With Independence Day round the corner and recent military victories in the north, the country’s national flag has gained more prominence than ever before with it being hoisted at homes, offices and other public places across the country.
But Sanath Rohana Wickremesinghe, a leading stamp designer who has spent a number of years doing research on the national flag has discovered that quite a large number of flags produced today fall short of the standards set out by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI).
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| The National flag: How it should be |
The national flag in use now is the one that was adopted on May 22 1972, when Sri Lanka became a republic. It was standardised in May 1985 by the SLSI which specified the design of the flag as well as the measurements and colours among other details.
Accordingly, the width of the flag to its length has to be in the ratio of one to two and it is in this specification that many flags manufactured today err. Mr.Wickremesinghe who has designed more than 130 stamps discovered the flawed manufacturing designs of the flag when he undertook a thesis on the national flag and national symbols as part of his diploma in communications at the Sri Jayewardenepura University.
“The specifications for the production of the flag must be sent to the printers of the national flag so that they are aware of the requirements,” he said.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said even the flag found in school text books is not consistent with the proper design.
Many of the colours used too vary from flag to flag .The design specifications state that “the yellow lion on the red background shall carry a sword in its right forepaw facing two verticle green and saffron stripes. In the four corners of the background shall be four yellow bo leaves.”
Mr.Wickremesinghe said on many occasions the flag is not displayed in the proper manner. “When flags are strung across roads especially during weddings, they are displayed vertically, with the lion standing on its head. The correct manner is to display it horizontally,” he said.
Mr.Wickremesinghe said the government must step in to educate the public on the proper use of the national flag and take steps to penalise those who do not pay due respect to the national flag.
Business flying high for flag sellers
By Damith Wickremasekara, Pix by Saman Kariyawasam
Hot on the heels of military victories in the north and with only 10 days to go for Independence Day celebrations, it’s brisk business for those selling national flags in Colombo.
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| Unprecedented sales in Pettah. |
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Flags ranging in price from Rs. 20 to Rs. 550 are being sold on the pavements of Colombo while some Pettah traders are selling them in bulk mainly to outstation businessmen.A.M.Zarif, a trader in Pettah told The Sunday Times that usually he starts selling national flags closer to Independence Day, but this year he had business since January 1 as there had been a demand for the national flag, following the achievements of the security forces in the north.
“I have been selling around 300 flags a day, the past few weeks,” Zarif who imports some of the flags from China, said.
“I make a profit of about Rs. 4,000 a day, as many people from outstations are buying large quantities,” he said adding that in Colombo the demand was more for smaller flags to be used on three-wheelers and, cars.
The business will see an even bigger boom with February 4 being round the corner, he said.
Another Pettah salesman Veerappan Sathyaseelan, who has been selling national flags for the past six years said the sales were unprecedented this year.
“We have already sold the number of flags we usually sell during independence celebrations. This is because people have been flying the national flag since security forces started making advances in the north.
He said one special feature this year in comparison to others, was that many schoolchildren were buying flags. |
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