19th November 2000

There's always someone to blame

"Why, Bindu," Percy Udagedera, Bindu's father said, "it is supposed to be a deadly disease that has begun to spread again."

"Why is that?" Bindu wanted to know.

"They say it is being spread by mosquitoes which is why it is so difficult to control."

"But thaaththa, that shouldn't be a problem." Bindu argued.

"Why do you say that?"

"Why, with so many ministers available, there shouldn't be a problem in controlling mosquitoes."

"How can you say that?"

"Of course, the Health Minister will try to control the disease."

"Yes," Percy agreed, "but who else is there?"

"Why, thaaththa, the Minister of Indigenous Medicine is also there to help him."

"I think he has also got involved." Percy recalled.

"Then, there is the Minister of Education."

"What would he do?" Percy was puzzled.

"Why, he could introduce dengue to the school curriculum to educate the younger generation about dengue." Bindu suggested.

"Who else can help?"

"Why, the Media Minister can help by educating the general public about the illness." Bindu proposed.

"Then," Percy suggested, "the Minister of Environment can help by cleaning up the garbage dumps that breed mosquitoes."

"But thaaththa," Bindu said, "if all these people try to get involved, there might be a problem."

"What is that?"

"The Minister of Trade might ask for an independent commission to oversee the mosquito control programme because some mosquitoes might be discriminated against."

"And" Percy agreed, "he might set a one hundred day deadline to set up the commission."

"But then the Prime Minister will say that the war against the mosquitoes will have to continue." Bindu pointed out.

"And the Minister of Transport will say that we should ask the Mahanayakes, before taking any new decisions about proposals to control the mosquitoes,

because killing mosquitoes is against 'pansil'."

"And the Norwegians will say that we should adopt some other measures, rather than trying to kill all the mosquitoes."

"And if some mosquitoes suspected of spreading the disease get killed, the United Nations might want to know why and ask for a full inquiry."

"And then Satellite will say that the mosquitoes have been spread by the UNP to discredit the government."

"They might even arrest some UNPers for trying to spread the disease." Percy observed.

"And of course, the UNP will do nothing about it as usual."

"And Satellite will ask the Norwegians to come up with a solution to control the mosquitoes but at the same time say that the war against the mosquitoes will continue."

"And everyone will be confused as to what really is happening." Bindu declared.

"And the disease meanwhile will spread, claiming more lives." Percy said.

"Then that is why they say that the dengue epidemic is like a suicide bomb attack." Bindu said.

"Why do you say that?" Percy asked.

"Why, thaaththa, like in a suicide bomb attack, in a dengue epidemic people die suddenly and then there is a lot of fuss about it and everyone says we must try and prevent it and something is done for some time."

"And then what happens?" Percy wanted to know.

"And then, just like in a suicide bomb attack, both the people and the government forget about it until the next incident occurs, claiming more lives."

Percy didn't disagree.

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column -

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