Not
quite true
Last week former President Chandrika Kumaratunga moved into her
new official residence at Independence Square and her first official
function there was the presentation of a copy of a newly launched
book to her. Several photographers were present to cover the event.
The lady walked up to them and lamented, “You don’t
use pictures of us anymore, do you?” Not true, because she
still manages to draw a lot of media attention in the private ones
but no longer in the state media.
Run,
not stand to attention
Talking of the state media, at the Rupavahini Corporation, employees
are required to clock in at 9 a.m. but are usually allowed a 15
minute grace period for those making a late entrance. However since
a new Additional Director General (Administration) took over recently,
they have been strictly asked to report by nine, the time at which
the national anthem is played at the Corporation. Now instead of
everyone standing to attention when the anthem is played, many are
seen running around trying to clock in on time.
More
than his fill?
Last week, four Heads of Mission presented their credentials to
President Mahinda Rajapaksa and unlike in the past it was done in
style.
After the function, a table of indigenous goodies were laid out
for the foreign envoys to savour. One item was helapa.
The
President was worried that the envoys would consume the helapa along
with the kenda leaf in which the sweetmeat is wrapped so he proceeded
to eat one by carefully removing the cover in the presence of the
new Ambassador for Palestine and advised his secretary to do so
in the presence of the three other ambassadors.
As
a result, the secretary had to eat three helapas.
Luckily for him there weren’t more ambassadors presenting
credentials on the same day.
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