5th Column

The tough task of taking an informed decision on Thursday
My dear voter,
I thought I must write to you because you have been bombarded with a lot of news, views and arguments over the past few weeks, as our country selects its leader for the next six years (or twelve?) this week.

My sympathies are with you, dear voter. Having to wade through a sea of promises to try and figure out which ones are best must be a really difficult task. And you are forced to see, read and listen to innumerable advertisements in the meantime as well.

Just imagine the choices you have to make: would you prefer a glass of milk, money for milk or a cow? Would you like a bag of fertilizer for Rs. 550 or Rs. 350? Would you prefer a million jobs or a hundred thousand jobs? And would you be happy with 'bedumwaadayata paraajayak' or would you want a 'gauravaneeya saamayak'?

As if all of that was not enough you have to endure all these arguments about which media is favouring whom, whether people helped Hambantota or helped themselves, why Buddhist priests are suddenly switching loyalties and whether it is correct for them to be called 'mahatthaya' just because they do so!
Then, you are asked to decide whether somebody's 'chinthanaya' has been included or excluded in the Budget or whether someone really wanted the Armed Forces disbanded. After all this, I wouldn't be surprised if you are having nightmares of Parakramabahu fighting Dutugemunu with Elara as the 'match referee'!

But, even if as you make up your mind about where you would mark your all important cross on the ballot paper, there is Satellite going around giving mixed signals every now and then. She says we should vote for the Blue man with Red shawl but at the same time keeps a straight face and asks you not to vote for extremist 'urumaya's and 'peramuna's, when we all know that the Blue man with the Red shawl is marooned between the 'urumaya's and 'peramuna's.

And it is no better even if you are in the North or East. There you were, waiting for some indication from the Tigers as to whether they would endorse anyone but they say you should not be interested in the poll even though you are free to exercise your right! That only seems to add to theory that the striped kind also want the Blue man with the Red shawl installed, if only to make their task of resuming the war that much easier.

But, my dear voter, what you need to keep in mind is that regardless of how difficult your choice is, you need to make one. Secondly, if you don't do so, you would have no right to complain if things go wrong in the next six years. I'm sure you know all about this from past experience!

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS- And remember, dear voter, when you walk out to vote on Thursday, make sure you do so early or else, someone else would have already done it for you. And we can only hope that the head rules the heart when you make your final decision!

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