Sports in blood; more gambling dens; crime of ruining economy

I heard that Ex-Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksa had proclaimed when the victorious teams – Cricket and Netball – went to pay their respects to him that sports were in his blood. So true! He was a rugger player and so was his younger brother and they were, I believe, in a team with Wasim Thajudeen too – all excellent

players. We celebrate the sporty brothers but sadly still mourn Thajudeen, though we knew him not. We cannot forget his tragic death at the age of 28; not a mere death though the calculated and executed accident was meant to point to such. Later, it was discovered to be a foul and cruel murder. His murderers are still at large; living happy, we presume, though of guilty conscience. His parents and siblings we know still suffer immensely; they have been denied closure to losing him in a tragic death.

But let’s get back to the living. Sure, Namal is a sports aficionado who wanted even villagers to be such. Of course, there are sportsmen and women in rural schools and areas, but the construction of work-out centres with expensive equipment was targeted in remote areas. Apart from sports boys and girls who are already supplied with equipment, Cass does not believe ordinary folk would have the time or the stamina to work out. They work out to the limit in their paddy fields and trades. Similarly, persons in the North Central Province were thought to be in need of jogging so ancient Wewa bunds were damaged to construct jogging tracks on them. Mercifully, that too was aborted by protests. These were in the sporty times of Namal R being Minister of Sports. Hearing Namal’s recent proclamation over TV news, a friend muttered an inversion of words to get the damning phrase ‘blood sports’ and so the former heir to The Great Leader of our Land becomes a blood sportsman!

Mannar – the local Macau

To tell the truth and shame the devil. Cassandra, though travelled the length and breadth of this beloved island, had not heard of Mannar Island that Diana of Gamage fame has identified as a dollar earner for bankrupt Siri Lanka. I have been to Mannar several times and so wondered, when reading about her proposal reported in the Sunday Island of September 18 quoting ECONOMYNEXT whether I had missed out on an island in this north western seaboard. Referring Wikipedia, I find it’s the Bridge which carries the A 14 highway and a railway bridge. This is the link between the ferry service of the Ceylon Railway that linked to Danushkody. The ‘island’ has an open area of about 130 sq km. Stubborn Cass refuses to consider it an island but prefers to maintain it as a finger of land firmly attached to the main island, jutting out to sea.

So, unlike Macau and even our Port City, it is not far nor separated from the main land and its population. Readers will know which way my talk is drifting. Heavy or mass or govt. promoted gambling must be kept separate from local populations. Ideally foreigners or even filthy rich Sri Lankans of whom plenty are heard about, who come for gambling must be segregated from local people to stop the vicious disease of gambling from catching the poor; also curbing such vices as pimping, prostitution and drug peddling. China sure must be strictly segregating Macau visitors and Chinese from the mainland; the Maldives is very successful in keeping Maldivians out of contact with tourists, even employment in the holiday resorts being taboo to their people and recruitment being from India, Sri Lanka or from say the Philippines. Holiday makers scantily clothed, maybe even unclothed, influencing the locals after first shocking them, is eliminated! In fact, you cannot enjoy a swim or paddle in the sea dressed in a swim suit in Male, and other locals inhabited islands; it has to be wade in fully clothed.

Aren’t there less corruptive and more Dharmishta ways of earning forex? It is oft repeated by even foreign experts that our island is full of potential. So, the term ‘potential’ could be inclusive of industries, handcrafts, horticulture et al. Gambling dens set up to earn dollars seems so cheap, easy and evil a way of pulling a country out of dollarlessness, which really was caused by politician-gamblers overspending and stealing govt money.

Crime against the economy

In the UNHRC report the government of Sri Lanka was accused of many commissions and omissions and among them were the phrases ‘economic crime’ which means criminal acts against the economy. A definition reads thus: “Economic crime, also known as financial crime, refers to illegal acts committed by an individual or a group of individuals to obtain a financial or professional advantage. The principal motive in such crimes is economic gain.”

Protests have been voiced by govt. politicians and MPs against the UNHRC report; Ali Sabry at Geneva refused to accept the accusation. However, the majority of Sri Lankans agree this accusation and its wording are dead right, spot on, justified. Consider for instance, the overnight banning of chemical fertilisers, weedicides and pesticides. Was not that a crime, a criminal act against farmers, tea growers, vegetable growers? The victims of the crime were principally farmers and those in agriculture, but the crime was far reaching and netted in many more victims, mostly children who suffer malnutrition which will worsen with food shortages and high prices. The definition mentions “… to obtain a financial or professional advantage.” Unfortunately, Prez Gotabaya R listened to and accepted ill advice. He acted with the notion he would be lauded for leading the country into total organic farming – the first in the world, while also saving forex spent on importing chemical stuff. Did we not have to spend much in importing organic fertilier with the hugely expensive fault of importing organic shit from China?

The definition I quoted earlier ends with “The principal motive in such crimes is economic gain.” That fits the bill on the innumerable acts of corruption and bribe taking indulged in by Leaders, Ministers, MPs and top administrative officers. The bribe takers, commission rakers commit crimes against the entire country and its citizens, and needless to say it is for their economic benefit – they steal and enrich themselves.

For or against marking the death of Queen Elizabeth II

A mild controversy was evident in the print media and during recent conversations on whether Sri Lanka should have declared the day of her funeral a holiday and flown flags at half mast. The main cons were we are a republic (proclaimed loud and clear) and why commemorate colonialism suffered by our country from 1815 to 1948. The pros were much greater in volume and to Cass much more valid. Stated simply Queen Elizabeth II was a world figure for near 75 years; exhibited outstanding qualities right through her life; was duty bound to her country and the Commonwealth; truly regal in stature and nature and was undoubtedly THE outstanding woman from 1950 till her death. Furthermore, she was our Head of State until 1972. So why ever not mark her passing, celebrate her life and show due respect at her death? We are not an island unto ourselves, demonstrated clearly by recent capers of our leaders and are now beholden to all other countries for help. So, it’s best we keep good relations with Britain and join them in their time of mourning and celebration of a new king. We should do more – emulate the good Brits and not forever hark back to colonial days. Thus we echo the proclamation rung by bells over there, intoned in churches and voiced by people: “The Queen is dead. Long live the King.” We saw pictures of our President conveying our good wishes to King Charles III, both seemingly at ease and friendly.