Columns

The incident that provoked President Premadasa to order the issue of a gazette on attire; but who wears the pants now ?

The Public Administration Ministry has revoked two circulars issued in 2019 and 2022 on the attire of State sector employees, following the controversy over some teachers reporting to work in casual clothing. This means the attire of State sector employees is now governed by a public administration circular issued in 1989.

On Thursday, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Rohini Kumari Wijerathna related an anecdote in Parliament on how this circular reportedly came into being.

According to her, when former President Ranasinghe Premadasa once visited Buttala in Hambantota to inspect a building site of his flagship “Gammudawa” programme, he met a shabbily dressed official clad in shirt and sarong, wearing rubber slippers and chewing betel.

The official explained what was going on at the building site to the President, who after listening attentively, had thanked and called the “baas unnehe” for his good work. He asked the man to come and see him once the construction work was completed. Then minister and former Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara, who was next to him, had quickly corrected the President, saying this was actually the local Divisional Secretary.

“The first thing the President did after returning to Colombo, was to order that this circular specifying the attire of State sector employees be issued,” Ms Wijerathna said.

However, she noted the circular did not state the appropriate attire for female State sector employees.

But, senior public officials who have now started referring to the circular have been puzzled about the wording. It only gives the attire for males and there is no mention about females.

In the old days, ‘he was she’, according to the law. Not sure what it is now. Does it matter anyway, when nowadays, it does not matter. Sometimes, no one knows who really wears the pants.

Education Minister gets full time for his subject at Budget debate

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha has held the education portfolio under several different Presidents. When he spoke on the funds allocated to the ministry at the Budget debate in Parliament on Thursday, he noted that he had been allocated 40 minutes to speak.

This was in stark contrast to what happened during the previous administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, when as Education State Minister, he had been allocated just eight minutes.

“How fate has come around. I was thrown out from my post, but yet here I am,”
he quipped.

Mr Premajayantha of course, was sacked by President Rajapaksa after he publicly cricitised the government, when television cameras captured him shopping for vegetables at the Delkanda public market. At the time, Mr Premajayantha was highly critical of the then government’s agricultural policies.

Kutti carries Ranil’s photo at Temple Trees party

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena hosted a party at Temple Trees, and it was attended by most Parliamentarians.

Tissa Kuttiarachchi, a one-time United National Party (UNP) member, who contested under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the last elections, also attended the party.

He had brought with him a photo of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, which had been taken when he contested from the UNP.

Showing the photograph to State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, he told him: “This is the photo I am using for the next election.”

Mr Rattwatte responded: “Kutti, you should have shown it earlier before the State ministry appointments were made.”

“Even if one is given now, I would not refuse it,” Mr Kuttiarachchi replied.

Enderamulla Police hand over road to robber gangs

Enderamulla Police Officers, failing to control robberies in the area around Jude Mawatha have come up with a strange notice. They have warned the people not to use that road between 11.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m. The Police officers have put up banners at the entrance of the road saying that gangs are stopping and robbing three wheeler drivers and passengers at night. Three wheel drivers using the road said some of them were beaten up and their day’s earnings robbed by a gang which took over the road at night.

They said some victims were even dragged underneath the Enderamulla bridge and left there while their earnings and three-wheelers were robbed.  The drivers said they were surprised by the Police officers move, instead of making the road safer for the people by apprehending the gangs.

Maithri’s unpaid food bills; Rs. 250,000 a day, total Rs. four million

It has been three years since the last Presidential election was held, but the bills for the expenses of that period are yet to be settled. It was Maithripala Sirisena who was the President at that time.

This week, one of the suppliers who provided food for the security officers in the run up to the Presidential election has written to the President’s office complaining that he is still awaiting his payments. He says he has been a supplier of food from 2017 onwards. But, the unsettled bills were from November 1 to November 16, 2019.

He says he has been calling the accounts division from 2020 onwards, and was first told the delay was due to the COVID-19 situation, but since then he has not got a satisfactory response.

But it is the breakdown of the bills provided by the supplier which has drawn the attention. The daily bills amount to an average of Rs 250,000 with a total of Rs four million for the 16 days.

Members scream of pole cats and buffaloes at debate on Wildlife Conservation Department expenses

A former Wildlife Minister and ex-State Minister on the same subject locked horns in Parliament on Friday, with one calling the other animal names and the other criticising the member for foolish decisions taken.

The dispute between former Wildlife Minister Sarath Fonseka and former State Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake and the animal name calling occurred somewhat inappropriately during the debate on expenses of the Wildlife and Forest Resource Conservation, Tourism and Land ministries.

Field Marshal Fonseka said the proposal of cutting trenches to keep elephants in parks made by a former State Minister who came from Ampara and implemented by the Government was an impractical and foolish project which would not be approved by a person with common sense.

“When this project was undertaken, I knew they were making a wrong turn (Gona Harenne Pol Paleta). The move has not been approved by the Wildlife Conservation Department,” he said.

Responding to the Field Marshal’s speech, former Wildlife State Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake, who was also in charge of the trench making, shouted that though his name was not mentioned he needed to talk.

The angry former State Minister grinding what was left of his teeth shouted that he needs to speak even when the Speaker told him to respond during the time allocated to him. The MP shouted that the Speaker should not allow anyone to sling mud at him.

He questioned what action was taken by the
Field Marshal, the ‘well widane’, a man in charge of fields, when he held the Wildlife Ministry portfolio. The former State Minister also addressed Field Marshal Fonseka as kalawadda (pole cat) and asked whether he heard him.

Meanwhile, Opposition members were shouting at the former State Minister, telling him not to speak like
a buffalo.

This exchange of words was taking place while students were among those watching the proceedings from the Gallery, and as the Parliament said a record 5000 students had visited Parliament the previous day.

Too much bana and religious lectures in Parliament; Speaker intervenes

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa made use of Buddhist stanzas to carry on with their debates in Parliament during the committee stage debate this week.

The President quoted the second stanza of the Parabhava Sutta (Discourse on Downfall) and continued interpreting the Dhamma in his speech, drawing reactions from the Opposition in Parliament.

It continued onto the next day, with Opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa quoting stanzas from the Parabhava Sutta, Vasala Sutta (Discourse on Outcasts) and the Dhammapada.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha responded to it with a stanza from the Vasala Sutta. However, as Minister Premajayantha and the Opposition Leader argued it out, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena thought it was enough as he was under pressure to keep to the timetable.

He said: “Please that is enough of listening to bana (sermons), get on with the Parliament activities.”