Life in the dark: From bad to worse
Tuesday, March 15: 2 p.m.
Watched news coverage of Sri Lankan citizens pouring into Colombo. Amazed at how vehemently dignified people are despite their seething anger. If only our politicians could act thus, as they were remitted to do when voted in.
I am hoarse from cheering at the television as citizens openly express their dissatisfaction.
Tuk-tuk driver holds up an index digit, and shouts regretfully about how his finger has caused him such suffering because he used it to vote for this government two years ago.
Another elderly man reminds us we are an island abundant with resources,
“We have seas full of fish, minerals in our earth, medicines, and fruits in our trees and even gemstones in our rocks! We don’t need anything to live well, especially politicians trying to manage this country!”
Crowds applaud his diatribe. Refreshing to hear ordinary Sri Lankans speak such wisdom. It makes me proud to be a Sri Lankan.
Wednesday, March 16: 7.30 p.m.
I am so grateful to hear the President speak this evening. Not because of what he might say (what can he say?!), but because I can once again eat my evening meal with a light on. Power cuts postponed, that we can hear His Excellency on our electrical appliances. I’m just thankful I can switch a kettle on at 8 p.m!
Speech ends and, so does the power. Once again, I dine in the dark and get indigestion eating on an angry stomach. Need antacids, but pharmacies have none in stock.
Friday, March 18: 8 a.m.
The electricity meter man comes. Want to beat him to a pulp for the cheek of giving me a bill for a non-existent service. But that’s like beating the monkey rather than the organ-grinder.
The reduction in my bill is risible. A miniscule cost reduction for a completely eliminated service. Oh well, Central Bank Governor tells international media, at least Colombo’s neon signs are still blazing. That’s nice.
Monday, March 21: 6.30 p.m.
Escape to a Colombo 7 restaurant and happily pay extortionate menu prices to sit under a working fan and see human faces in luminescent clarity.
Restaurant manager tells us how outraged diners had refused to move cars, that afternoon when police officers declared the Prime Minister was making an appearance.
Thursday, March 24: 4.30 p.m.
Hospital calls to inform that they have run out of lenses for Father’s cataract operation.
Unbearable discomfort at home is one thing, but the arresting of medical treatment for the sick and vulnerable is quite another.
Watching political debates on the legitimacy of opposition parties challenging the government to step-down, seems to be a very exhaustive and complicated process.
Suppose we are no different to other countries. Trump barnacled himself to the Presidency until the American people removed him. But then, they had light and food and fuel until their polls opened.
We don’t have light and food and fuel for tomorrow, let alone two more years!
Isn’t all this infringement of basic constitutional rights of 22 million citizens in Sri Lanka? As Democratic Republic citizens, don’t we have the right to an existence free of degrading or inhuman treatment?
It’s degrading and inhuman when we cannot live, eat, or maintain health, because our public resources have been mismanaged.
Monday, March 28: 9 p.m – 11.30 p.m.
Frantic call from relatives abroad. They’d heard Sri Lanka has become Asia’s equivalent of Burundi (the poorest country in Africa).
Considering that the government now going cap-in-hand to neighbours like Bangladesh and begging for $25m, I guess we are the Burundi of Asia!
Poor and rich alike, Sri Lanka’s begging bowl is now being unashamedly rattled at the doorstep of every nation. We’re reduced to status of street peddler, hocking away priceless treasures for a desperate few dollars.
We’ve offered Saudis investment opportunities in pharmaceutical, and sustainable energy technologies!!?
Wonder who thinks Arabs are stupid enough to invest in sustainable energy technology developed by a country that can’t even sustain its own energy requirements adequately?
Sitting in dark with elderly aunts and uncles, who regale me with stories from the 60’s. Apparently countries like Singapore dreamed of becoming as developed and affluent as Sri Lanka. Not any more!
Tuesday, March 29: 1.30 p.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Sweltering in 87 degrees heat, and no fans. Listen with interest to a podcast about Sri Lanka’s crisis. Learn interesting ‘fun fact’. We are apparently worth less than a Kardashian!
Quickly Googled what a Kardashian was. Is apparently a pneumatically enhanced American-Armenian family with own reality TV show. They earn millions from making lipsticks, crowd-funded by fans on Tik Tok.
What a great idea! If only we had such self-adoring family dynasty that funded their empire through crowd funding…
Wednesday, March 30:
Poor father horrified. Power cuts extended to 10 hours from today. He asks what time they begin and sits sweltering, watching clock instead of his TV until it ends. When the final minute of power cut expires, he leaps up to turn TV on. Gets very upset when it remains lifeless.
Try telling him this is not Britain where schedules are adhered to under GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). This is SLT (Sri Lankan Time) which means no time at all. It comes when it comes.
Thursday, March 31: 13 hour power cut: 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.; 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to midnight
Are now in unprecedented times. Have more time in our day with the power off than on.
Apparently due to hydro-power which accounts for 40% of total electricity generation drying up due to the drought.
Isn’t hydroelectric power produced by harnessing movement of water? Wonder if anyone in Renewable Energy Ministry has noticed that we live on an island, totally surrounded by an Indian Ocean that relentlessly laps at our shores.
Hope the Arabs don’t read about our dried-out hydro plants…. otherwise we’ll never get that loan from them!
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