Book News:

Pulse of a nation

Pulse of a Nation- President Mahinda Rajapaksa on National and International Affairs,

Published by the Department of Government Information

Throughout the history, many collections of speeches have been of deep value and interest to many people. They have proved to be sources of political, historical cultural and literary information to more than a single generation.

We are living history and our leaders, their acts and their policies are creating history for generations to come. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has established himself as a national and international statesman of considerable stature. Many people, at home and abroad, try to analyse the reasons for his success. Turning to his speeches one begins to understand why.

The Editors, realizing the value of the speeches themselves as well as of the spirit of an era, have selected speeches for this publication with sensitivity and care. These speeches, we believe, reflect not only the calibre of the man who uttered the words, but also the warp and woof of the social, cultural and political fabric of Sri Lanka today.

This volume contains two dozens of his most important speeches as the youngest Parliamentarian, Labour Minister, Prime Minister and finally Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Many of the speeches selected for this volume were delivered to international audiences such as Non-Aligned Summit Meeting United Nations General Assembly, SAARC Meetings and official visits to India and Pakistan. Other speeches were at diverse forums such as economic forums, sports meetings, university functions, law events etc.

To us who know His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, this book is a just a fitting tribute to a leader who has carved a niche for himself in the history of a nation. We earnestly hope that this volume will be of abiding interest today's generation and of historical significance of tomorrow's.

The editors wish to express gratitude to the Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadharshana Yapa for guiding the project from its inception, former Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and Information W. B. Ganegala and current Secretary A. Dissanayake for the unstinted support and guidance extended for this publication.

Anusha Palpita, Director of Government Information deserves a special appreciation for shouldering the entire responsibility of this project from selection of speeches to the final stage of printing. We are thankful to The Government Printer Lakshman Goonewardena and the staff of the Government printing Department for prompt printing of this volume.

Sugeeswara Senadhira, Harindranath Chandrasiri, The Editors.

Scrooge unscrewed

The Chartered Accountant gets a new look:

Title: The Chartered Accountant

Edited by Sunil Karunanayake

Published by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.

by Aditha Dissanayake

Thanks to the strong impact of Charles Dickens and his Christmas Carol, accountants have always made me think uneasily of Scrooge, with his tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, hard and as sharp as flint, (from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire) secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster...

But not any more. Today, having come in contact with The Chartered Accountant, I know Scrooge is history. Accountants are not oysters. But, then again, do accountants have admirers? Have they always wanted to become accountants since they were toddlers? Do romance blossom for accountants, in the workplace shrouded as they are by dusty ledgers, vouchers and payrolls?

The answers to some of these questions are found in Kate Wynn-Williams' article "Why be an accountant? The Head of the Department of Accountancy and Business Law at the University of Otago, she writes "I'm, sure you've all heard the joke about the accountant who wanted to be a funeral director, but didn't have the personality...no?

Well, maybe dinner-table conversation at your place is not so irreverent nothing is sacred in mine! And having made a late-in-life decision to study accounting after 'giving up' the time-honoured profession of nursing, my friends and family apparently feel it is their moral duty to tease and question my sanity."

Deviating from the traditional pattern as Sujeewa Rajapakse, Chairman of the Journal Committee, writes, this issue of the journal of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, provides a new dimension to all accountants in industry or practice who wish to keep up to date on their profession, worldwide.

Thus Suren Rajakarier, in his article, "Where are the Accountants? expounds the theory that accountants are in short supply in relation to a growing demand all over the world where companies are grabbing them wherever they can find them.

In his address, Yohan Perera, the President of ICASL says high priority will be given to meet the needs of advanced level students who are unable to enter universities. He also stresses that there is a shortage of accounting skills particularly evident in countries like Australia and New Zealand and thatSri Lankan Chartered Accountants should grab the opportunities that are growing in these countries.

Talking about business reporting, Nishan Fernando in a lengthy article describes the necessity of creating a new business reporting model, how it might look like, and how it should be promoted.

Meanwhile in an interview with Harin Fernando Keith Livera, incoming CEO of the ICASL talks about starting his career as a typist clerk almost thirty years ago, travelling to the USA to follow a self-funded undergraduate programme in finance, returning to Sri Lanka to laze around at home till his MBA started, enjoying the beach and watching the beakers rolling in, when, the only Sri Lankan Country Manager at HSBC to date, Mr. Thambiah asks him "what if I offer you a car and money to be able to enjoy the country?" thereby opening a new avenue in his career.

"Nothing has been instant" says Livera. "In today's modern world everyone wants everything instantly, but sadly most of our students do not realise that to have a good cup of tea you have to wait three minutes."

Together with an account of the changes that are taking place in accounting and auditing standards and an analysis of the changes of the duties of Directors given by J.M Swaminathan, and a description of the healing powers of the mind offered by Dr. Sunil Seneviratne Epa, The Chartered Accountant, edited by Sunil Karunanayake provides a good read for anybody who may or may not be interested in accounting.

Here is a most un-scrooge-like account of accountants.

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Sonia Sarithai: Biography of Sonia Gandhi

S. M. Haniffa, who is a veteran journalist, author and publisher, has brought out his latest publication 'Sonia Sarithai', which is a brief biography of Sonia Gandhi, in Tamil. In his foreword to the book, the author says "To show my admiration of Sonia's sacrifice, I decided to write her biography in the Tamil Language.

As far as I know, nobody has made any attempt to write this in Thamil. Inspite of my advanced age and illness, I have undertaken the writing of this work at the age of 78, while suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, out of sheer zest to record my appreciation."

In the next 150 pages, he has dealt with the contributions and sacrifices made by the Nehru Family to the Indian motherland and explains how a reluctant and unwilling Sonia has been drawn to the forefront.

Born in 1946, she arrived in India in 1968. Until the death of her husband Rajiv; she was aloof from active politics. It was the assassination of her husband that brought her to the centre stage; just as how in Sri Lanka the assassination of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and the subsequent events made Sirimavo Bandaranaike the first woman Prime Minister of the world.

Today, she leads the 112 year old Congress and guides its Government with confidence and determination. This gradual, but steady transformation of Sonia has been narrated in a lucid flow of language in this book.

A recently published book named Sonia-A Biography by Rasheed Kidwani (2003) has been used as a primary source by the author.

This book is the 105th publication of Galhinna Thamil Manram founded by S. M. Haniffa in August 1953.

Thamil Manram has published the works of more than sixty highly qualified authors on various topics. He, himself has authored more than 25 books.

The book-Sonia Sarithai- is available at Poobalasingham Book Depot, Sea Street, Colombo 11.

S.H.M. Jameel.

A drop of water from heaven

Title: Reyyan

Author: Ahamad Shamshad Begum

Published by: The Sri Lanka National Book Development Board

by Deepal Warnakulasuriya

Writing, proof reading, finding a press and then money, travelling to Colombo, pleading at book shops, waiting to receive the royalty, heaps of unsold books at home. I know, this list is pathetic. But this is the real life of poets in Sri Lanka according to the poetess; Ahamad Shamshad Begum who brings you a nice collection of poetry; `Reyyan'.

Reyyan is Begum's first poetry book but her fourth literary work. `Hajra' was her first novel in 1993 and she has also done two collections of short stories. Begum's poetry collection comprises 60 poems including a few `Haiku' structured poems.

`Reyyan' is a religious word which means `the door to heaven'. But the book is not a mere religious message and `Reyyan' is the topic of one of her creations in the collection. There, she speaks about a mother's affection and warns that `the door to heaven' is far away for those who can not understand a mother's affection. In her effort, she covers almost all the areas of ordinary life.

Begum uses her pen to create a new world which is full of humanism. She proposes how her country should be. These are not just ideas but expressions filled with a vision to find and follow the right path. A pioneer always needs an understanding and discipline before giving a message to society. As a literary person, Begum is qualified with all these qualities.

She always prefers to prioritise the forgotten or neglected themes by many. Among her topics are, war, love, religion, sweat, tears, parents and dreams. `Peace and War', one of her `Haiku' poems proves her skill in poetry writing and of her vision over the world.
"Till there are Hands gripped with weapons\ Will never reach......
(peace!) \On that day Weapons were thrown away\ Will surrender......
(War!)

Writing a preface to the book she says "I would like to remember the world renown poet Nazim Hikmet who loved people's sweat, tears and humanism and wrote about them." I feel this sentence reveals Begum's vision and she does not wish to write about mystical wine or divine love.

She has collected Clues for her poems from the real world and these spread from a neglected line room in a plantation to the outside World. In the poem titled `Kamala Hasan', she declares her vision to the Earth is one song to the whole world done by Kamala Hasan, Sunil Edirisinha and A. R. Rahman.

Begum who reveals her difficulties as a poet also criticises her own Muslim society on the non-acceptance of the Muslims who write in Sinhala. "Tamil is the language which is used by most Muslims in our country. Writers who write in Tamil are highly accepted in that society. The bad truth is they treat us as strangers as we had been educated in the Sinhala medium". I mean her complain is not only for the Muslim society and it has to be taken by all.

Finally, she says `Reyyan' is an effort to identify the diversities in society and to re-think about the country's burning issue. Begum's `Reyyan' would inspire your inner mind to think newly about the world.

I believe it would definitely bring something new to your life. It is interesting to read and re-read. She also speaks in her book about a `Kousar' (religious word which means a drop of water given in Heaven). Here, is the `Kousar' for all Sinhala reading poetry lovers.

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Short story and poetry competition

The English Writers Cooperative of Sri Lanka has extended the deadline for the 'SHORT STORY AND POETRY COMPETITION 2007' to 30th May 2007.

Rules: Short Stories - Maximum of 2,500 words of creative writing, original and unpublished. Poetry - Maximum of 30 lines, original and unpublished.

Format: All manuscripts to be neatly typed on one side only, on A4 paper, a margin of one inch all round. Pages should be numbered. Name, address, telephone/email details of the author should be set down at the beginning and the end of each story, and on each page of poetry. Pages should be stapled together.

Entrance fee: Rs. 50 per short story. Rs. 30 per poem.

Material submitted will not be returned so please ensure that you have the original or extra copy with you.

Please pay either by Cash or Cheque made out to the English Writers Cooperative of Sri Lanka. Money Orders/Postal Orders will not be accepted.

The entrance fee is non refundable.

Entries should be sent by Registered Post to reach on or before 30th May 2007, addressed to Mrs. Vijita Fernando, The English Writers' Cooperative of Sri Lanka, 572/10, Welikadawatte, Nawala Road, Rajagiriya.

Envelopes should be marked COMPETITION on the upper left hand corner. Late entries will not be accepted. Winning entries will be published in a subsequent issue of Channels Magazine. The Editorial Board's decision will be final.

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third places respectively, in each category.