Bandung Conference where all the Asian leaders participated, including late Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru of India. After Sir John finished his speech at the conference, Nehru appeared to be displeased with the speech and had asked Sir John "Why didn't you show your speech to me, before delivering it?" The prompt response of Sir John was "Why should I? You didn't show your speech to me". We need a Sir John today to respond to the news item referred to above by asking "Why should we get your advice in devolving power? We never advised you about devolving powers in your country" By the way, the following yarn about Sir John would have been apparently composed by one of his adversaries, with a view to bringing discredit to him. " When America was making arrangements to land a person in the moon, Sir John has said that we must try to land a man in the sun. A friend has said "Sir, we can't do that. The man will get burnt, long before he reaches the sun. Sir John's reply was "Yako, api yanne raeta (You devil, we are going there during the night).

Late Mr. Dudley Senanayaka was the Prime Minister during the period 1965 - 70. Once, when he was making a speech in the Parliament, then known as the House of Representatives, he was heckled by late Mrs. Vivienne Gunawardena, M.P. Dudley responded by stating "Mr. Speaker, one thing in my life which I have not been able to do is to control women (Dudley was a bachelor). Heckling stopped immediately. Once there was an M.P. by the name Stanley Molligoda, who, I believe represented the Balangoda electorate or an electorate close by. When he started heckling another M.P. in Parliament, he (the M.P. being heckled) said "Mr. Speaker, a being with one hump (molliya) is known as a bull. But, when a being has a heap of humps (Molli goda), I myself do not know the name by which such being should be called. Heckling stopped. Late Mr. Maithripala Senanayaka was a powerful Minister in the Government elected in 1956 which introduced the Sinhala Only Bill. During this period, one Miss. Ranji Handy, a Tamil, was the lobby correspondent of a Lake House newspaper. It was also the time a clamour was being made for the 'reasonable use of Tamil' Maithripala later got married to Ranji Handy. Thereafter, once when he was on his feet in Parliament, an M.P. said "Mr. Speaker, for our friend Mr. Maithripala Senanayaka, it is "Sinhala only during the day and "Reasonable use of Tamil during the night"

Late Mr. Wijayananda Dahanayaka, popularly known then as Bunis Maama, for b eing instrumental in giving buns during the interval for the school

children, was a person who has never gone abroad. Once a colleague reminded him of the maxim "Travel broadens mind". Daha's immediate response was "Socrates never left the walls of Athens".

Incidentally while on the subject of M.P.'s, it may, perhaps, be very relevant to refer to a very healthy practice followed by Speakers, in the past,on being elected. Once a Speaker is elected by Parliament, he immediately resigns from the political party to which he belonged and continue as an independent member. This practice is apparently based on dictum that justice should not only be done but appear to be done. Way back in 1952, Sir Albert F. Peiris resigned from the UNP on being elected speaker and when the Parliament was dissolved in 1956, he contested the Nattandiya electorate as an Independent candidate. Late Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranayaka, the great democrat that he was, did not field a candidate from his party for the electorate; nor were there a candidate from the UNP or any other political party. So, it was a contest between two independent candidates. Very unfortunately, this very healthy practice was done away with by late Mr. Stanley Tilakaratne when he was elected as Speaker in June, 1970. He continued to remain as a member of the party to which he belonged.

The subsequent speakers followed the precedent created by Mr. Stanley Tilakaratna, up to date. Perhaps, our present Speaker, Mr. Lokubandara, could revert to the former healthy practice. With Minister Dinesh Gunawardena's (Chairman of the Electoral Reforms Committee) recommendation for the re-introduction of the first past the post system elections, the Speaker may be able contest the Haputale electorate, without being opposed by any political party. Perhaps, he could get elected, uncontested. Some food for thought for the erudite scholar as well as all the political parties in the country. Incidentally, this healthy practice originated in the British Parliament, known as the Mother Parliament.