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Gone away

Rauff Hakeem has given an interview to an Indian publication castigating the government and a few others.
Says a wag that he had to go to India to give this particular interview, as there were no takers here to publish such a negative take, given that the UNP is now clamouring to join the government......resulting in the UNP papers playing it rather coy these days......

Was God an Englishman?

During the zenith of empire Palmerston in the upper house of the Lords declared Her Majesty’s empire had no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Now it appears a man from Aussie — a country fashioned out during the days of empire —- after his unwarranted racial stereotyping a South African cricketer as a terrorist, is pardoned and reinstated in the combox. Sad as it may seem, the game of cricket and its rules of play are still determined by the former imperialists. What if the offender was just another ‘Laka Kolla’?

Taxman cometh

At a recent beefing for media types, a neophyte in media matters started nattering about taxes on TV stations. When he was told that his question was irrelevant to the issues at hand, he persisted and said that “taxes are unfair.” Finally, the big-gun at the head table blurted out “who the hell said taxes are going to be fair — and how nice it would be if we can live in a tax free world.”

Doing better

When the Indian political biggie Mani Shanker Aiyer was here last week, someone reminded him of his excellent address on secularism when he was here last year. Aiyer said during this address that India was secular —- which was the reason the Indian union held together, while Sri Lanka’s social and political fabric progressively became brittle. But when somebody remembered the charismatic Mr Ayer about his comparison, he said this time it looks as if Sri Lanka is going one better than India. “I don’t know about secularism, but you people are going to have a national government which we can’t dream of. I’m meeting your whole national government on this tour...!’’

Coup-time

There was no panic in Bangkok recently when the bloodless coup took place to oust Takshin Sinawatra, the then Thai premier who was due to address the UN. The transfer of power was so seamless that it prompted an international commentator to write that ‘Thailand’ Army Commander was a graduate of such and such a military school in the country — the West Point of Thailand.’’ Ah, now we know where the Commander picked up his manners, even on the finer points of militarism, such as staging coups. Why, West Point of course.

Carping and co.,

Those who are fairly bewildered by the unexpected 8 per cent growth rate registered and projected, are now trying to find ways of explaining it away.
One purported reason according to these panic stricken types is that the fisheries sector has grown after the damage sustained in the tsunami, which has in turn propelled general growth figures.It’s a ridiculous story, even given for the fact that for any sector to grow — even a damaged sector of the economy - - the proper conditions are a sine qua non anyway.

What next sputnik?

Sputnik was the direct English into Sinhala transliteration with which Giri from the Maha Kappina Walauwa called the immediate past President. Thereafter the likes of the far from brittle of Spence, and S.A.W.’s son formerly of the Development Authority that is urban, refer to her simply as Chandriks. Be that as it may, however, the political forecasters from her camp say that once Maam returns it shall be full blast into the political arena, as previously she always came back revitalized and rejuvenated from ole blighty. Watch this column for what the featured future attractions are going to be, or would Spunik declare ala Cubano Dr. Fidel ‘patria o muerte vencerimos’ History will absolve me. Ha ha —- better settle for a legacy rather than a future, no?

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