Why Mahinda maama took a beeeeeg delegation to New York

By Rypvanwinkle

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this fuss about Mahinda maama's trip to New York?"

"Why, what is the fuss?" Bindu's father Percy asked, "is it because he was chosen by President Bush to have breakfast with him?"

"No, I don't think that is quite the reason…" Bindu said.

"Then, is it because he went to Cuba on his way to New York?" Percy wanted to know.

"No, thaaththa," Bindu explained, "I think it is because over sixty people accompanied him…"

"What is wrong with that?" Percy wanted to know.

"They say that it was one of the largest delegations to New York…" Bindu said, "and certainly the largest Sri Lanka has ever sent…"

"But I'm sure Mahinda maama had his reasons…" Percy suggested.

"But thaaththa someone has said that with the expenses of this delegation, we could have built several schools…" Bindu argued.

"That may be true," Percy said, "but Mahinda maama must have felt that taking a large delegation to New York will also benefit our country, perhaps even more than building a few schools…"

"How can that be, thaaththa?" Bindu was puzzled.

"Remember, Mahinda maama has a lot of people to please…" Percy tried to explain.

"Why do you say that?" Bindu asked.

"Why, he has so many ministers in his cabinet, nearly a hundred of them, so he must take at least some of them or else they would be angry…" Percy pointed out.

"Still, some people are saying our delegation was too large, thaaththa…" Bindu said.

"Then, he has so many advisors advising him, so if he really needs their advice, he should take them with him too…" Percy observed.

"I suppose that is true…" Bindu conceded.

"Then, if he didn't take anyone from the media with him everyone would accuse him of undertaking a secret trip and engaging in some conspiracy," Percy declared, "so he needs to take some people from the media too…"

"I think that is reasonable…" Bindu agreed.

"Then, because he is talking to all these political parties and trying to get them to join him, he must get some of them to accompany him or else they would be disappointed…" Percy said.

"Maybe that is also something to think about…" Bindu said.

"Then, because he is obviously under threat from the Tigers, Mahinda maama must take his security team with him…" Percy declared.

"Of course," Bindu said, "no one will grudge him that…"

"Then, he must include his secretaries and other officials to make sure that he can attend to his official duties efficiently…" Percy argued.

"That is of course true…" Bindu admitted.

"And finally, no foreign trip is complete without someone from your family by your side, so they too must be included and that is something every leader does…" Percy said.

"Yes," Bindu said, "there is nothing wrong with that…"

"So, Bindu, with all these people having to accompany him, there can be only one surprise about our delegation comprising of over sixty people…" Percy said.

"And what surprise is that?" Bindu wanted to know, "Is it that Satellite too was not part of the delegation even though she herself was in New York?"

"That is not a surprise at all, Bindu…," Percy said, "what is surprising is that Mahinda maama has been able to limit his delegation to just sixty people…"

"Just imagine, thaaththa," Bindu said, "if the Greens too join Mahinda maama, how many would have to be included in next year's delegation..."

Percy didn't want to even think about that.