cat’S eye

Mercy Me! Elections are around the corner!

And this cat is rearing to get to that corner! Just one week and one day more for going early in the morning to cast the precious vote; gather some interesting things to munch on all night long; sleep long in the afternoon to keep awake that night, and have the cell phone fully charged to call co-result-watchers through the wee hours.

Maybe it’s best Menika has a catnap in the early hours of the 17th night so she is fully awake when the results are released, gathering speed as the new day dawns. By then the answers to crucial questions may already be answered and this feline will be happily purring with satisfaction or gnashing her teeth with anger that her dislikes have been liked by the majority and won their seats.

Milk is the liquid that cats lap up. This feline prefers tots of something stronger and will toast those she favours – so many that there is real danger she may be too intoxicated to cheer when her colour comes on top. She does not need to consider the benefits of drowning her sorrow since that is not going to be called for.

She is sure her colour will win, even though there will certainly be those of other colours winning seats all across the board that is dear, free, democratic Sri Lanka.

All eyes and ears will be focused on Colombo and Kurunegala. The Green candidate will surely win in his long-held borough while there is severe doubt about the outcome in the electorate looked down on by those massive boulders, one strongly resembling an elephant. Colombo voters who are inclined green-wise have a problem: only three preferential votes, only three names to have the cross in front, while a galaxy of good men and women contest.

Brains, good breeding, good looks are possessed by many contestants in the Colombo District so that choice is a poser. Added to this is that many of them have actual plans for the country. There is one who says in his personal manifesto that he harbours a kekkuma for the country and its people. We believe him. He says, “I yearn to build the better country that you deserve.” In turn we yearn to vote for you!!!

No nonsense attitude

The leader of the Greens claims in his advertisements to be everything to everybody. He may actually be so. The fisherman, the farmer, the professional, the pensioner, the youth. His reach always went far beyond himself; and he never had family to cater to nor fawning hangers-on to please. Known for his unsmiling manner and no nonsense attitude, people at last are beginning to realize these are positives. He never carried a child in public so kids were safe with him around! He never wore national costume for cheap popularity; never curried favour.

We are tired of the ever smiling, overflowing with bonhomie individuals whose hearts are bitter, resentful and revengeful. We are positive those who skimmed the cream off their ministries will be taught a lesson by the people. Exorbitantly expensive, foreign hand sewn shoes will have to be stored and Bata slippers donned, not as a first to school act but to slink home and stay home, sent there by a much better educated voter this time around.

Kandy being this feline’s home town, she will eagerly await the results from that hill capital. Hambantota too is a cynosure of attention with two sons of Presidents contesting.

The biggest mercy and greatest relief is that one is able to walk the streets or drive around the country seeing the trees, the sky, fine buildings and flowering bushes without having a Big Brother portrait or mugs of other politicians gazing down on one with ingratiating smiles. Critics say that nothing much was done during the yahapalana six months; and blue ex-MPs and Ministers state that yahapalana was evil since all development ceased and the Central Bank thing was the single largest fraud in the history of the country.

Stuff and nonsense! This cat is no financier or economist, rather is she muddled even in the management of her now increased pension. But she says add up the hedging scam, the Greek bonds misadventure, the money spent on the bid to host the Commonwealth Games and the ex President’s cost of globetrotting with a vast retinue and one would get a sizeable amount of money willfully sent down the drain, some of it of course going into pockets.

Statesman

One large benefit and result of the voters’ revolution as they term the election of Maithripala Sirisena as Prez, is the peaceful and controlled poll we anticipate. The Elections Commissioner and Police are in charge and the President, statesmanlike, keeps aloof.

Thank goodness, no dansalas at Temple Trees and freebies distributed freely. What cheap gimmicks were resorted to previously. There was an ever present cloud of fear and doubt during previous elections, so mercifully absent this time.

Instead of the publicly displayed posters and cutouts, postboxes are full with snail mailed election propaganda; newspapers carry hundreds of election advertisements; so also television channels. These are no problem nor eyesore or earache.

This cat for one who abhorred roadside cutouts and ads, quite likes to read the literature inserted in her postbox and study the faces in the papers.

TV ads that appear ad nauseum annoy endlessly but constantly seeing the bust of Kindelpitiya against a red background, or Buddhika Pathirana being shoulder stroked by an old dame as he emerges from the bridge connecting the temple in Matara are watched with at least patience and empathy.

There have been some very effective short clips mostly by the UNP like the fishermen espying a trawler encroaching their fishing territory and opining “leave it to Ranil Wickremesinghe to solve this problem” (not exact words). Menika in her mind’s eye invariably pictures Ranil W having the sea part itself for his mission or he just skims the waves and strikes the larger rogue vessel asunder.

So let’s sit back and savour the heating up campaigns and appreciate all the time and money spent on creating awareness in people that one’s vote is powerful; one should vote for an educated, well bred, decent politician. That in Menika’s mind decapitates many a man from the previous Parliament, even silly dames who knew nothing about even the Constitution but were legislating for us, the public.

Sunil of Gypsy fame said a mouthful about threats to him but his being unafraid and suggesting we too fearlessly and wisely vote in decent men and women thus putting paid to thugs, rapists, murderers and drug importers who sat in the august House by the Diyawanne.