N. A. T. O.

A great “Ceylonism” or a bit of “Singlish” is the coining of the words No Action Talk Only to replace what these famous and world-renowned letters stand for. It has particular relevance to what is going on today in this land that was once the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. We are told of how the “pen is mightier than the sword” but that must be in another universe! In this land, one can thrust and parry with the pen and at the end of it all even if you are able to escape the white vans and death squads, all you get is a deafening almighty silence.

I have written faithfully and unrelentingly for over 60 consecutive weeks now. All subjects ranging from the disaster that our tourism has become, the utter mess of the education system, moronic economic policies, the messed-up vaccination plan, the banning of dual citizens and the return of same, various forms of bumsuckery and of course the Cretins in parliament have been covered with little or no reaction from the powers that be or even the general populace.

A few of my friends have acknowledged my efforts with words of encouragement. A few strangers have contacted me and have given me strength by the fact and realization that there are others who feel the way I do, and I am not a lunatic howling at the moon. So far, no anonymous attacker on the internet has been able to have the last word. I welcome the efforts of these morons because no doubt it meets some base needs of theirs but it also allows me to vent my frustrations and develop my swear words which have no inhibiting factors on the internet.

We have seen nothing but a government sail happily along in their dictatorial fashion, blatantly lying to their voters and anyone else who will listen and pushing the country closer and closer to the brink of disaster. Let me dwell on some reactions that there have been:

A Dual Citizen is back as a national list member of parliament. Now, this in a country that passed legislation that banned dual citizens from entering parliament. This of course is something I was and am, vehemently opposed to – dual citizens being banned – I can only pin the reason to something akin to the fear of the “Kaduwa” or the English language that prevails in our universities even today. It is fear of intimidation, fear, and revulsion of learning anything new from others and above all else the “frog in the well” mentality shared by all Islanders. Why else? Do you think our Country has any secrets that can be leaked to another power that a dual citizen has sworn allegiance to? Are there great military secrets or even intellectual secrets that anyone interested cannot obtain with a simple bribe? With regard to fighting for another flag, that only makes common sense, if the situation arises, for who will fight for commanders and politicians as moronic as those who currently hold such positions in the Pearl? The only good thing that has happened is that a dual citizen is back as finance minister, no less. Probably far too late to do anything except maybe pleading for and get help from the IMF. Even the nation that person shared citizenship with is unlikely to help a nation hocked to the eyebrows to a nation with totally opposed views and policies (China). Our entire national lists should consist of qualified dual citizens who have experience gained from the first world.

Regarding the vaccination process, I had the pleasure of experiencing the programme first-hand in Aotearoa – New Zealand. I took a friend older than me, as I was quite comfortable to await my turn later, my confidence in the integrity of the vaccination plan in place was pristine. When we approached the counter the person in charge asked me if I was interested in getting vaccinated as well. I agreed, provided it was not going to cause any inconvenience. They said it would only take a few seconds more as I was in the waiting line with my friend and going in with him. Lo and behold I came out with a card with my second vaccination date indicated on it and my name firmly ensconced in the database! I hear things are better now in the Pearl, I certainly hope so!

One bit of information that I hope will be common knowledge by the time this article reaches the popular press is the fact that a team from the Sri Jayewardenepura University has been selected for a WHO grant for developing antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests for Covid 19. I have spoken of these unacknowledged “silent heroes” of the battle against the disease. I sincerely hope they get recognition even now that they are one of only five recipients of this grant from the whole world!

It is not the pen but rhetoric that is the mightiest of all in the Pearl. Talk Only is the watchword that guides and directs all things in this land. So much so that a mighty speech was made from the precincts of one of our ancient capital cities and not even the Gods who are purported to live there could summon the smallest bolt of lightning to try and cut short that thundering flow of half-truths and fantasies. Mother nature did however send some of her more intelligent species of ape to listen from a closer distance! No doubt an analysis and a report will follow from those specimens in due course. Parliament has been supplemented or is the word I need enhanced by the addition (albeit through the back door) of a rather shaky master of the spoken word but a proven maestro of moribundity and we await further exploits with bated breath. Maybe a combination of the dual citizen and the master of moribundity will form a new government that will magically deliver us from our ills. Then again maybe pigs will fly, and pink elephants adorn the Dalada Perehera!