A Sunday of Youth events – a visit to ‘Diyagala Boys Town’ – Ragama

Yesterday was another day of packed events, starting with a 9 am toss up of a IPL type soft ball cricket tournament in Malwana just across the Kelani River. This area is predominantly Muslim, and it was arranged by the old boys of Al Mubarak National school, one of the 1000 schools program, in aid of building a parapet wall around the school grounds. We have promised about Rs100,000 worth of band equipment to the school which is mired in a recent controversy of an organization collecting fees for computer classes from all the students and disappearing with the money. So here the Principal is implicated. Another case of school fraud!

After a few other events including the regular funeral house route, we were off to the Diyagala Boys Town in Ragama, where we were invited to attend a youth camp of about 100 boys and girls from the Colombo East area, who rarely get a chance from getting out of a congested city into an open area to enjoy some fresh air and companionship, in an environment and conditions quite alien to them. We witnessed a soft ball cricket tournament of mixed gender, great for team building.

The location was ideal for this type of leadership program for young people, where the lodging and meal costs for the two day event including a night campfire run around Rs1000 a head, but hopefully these young people will go back with memories that are priceless. There is a special place for this camp, and the income the Boys Town receives from these camps helps to subsidize their activities.

A few words about the Boys Town, that is successfully operated for many decades by the Catholic Church for disadvantaged boys above 15 who come with many social and psychological problems. The usual annual intake is about 50, with all undergoing a 4 year vocational training course which guarantees a job at the end of it and the graduates usually are completely transformed into useful productive citizens, hardly recognizable from the troubled childhood they come in with.

The 75 acres includes a farm and coconut estate that helps defray the costs of maintenance. Successful old boys also contribute to the Rs1M a month operating costs. All the boys must have a sponsor who is able to take responsibility for them, and pay a monthly Rs1000 for their enrollment. They have a disciplined routine which help to husband the property. They are given plenty of time for organized games, with a volley ball and basket ball court to get off the natural aggression of youth, which they have hitherto not been exposed to. The boys are from all religious faiths and a Buddhist priest teaches religion to Buddhists who are encouraged to go to the local temple on Poya. Appearances were of a well managed establishment, practiced in the art of doing the impossible.

An unexpected home visit by the vet. Cost Rs160 for 8 cows

Whilst my blog reading friends are pestering me to give them constant updates, I tell them it is not due to lack of content, it is simply due to lack of time to update!! Only if I compromise on my sleep will I have time to blog on my busy schedule.

Actually I have also not been sufficiently cognizant of the fact that I should go to a vedha mahattaya (native physician) to get some oils to help in my recovery as I still have moments of stiffness and pain in the recovery process, and still find it hard to walk for more than 10 minutes before the knees become too painful, so I should also be taking physiotherapy to boot. So as if I have time to blog!

I took a much needed day off today, Wednesday, to be on the farm, as I have a busy schedule on Saturday and Sunday on constituency work in Gampaha. An early morning friendly threewheeler ride to the Govt. vet in Homagama to give Sinha Bahu (ridgeback) his annual shots. In the past year, I have succeeded in losing his vaccination book, much to the annoyance of the new Vet there. The previous lot I have known for the past 4 years have been transferred. Actually his assistant a girl (vet student or qualified intern) took a blood test on the dog also and had the results in 5 minutes, as the new lab is now in the premises, that was a wow factor for me. WOW Thankfully it was negative so Bahu got the all clear.

It was then into Godagama town for a hair cut. Well the charge has now gone up from Rs100 to Rs 120 (since my last hair cut that is) and then for the first time I decided to stroll down the high street to meet the people I know in the shops I used to pop into before the accident, many of whom did not know about it and had not been told and had been wondering what happened to me! First to the clothes shop where I buy essentials for staff, then to the newspaper joint, chemist and then to the place I used to have my Tata cab serviced, and finally to the Battery and Tyre shop where I used to get my tires, flats repaired and periodically air pressure checked. They sure were glad to see me, and once they found out what happened did not appear to have one good word for the Govt. though I am sure they all voted for them!!

I decided for the first time to walk back to the farm instead of taking a three wheeler from the rank, for the approx 1km walk. A slow walk meant noticing the changing skyline even as far from Colombo as here. New homes mainly, but also the local school had new classrooms. The road had also been newly paved in one section, and at the head of the road was the regular large as life Board, saying that the people of the area were eternally greatful to Mr Kumarage for allocating 15 lakhs from his Pradeshiya Sabha budget for resurfacing the road. (Rs15 lakhs for that little stretch of about 100 meters!! What is the world coming to?) Of course the photo of his was there as large as life, and thankfully there was not one of MR also taking the credit for that. For the record it was resurfaced on Feb 2^nd 2012 and there are no potholes yet, so let us check in 6 months the state of play. At the head of the road was a mountain that has been cut to fill the Colombo ring road with soil

All this before a late breakfast of red rice flour string hoppers, pol sambol and watery dhal hodi, no need for lunch after that. I forgot mention, when I woke this morning sent my helpers at 6 to go milk the cow for some fresh milk with the tea. The regular milking time is at about 7.30.

While the chores of doing my laundry, boiling the water and bottling it to take back to Colombo. (Nothing like fresh water from the well here to take for drinking than imbibing treated water from the mains) Cleaning and mopping the floors, ironing the clothes, the Vet turns up unannounced. This was the same chap who saw the dog earlier in the day in his office.

He came in his Green Pajero about 30yr old with his assistant and official driver to tag the 8 cows and calves and register them all. It must be a govt. program to take a census of the dairy industry. I guess it is good to visually record as we do receive certain free vitamins from him for the FEMALE calves and also subsidized food sacks so that they will hopefully grow up well nourished to give us a lot of milk.

The tag is in the ear as shown in the pics, and it must hurt them as it is like an ear piercing of a much bigger size. I had forgotten how strong these animals are and so they had to be tied round the trees and in a position for the vet to be able to do his job. The cost to us for each animal was Rs20 so a total of Rs160 for the home visit. In contrast the bill for Bahu’s three shots and blood test this morning was Rs800.

www.sinhabahuridgeback.blogspot.com

As one can see the day off was filled with work of one sort or another with no time to blog except now after 1 am when all is quiet and Hugo the other Ridgeback is asleep beside me. He used to live in a fully airconditioned mansion in Colombo, but I think he is rather happy to live here as he is usually let out at nights to roam around the property. He was getting too big or a handful there, so I got him gratis but I cannot have Bahu and Hugo together as they fight like hell, as Bahu is first born and head of the pack, Alpha male they refer to him in a sense so I want to avoid the incidents of bloodshed when they happen to meet each other. Another busy day tomorrow with an early pick up to take me to the office, and back to the hustle and bustle of Colombo from the relative cool and peace of Godagama.

Hugo Parakrama Bahu

Independence Day 64 years on – What does it mean to people? - Cockfights!

The significance of Independence from British Rule 64 years on means little to most people as 90% of those alive today were born post Independence. So if I were to ask the crowd that gathered for a ‘Feast of Cockfighting’ today it was merely a great day to meet friends and fellow gamblers for a day where ‘game cocks’ from all over the country, about 200, were brought to a place near Homagama. Millions in cash were wagered from young boys to older businessmen, a spectator crowd of about 500, where in the cock pit two cocks are wagered on to win the fight. This is a place where even a parking fee is charged for vehicles, such is the demand to park close to the action, and girls are only visible in that they are used to note name of the wagered and the amount so that the cash can be settled upon each result at the conclusion of each fight.

There is no police in sight for this illegal activity that is under the radar, as many are OIC’s of various police stations here to wager some of the takings from their for want of a better word, ‘bribes’ to prevent fines or prosecutions. It is a great place to wager ill gotten gains as there is little to lose when unearned income is wagered. I have noted before how popular this sport is amongst ordinary people in this country, and I believe it is one indulged in by average people all over the world. I put it down to it being transparent! In that it is clear how the money that is wagered is shared between the winners and the owners of the game bird, with little for overheads unlike in other gaming halls or dens or even casinos, where poor people feel they are fleeced.

It is welcoming to note that in Sri Lanka cockfighting does not involve people attaching sharp razors to the feet of the cocks to sheer off the parts of the opponents. That is common in other cock fighting countries. As I have noted before it is a common sport amongst young boys in the country to raise a game cock and take it to a show like this to have it fight. I understand that if the cock runs away from a fight, it will never be able to fight again. So in the event an owner feels his cock will lose he has a right to raise it out of the cockpit before it runs away, and then it is considered a loss. In order that these are not fixed, it has to be apparent that the cock is about to lose, get killed or run away before the owner of the loser is allowed to save it from a worse fate!

While this goes on, the President is watches the parade in Anuradhapura, with most of his cabinet, ministers and his MP’s, senior military personnel, as well as many senior government servants, and many of the citizens who are not going about their daily activity are watching the tamasha on TV for want of better entertainment.

A year on from the event that put paid to a journey of discovery

In 2004, I gave up a career in the UK where I was Country Manager for Dilmah Tea as well their rep at various trade shows in Europe selling the finest premium brand of tea of worldwide repute. The brand is Marketed in over 90 countries and in many countries the name Dilmah was better known than Sri Lanka.

After 33 years of living mainly in USA and UK, where I obtained my secondary school education and degree, as well as the Chartered Accountancy qualification, and with different career and lifestyle changes along the way, I returned to Sri Lanka to farm in the Rural areas by purchasing a property in the Polonnaruwa district in Minneriya, in addition to the one I had in Godagama, Meegoda.

Life was not easy, it was very hard work, but the blog which was started in 2007 goes a long way to explain why I did it as well as the incredible amount I learned about a lot of issues I had hitherto not been exposed to, and I do not need to elaborate as it is extensively dealt with here and in the blog I have written to explain some of the personal experiences and opinions on the farming activity I undertook, www.villagerinsrilanka.blogspot.com

However, on 30^th January 2011 on a clear Sunday afternoon, when I was returning from my fields in Minneriya, with about 2000 oranges in the back of my pickup truck, I was hit on my driving side, almost opposite the Army HQ of the Eastern Command in Minneriya, by the out of control Police back up Blue Landcruiser with the security contingent of the convoy that was taking Rauff Hakeem, the Cabinet Minister of Justice of the now ‘Banana Republic’ to Batticaloa.

The resulting injuries, and the totaling of my Tata Pick up left me no option, but to abandon my work, namely the only person in Sri Lanka, who was growing, transporting, and delivering (as well as retailing) to the door of my customers, a range of food items of about 60. In fact as I was a one man small business being key to organizing my staff directly, my enterprise collapsed at the moment of the accident, as there was no backup plan to carry on in the event of my incapacity.

The blog entries from that date reflect the alternative course of action I had to follow, and as I still have no mode of transport, and inability to drive, having difficulty walking with the elbow crutch, cannot see a return to the previous lifestyle, I had chosen, wanted to pursue, and also really did enjoy despite the difficulties and frustrations as documented in the blog. After my recovery and recuperation, I am now a Private Secretary to a MP from the opposition UNP.

The blog is called 'Dream into Reality' and I am still chasing the Dream and will continue to record Reality as I see it, a personal journey of discovery warts and all.

EXCLUSIVE – Not reported anywhere –Incidents at the Election on Saturday for the boards of the Multipurpose Cooperative Societies in the Biyagama DS

Only when you see it with your own eyes can you sometimes get a handle on how deep rooted ‘abuse of power’ is even at the local level by the Governing Coalition

We were at a polling booth right outside Bollagala Maha Vidyalaya, a 30 minute drive across the Kelani River to the Sri Lanka Parliament, at 12.45pm. A gang of about 60 hired thugs arrived in 10 vehicles with the Chairman of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha, Ganepola, who had previously left the UNP to join the UPFA seeing the pecuniary advantage in so doing. There was another turncoat, Saman another PS member in the gang, and some in the rabble were known to us. Their aim was to intimidate the election officials, and stuff the ballot boxes with votes. They would not dare do so in the presence of the local MP who was also known to them, so after a while they left, only to return after we left, beat up some of the UNP elderly voters and candidates and attempt to stuff votes.

They had already stuffed votes in Makola. That poll was subsequently cancelled after protests by the UNP candidates. When a voter comes to the booth he gives his name and membership number and if the ID card tallies with the membership name, is given a ballot paper to cast a vote. The thugs, armed with the membership register, give a name and number, some may be of deceased members, and demand that an ID is not necessary and cast a vote for a name on the list. The election officials in fear of their jobs or other pressure give in and permit this free for all. In some cases when the aggrieved party complains, then he is threatened and some of the violence was as a result of that. In fact at the Makola polling station, we arrived minutes after the ballot stuffing had taken place, without any shame, and we transported an injured person to the Kiribathgoda hospital for first aid, as he was hurt trying to protect his father and took the blow meant for the father.

On this first hand experiences of what happened in a minor poll, one gets an indication of the level to which this administration would go to prevent losing. It was apparent that the UNP would win, so this was the process to stop it. All the elections yesterday where there was no ballot stuffing and intimidation, the UNP won! That in itself is an indication of how difficult it is to instill Democracy in the mindset of an autocratic regime, hell bent on ruling forever using whatever means at their disposal.

The MP who I was accompanying promptly wrote a letter of protest to the relevant election official to cancel the poll, with copies to the President. Let us see the result

For more detail on the reason for the Poll; Yesterday, Saturday, 28^th January 2012 were the elections at a number of the local coop societies (they run the coop city stores and low interest loan schemes) in the Biyagama divisional secretariat area. They were held after a lapse of many years and the Governing party wanted to do this on the QT without due process, but the UNP got wind of it and demanded that the Elections be held under the rules. Nominations were on Saturday 21^st January, by 10am and in some of these the nomination papers were grabbed by the goons of the Chairman of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha and in those areas, the Governing party nominees (9 on the Board) were elected unopposed.

The Co-Ops are vestiges of old socialist (now almost defunct) ideals of local people joining a cooperative to help each other in purchasing essentials at low cost and obtaining emergency loans when in need. The voting is by the members only, and the membership is essentially elderly people, as few young people have joined these societies in the recent past. Many on the membership roster are now dead, and the roster has not been updated to remove them! In essence the 40 or so Co-Ops have between 500 and 1500 members, and each elects 9 to the Board and these elected officials then elect the main Co-Op office bearers for the Divisional Secretariat Division. As these are local organizations, they really should not get too political, except that people vote on political lines but it should be restricted to the local level, meaning the few streets in the area that comprise the coop for that area.

The intervention of gangs hired by the local Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman is in itself an embarrassment for the local people who live in homes that have different political affiliations. If an elder of the UNP candidate list is beat up by the gang, how can his UPFA neighbor with whom he has very cordial relations, explain this embarrassing event over which he took no part nor agrees with. The UNP wanted an impartial ballot with the membership free to vote for whoever they wanted. The ruling party Elected Politicians fearing they would lose, affecting status, used intimidatory tactics to put fear not just on their opponents but also the election officials who were sent by the Department of Elections, and the Police who were also sent to the polling booth to ensure order.

The incumbent President MUST take full responsibility for the culture of impunity with which his nominees elected and appointed act under his Administration. The example has been set from the top in condoning acts of violence and intimidation. Even the PS Chairman implicated in the murder of the British tourist was permitted to Chair the meeting of his PS, in the President’s own home town. The “Buck” really stops with him to preserve Democracy, not further his ‘Dictatorship’!