What are we thinking now?

by Goolbai Gunasekara

We are a drenched and waterlogged nation at the moment – both physically and mentally. The morning newspapers and the TV evening news do nothing to fill us with the joys of living. Constant repetition of the corruption in the country is an ongoing onslaught on our feelings of well-being. Resentment, dismay and anger is the order of the day with an occasional glint of sunshine at the edges of the dark clouds looming ahead.

Here is a useful axiom which highlights the trouble with most of our Government Institutions at the moment … Man can live without air for a few minutes, without water for two weeks, without food for six weeks and without a new thought for a lifetime. Is it possible for our Parliament to entertain SOME new thoughts in the months ahead that will lift us to new realms of hope? As far as Education is concerned, the Budget does not do this.

THE BUDGET

Do most of us really understand the Budget? At a cursory glance it seems to me that too much is being given away for election popularity and too little for development. We need HARD CASH. So, I MUST ask … Are parliamentarians going to be forced to pay their taxes, electricity bills and water bills? Are any illegally banked foreign funds ever going to be returned to this country. May we see proof of this? Verbal assurances are about as believable as expecting snow in Hades.

One plus point in the Budget is the allocation of three billion for a National Centre for AI (Artificial Intelligence.) The future use of AI is upon us as I write, and the world will surely be using it faster than we realize. Sri Lankans must be prepared for the dramatic changes it will make. Rare congratulations to the President are in order here.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PERSON

Giving free education accompanied by free books, free uniforms, free lunches to children who can barely get to school, is government folly at its best. Give us instead a NEW and EXPERTLY crafted system. Crafted, we urge, by the RIGHT people.

Various Budgets which constantly adjust and re-adjust the balances of education are exhausting. The grandiose idea of Indian IIT Universities being established here with India’s aid, is laughable. In what language is the teaching to commence? Indian ITT colleges are reckoned to be the best in the world – rivaling even the MIT of America but THE IIT’s OF INDIA TEACH IN ENGLISH. How will our students cope, given their appalling knowledge of the language`? The Budget paints our educational future in bright colours but what we really need is a solid, tactile reality not ephemeral rainbows.

CRICKET

Had he been alive, Gamini Dissanayake would have been a heartbroken man. It was thanks to him that Sri Lanka joined the ICC and our cricketers became celebrities overnight. Remember that unforgettable moment as the whole country erupted in a paean of joy when our dazzling cricket team won the World Cup? Fireworks exploded everywhere as an entire nation was filled with national exultation. World News Channels referred to our cricketers as “those elegant Sri Lankans” and we all shared in their glory. Sri Lanka was proud, proud, proud.

Today, we are shamed, dispirited and angry. How did we descend to this? We wallow at the bottom as we try to find the culprits for this dreadful cricketing morass but no one (so far) will take the blame for the ongoing corruption of this wonderful game. We await revelations and proof of continued wrongdoing. Will we get it?

A Sri Lankan in New York told me that he had to face criticism from Indian friends at the immature manner in which the Sri Lankan Cricketers behaved at the airport upon their return. They were laughing and showing off, apparently oblivious as to how greatly they had shamed their country. A certain gravitas needs to be taught to that immature bunch.

MEDICINES

Many of us wonder WHY the very people who were responsible for the inferior drug imports are still around to infuriate us. Did they not leave a trail of wrongdoing? If any ONE of these culprits was actually charged and PROVED culpable would it not open all sorts of interesting possibilities? Perhaps all our corrupt Heads of Government Departments, Politicians, Police Officials and others may feel a cold trickle of fear running down their spines as they face exposure.

In the meantime, are we being extremely judgmental if we call such drug importers murderers? Children have died and so have adults thanks to the inferior imports of greedy men. Today (Nov.16th) we read that inferior vials of immunoglobulin have been imported. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? AND YET AGAIN? There are accusative fingers stirring every public pie these days. And pathetically, it is a highly befuddled stir!

WATER

We are a tropical country. We are crisscrossed by rivers. We have plenty of rain but our water bills are unbelievable. About thirty years ago the water tank of a neighbouring house ran nonstop. Complaints went unheard because water was free.

The minute the water bill arrived last month my husband’s face turned puce.

“Good God,” he yelled, “Are you trying to empty Labugama?”

I constantly wonder why there are no schemes of water conservation to aid us. Year after year the SAME tragic landslides, the SAME flooding and the SAME droughts occur without any preventive measures.

When Governments never own up to mistakes, they stand accused of carelessness or sheer cussedness. Take your choice.

EDUCATION AGAIN

In the morning paper of (Nov.12th) the names of Dr Sriyani Mithrapala and Dr. Chandrika Wijeratne caught my eye. Both are acclaimed academics yet both are rarely consulted. There are MANY others in that category. First class.

brains are sidelined. Yet, we have the nerve to promulgate a new (and very warped) semblance of free education virtually repeating former mistakes.

 The need for English is desperate. NOT as a second language but as the medium of instruction if we want to take our place in an English-speaking world. Chauvinism and political histrionics are still in evidence by our planners of educational policy. Our future students are at the mercy of those ignorant few who continue their undeserved, self-absorbed and privileged existence in the Government Departments.

CHIEF GUESTS

Now let us take a look at Politicians invited to be Chief Guests at school functions. Can such lunacy PLEASE be outlawed instantly! As a Principal of an International School I NEVER invited a Chief Guest. A well-known and cultured person was invited to give away the prizes BUT she/he was never asked to speak. Parents of schools have no desire to hear speeches from ANYONE, least of all from politicians. They are only interested in their children’s school successes and the school’s affairs.

The President must Insist that politicians occupy their time usefully, performing the job for which they were elected. Those empty seats in the House testify to their laziness and unconcern. Do parliamentarians think we do not notice their yawns and idle chit chat? What are they paid for? Their false paternalistic solicitude is infuriating. We view with disgust the political chessboard played upon by these men who use every iota of their dubious skills to survive the next election.

 The country yearns for honest leaders (we do have some) for intelligent men and women to come forward, for corruption to be punished and for a total system change. Once the Elections actually take place, we look forward to the sands of time being swept clean. Unlike the straggling footprints of yore, may these new steps be firm and lasting and not easily swept away by every turn of the tide.

(Email – goolbai@gmail.com)