Features
Upheaval all over the world –viral, virulent, visceral
” .. .each new morn
New widows howl; new orphans cry; new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds
As if it felt with…” the entire World.
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare in his tragic play Macbeth refers to Scotland ruled by the crazed tyrannical murderer of King Duncan, friend Banquo, and the family –”babes and all”- of the Thane of Cawdor. I speak of the entire world, including Sri Lanka where Covid 19 ravages and deaths pile up. Countries that were free of the pest are again under siege. Added to this destructive virus is the Taliban taking over entire Afghanistan fast. Wild fires rage over the globe, the latest in Jerusalem; while an earthquake lashed Haiti and tropical storm Grace battered it and Hawaii.
Scotland was subject to upheaval by Macbeth’s overriding ambition and Afghanistan by the turbaned, bearded rebels: bloodthirsty, ultra conservative and religious fanatics. Extreme heating of the atmosphere has caused 
The UNP Leader wanted all party leaders to be summoned to put heads together to beat the C19 virus and its pandemic resulting in overflowing hospitals and shortage of oxygen. We pooh-pooh the idea vehemently. Already the soup of the pandemic is spoilt by too many cooks – the Prez supported by the army beating down medical specialists. What help can powwowing Party leaders offer? It’s beyond help: not even the gods looked down in mercy upon us; pirit; Church services and cries to God Almighty and Allah; the propitiation of the Hindu pantheon has not helped. The only solution, if there is one at this late stage, is to do as the medical specialists say in unison and Sudharshini Fernandopulle, who should have been Minister of Health, promotes.
Musical chairs minus music; – rather to tune of Pipers two
People who hearken unto Sri Lanka news had hopes of a silver lining in the proclamation that a Cabinet reshuffle was in the offing. As yet having faith in the President, the optimists hoped for a reduction in the too large number of Minister of two kinds. At least they envisaged persons being made Minister of ministries they knew something about and could steer the said ministries in the right direction. All hopes dashed like the dhoby of old thrashing people’s dirty linen on a stone beside a stream. The stains were not removed, the same splodges of dirt remain, but shifted around. For instance it was thought Peni Pavitra would be dropped from the Cabinet. Lo and behold, she is now Minister of Transport. Hope she even knows the name of the boss of private vans and buses that speed around, culling lives along the way. Every new move of this game of musical chairs is disappointing. But with one exception: congratulations on confirming and making official the role the Minister of Sports and Youth has been playing all along: supervising all other ministries, and ministers to boot. He took precedence over the Minister in charge at functions we saw. He’ll be Sir-ed by all blue-collar workers, while collared and every minister and deputy, since Free Sri Lanka is firmly on the path of DEVELOPMENT and he is promoted to officially overseer all projects.
Woeful tears for our sisters in Afghanistan
Cass wondered how Malala, now living a normal life in the West, educated and free, feels. Cass’ thoughts went to Anoja Wijeyesekera who wrote that very perceptive and incisive book titled Facing the Taliban: Experiences of a UN Woman Aid Worker in Taliban Controlled Afghanistan. She said the Taliban leaders she met were very polite. But opinion is they won’t be completely thus to their women, though at a press conference held soon after they gained control of Kabul, the spokesman of three at the head table promised women would be free to study and work; however, under Sharia Law. There lies the catch since the Taliban are clearly bigoted in their religious beliefs. We sob for the women. Biden, Johnson, Macron have spoken out about the recent disaster and offered support but the rebels are too strongly entrenched in the country now. The most surprising fact was that BBC and CNN news projected, even as recent as Friday 13 August, that Kabul would fall to the Taliban “in 90 days”. By the following Monday, however, the Taliban was entrenched in Kabul and the airport overrun with hopeful migrants. They might spitefully dynamite in revenge the restored 6th century Bamiyan Buddha statues.
An outstanding person to be proud of
Another feather in the national cap of Sri Lanka! Kumar Sangakkara, as President of the MCC declared open the new Compton and Edrich stand at Lords Cricket Grounds on Thursday August 12. Part of the speech he made was published on the last page of The Island of Saturday August 14. Even the extract indicated what an appropriately fine speech Kumar would have made after he cut the ribbon, speaking English as it should be spoken and conveying his sincerity and stature as a cricketer, sportsman and administrator. What an honour for our country! Cassandra being Cassandra – rather spiteful but certainly not prejudiced or admiring Kumar inordinately – had a thought flitting through her mind on reading the article and being elated by the picture of Kumar’s ribbon-cutting applauded by several Brits, out-classing them in looks and demeanour. Her thought went back a couple of years at home, when Kumar returned from making that excellent speech at Lords on the ‘Spirit of Cricket’. While he should have been given a rousing welcome, it was left to the citizens of this country to do so. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (or some members) led by Minister of Sports Aluthgamage, undoubtedly full of downright hypocrisy and envy, hounded him and threatened his speech would be ‘investigated’ and Kumar punished. Cass remembers that word since a speech can be analysed not investigated. Such the inadequacy of the Minister in what he says and such the appreciation of a remarkable man by those in power in sports and cricket. They showed themselves to be inferior dwarfs in stature and integrity.
To lock down or not to: that is the question
Some are like Hamlet – indecisive; but the medial fraternity is determined; The Task Force stubborn and Cassandra still on the fence. The damage is done: C19 and its variants rage in the country. We should have locked down three weeks ago, inoculated as many as possible and opened up. So now many feel its pointless closing in the face of the damage already done of firmly spreading disease and mounting deaths. However, most certainly persons like Udayanga must be stopped in his bringing of tourists to the country – bubbled or non-bubbled. Bubbles invariably burst. Who makes the money from infected Ukrainians and Russians? Does any accrue to the country in the face of such grave risks being taken?
Bye for now reader! Hope to chat seven days hence; but one is never sure – death lurks menacingly everywhere.