Dream into Reality

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

2012-01-31T22:03:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-28T22:22:00.000-08:00

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’!

DS Senanayake Central School, Mirigama – A National School

2012-01-27T05:01:00.000-08:00

I visited the above school for a function on Wednesday, 25^th January 2012. Prior to visiting the place, I Googled to get information, but was only able to find scant information about the place, which is in itself a shame an indictment of the fact that the school has not really even reached the Internet WWW world!!

Anyway to summarize, the school where DS Senanayake laid the foundation stone in 1951 was open in 1953 as the Mirigama English College, which much later changed its name, and received National School status, in that the funding is direct from the Central Government and not the Provincial Councils, which fund most of the schools. It is on 26 Acres of lush wooded grounds, with a playing field alone that is over 5 acres and much larger than the Trinity Asgiriya Test playing field.

There are 1750 students and over 100 teaching staff, with a Buddhist Priest as the current Principal. The classes are from grade 6 to 13, with the school sending on average 15 students to University every year. The computer lab which was opened in 2003 has 18 functioning computers of that vintage, which is used extensively to teach IT to all students, however it was set up as a Computer Aided teaching tool originally. It really needs an overhaul as after 9 years the age of the machines show

The notable feature was the lack of funding for any capital or repair work or even a facelift that is badly needed, as the central govt. has no allocation for that and only pays the teachers’ salaries and for normal consumables. The lack of funding showed, and I know for certain if this place was a private school, it would be world class bearing in mind the surroundings the kids have and the playing fields, that exude wasted potential.

If funding is not forthcoming despite this school being included in the much touted Govt. 1000 secondary school program that is supposed to give schools facilities that will permit them to improve their standards of teaching to a much higher level it did not seem to happen here! The large school hall does NOT have chairs. The kids have to bring their chairs from their class rooms when coming into assembly.

Unlike the well endowed Colombo schools, the old boys/girls of this mixed school are probably not sufficiently wealthy to provide all its needs. Money is NOT asked from new students who entered the school with a pass mark of 156 or above from the primary schools for the 5^th grade exam (shishyathwaya) to pay for building improvements. Of the 200 or so kids entering Grade 6 all but 20 come from the Primary system in the area with the cut off mark noted earlier, with the rest coming on preference due to the Old pupil connections etc. It appeared on the face of it to be run well, but the exterior looks particularly run down, badly needing basic repairs and painting. One of the requests made of us on our visit was to see if we can find donors to build a wall around the school to protect the school from various intrusions, something that would protect the students and give them an element of safety and comfort.

I went with a descendent of DS Senanayaka a great grandson to be exact, to present the school with chairs for the Hall which was specifically requested by the Principal and he out of his personal funds also gave small gifts of clothing or cloth to all the Students who entered University at the latest A level exams, as well as the the best students who entered the school at 6^th Grade who also happen to be students from very low income families. Do not forget that tuition in this school is completely free, a vestige of the Free Education system in Sri Lanka.

As part of my work I have looked into the budget allocations for the year for Secondary school capital construction and is less than 10% of the education budget, most of which goes to paying salaries for the approximately 220,000 teachers in the State Education sector. No wonder then that the crying need for Repair and Maintenance has to be met by private fund raising. Private schools are better able to meet this fund raising due to the better ties they have with old pupils.

I would appreciate input and comments from my readers on the following issue of “free is no good and good is not free”. I am a firm believer that when something is free it is not appreciated, and this is also true for education. Is it that as these kids do not pay for learning, they do not value their education in this school and thus do not feel a commitment to help their alma mater, or is it just that they are too impoverished to help? I do not have an answer to that, but it is worthy of debating, to know if we have not explored all the possibilities in being able to improve the quality of education with the inputs it needs for that qualitative leap.

I like to leave the reader with some thoughts and reflections of this absolutely fantastic site. It is a hugely untapped gem of a school in surroundings that I will envy for learning and playing sports. It seems so underutilized in terms of the potential, a benefactor can with complete cooperation of the government take over some responsibility, as an experiment to take this school to a different dimension using the existing pool of students that come to it, and obtain the most of these students maximizing their true potential as future leaders and a valuable human resource of our country by giving the inputs needed to create the productive human being with the tools that the country needs in the next 40 years.

A weekend youth leadership workshop at a Scout Camp in Mirigama

2012-01-19T04:01:00.000-08:00

I had the chance recently of attending a weekend workshop of young people, male and female amounting to around 60 between the ages of 15 and 25, at a Scout Camp premises in Mirigama. It lends itself for such an event, being isolated from noise being a heavily wooded area which belies the 25 acres in extent.

It was a camp to give the young people an insight into making lifestyle decisions about what they want to do in the future and give them the tools whereby they could make these decisions. The leadership workshop was carried out by an leadership counselor who specializes in life skills identification programs. It was the most useful part of the workshop.

This was a youth camp organized by the UNP Youth Front, and contained a sprinkling of Pradeshiya Sabha Members, Provincial Councillors and Members of Parliament who gave speeches to empower the youth to the party’s history and its position within the political fabric of Sri Lanka and its aims. There were many popular misconceptions that had to be corrected. When the principles were pointed out an indication of how distorting the Media can be was apparent. Personal agendas can cloud the thinking and perceptions. Some unraveling of knots took place to put clarity into the vision.

I was not as interesting to the young audience, as many politicians do not really know how to relate to young people and address issues that are specific to them bearing in mind the life choices they have to make both at the O level and A level stage. Once finished, what they wish to do to further their lives in a positive direction. How politics relates to everyday lives and how it affects our daily activities was not sufficiently dealt with as it is an important fabric of life in Sri Lanka. Government is intrusive and affects how we are treated from law enforcement, careers and also in being able to get day to day activities performed using the machinery of the state. The challenge is in reversing this.

The most interesting aspects for the young people were the games that were set up to help with teamwork and bonding. The new friends they made was encouraging, many from nearby as it was a camp for people from just one electorate. There was a sing song by the fire, which was dampened slightly due to the rain, but it nevertheless resulted in a fun time till late into the night.

Some of the kids had never been on such an overnight camp, and it is a shame that more of these are not offered across the country to build social skills.

Duruthu Poya at Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya – a veritable light and dance show to please the senses

2012-01-11T10:28:00.001-08:00

I was privileged to be able to attend the ceremony up to placing the casket of the sacred relics on the Temple Tusker on Sunday night. I have attended the full perahera before to watch it to the end till the early hours of the morning, but I had not seen the events leading up to the placing of the casket on the elephant before.

I was not an invitee to this event in the inner sanctum of the temple, though I had a VIP ticket to watch the proceedings. I was just a gate crasher and there was no one to stop me when I walked with an elbow crutch on one hand and a walking stick in the other!! When I walked in the Leader of the Opposition, Ranil who is the Chairman of the Dayaka Sabha was already there, as was a cousin of mine who is the chief dayakaya, actually she is the chief dayikawa and her daughter as well as the various Nilames including the Basnayaka Nilame. There were so many photographers in the inner chamber as well as TV camera men it was a hot with all the bright lights. The placing of the garlands of flowers on the casket is done here.

The papers these past days were full of photos of the event, but one photo I must allude to and which I show above is what I wish to comment on. A few minutes after me, Karu Jayasuriya came into the inner chamber right up to Ranil and was warmly greeted by Ranil before he took his place next to Ranil. I saw this as they were both close to where I was standing, just behind the front row. The camera man of the Ceylon Today group who appear to be backing Sajith Premadasa, took it upon himself to click away in rapid fire as soon as Karu J moved out after being greeted by Ranil and in that pose it shows both looking in opposite directions.

The caption of the photograph was ‘mirror moods and divergent thoughts’ as it appeared in the Ceylon Today of 10^th January. Of course the reader of the paper will assume they do not talk to each other and cannot bear each other by the way the photo was depicted in the newspaper. One must realize that sometimes even the photographers tend to depict a view of a photograph that is congruent with the views of the news paper. This indeed is one, and we discussed the photographers action when we were returning in the vehicle soon after the placing of the casket, so we could get back in time for another event. Otherwise the vehicles would be stuck till the whole Perahara ended.

The presence of the colored kits the elephants were wearing and the colorful cast of characters waiting for the perahara to start is a setting one does not normally see as it is in the restricted courtyard of the temple, where few are allowed access. The lights were sponsored by the Khomba soap company and was tastefully done.

A trip down memory lane – Hulugalle - In memory of those that have departed

2012-01-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Panduwasnuwera as seen today

I went on a day trip today with relatives to visit places where our ancestors lived. It was the first time I had been on one and before my elderly relatives depart this world they wanted us to know where they lived and for that I am thankful to them.

The tank at Hulugalle on a par with the Magalle tank at Nikeweratiya

We left in a bus as that would relieve stress in travelling in a few vehicles and got to Panduwasnuwera by about 9 am. I had not been there and was pleasantly surprised to discover it on the Chilaw Wariyapola road at the quaint and clean village of Hettipola. I understand that King Pandukabaya was the king after Vijaya, but much of the ruins only date to the era of King Parakramabahu the Great from Polonnaruwa. The moated walled city is worth a visit and will show a series of photos in a future blog entry. A stop over is recommended as it is not at all on a tourist trail, but some reading before hand will make more sense in understanding the period in question.

The four siblings represented our father who felt the journey would be too much for him

We then arrived at Hulugalle a few kilometers from Nickeweratiya off the Maho road, and visited the tank, a very large one at that. Then we went to the Temple, which has a very unusual building dating to the 14^th Century. A unique specimen of architecture. The temple priest noted that they have advised the Archeological Department to inspect it as it is in danger of falling, but the authorities have not given it the due respect. We do not want to be sorry we did not do something on time do we?

We then walked into the grounds of the Wallauwwa where ancestors lived in the 18^th and 19^th Century. The original house has been torn down and new owners have replaced it with modern buildings. We were hosted to tea by a local gent who is the caretaker of the property before visiting the local school and enquiring about its student body and facilities. This person had both his sons in the village and who are successful small rice mill owners. The wife updated us on people and my uncle made the connection with one he went to school with known to them, all part of the connections we make in Sri Lanka even when we meet perfect strangers.

The vice principal also named Hulugalle, who is married to a retired Colonel Hulugalle who lives in a modern imposing building in the village, was gracious enough to show us around and even wished to entertain us at her home, but for which we had neither informed them nor had not planned for such, but shows the hospitality of strangers, especially when like named people visit. The details of her family and what her five offspring were up to etc. are fascinating information for my uncle and aunt, who always wish to see anyone from that village doing it proud.

We then drove to Kurunegala for lunch and visited the General Cemetery soon after to see the graves of my Grandfather’s great grandfather who died in 1882. It is interesting to note that the Cemetery has been there since then and is extremely well cared for. His name was John Graham Jayatilleke Hulugalle. There were other family graves including my grandfather’s brother, George Edward Jayatilleke who was a Ryde Gold Meddalist at Trinity and gone to Cambridge, but had died at the early age of 35 of cerebral malaria.

We then drove to Lihinigiriya where a walauuwa once stood, where my grandfather and his family grew up. It has now been torn down, and we had tea at the home of the family who now live on the land that once housed this sprawling home. The graves of My grandfather’s parents, William Jayatilleke and his wife Rekawa Kumarihamy are still there, along with WJ s parents KD Hulugalle and wife. I am detailing some of these obscure names lest I forget, and I forget to tell my nephews and nieces of this, as no one else will have any more knowledge of the whereabouts of these as well as any information on them.

Lihinigiriya was a sprawling coconut and paddy property, which has now no original family members amongst their owners, but the local people who live there who had bought the land when it was parceled and sold by other family members who inherited it. One reaches there by turning left at Pothuhera passing the railway station and proceeding about 7 km up that road. I can only imagine the view of the Paddy fields from the home and also how my grandfather who used to sit on the rocks in the property and read his books.

There was a 90 old gentleman and another lady from an adjoining family who was also of similar vintage and was now blind, who had stories to relate when they grew up and could relate to names my uncle threw at them, such as Rekawa’s Seneviratne, Jayasundera, Maralande in addition to the Hulugalles. I think they were pleased to meet people who were descendants of people they knew when they were mere children in the village.

It was near eight when we got back to Colombo having left before six am, but it was a trip to remember, as we had no idea of what we would do where we would go and just had to stop all over ask directions and generally find our way around to all the places. Even finding the graves was not easy, as the inscriptions had been covered over and we had to scrape some of the moss to get to the names and details usually of life span with date of birth and death and relationship to others in the same or adjoining graves.

The paddy fields in Lihinigiriya

New Year’s Day 2012 – Dawned and then some! Making it a long day

2012-01-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

The day dawned at a wedding at the Hilton of a friend. The décor at the Ballroom with white drapes and fantastic floral displays was stunning. Everything flowed freely and it was time for me to get back at 2am while the party was in full swing.

A 7.30 am pick up and we went to the Gampaha office for kiribath and kavili and to be greeted by the staff in traditional bulath kolay greetings and to meet with well wishes. Then on to the Electorate to be greeted by well wishes who had gathered, starting with pirith for the New Year and after the chanting the pirith nool was tied. Breakfast spread along with many well wishes to be greeted and talked to.

This before leaving for a dana at a Bhavana Madyasthanaya in Wijerama Mawatha in commemoration of FR Senanayake day. I excused myself and went for a christening at a church in Kollupitiya of the baby daughter of a cousin. This was part of a full communion mass.

It was then off to lunch at the home of the Grand Uncle of the baby. Seating for all 80 attending was possible in the Dining and adjacent reception rooms, most being the immediate family and a chance for family photos. This was a chance to meet and greet some who had come from afar for the occasion. The baby had a christening cake also prepared for the occasion in which the 4 generations on the female side of the baby was present. Baby her mom, mom’s mom and grandmother.

After which a quick visit to my Dad’s and then a rest before the Dinner. A chance to catch one’s breath from this hectic days and get ready for another session at the old house which adorns this grand property on Gregory’s Road, one of the few original houses built in the 19^th Century.

The place as usual on the first was looking at its best with all the brass polished and the period setting in keeping with the style of the house unchanged for generations. As I am the sole tenant in the tower adjoining, a four-floor, bachelor pad of unique description, it was a cake walk down the steps to the main house.

Many are faces I only meet at the annual event, while some are those I regularly bump into, so it was not altogether unfamiliar. The exhaustion after an exhausting day is telling with my weary self aching for some sleep before the next working day and another round of kiri bath for the first working day back in the office, another annual tradition to start the year with.

Best WIshes for 2012 from ours to yours

2012-01-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Taken of 1st January 2o12 at Queen's Road, Christening Lunch

Taken at Queen's Road, Colombo 3 before NY lunch

Immediate cousins and their kids

Christmas Greetings to all my friends & followers of my blog

2011-12-23T22:23:00.000-08:00

It is the time of year especially in the Western Nations where my friends, I have been out of touch with for a while, are celebrating Christmas in a manner that is far more apparent than in Sri Lanka. I therefore wish that they have a special time with their family members, some who fly thousands of miles to be with them, and their families gather and renew their family ties.

Here in Sri Lanka we have the usual extended family meals and this time we have some fewer members as they have left this earth for pastures anew. My brother came from the US today to be with us. So it is a happy time for my father, who has all of us offspring together. We think of the many parents at this time who are separated from their children all over the world, a special and unique characteristic of Sri Lankan families due to increasing number of members in far off foreign lands who have exiled themselves for economic reasons.

I consulted the surgeon who operated on me, as he sees patients privately at Asiri Surgical on Thursday, after taking the latest x-ray of my leg. He told me that I can now use just one elbow crutch and can begin to put weight on the recovering right leg. I now have to get used to that method of support and walking, to rebuild the muscle on the leg before I am free of them in the not too distant future. He having reached 60 retired from Government Service a few weeks ago, and is now seeing patients and operating at the private hospitals.

Of course I have a full schedule on Christmas, a day I sometimes dread as there is so much food just on that day, I wish we could spread it over a few days, as I really cannot enjoy more than one square meal for one day. Worse I have clashing events with a birthday that I have confirmed, so fitting all this is no easy task when I am also getting used to walk in a different configuration of walking aid.

The difficulty of choosing between conflicting invitations is now a daily occurrence and I have decided this year instead of going to the traditional Christmas eve carol service where there are many cousins who sing in the choir and expect my presence, I have decided to go to a ‘Kavi Maduwa’ in Mirigama an altogether different experience, but nevertheless one to greatly look forward to.

It is ironic how I was forced out of my crutches. My landlord hurt his while out walking yesterday, and was asked by his orthopedic surgeon not to put any weight on his left leg for at least 6 weeks. He therefore is now using my crutches, and my wheel chair and I am hobbling around trying to learn to walk with a stick!

Oh what we can do over a cup of tea! We can make a difference. Join the race!

2011-12-21T01:11:00.000-08:00

I was asked to comment on what I thought of the leadership election by one of my blog readers, as I am working for a prominent UNP Member of Parliament and quite involved in the nuances and the intrigues that go on behind closed doors. However understandably I do not wish to be drawn into making comments which are often misconstrued in interpretation especially in Sri Lanka. I therefore do not wish to divulge information that I am privy to because of the confidential nature of some of it and I may then be accused of misusing the trust placed in me.

On Monday soon after the fracas at Siri Kotha, I had dinner with 6 UNP Members of Parliament, so I am privy to many a conversation, which I wish to keep private. This is a country that thrives on rumor and innuendo, and worse the public is always vastly misinformed about many aspects of real news, due to the bias of the Media, both written and TV, which does not give any objective reporting.

If one only read the Sunday papers this week, all of which I was able to look at, one would know that the information that the so called pundits forecast are all figments of their imagination, based on months of misinformation in the Media. The reality is completely different and then people are expected to be in shock at the outcome. That is what happens in any situation when reporting is either one sided or is not objective, both of which are firmly rooted in the local media.

All I wish to comment on is that the result was even more decisive than I had predicted which should have given rise to a renewed confidence that all the problems in the past were behind the party, so that we can concentrate our efforts on our plan to rebuild the grass roots organization and empower a confidence in the vision we have for the future of this country, that we are developing.

My objective view is that the members wanting the elections got what they asked for and were happy with all the terms of the secret ballot, as well as the filling up of the vacancies in the Working Committee. It is therefore inappropriate that once they lost they should find fault with the whole process, and act like sore losers instead of being gracious in defeat. It is time to work together and unify the party. All the factions must work together to achieve the common goals.

We have an enormous task at hand which we are carrying out irrespective of the party leadership matters that we do not allow to distract us from our objectives. We do not have time on our sides to perform all we have to do, nor the funds to fight the establishment. We therefore have to be efficient and productive.

Is this called a routine? The never ending December events “circle of life”

2011-12-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

with my two sisters

December is the classic month where everything and anything is possible. I will concentrate on events that took place and are expected in this month as well as the unexpected. At the beginning of the month, I attended a Catholic funeral in Negombo of a brother of one of our colleagues, dashing in time before the rituals that commenced prior to the closing of the coffin. The usual sprinkling of local politicians were there to share their views on the coming battle for leadership!

Then there was the annual Christmas dinner, of a well respected businessman and philanthropist, at a posh hotel, for which I have been privileged to be invited each year since my return to SL. It was a veritable who’s who of Sri Lankan business elite. Of course there were a sprinkling of MP’s and a ladyMP sat next to me at dinner, a relative no less of the President and asked me does the President know what happened to you? I told her I did not think he does, and asked her to convey it to him. I however gather she has not been particularly enamored of the President, considering him to have usurped a family position in order to seek publicity. On the other side was the Indian High Commissioner, with whom I had some interesting historical tid bits to talk about. He had received a book about my Grandfather’s writings so there was common ground. Needless to say it was a case of meeting talking with many people from all walks of life. I would safely say excluding the host and his sons, I probably knew on first name terms more people at the event than any other. I knew every past and present member of the Group of companies and spouses, as I used to work for them in London, and the guests too.

Rauf Hakeem if he was there would have faced a hostile crowd and have to be plucked out of a tricky situation! For those unfamiliar with the comment, it was his backup security that crashed into me in January from which I am still to recover, and so had to explain to those who were unaware, what had happened.

I attended a wedding in Pugoda, in a church, which was able to use a back-up generator to play the canned music due to a power cut, and which displayed the artificial flowers that looked almost real, so was quite acceptable. The one thing that really struck me was that the bride wore a dress and not a sari! That blew me away and when I asked the boss, (he signs as witness at numerous weddings) said it is common amongst Catholic weddings for the bride to wear dresses. It was in fact the first wedding I had attended in Sri Lanka where the bride and bridesmaids were in European style dresses. It was really quite a simple Sinhala wedding and the father of the bride was in a simple open cream shirt and sarong, and the mother was in a traditional osari style sari, which made it more surprising. Now I know.

My aunt, the eldest in my father’s family passed away at the ripe age of 85 having celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago. She being a family matriarch of significant influence resulted in my meeting many relatives and friends of days gone by, who one generally meets only at weddings and funerals. In addition there were the sprinkling of business leaders who I have not met in a while due to my isolation these days and the family ex-retainers and their various progeny who have now grown into unrecognizable renditions. The usual updates of family members scattered throughout the world by an uncle who flew in were part of it.

my late aunt with my father on the left and uncle to the right

In this occasion she having known me since my birth and for a while looked after us when our parents were away, added a sense of nostalgia and sadness, and a sense of passing of an era, with just memories. She had just bequeathed a book on her father along with attachments of genealogy to remember her by.

I went to the coming of age of a girl, the daughter of one of the security contingent of my boss, and recalled how significant an event it is in our cultural tradition, to say nothing of the cost. Family members come from all over the country as in Sinhala it is referred to as a ‘Magula’ or wedding, though there is no groom! We just stayed for lunch, but traditionally the father’s colleagues stay well into the night consuming more than a fair share of alcohol. I bet that is the biggest cost.

I do not know how this tradition started. It is not religious. I blame the British, who hatched the plan for the numerous events such as this and the veritable ‘hath davas dana’ for deaths, all meant to keep their subjects in permanent debt. They then have no energy to rise up against the rulers. Our rulers are therefore continuing this same charade. The subject of the event, the girl is kind of confused. Today due to the diet and hormones in our food, girls attend age earlier before they can really comprehend what it means. I personally do not believe this should be celebrated in the way it is publicly, to announce that one’s daughter is now a ‘lamissi’.

Then it is on to the rituals of a family wedding and all that results. At least half the attendees are relatives or friends, the church is a familiar place where many a branch of the family still attend. The choir consists of family as well and so the show goes on. I hope this will the last event I have to be on two crutches as I have the usual Christmas family functions, along with a friend’s grand birthday party as he is also born on the 25^th. The Year concludes mercifully not with a grand 31^st night party, but a wedding of a friend in a posh hotel on the 31^st which will no doubt transcend to the New Year! Such is the litany of events in Sri Lanka in December. Having lived so many years overseas, I still shudder when I think of how many people I speak to and count as those I know or those who know me.

The Spate of Sunday Papers for us to read – a veritable delight of writing especially if you a Bi or Tri Lingual

2011-12-17T20:37:00.001-08:00

Has anyone stopped to think how lucky we are to have so many Daily or Sunday Newspapers to choose from? I who have spent a good deal of my life in the UK and the US feel we have a decent variety and with my being bi-lingual gives me 15 Sunday Newspapers to choose from. Further, working with a person who is in the Newspaper business, I have the chance of selecting all or any of them on a daily basis to read from as they are all available for my pleasure!

In the UK one is able to purchase a range of about 8 Sunday papers to choose from in English. In the US most people only have access to one and at most two daily or Sunday papers. It is usually the local paper and occasionally a paper nearest the large metropolis to one’s place of abode. Therefore when I lived in Santa Barbara I had access to the Santa Barbara Newspress which is the local paper along with the Los Angeles Times as LA is the nearest metropolis to Santa Barbara.

Taking note of the above points and the benefit of a surfeit of papers of newspapers in two languages should be treated as a stroke of good fortune. One of the issues is the poor quality of controversial investigative journalism, partially due to self-censorship adopted by the Papers when dealing with delicate matters pertaining to excesses of the state, that we only read from the Internet from Websites hosted out of Sri Lanka, generally by Sri Lankans who have had to leave due to pressure.

On November 18^th a new paper, the Maubima in Sinhala, both daily and Sunday and its English sister paper, Ceylon Today was inaugurated to add to this veritable feast. This I understand is owned or run by Mr Tiran Alles who is the proprietor of the Gateway International Schools and is a DNA MP in Parliament who has not spoken in the House on behalf of his supposed political master the currently incarcerated General Sarath Fonseka. I assume it was put out to represent the General, but launching it on the President’s birthday along with a huge supplement hailing both his completion of a year of his second term which coincided with his birthday gives rise to a question of who or what it is supporting!

The largest circulation is from the Wijeya Group with Sinhala Lankadeepa and the English FT, Mirror and Sunday Times. The Lakehouse state mouthpiece is the Sinhala Dinamina & Silumina, along with the Daily News & Sunday Observer. The Sinhala Divaina and English Island is another pro state paper that is Nationalistic, headed by a brother of a Cabinet minister. There is the controversial Sunday Leader, the Lakbima in both English and Sinhala, the Nation in English and Rivira, Ravaya and Janarala in Sinhala round out the rest. Forgive any others!

Despite all the above points, the MOST IMPORTANT POINT to appreciate is that all these papers show a bias towards the government. They are both in order to survive and get some of the large amounts of Revenue that Govt. advertising gives. Therefore the reader MUST show a sense of proportion and a level of cynicism when reading as otherwise one can get absorbed by the lies or near lies which in the readers view becomes fact. There are NO papers of any significance that is anti-government which I believe is essential for checks and balances in a functioning democracy.

I therefore respectfully request the reader to suggest to friends and family that they read my blogs as both informative, but also one trying to balance the biased reporting of all other mainstream media in Sri Lanka. I have no issue if my blogs are termed anti-government or anti establishment!!! THANKS

Just a piece of my mind - an introspection, contemplation and self reflection

2011-12-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Actually I was enjoying a little time with my dogs on the farm recently and put an image in the previous entry, which one of my readers found quite classic in a rather condescending way, as it looked like me a country squire with some land pontificating about equity and social justice. I personally do not believe I should give up on a few luxuries to become a pauper just to talk about sustainability and waste and suggest methods of reordering our lives in order that we can assure a quality of life for future generations.

Just to add salt into the wounds of that particular commentator I am uploading another photo of similar ilk! However I would like to point out that life is all about attitude. That attitude can change daily depending on circumstances and one must try to manage this attitude to keep it from oscillating from an unwavering path.

Another year comes to an end. I have had no transport for most of it being dependent on others for it. I do not have the funds to either buy a vehicle or even have the income to lease one unless I dispose of property, but I have learned to adapt, just as I have learned to live most of this year with crutches and two serious surgeries, pain and discomfort, with little remorse or regret, but with hope and expectation for what the future may hold. It is difficult under the circumstances to keep this frame of mind, when I am dependent on others, and often I have not had help when I needed it and had to make do with this additional disability.

Despite all these setbacks I have lived on my own in an apartment with help that seems to come and go, at whims beyond my control, and been able for most of the year to be gainfully employed in order to cover my expenses, as there are no hidden reserves I can call on despite the general consensus that I have much. The latter due to the attitude to life that I portray, that does not allow the lack of a bank account to affect my spirits or manner of thinking, especially when I am busiest, which is when I am least concerned about personal creature comforts.

It was ironic that I had great expectations for 2011, but the accident put paid to most of that. I hope that I will be able to recoup some of those expectations for 2012 and try and at least get back to where I left 2010, rather than being behind that point at present. My first task when I am able to walk would be to do sufficient exercise to lose the considerable excess weight I had put on by the lack of it.

As we are about to end another year, and think about our resolutions for the next, it is time to think of what might have been, and to make what might be even more pleasurable. Having defied the end of life once by a thread, it has been worth the experience since. I look forward to the next year with equal hope and enthusiasm.

When work is all consuming, one’s own limitations are forgotten

2011-12-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

I have now been an invalid for over 10 months, in the sense that I need crutches to get around and am severely limited in what I can do. I also do not have transport, and am dependent on others or cab services to get about. It is strange but now I do not seem to even let it concern me. Today, I left for the office at 8am and got home after 8pm, and was so busy during the day, that I hardly noticed the time passing. Even then I hardly achieved half of what I set out to do, as I was distracted by two University Graduates who needed advice on how to go about getting employment.

I used the opportunity to mine them for all the information about schools, subjects, teachers and prospects as well as the issues within the University system. They made an interesting and valid point about the times we live in. Whilst they said that 16 students in their primary school, had gone onto University, their Primary School is now closed, as the student numbers choosing this school dwindled to the point that the school closed. The buildings still remain, a ghost of its former glory!

A thousand schools have shut these 5 years, and 2000 will close within the next few, due to a lack of students. It makes them uneconomical to run. Just imagine the number of empty closed schools dotting the landscape. The State must make alternative use of these land and buildings, before it becomes derelict, an eyesore and a menace in the neighborhood inhabited by low life. There will be an outcry if the land is sold, but it sure will yield a substantial amount of money for other purposes, especially improving the quality of teaching in the remaining schools.

It was an unusual day in that for the first time in years, I received two calls from ladies the UK, where I lived for many years. One was to enquire after my health only just having heard of my accident and operations, and the other was to ask if I still sold Sri Lankan manufactured Platinum and Diamond rings which I sold in the US many years ago. Her son had wanted to get one to give his girlfriend. An example of an odd occurrences in a day.

I obtained a copy of the latest UNDP Human Development Report and this year’s one is on equity and sustainable development. I would recommend it as an essential read for University Students, as they can get a perspective on life that is absent in Sri Lankan thinking, and such students if they are really undergrad quality should be able to appreciate its views. For those setting out to find their first real job and begin the hard climb up the corporate ladder, this report is likely to give one a rounded perspective on what is important for a good quality of life.

I doubt however if ANY student in the University system in Sri Lanka will study its contents, let alone come out with a critical interpretation of how it should apply in the Sri Lankan context, where it is obvious to me we are hell bent on doing everything that is unsustainable to get our ranking down, instead of up, which is the direction we should go. So no matter what growth rate we have, if our ranking goes down, then it really means we are heading to a worsening quality of life for our citizens instead of a better one.

A weekend-break at home on the range or ranch or whatever

2011-12-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to be able to take some time off this weekend to spend on the farm with the animals, mainly the dogs, but also to see two new additions in the form of new ‘wassi patow’ female calves. There is always great joy at the birth of female calves as when they are artificially inseminated by the local government vet. They are able to used as milk cows, the which is the whole reason for having a herd. This when contrasted with the birth of a male calf, who whatever one does to prevent it ends up one day as eaten flesh! See some of my previous blog posts relating to that inevitability.

The most important task this weekend was to spend some time with the dogs that I spent the least of my time with due to my disability, and whom I have not even named properly. They were called Yakshi and Surakshi, not altogether suitable names, but which came naturally due to their nature of jumping up to bite one’s nose when they were acquired as pups. They are a pair of Rhodesian Ridgeback bitches who hitherto have been brought up together in their own kennel, and not really trained or let out side of their dog runs.

What is unique is the coloring, which I have not seen. It is a ash or fawn hue. Anyway they are now not as aggressive as they used to be and have calmed with age. I just hope the instructions of giving them fresh milk in the mornings along with their meals later that usually include fish will fatten them up. They being very active means that however much they eat at the moment, is not evident in their size.

The other disappointment was that we have not been able to sell any king coconuts for the past month. This is partly due to the wet weather but mainly because a company in Homagama, which used to send staff to pluck and buy from the property at a reasonable price, ostensibly for canning and export is not doing this anymore. Apparently the canning king coconut is no longer being performed for reasons that I can only guess. I always thought that canning takes away the freshness as well as the chemical process used to preserve king coconut water make the whole idea of a natural nutritious drink fade into oblivion. There was a time when I sold about 2000 king coconuts a week from the back of my pickup truck to small timers in Colombo, along Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, where the Foreign Employment Bureau is located and along Reid Avenue where the Colombo University is located. They have now been banished by the Ghotabaya clean-up campaign and replaced with Coca Cola sales, a typical Americanization by the American Citizen, another example of deeds by the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

in April 2011

When everything is spoon-fed, asking for a small sacrifice arouses anger

2011-11-20T04:05:00.000-08:00

One of the lessons I have learnt especially in Sri Lanka, is that if anything is provided sans a sacrifice of some sort, those provisions, sometimes by other people sacrificing and foregoing are lost on the recipients. The latter do not appreciate the sacrifice the giver has suffered, and neither do they appreciate what they have received, often believing it is the duty of the giver to give no matter what.

This hypothesis is even more apparent when one is in Politics, where people demand things in a more brazen manner for future assistance which nevertheless cannot be guaranteed. People want a free lunch and object even to pay 10% of the cost. I believe for one to benefit from something, if one has sacrificed something to receive it, then one is more likely to make an effort to gain from the episode, or protect the object received by way of subsidy. How then can one wean them from total dependency to one where there is a partnership, one where it is 90% from the benefactor and 10% from the sacrifice of the recipient as a minimum?

I was at a local youth meeting yesterday, at which a sports club of young people received some sports goods, and two girls, one of them in the above photograph obtained some financial assistance to carry on her studies. We discussed a future event, which was a two day workshop at a location, where we expect around 200 to come and bond with each other and from it develop a core of young talent that can help the party as well as the local community in some way, promoting both leadership and accountability, along with a training from outside instructors of empowerment, and taking control of their lives. This would be something that is useful to any young person who is embarking on their life journey once they leave school and enter the tough world of the labor market.

I made a suggestion that each candidate contribute 10% which amounts to Rs200 to the program. The benefactor will contribute 90% of the cost of this two day workshop. The howls of anger that a charge would be made was instant! There was no charge in the previous workshop, so a repeat of the same formula was expected. Reason- ‘people will not come as they will not be able to contribute this sum’.

If a young person between the age of 18 and 25 cannot find Rs200 non refundable commitment to confirm their attendance, they do not deserve to get Rs20,000 worth of a leadership training that will cost us about Rs2000 to provide. This money is not from people who do not have a home or electricity. They are not the poorest. They are likely to spend that in a week on phone cards. The food cost saved at home for two days will be higher than this suggested contribution.

The new kids on the block – what surprises do they have in store for me?

2011-11-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

There is a time to show compassion and a time to look after oneself. I don’t know how wise my choice was when the Hingurakgoda caretaker, took flight to the Maldives to seek his fortune. Over the weekend, I was introduced to a couple, who were living in Ratmale, and in search of work and a place to live. I took a chance and told them to develop the property if they could. I was adamant that the young girl who I had presumed he had run away with from Habarana also look at the property and decide for themselves that it was the choice they wanted to make to grow the potential into the Garden of Eden of my dreams. Dream on!

I have not had too much luck in the people who have been in charge there, and so I am not too hopeful lest I be hugely disappointed. Whilst I had made every effort to build this place, pumping in my earnings over the years working day and night, those who were left in charge of the property were not as careful with produce, equipment, tools of trade and the maintenance thereof. So is fifth time luck a bet?

I have gone on ad nausea m about the failure of our young people, and still I entrust a lot of my personal possessions to an unknown and untested duo out of necessity or pity! The latter was after I sought advice from those who came with me this weekend, who said I should give them a chance. It is perhaps a roll of the dice.

We have a vision and a concept we want to create. Imparting that into the minds of others who may have other intentions is difficult at best, and managing that vision through the work and care of others is fraught with disappointment and anger.

In my new role which includes organizing and developing the youth into tomorrow’s leaders with a sense of vision, accountability for one’s actions and hope for a better future for them, I realized that I have two properties in Polonnaruwa that could be used for leadership training, in two day workshops of outbound programs where teams could bond and provide some framework of what it is to develop a rural setting into a sustainable and environmentally sensitive small scale enterprise. It is difficult to impart this concept to people who think in a narrow range and cannot think outside of the box, however it is still worth a try.

This blog which relates my experiences and indulgences, could see a new phase from my return to two legs. The new possibilities, my new avocation, mixed with the foundations set from my previous avatar can come up with a combination that may provide some of the answers I have been searching for and which I must share with others lest if I keep it all to myself, all I learned blows away with the wind.

An impression of the repeat visit to Pasikudah in November 2011

2011-11-16T03:14:00.000-08:00

I went to bathe in the sea at Pasikudah Beach on Sunday, a few days ago. Considering that I am still in crutches, unable to walk, it was exhilarating to get into the water and swim and float with no crutches for over three hours. This was my first experience after the accident of swimming in a body of water. I have been asked by the surgeon to get the needed exercise by swimming as it does not involve putting weight on my healing right leg, but I have not been able to organize my schedule and transport so to do.

My last visit to Pasikudah was before any construction had begun on the beach, and I hasten to report on my disappointment, and sadness at the pathetic structures that seem to be coming up in such a pristine bay. It would have been better not to put ANY structure than those currently in progress, and leave the bay full of what it was when I first visited the place in days gone by before wars, and tsunamis, where only coconut trees fronted the whole bay.

Just imagine how nice it would have been just to have those trees instead of hotels. Money talks and if we must have hotels then they should be hidden behind rows of coconut trees that are 20 deep. There is no requirement for the hotel to have a beach view, as in any case the maintenance will be very costly and rusting can be avoided by the tree buffer. The walkways to the beach must be clearly marked so people do not walk under the coconut palms and have a coconut fall on their heads! A sure way for a quick and involuntary exit.

The road from Valaichainai to the Bay is still under repair and widening and would be a while before that is done and this time there was no charge from the local council for parking the vehicles as there was last time. There was a police presence to keep the peace and also life guards on duty with white buoys marking an area beyond which swimming was discouraged for the safety of the swimmers. The place was packed with people as it was a Sunday, but I was very unimpressed with the cleanliness of the bay and the beach which really needs a lot of cleaning of debris from God knows where that must be periodically moved if we are to feel happy to swim and play in the water. All one needs is one of those sand shuffler machines they have on the California beaches which daily at dawn shovel up the sand and remove any debris on the shore as it goes along. The whole bay can be cleaned by one machine in about half hour with one man driving it.

On our return we stopped at a ‘Waadiya’ and 1kg of medium sized lagoon prawns to cook for lunch cost Rs550. We got back to my place in Polonnaruwa in an hour.

We must teach our youth to handle intense pressure without resorting to anesthesia?

2011-11-15T03:09:00.000-08:00

Yet again I attended a funeral house on behalf of my boss, as he was away, in Bothale, Meerigama. The 25yr well educated, rising star at a Branch of Commercial Bank died as a result of the roll-over of the double cab down a precipice not even 1km from his home. He had consumed alcohol and was out with a friend to purchase more when the accident happened while his friend who was the driver survived, by jumping out during the tumble. Needless to say the next day’s papers had the photo of the vehicle on page 3. Yet nothing concrete is done!

I was present when the body was brought into the house. He was unmarried, eldest of three and a rising star, where his father is a driver at a commercial establishment. So he would be considered to be one who made the grade, surmounting great odds of family background and economic circumstances. This boy had also recently been in a bad motorcycle accident and survived with a long period in the ICU, so he defied one chance but took one too many to meet this fate.

Is this a common direction of even rags to riches kids, who were able to provide a decent home where his family lived, which I would consider middle class? I am not sure if I mentioned this before but more than half the funerals I have been to lately on account of the constituency work are of people younger than me, and the numbers of lads in their 20’s and even teens beggars belief.

This is social problem, we must face it, too many young people are driven to alcohol, cigarettes and ganja, which I have seen first-hand (of hard drugs, I am not competent to comment) I am sure that there are statistics and unless we take steps to tackle the peer pressure, we can big good bye to a great future. Every time someone wants to enjoy something it seems to require alcohol, as a base, then the cigarettes, and bites and rest of it like drums, singing, loud music even at public areas that disturb the peace of others seems to be the order of the day.

The mother was loud in her condemnation of his friends, ordering that none attend the funeral. She blamed them for him not listening to her admonishments. It is easy to blame parents, and I suspect the mother may have even gone overseas to earn during the formative years where this boy got into bad company, as the father was out on his job. This lack of parenting may have also been a contributory factor.

We must face the fact that our society is broken, and we who spend most of our time in social service trying to help people of all walks who require assistance, should be aware of what is going on and alert the decision makers to the issues, so prompt corrective action can be taken before it becomes unmanageable.