“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what do you think of our new Ministers?”
“Why,” Bindu’s father Percy asked, “most of them are not really new, but what about them?”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “they say there were many surprises in the new Cabinet and that many ministers were not happy with their new jobs…”
“Well,” Percy said, “most of us were unhappy about how they did their old jobs, so there is nothing wrong in them being unhappy about their new jobs…”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “why do you say that you were unhappy about their old jobs?”
“Why, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “weren’t many people unhappy with the previous ministers of foreign affairs, health, trade, education and sports, for example?”
“I suppose you could say that…” Bindu conceded, “although one problem was solved automatically...”
“Which problem was that?” Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu explained, “the former foreign minister was rejected by the people themselves, wasn’t he?”
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“But that didn’t prevent him from trying to sneak in through the back door,” Percy observed, “although Mahinda maama had the good sense not to accommodate him on the National List…”
“So,” Bindu said, “our problems about the foreign minister are solved now…”“I am not so sure about that,” Percy said, “because the professor is our new foreign minister and no one seems to understand what he says and he doesn’t seem to understand what everyone else says…”
“But,” Bindu said, “his appointment was not as surprising as the new health minister, for example…”
“Why do you say that, Bindu?” Percy inquired.
“Why, the new Health Minister says that it is a subject he doesn’t know much about and that he will have to study it…” Bindu recalled.
“Well,” Percy said, “the former health minister also didn’t appear to know much about the subject and it didn’t look as if he took the trouble to study it either…”
“And what is the former health minister doing now?” Bindu wanted to know.
“He has been asked to look after our waterways,” Percy said, “probably to complete the task of clearing up the places where the dengue mosquito breeds, which he couldn’t do in his previous post…”
“What are the other surprises in the new Cabinet, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“I am sure the former trade minister must be surprised about being asked to look after education…” Percy suggested.
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu was puzzled.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy remembered, “as minister of trade he didn’t know whether prices were rising or falling so I hope that as education minister he at least remembers whether it is the O/Ls or the A/Ls that have to be held next…”
“Who has been demoted, then?” Bindu wondered.
“I suppose the Dentist will consider it a demotion to be asked to look after fisheries…” Percy suggested.
“Is there anybody else who will be unhappy with their new appointments, thaaththa?” Bindu asked.
“I suppose the former minister of human rights must be disappointed that he has been asked to look after plantations instead of touring one country after another as the minister of foreign affairs…” Percy declared.
“What about our Wimal sahodaraya, thaaththa?” Bindu inquired.
“Well,” Percy said, “he must be at least happy that he has not been asked to look after Sigiriya as minister of cultural affairs but I am sure he would have expected a better subject than housing and construction…”
“And hasn’t Seeni Bola got any ministry, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Not yet, Bindu,” Percy explained, “but even he would be unhappy with the subject of higher education that he is expected to get because he will find it difficult to always have his way with university students…”
“So, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “who do you think got the best ministry?”
“Well,” Percy declared, “Mahinda maama has kept defence, finance, ports and even highways for himself…”
“So, he has kept the best ministries for himself, then…” Bindu said.
“Or else, he doesn’t trust his ministers enough to hand them these ministries…” Percy said.
“But what about the minister of economic development,” Bindu asked, “hasn’t he got the most important subjects under him?”
“He has some very important institutions under him,” Percy agreed, “but I don’t think it is the most important appointment that has been made…”
“Why do you say so thaaththa,” Bindu was surprised, “who is it then?”
“Why, Bindu,” Percy said, “the most important appointment is that of Mervyn being made the Deputy Media Minister…”
“Why do you say so thaaththa?” Bindu demanded, “that is not even a ministerial appointment…”
“That is important,” Percy said, “because either Mervyn will learn a lesson or Mahinda maama will learn a lesson…”
Bindu didn’t quite know whether he should agree with that. |
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