Disregarding Covid 19 prevention regulations; laugh off political selections

You look around and see face masked people. But that seems to be enough of an effort to prevent being infected with the virulent virus and passing on infection. Social distancing appears to be too much effort to maintain. We are a nation of queue ignorers and breakers. All Cass’ readers will agree with her on this observation. It seems to be an achievement to break a queue and position oneself in a gap in an already formed line. This is more so with queues of now necessitating the observance of social distancing. A horrible feeling is having a sweaty person close behind breathing onto one’s back in bank or bus queue. It was bad pre Covid 19; far worse now since one fears with the breath comes the virus!

This last week Cass had to reprimand one regulation flouter and hold her peace with another, being intimidated by his size! The first case was in the very spacious 4th floor of a private hospital which had every alternate seat marked with a huge cross in the several waiting areas. Cass sat on an unmarked seat waiting her turn to consult the doctor when two women came and plomped themselves in adjacent seats and right next to Cass. She dug with her sharp finger the woman seated on a crossed seat and told her to move away. Sorry, no politeness.

Cass was in one of two queues in a BoC Branch and stood at a proper distance – clearly marked on the floor – in one of the formed queues before the paying counter. She soon felt a presence behind her. Turning her head she sees a bulk of a man standing far too close behind her. To indicate her disapproval she moved two steps forward. The hulk did the same!

Why or why are Sri Lankans so hurried whether standing in queues or driving vehicles? We are supposed to be an ever smiling, laid back lot of people. This pressing forward in standing lines erases relaxation from faces and brings on scowls and grimaces, totally disregarded of course by offenders. However, there simply is no hurry when official work needs to be done.

Two contentious issues still

unresolved

Cassandra in her previous article on 28 August commented on two current issues of the week based on the newspaper heading “Karu ready to lead UNP” and the battle of the saffron robes. No decision in either tussle to date (2 Sept). Is it plain bare selfishness or pigheadedness that prevents Karu J from being made President or Chairman of the dying UNP? We older ones, whether loyal to that party or another, or even totally a-political, feel for the Green Elephant as it breathes its last. We feel only Karu J can really revive it to attempt standing tall again. He can then hand it over to a younger UNPer. Is one reason of blocking him the fear he will appoint his son-in-law as successor? We Sri Lankans, in the majority, are truly disapproving of family dynasties, but we do not disapprove of Gamini Dissanayake’s elder son, who has proved himself, leading the UNP. Many are the voices, and many the instances when regret is expressed on the untimely death by assassination of Gamini Dissanayake. Intoned is that the modern history of Sri Lanka would have been different if Gamini D with his outstanding personality became President of the land.

The only change Cass sees in the saffron robe tug-of-war for the single seat in Parliament for that new party is in Vedinigama Wimalaratne Thera, whose hirsute face Cass criticized. He appeared clean shaven in a recent TV appearance with his ‘guru’ Thera.

Weighted thoughts

Cassandra wishes to bring back to mind Kumar David’s article in the Sunday Island of 30 August 2020, titled What ails the Sri Lankan Voter? So very apt and timely a question; timely with hindsight since no election is in the near horizon. Kumar David asks that question because adult citizens of free Sri Lanka have voted in two candidates, one convicted of murder and the other charged with murder. David writes: “Consider the sentinels guiding us on the path to a ‘virtuous and disciplined society’. A convicted murderer on death row polled hundreds of thousands of preference votes in Ratnapura … A criminal on murder charge in Batticaloa polled the highest in the District. The progeny of a VVIP arrested and held for the Thajudeen murder was later released but you know how things happen in Mother Lanka; he now adorns the Cabinet.” He cites MPs returned to Parliament with lesser crimes staining their hands. David gives an answer: “What ails the people of this soon to be prosperous and resplendent isle? Is it unfathomable? I have an answer but is it adequate? Sri Lanka, mainly not only for the Sinhalese, is Rajapaksa country, the mass psyche resonates with ‘Rajapaksaism’… True. Cass adds her opinion. Let us fervently hope Rajapaksaism connotes and denotes Gotabaya R only.