More vignettes of prominent parliamentarians

Born April 29, 1935, Mr. Muttetuwegama served as a MP for over 12 years representing the Kalawana seat from the Communist Party from 1970 to 1981. Sarath began his Parliamentary career in 1970.

A bright young Attorney- at- Law representing the Communist Party, he spoke so eloquently on many subjects and contributed very much to debates on Law and Justice. He was known for his eloquence in debate, being equally proficient in English and Sinhalese.

He married Manouri who was Dr. Colvin R. de Silva’s elder daughter. I recall him being a thorough gentleman, politely knocking on my office door and asking me if he could enter. I became very close to him and told him he need not do all that and to just walk in as 1 so enjoyed chatting with him on personal and political matters.

He hailed from an aristocratic family in Kuruwita and his father was very well respected Rate Mahattaya in that area. The story goes that one of Sarath’s constituents had come to his father’s ancestral waluwwa and asked his father “Can I meet Sarath sahodaraya (comrade)?”. The annoyed father had retorted, “Umbata kohomada yako magey putha sahodaraya wenne? (“How the hell can you be my son’s brother?”).

He had set such a high benchmark with his sheer eloquence in speech I had the privilege of choosing him to be a speaker along with President J.R. Jayewardene when the latter opened the new Parliamentary complex building at Kotte. As usual he made a brilliant speech and was complimented by the President himself, before being invited to join him for lunch after the event.

Very sadly he met an untimely death crashing against a tree while driving his vehicle near Ratnapura. I attended the funeral of a dear friend and eminent Parliamentarian and continued to be in close touch with his wife Manouri, who passed away some years later. His daughter Ramani has been recognized as a human rights activist, being appointed a member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, an astute lawyer. She is also a close friend of my daughter from her days at Ladies College.

Anura Dias Bandaranaike

Born February 15, 1949, Mr. Bandaranaike served Parliament for nearly 30 years from August 1977 to 2007 in the Second National State Assembly, First and Second Parliaments. He served as Leader of the Opposition, Minister of Higher Education and National Reconciliation. He also served as Speaker of Parliament for two years.

Since he entered Parliament, I was privileged to form a close association with him. Above all I respected and admired him for his sheer brilliance as a very eloquent and witty speaker. This was evident in all the contributions he made in Parliament. His oratory skills were best displayed when I called on him to speak on behalf of the Opposition when Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of UK, paid a ceremonial visit to Parliament to address the House after her historic visit to the Victoria Dam in Digana, Teldeniya. Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa who was out of the country had given the text of his speech to Minister Montague Jayawickrema who was the Leader of the House. But sadly, Minister Jayawickrema abandoned that speech and spoke on his own which did not go too well with the members.

It was then the turn for Anura, then Leader of the Opposition, to speak. He made a brilliant speech referring to the days he was a student at London University and how closely he followed Mrs. Thatcher’s speeches in the House of Commons and her great contribution to British politics earning for her the title of ‘Iron lady’. It was a speech delivered with warmth and affection; applauded by the entire House. I recall most members of the Government crossing over to Opposition benches to congratulate him and for saving the day for Parliament.

Many years later our paths crossed again after Anura was elected Speaker of Parliament. Soon after, then in retirement, I received a messages through his close friend Lajpat Wickramasinha that he wanted me to work for him as advisor, but I politely refused. Thereafter Anura himself rang me on four or five occasions insisting that I work with him as advisor saying he had even asked his mother, Mrs. Bandaranaike, who had readily agreed and that a cabinet paper was being presented to make provision for that post. Since I was fond of him and admired him as an eloquent speaker, I found it impossible to refuse his request and acceded to it. I had the great pleasure of working with him as long as he held the post of Speaker, but sadly only for a few years.

His medical advisor was a close friend of mine, Dr H.H.R. Samarasinghe who told me that as his liver was in a poor state and I should advise him to refrain from any form of alcohol. This I did talking very confidentially with him and he promised faithfully that he would abide by my request. I am so glad to say during that crucial period, he did so drinking a soda while I sipped a ginger beer.

The highlight of my association with him was the historic ruling given by him on June 20, 2001. A Supreme Court bench of three Judges had issued a Stay Order restraining the Speaker from appointing a select committee to inquire into the conduct of Chief Justice relating to a Motion of Impeachment.

I was abroad with my family when I got a message through our High Commission in Malaysia asking me to return to Colombo immediately, which I did.

With Anura we sought the advice of senior distinguished lawyer H.L. de Silva. We both visited him at his residence and spoke at length giving us his thoughts. On his advice, I drafted the Ruling. I got this historic ruling printed at his request and I still have a copy in which he wrote that if not for my help, this ruling would not have been possible. I was happy to be associated with him in this ruling which was printed as a booklet with his photo on the front cover and I had it sent to all Speakers of the Commonwealth parliaments as a historic decision of a Commonwealth Speaker reaffirming and upholding the supremacy of Parliament and that the Supreme Court had no power to interfere with the proceedings of Parliament. This decision is quoted even today in Parliament proceedings and I was privileged to have had a hand in it.

Anura was a gentle and kind host. All too often he invited me to his Geoffrey Bawa designed house in Rosmead Place. The house was full of memorabilia with books, pictures of his favourite film actors and directors. He was a great conversationalist and spoke of films, film stars, literature, and biographies. I enjoyed all these very much.

I was extremely sad over his untimely passing away. His body was brought to Parliament premises for all to pay their last respects .I was among the many who joined to mourn his passing and sympathized with his sisters Sunethra and Chandrika adding that I had lost the company of a great friend and gentleman.

Anandatissa de Alwis

Mr. De Alwis served Parliament from 1977 to December 1988 for over 11 years in the Second National Assembly and First Parliament. During his tenure he served as Minister of State and Minister of Information as well as being Speaker of the National State Assembly and Speaker of Parliament, and finally as a member of the Western Provincial Council.

When Anandatissa de Alwis entered Parliament, I recall him being appointed Speaker in August 1977. We found him to be a friendly and warm person. I and the staff took instantly to him. I recall telling him that he played a very special role in that it was the very first instance that a private sector business executive was chosen by Mr. JR Jayewardene to become the Permanent Secretary to JRJ’s Ministry of State, normally held by a senior public servant, when JR was miniser.

We welcomed him very warmly to our midst and he recounted stories of his family and how his dear wife was not too well. He soon endeared himself to the entire staff with his warm and friendly approach. It was great to work with him as Speaker and Head of Parliament.

It was at this time that President Jayewardene had decided that Parliament should be relocated elsewhere as the British period building housing the State Council could accommodate only 101 members. This had now increased to 157. So, there was not enough space. President Jayewardene had asked members of his party and Geoffrey Bawa to find a new location. When he did , Anandatissa de Alwis asked me to accompany him to see the site , popularly referred to as Duwa in Kotte.

A photograph of that model is still available in our Parliamentary records and was reproduced in a publication of the new administrative capital Sri Jayewardenepura done by the Urban Development Authority (UDA). It was quipped then that President Jayewardene had chosen this spot to perpetuate his own name.

As Parliament was about to shift from Galle Face to Kotte, I was overpowered by the size of the edifice of over 48,000 square feet. I told Anandatissa that I was not competent to handle the housekeeping of this huge building. He was very close to the Oberoi Hotel authorities. Thanks to him the entire house keeping staff had to work with a specially assigned Indian lady who supervised the work of our staff and did an excellent job being firm with them.

On April 26, 1982 at the auspicious time of 10.18 am President Jayewardene opened the new Parliamentary Complex. He and four others spoke on that historic occasion.

I was abroad when Anandatissa de Alwis passed away. The former De Alwis Advertising Agency he founded; I believe is still functioning today. He is remembered very fondly by the entire staff of Parliament.

Dr. NM Perera

Dr.N.M.Perera’s service to the Legislature commenced from the Second State Council in 1936 and continued for over 34 years in Parliament. It stretched from the Second State Council and continued from the First to the Seventh Parliament to the first National State Assembly in 1972. During his tenure, Dr.Perera was the Finance Minister and presented seven budgets in all to Parliament. These were the budgets starting from October 1970, and continuing in November 1971, 1972,1973, 1974, 1975 and the last one in November in 1976.

Dr. Perera will be remembered most for his competent performance as a Member of Parliament and most of all for his role as Minister of Finance during which he presented seven budgets in all. As a Parliamentarian he will be remembered for his absolute mastery of parliamentary procedure and eloquent speech. He had his undergraduate studies at the prestigious London School of Economics.

A few months after the 1978 Constitution (under JRJ) was promulgated, Dr.N.M.Perera wrote a short essay titled “A Critical Analysis of the 1978 Constitution.” In it he forecast some of the problems that would arise once the Constitution came into operation. It is so prescient and erudite of him to have forecast the problems that we are seeing today. That essay is often quoted when discussing the merits and demerits of the 1978 Constitution even at present.

I had the opportunity of accompanying Dr.N.M.Perera with a parliamentary delegation to West Germany with a few other MPs. I recall the reception given to him by the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Germany at the time. H.E. Glannie Pieris, I recall how Dr. N.M. asked for a particular brand of white wine which he had obviously enjoyed in his student days. At the reception accorded to us by the Sri Lanka Ambassador, I recall how many young ladies greeted him warmly and it was obvious some among them had known him for some years.

Dr. Perera was a student of the prestigious London School of Economics and received his doctorate from that University. That is how he came to be recognized as almost an authority on parliamentary procedure. Whenever he spoke on these issues, many listened to him with admiration and respect knowing these were the words of a person who was knowledgeable on the subject.

With his passing in 1979 , the country lost a dynamic leader but his predictions about the danger the country could face under the 1978 Constitution continue to be spoken of today all too often and quoted in Parliamentary debates and other discussions.

(Excerpted from Memories of 33 years in Parliament by Nihal Seneviratne)
Sarath Muttetuwegama