He once asked, ‘What happens if I’m late when I come to Parliament?’ I said ‘No, you can walk in any time.’
He said, ‘No, when I’m supposed to be there, I might be on an international call.’ I just told him, ‘No, tell your staff to tell your security to contact me,’ and they could let me know so I would be late rather than him.
But he was never late. I’m very proud of the fact that never once did that first Parliament ever start late. Because one way or another we managed it and without blaming the president or a minister, because it was important especially in those first years of managing in that kind of way. One way or another we managed, because I would get the message from his office, but it started with him and we maintained it subsequently. It was all part of his attitude towards Parliament.