Wijaya Palliaguruge - the Gentle Giant of Parliament
 

BY Dr. T.C. Rajaratnam

THE Parliament of Sri Lanka still has some distinguished personalities. Among them is the Serjeant-at-Arms Wijaya Palliaguruge - a gentleman of gentle disposition, firm character who possesses a dynamic and charming personality.

This towering individual has been bestowed upon a dominating position which he carefully handles with kindness, dignity and charisma. Palliaguruge has a smile and personality with which he performs his duty. Any person visiting the Parliament has not completed his visit until he or she meets Wijaya Palliaguruge.

Due to his general disposition and the tactfulness with which he handles his affairs, he is known as the "Gentle Giant of Parliament". To analyses the Office of the Serjeant-at-Arms, it necessitates to discuss the salient features of the tradition, the origin, the mace, the sword and official duties.

Wijaya Palliaguruge received his primary education at MR/Dickwella Vijitha Central College, a leading school in the South of Sri Lanka and higher education at Aquinas University College, Colombo, Open University of Sri Lanka, University of Colombo, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies and Diplomatic Training Institute, and graduated in International Affairs.

Prior to joining the Sri Lanka Parliament in 1977, he was a member of the regular force of the Sri Lanka Navy. During his military career which began in 1966 he held a member at responsible positions in the Navy. He has also served Royal Oman Navy, and was awarded the "Oman Peace Medal" for distinguished service.

Among the most important duties of the office of the Sergeant-at-Arms is the responsibility for the security of the parliamentary complex.

The responsibility vested with the Serjeant-at-Arms for maintaining discipline and security particularly inside the Chamber, the adjoining lobbies of the Members of Parliament, the entrances, galleries and the Parliament as a whole is, a task.

It is the Serjeant-at-Arms who implements the directions and orders issued by the Speaker and the Secretary-General of Parliament for the smooth implementation of security arrangements in Parliament, with the co-ordination of the Parliament Police unit.

Issuing of gate passes for items taken out of the premises and ensuring the safe-keeping of goods of visitors which are kept in the Parcel Counter, since visitors are not allowed to bring in any baggage or parcels into Parliament, also happened to be the responsibility of the Serjeant-at-Arms.

A separate staff assists him to carry out these functions. His duties include keeping nearly three thousand keys to the doors of the offices in the Parliament in safe custody and handing them over to persons who are authorized to receive them through Security Assistants and keep the rest safely with him.

The control of persons in the Galleries and other areas of Parliament and proper maintenance are also a part of his duties.

Those who enter the Parliament premises can be categorized into several groups. They are the Members of Parliament, the staff of the Secretary-General of Parliament, the staff of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees, Secretary to the Leader of the House, Secretary to the Chief Government Whip, Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition and their staff.

The staff of the ancillary services such as the Bank of Ceylon, Post Office, Medical Centre, Electricity Board, Water Supply and Drainage Board, Sri Lanka Telecom etc. and the staff of the garbage disposal unit in the Kotte Municipal Council, newspaper reporters, the suppliers of food and beverage items, newspapers and stores items, drivers of the Members of Parliament, Police Officers of the Parliament, the security personnel the President and the Prime Minister, Officers of the Ministers, the public officials who have to attend Parliament on Sitting Days and for committee meetings, the assisting staff the President and the Prime Minister and employees who come for maintenance work and visitors.

Written requests to visit Parliament should be submitted to the Serjeant-at-Arms along with the list of visitors, and their national identity card numbers.

The Serjeant-at-Arms replies to the requests and grants approval, subject to the requirements of the Parliament. Copies of the said letters are then sent to the Parliament

Police for information and necessary action. According to the existing security measures, all visitors to the parliamentary building are subjected to a body-check, and they are requested not to bring their bags, parcels, cameras, mobile telephones etc., into the building.

The Serjeant-at-Arms also notifies the visitors that it is essential to observe silence and refrain from smoking inside the Parliament building.

The Serjeant-at-Arms employs various devices for fulfilling the responsibility of controlling the persons coming to the Parliament building. One method is the issuing of photo identity cards. Permanent employees of the Parliament staff and ancillary or affiliated services are required to wear the identity cards containing their photographs.

All other visitors and officers from outside should obtain the computerized temporary passes issued at the Public Reception Counter at the entrance. Those passes should be worn inside the building. As a security measure separate types of cards have been prepared for the different floors and different divisions of the building.

As the number of persons entering the parliamentary complex for official purposes is enormous, to regulate the situation, the Serjeant-at-Arms issues special passes to public officers, officers who have to be in the Public Official's box, private secretaries to the Ministers, drivers of the Members of Parliament, secretaries to the Ministers and suppliers.

Currently, a computerized access control system is in operation for the control of persons entering the parliamentary building.

Another function of the Serjeant-at-Arms is to provide facilities to the press reporters who come for reporting the parliamentary proceedings. Facilities have been made available in the Press Gallery so that 100 journalists can cover the proceedings at the same time.

In addition to that, a Press Room has been provided with a television to watch the proceedings and few rooms have been reserved for them on the ground floor for using telephone/fax facilities.

The Serjeant-at-Arms is responsible for the allocation of office, room, store, space, committee rooms, interview room facilities and their administration.

The Serjeant-at-Arms also provides the maximum manpower assistance in implementing the overall parliamentary mechanism and supervises the functioning of the support personnel.

The Serjeant-at-Arms is also the chairman of the Committees on Ceremonial Opening, receptions, security and transport at international conferences sponsored by the Parliament.

The Serjeant-at-Arms also becomes the ex-officio House Keeper in the Parliament. Until recently even in the Parliament of Sri Lanka, the Serjeant-at-Arms performed such duties, and co-ordinates technical and civil maintenance services in Parliament.

These functions have now been delegated to an Operations Manager and a Co-ordinating Engineer. Due to the expansion of the functions of the Department of the Serjeant-at-Arms.

The Serjeant-at-Arms is assisted by the Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, the Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms. Clerks attached to this department, the telephone exchange supervisor, Arachchi, receptionists, telephone operators, X-Ray machine operators, Parliamentary Services Assistants, and Security Assistants.

In countries where the Westminster systems is adopted, particularly in Britain, Australia, Canada and in other countries in the Commonwealth, making use of Serjeant-at-Arms for functions of Parliament takes place successfully.

When a Serjeant-at-Arms is appointed in Australia, England or Canada, officers in the rank of a Major-General or of equal rank in an armed force are considered, and when the Serjeant-at-Arms retires at the end of his term, he will be attached to a reserve post in the armed force in which he served earlier, or appointed to a middle level post in the diplomatic service.

It is the tradition for the Speaker to inform Parliament about the appointment and retirement of the Serjeant-at-Arms. Where the staff of Parliament is concerned, it is only in respect of the Secretary General of Parliament and Serjeant-at-Arms that a date is allocated for an Appreciation of Service. In most countries the Serjeant-at-Arms is expected to wear a uniform.

The uniform that he wears on a normal Sitting Day is of white material while a special black material is used for the ceremonial uniform.

The white coloured uniform consists of a white shirt, white trouser, white coat, black necktie, gold coloured epaulettes (with badges worn by a Major-General) buttons and other accessories, white gloves and black shoes with gold buckles.

The black uniform worn during a ceremonial occasion consists of a black tunic coat, black trouser, gold coloured epaulettes with badges, buttons and other accessories with black cross belts, sword and scabbard, white gloves, black cap with twin festoons and black boots with gold coloured buckles.

It is suggested by the writer that in view of the prevailing terrorist situation, the State should provide security to the Serjeant-at-Arms when coming into and leaving the premises as is done in countries threatened by terrorist activities.

During the December period a group of opposition members forcibly removed the Mace from the Chamber, Mr. Palliyaguruge was pushed and assaulted and received internal injuries on his chest.

He retrieved the Mace and brought it into the Chambers from the opposition side of the Chambers and the sight was that of a victorious, triumphant solider. One could see that he ran down the isle like a warrior and placed it in the due place.

This article is written not only to enlighten the people of the importance of the office of the Serjeant-at-Arms but also to appreciate the services of a gentleman who suffered at the hands of some unruly opposition members quite unbecoming of the position they hold, exploiting the privileges of Parliament.

Part of the official uniform of the Serjeant-at-Arms is the sword, which is carried at all times in a scabbard at his side when he is in official uniform. This sword is a symbol of justice, authority, honour and tradition.

(The writer is the Co-ordinating Secretary to the Chief Government Whip of Parliament & a foreign correspondent).