{"id":28024,"date":"2014-02-11T14:50:16","date_gmt":"2014-02-11T19:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=28024"},"modified":"2014-02-11T15:08:38","modified_gmt":"2014-02-11T20:08:38","slug":"attractive-actress-upeksha-swarnamali-has-spent-only-140-minutes-in-parliament-reveals-survey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=28024","title":{"rendered":"Attractive Actress Upeksha Swarnamali MP has Spent only 140 Minutes in Parliament Reveals Survey."},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/p>\n

Gihan Nicholas
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do they belong in politics? That is the question that is being raised with regard to the myriad of artistes, who are gradually making inroads into mainstream politics. A staggering number of celebrities, whose professions vary from acting to modelling to singing, showed interest in contesting the upcoming Provincial Council election, from the beginning of this year. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the performance of female celebrity icons in the country’s legislature has also come under scrutiny with the popular website, Manthri.lk, which regularly monitors the parliamentary activities, conducting a survey into the contributions made by the lawmakers, for the wellbeing of the people of this nation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

According to the survey, which focuses on the overall productive contribution of MPs, the performance of women MPs, who number a meagre 13 out of the total 225 members, is only 40% as opposed to the 60% contribution made by their male counterparts. Sounding yet another alarm, the female representation of women in Sri Lanka’s Parliament has been quantified as 5.8% from its total composition, putting Sri Lanka behind Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Bhutan, in terms of the percentage of women in Parliament.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the contribution of women representatives in Parliament, from May 2012 to August 2013, is 2.4% of the total. This translates into the facts that women are appallingly under-represented in Parliament, and that their average level of contribution is minimal.<\/p>\n

As per the survey index of productive minutes spent by MPs, 1,525 minutes have been spent by male MPs representing the government, while 608 minutes have been spent by female MPs.<\/p>\n

As for the opposition, 1,037 constructive minutes have been spent by male MPs, while their female counterparts have spent only 409 minutes. This, collectively, is less than half the average contribution made by male MPs. However, the five opposition women MPs, according to the survey carried out by Manthri.lk, are faring well as opposed to those in the government. This is despite two of the women MPs in the government are in ministerial ranks, one as Minister for Power and Energy (Pavithra Wanniarachchi) and the other as Parliamentary Affairs Minister (Sumedha G. Jayasena), in addition to a third as the Deputy Minister for Water Supply and Drainage (Nirupama Rajapaksa).<\/p>\n

The lowest female contributor in Parliament has been identified as MP Upeksha Swarnamali, who according to the survey has only spent 140 minutes in Parliament, with MPs Kamala Ranatunga, Nirupama Rajapaksa and Malini Fonseka following suit.<\/p>\n

Paba in denial<\/strong><\/p>\n

When contacted by Ceylon Today, regarding her performance as assessed by the survey, MP Swarnamali said, such surveys are irrelevant to her as she has done her duty for her constituents, while being in Parliament.<\/p>\n

“I didn’t know about this survey. It is irrelevant. I even believe that Parliament should not be convened so often. It should only sit once a month or so like in the UK or the United States. Warming a seat in Parliament does not make a difference. You have to be there at the ground level. Parliament has failed to maintain its esteem. It is a place for slinging mud at each other. Nothing constructive comes out of it,” MP Swarnamali said.<\/p>\n

However, when questioned about her political maturity and experience, MP Swarnamali conceded that she still has a long way to go. She also said that she does not believe that her lack of experience had any correlation to the time spent by her in Parliament.<\/p>\n

“I accept that I have a lot to learn. I also have to work more. Minister Dilan Perera has been very supportive towards me. During the last budget debate, three proposals brought forward by me were tabled. I still don’t have a political background. Knowledge is something you can acquire with time,” she said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, when queried as to how Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Sriyani Wijewickrama had managed to score the most number of constructive minutes being government MPs despite Parliament’s opprobrious nature, MP Swarnamali had the following to say: “I am not going to follow in their footsteps. I am very confident about myself. I have worked very genuinely all throughout.”<\/p>\n

With concern to the countless novice artistes making their way into the limelight of the country’s political arena, especially women, MP Swarnamali said that it was the right of any individual to engage in politics, but warned about some who she deemed were a threat to society.<\/p>\n

Importance of ‘morals’<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I think celebrities should engage in politics. Even our President himself has acted in several films. They can use their status to serve society better. However, we should bear in mind that Sri Lanka is a country with morals. Recently, an actress-candidate stated that prostitution should be legalized in the country. I am scared to think what these people would do if they come to power. However, women as a whole are not to be blamed for such assertions made by a select few. I think the open economy is to be blamed. <\/p>\n

Actresses are by nature able to carry themselves well. Not everybody can carry themselves well wearing a skimpy dress. I myself only took part in such a photo shoot \u2013 showing skin \u2013 once, but refrained from doing so after I entered politics. The males of this country are frustrated due to growing economic pressure. Sri Lanka has been rated number one for pornographic searches on Google. As far as celebrities are concerned, I think they should be permitted to enter politics provided that they have a thorough understanding about what they do.”<\/p>\n

Another celluloid figure, entering the fray against Anarkali Akarsha from the Matara District, is actress and model Nadeesha Hemamali, representing the UNP. She said during an interview, which was broadcast on a private television channel, prostitution should be legalized in the island for the sake of preserving the sanity of its male population. Hemamali, following her comments, got a severe rap.<\/p>\n

Many are also questioning the work of Anarkali for the Galle District. Southern Provincial Council members say that her contribution to the Council debates was minimal during the last few years. Realizing that she will face a humiliating defeat at the upcoming polls, she switched to the Matara District thanks to her links with the SLFP stalwarts. Meanwhile, UNP MP Rosy Senanayake, who has emerged the highest contributing woman MP, said MP Upeksha Swarnamali is a classic example of inexperienced celebrities entering politics.<\/p>\n

“I have been in the UNP for 28 years. I have walked the length and breadth of this country. I have faced everything from rubber bullets to tear gas. I am not someone who parachuted all of a sudden. I have proved myself. We should in fact be supportive towards people like Upeksha Swarnamali. She even surpassed several senior hands of the UNP and was able to garner more votes than them. For instance, she even exceeded the number of votes obtained by MP Karu Jayasuriya. But after that she crossed over. <\/p>\n

Senior politicians think that when they enter celebrities into the contest they can eat into the voter base of their opponents. I’m quite happy to see that several celebrities have been denied nominations. I too have been in the celebrity business during my heyday. But I have strived and been through the mill. Inexperienced people could cause more harm than good. So I think that especially every celebrity should be weighed on a scale prior to having them engage in politics,” MP Senanayake opined.<\/p>\n


\nNeed for coherent women<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the interim, Senanayake also said that it was essential to increase the presence of coherent women in Parliament and that Sri Lankans as a whole should get rid of their stereotypical mentality towards women.
\n“People think that the definition of democracy ends when they exercise their franchise. That is a fallacy. If people like Swarnamali are entering Parliament, her constituents should coax her and encourage her by telling her what they need. They should encourage the novices. It is essential that we help people like that for the betterment of this country,” Senanayake said.<\/p>\n

Against this backdrop, prominent women’s activist, Attorney-at-Law Nimalka Fernando, when contacted by Ceylon Today, said the country’s vast executive power as well as its legislature is to be blamed for indoctrinating such trends in an environment where women are used by both the government as well as the opposition to secure their own ends.<\/p>\n

“There is no proper indicator to judge the performance of female MPs. Unfortunately, people like Paba have been exploited by the government as well as the opposition. The UPFA bought her over from the UNP. I have no problem in saying this. Paba and Malini Fonseka are now performing for Minister Dilan Perera. They are his PR ambassadors. They globetrot everywhere when they should be in Parliament doing something constructive. So obviously how could they contribute positively in Parliament? It is the ministers who use these MPs, who should be criticized first. Owing to such occurrences, there is no room for women in politics. People don’t respect women. Not a single woman MP has been able to stand up against this patriarchal system in Parliament. Women are being raped on a daily basis,” she pointed out.<\/p>\n

Fernando also declared that the people of the country should be held responsible for electing such ‘sex symbols’ into power and should replace their myopic sight with prudent decisions.
\n
\nCOURTESY:CEYLON TODAY<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Gihan Nicholas Do they belong in politics? That is the question that is being raised with regard to the myriad of artistes, who are gradually making inroads into mainstream politics. A staggering number of celebrities, whose professions vary from acting to modelling to singing, showed interest in contesting the upcoming Provincial Council election, from …<\/p>\n

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