“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is all this fuss about a committee?”
“Which committee are you referring to, Bindu?” Bindu’s father Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “are there so many committees?”
“Why,” Percy said, “wasn’t it only the other day that one interim committee for cricket was dissolved and replaced with another interim committee…”
“Ah, yes,” Bindu agreed, “but I was not thinking about that…”
“What committee were you thinking about then?” Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu explained, “there is this parliamentary select committee that everyone is talking about…”
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“Ah, yes”, Percy said, “there has been some talk about appointing such a committee…”
“And what is that committee supposed to do, thaaththa?” Bindu wondered.
“I believe it is supposed to find a political framework to distribute power among the different communities in the country…” Percy observed.
“Why is there such a fuss about it then?” Bindu was curious.
“And who is making this fuss?” Percy demanded.
“Why thaaththa, one of the parties in the North have said they won’t participate in it…” Bindu recalled.
“Well,” Percy said, “at least that is their own decision and not what the Tigers told them to do…”
“But they are not the only party which says it doesn’t want to join this parliamentary committee, thaaththa…” Bindu declared.
“Why, who else is saying they don’t want to be a part of it?” Percy asked.
“Why, thaaththa, even the rathu sahodarayas say they too do not wish to join this committee…” Bindu recalled.
“Why, what is their excuse?” Percy inquired.
“Well,” Bindu said, “they seem to think this committee would be a waste of time…”
“And why do they say that?” Percy asked.
“They say so many committees have been appointed in the past and recently another rathu sahodaraya from a different party also had his own committee studying the same issue…” Bindu said,
“Which rathu sahodaraya is that?” Percy asked.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu recalled, “it was Uncle Tissa who had his all party committee…”
“Ah, yes,” Percy remembered, “he did have his committee some time ago but nothing came out of it, really…”
“I thought they made some recommendations, thaaththa…” Bindu said.
“They did,” Percy agreed, “but Bindu, that was at the height of the war and as the war became more intense, everyone forgot about Uncle Tissa and his committee…”
“But surely, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “they can ask Uncle Tissa to go back to work from where he stopped last time…”
“I don’t think that will happen, Bindu…” Percy said.
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu was puzzled.
“Well, if Mahinda maama wanted Uncle Tissa to complete his job, he wouldn’t want to appoint a different committee, would he?” Percy pointed out.
“So,” Bindu demanded, “why does Mahinda maama want a different committee, then?”
“Well,” Percy said, “he says whatever anyone decides, Parliament would have to approve it, so it makes sense for Parliament itself to form a committee and then decide…”
“That is what will happen, then?” Bindu asked.
“I certainly hope so,” Percy said, “although I hope Mahinda maama has not learnt any lessons from the Green Man…”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu queried, “I thought it was the Green Man who should be taking lessons from Mahinda maama…”
“No, Bindu,” Percy disagreed, “in this instance, I think it is Mahinda maama who has learnt a lesson from the Green Man…”
“Why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy recalled, “do you remember all the problems the Green Man had in his own party?”
“Of course I do,” Bindu said, “and in fact, I don’t think those problems are over yet…”
“Then do you remember what the Green Man does whenever he is confronted with a problem that needs a quick answer but he doesn’t want to deal with it straight away?” Percy asked.
“I am not so sure about that…” Bindu conceded.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy recalled, “the Green Man always appoints a committee to look into the matter…”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “that won’t always solve the problem, will it?”
“No, it won’t,” Percy agreed, “but it solves the Green Man’s problem…”
“How can that happen?” Bindu demanded.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “if the problem is indeed solved by the committee that is appointed to look into it, it is well and good…”
“But if it is not?” Bindu inquired.
“Well,” Percy said, “even then, it will be the fault of the committee and the Green Man will no longer be responsible for it…”
“So, thaaththa”, Bindu asked, “do you think Mahinda maama has done something similar in wanting to appoint a committee from Parliament?”
“It certainly looks like it, doesn’t it?” Percy asked.
“And what do you think will happen now, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy said, “haven’t you heard the old joke that the sittings of a committee are like a visit to the toilet…”
“Why is that?” Bindu wondered.
“Well,” Percy said, “at first there is a sitting, then there is some deliberation, then a lot of noise is made and finally, the matter is dropped…”
Bindu didn’t quite know what to say to that.
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