Speaker should safeguard rights for all MPs

SLFP MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake has become somewhat a one-man crusade to call out the Government on many issues. His rise to prominence as an Opposition MP in the current Parliament, in which the Opposition MPs are heavily outnumbered has thrust him into the public eye and more often than not he raises valid issues of public interest.

This week in Parliament he raised a question, this time regarding a personal manner. He was being obstructed from attending a China-sponsored economic program for Parliamentarians scheduled for 5-6 May, due to a court-imposed travel restriction.

He informed Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne that his passport is currently in court custody and stated that, despite submitting a motion along with a letter from the Parliamentary Secretary General and an official invitation from the Chinese Government,  repeated objections raised by the Bribery Commission had prevented his participation in the program.

Dasanayake wanted to raise a privilege issue but that too was rejected by the Speaker. “You chased me when I came to your office to hand over my privilege issue,” the MP had said.

 During the heated  exchange of words in the Chamber on Thursday, the Speaker directed that Dasanayake be evicted from the Chamber and he was forced out of the House.

While it’s true that Parliament cannot intervene in a Court matter, the Speaker can intervene to facilitate overseas travel for a MP to undertake an official visit. Later Dasanayake was granted permission by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court with the travel ban temporarily lifted but with little help from the Speaker.

It’s important to look at the role of the Speaker in such situations. The Speaker is the custodian of the rights of all MPs, not only of those in Government but all MPs but the current Speaker is acting more like a Government MP than acting impartially. Standing Orders of Parliament dictates that he must be politically impartial at all times but in the case of Dr. Wickramaratne, this is not always the case.

When one follows the parliamentary proceedings, it’s clear that the Speaker is being led by the dictates of the Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake instead of taking independent decisions particularly where Opposition MPs rights are concerned. Senior parliamentary officials  who lack the acumen  of their predecessors who held such positions don’t help the situation.

It is understandable that the Speaker is keen to hold on to the job given the fiasco with his predecessor MP Asoka Ranawaka, whose bogus PhD claim ended his time in the Speaker’s chair very quickly.  No one is saying that the current Speaker’s academic qualifications are questionable but his conduct, while presiding over sittings is questionable. There have been many instances where Opposition MPs have been stopped from raising issues that  are uncomfortable for the Government.

Speaker Wickramaratne has got himself tangled in some controversial issues outside the parliamentary chamber as well. His decision to arbitrarily remove the Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne led to much airing of dirty laundry in public and ended with the  Court of Appeal directing parties concerned to consider reaching an amicable settlement in the petition filed by Kularatne challenging his dismissal. This and several other allegations have done little to enhance his image as  the Third Citizen of the country.

It was demanded of William Lenthall, the Speaker of the English House of Commons, by King Charles I to  point out five fugitive Members of Parliament, but he refused to do so at the risk of losing his head. Lenthall knelt and famously replied: “May it please your majesty, I have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak, in this place, but as the house is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here.”

As a country following the Westminster parliamentary practices, whoever takes the Speaker’s chair must ensure that they remain impartial and act independently. Be it Government or Opposition MPs, their right to speak in the House and their privileges must be safeguarded in the same manner.