The political animal has for long been a highly pampered creature in this so-called democratic socialist republic of ours. Time was when parliament comprised 95 elected members and six appointed to represent ``unrepresented interests.’’ The number has now grown to 225 including 29 national list members who did not face the polls among whom is the prime minister who, unfortunately, is in the bad company of you know who. In the early post-Independence years an MP was paid an allowance of a few hundred rupees a month - Rs. 400 which was later increased to Rs. 600 if we remember right, and they did not enjoy privileges like duty free cars, cut-price tyres, luxury accommodation and what have you. A room at `Sravasti’ was all the had. They did have a facility enabling them to `truck’ their cars by train without charge and MPs representing constituencies in the distant north and east used it frequently when they rode the train to Colombo to attend parliament and attend to other business and then returned to their constituencies. It must also be said in fairness that money value in those far off days was something quite different to what prevails today when a housewife going to market feels poor with a thousand rupee note in her purse.

But times have changed, dramatically if we may say so. The avalanche, as one veteran said, came with the J.R. Jayewardene landslide of 1977. But even before that MPs, holding the spoon in their hands, have been ladling the gravy on to their own plates. As Sir. John Kotelawela pithily put it, handa athey thiyanakan bedaganilla. First came pensions for MPs, and that after a mere five years service, a facility extended to their surviving spouses after the death of the MP or ex-MP as the case may be. (These pensions mind you, unlike any other paid in this country, are now related to the salaries drawn by the sitting MPs. So a man who drew Rs. 20,000 salary as a parliamentarian, after the maximum 15 years service, today draws a monthly pension of over Rs. 40,000!) Thereafter parliamentary pay was astronomically increased and so also other privileges in cash and kind such as per diem allowances for attending sittings of parliament and its various committees. It has been alleged, whether factually or not we do not know, that some MPs like undergrads cutting lectures, have got themselves marked present when they were very much absent. Be that as it may, this comment relates to the news published in The Island last week that what was described as a ``mega housing scheme’’ for MPs is in the pipeline. This is to comprise of 150 houses, the report said, with two more for the deputy speaker and the deputy chairman of committees and three for the top parliamentary officials, the secretary general and his two assistants. This news naturally inflamed a segment of public opinion.

MPs well know that those who resent their pay and perks are mainly the middle and more affluent classes. Most people in the rural hinterland, less affected by the rocketing cost of living than their urban-dwellers, and not aspiring to the goodies that the taxpayer bestows on his elected representatives, are not overly bothered about how well these worthies are looked after. What the newspapers have to say on the subject too are also not matters of any great moment as far as getting re-elected (or losing the next election) goes. It is much more important to secure the goodwill of the party lokkas and get yourself nominated, or get your son a slot if not two for yourself and yours, and proportional representation will hopefully do the rest. So they make hay while the sun shines and vote themselves more and more privileges. Never mind that they already have a housing scheme at Madiwela where some defeated MPs brazenly cling on to their quarters for months and sometimes years after an election. The availability of such housing does not satisfy the demand so why not expand the supply? The House Committee, comprising of MPs of course, have suggested a 150 unit scheme on a Colombo suburb for these too-pampered servants of the people who have got themselves an unbeatable ride from the taxes paid by their electors. Officialdom cannily piggy back on the perks the elected representatives grab for themselves as evidenced by the proposal to build houses for the three parliamentary bosses.

The news report we quote says that the House Committee had a letter from the Presidential Secretariat suggesting the Urban Development Authority should go ahead with the project as the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs cannot meet the housing demand of ministers. No wonder, given that we have over a 100 ministers of different sorts, cabinet, non-cabinet, deputy ministers and what have you! Some of them, as many as around 40 by one count, live in their own homes drawing a monthly housing allowance of Rs. 100,000 according to The Island report. Following the buzz (or was it a roar?) this revelation provoked, this payment was to be halved. But whether that did happen or not remains an open question. Many of the politicians occupying official housing do not pay their own utilities bills. The water and electricity are taken care of by ministry votes.