The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Madam Presiding Member, in this Parliament I am simply “Ajith P. Perera,” with no adornments. Historically here—and still in the UK Parliament—Members are addressed by name and seat, not by academic or professional titles. That tradition underscores equality.

¶ 02 In this House we do not prefix “BA,” “MA,” “BSc,” “MSc” to names, though some use “Engineer,” and others do not. We even have former Major-Generals and police officers, yet we do not address them by rank. Therefore, we should adopt a uniform rule: address all Members by name only—no “Doctor,” “Professor,” “Engineer,” “Attorney-at-Law,” or “Accountant.” I propose the Speaker and Secretary-General implement this practice. I have followed it from my first day here. If we do this, misuse within this Chamber ends. Nationally, legislation should also be introduced to regulate the broader problem of selling honorifics. Thank you.