If the circumstances under which the second speaker was appointed were different, it would be no talking matter, but the new appointment came after NPP Gampaha District MP Asoka Ranwala, who was appointed with much fanfare, had to resign in disgrace after it was found that he had lied about his educational qualifications including a supposed PhD from a university in Japan. While we wish the new Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, an NPP Polonnaruwa District MP, a medical doctor, well in his new post, the massive blunder in making a wrong appointment will haunt the Government for a long time to come.

Ranwala in his resignation letter held on to the claim that he holds a PhD and vowed to soon submit the necessary documents to prove it. It sounds a tall tale given that in this day and age of modern technology, obtaining such documents can be done within hours or even days, if he actually has such an achievement.

For the Government, whichever way it tries to spin this story, this fiasco exposes the failure on its part to properly vet the candidate for the post of speaker, the country’s third citizen. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya who proposed Ranwala as the Speaker said, “Your extensive experience and dedication to upholding democratic principles make you exceptionally suited for this role. Your clean political record and consistent advocacy for the people stand as a testament to your integrity.” When it came to introducing the new speaker last Tuesday, she kept the introductory speech short. One can’t blame her given it’s always, once bitten, twice shy.

The scandal around fake educational qualifications is one of the Government’s own makings. During the election campaign, the NPP portrayed its candidates as model citizens, educated, honest, law-abiding, and incorruptible but the unravelling has already begun.

Questions have been raised about the qualifications of several NPP MPs following Ranwala’s resignation with several MPs, whose names have surfaced on social media, trying to clear their names.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara who had been referred to as Dr. in his profile page on the Parliament website had it removed with Parliament officials issuing a clarification saying the Dr. title was added in front of the minister’s name inadvertently by one of the data entry operators. Nanayakkara was not satisfied with this and lodged a complaint with the CID saying it was a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation. It is a high-handed action given that the concerned department has admitted it was at fault.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Amarasuriya claimed in Parliament this week that the Opposition and some sections of the media are clinging on to the educational qualifications matter as they have nothing else to criticise the Government on.

It is the job of the media to call the bluff irrespective of what post anyone may hold in Government. It has happened with those in previous Governments, and it will happen with this.

Many in the NPP are new to politics and need getting used to being under media scrutiny. Politics is not a place for men and women with fragile egos. Those who don’t want to be questioned, those who cannot take criticism without seeing a conspiracy behind every bush and want to use the State apparatus to silence critics, are better off in their private chambers or a lecture hall, not in Parliament.

As one time US president Harry S. Truman said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”