The Asigiriya Chapter Mahanayake, the Most Venerable Udugama Sri Buddharakitha Thera, had some words of advice for National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa."If there is any wrong done, as a Minister you must always speak out," he told the new Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities.
Mr. Weerawansa called on the prelates of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters after being sworn in as a Minister.
His first task upon assuming duties was to pay a surprise visit to the offices of the State Development and Construction Corporation (SD & CC) at Ratmalana.
The Mahanayaka alluded to Weerawansa's remarks at a news conference. There, the NFF leader complained that Mohamed Muzammil, one of his party's nominees on the UPFA National List, had been left out. He said this was contrary to the assurance given to the party that two National List seats would be given to the NFF.
Tray-carrying minister
A revered member of the Buddhist clergy turned up at the ancestral home of President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Parliamentary elections period. It was a courtesy call.
Onlookers were somewhat surprised when they saw a person carrying a tray containing a teapot, cups and saucers to serve the prelate and his entourage.
It seemed heavy for him. He has since been sworn in as a Minister in the Cabinet. The burden, no doubt, would be heavier for him. He has to clean up the mess caused by his predecessor.
IGP takes all
It was the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Headquarters Inspector or the Officer in Charge of a police station who were vested with the responsibility of naming men for other junior positions. These were OIC for administration, traffic, crime etc.
Police Chief Mahinda Balasuriya has now taken over that responsibility to himself. Some say the Department is centralising itself when previous plans were to decentralise.
Boos seal Bogols farewell
When the news reached senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that their former Minister, Rohita Bogollagama, was coming over to say farewell, they assembled at the conference hall. He was due at 11 a.m. and the officials came there by 10.45 a.m. However, Bogollagama turned up only at noon. Until then, the officials engaged in light-hearted banter.
Bogollagama turned up to make a short farewell speech. There he vowed to nurse the Kotte electorate and support President Mahinda Rajapaksa's development efforts.
But the unpleasant moment came when he was departing. There were hoots and catcalls from Ministry employees who were not present at the farewell. An irate senior was heard to remark this was the first time in the Foreign Ministry's history that such an incident had occurred. A witty one among them was to remark, "that's why the name has now been changed to Ministry of External Affairs".
Grave joke as his epitaph
It is reported that just prior to the general elections, the Lady On Her Majesty's Service (OHMS) had successfully engineered a defection from one Sri Lankan embassy in an important western capital, housing a vital multilateral institution, to her own Mission in a nearby station.
This is termed a direct violation of election laws which says no appointments or transfers in the public service shall be made in the period between nomination day and election day. Sources mention that the actual order had been sanctioned by the Minister, just before April 8 as the OHMS had succeeded in a gentle persuasion of the Minister during an earlier reported 'bilateral' hamburger/coffee break from Baristas.
Questions are now being asked as to how come a key diplomatic post is kept vacant in a location which is at the top of Sri Lanka's economic interests overseas.
During the farewell call of a former 'seven star' minister at his ministry, many staffers were heard mumbling the following kaviya (verse):
Rata wenuwen lowama baloo
Pawula samaga ravum gasoo
Duwa wenuwen party damoo
Kolamba janaya gedara yawoo
Ratay mudal nasthy keroo
Press release nithara issue
Nana baana appoint keroo
Ministryen kiwwema hoo
Mervyn's headlines and tale-pieces
Acting Media Minister Mervyn Silva met some members of the Foreign Correspondents Association at his private residence in Colombo on Friday.
As they took their seats, he walked to every one of them to hand in a betel leaf which he said was tradition.
In a jovial mood, he said he knew no journalism though he had written love letters.
He asked the journalists to be conscious of their responsibilities.
One of the participants asked why Silva was often in the news over alleged attacks on the media.
He said he was not alone in facing those accusations. World leaders, even Lord Buddha and Prophet Mohamed have faced accusations.
He said that during the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration since 2005 there have been fewer reports of attacks on the media.
Some of the journalists had staged those attacks to seek asylum abroad, he said.
"Why not investigate and expose them?" asked a correspondent. Silva said he had done that so many times. No journalists would be harassed from now on, he said.
Reminiscing over past years, Silva said he had, however, acted in several films in the 1960s.
One was titled Langen Giyoth Ehek Neha or if one goes past closely, there would be no eye. Even if that was only a film title, Silva's past experience gave a message to the scribes.
Lawyers make case for posts
UNP lawyers Asoka Samararatne and Ronald Perera sat at the conference table with Chief Justice Asoka Silva for the customary discussion on modalities on the conduct of the election petition filed by the defeated candidate at the Presidential election, retired General Sarath Fonseka.
It is the practice, in such cases, for a discussion where lawyers of all sides formulate procedures with the bench prior to the trial.
For the respondents (Government side), however, there were three President's Counsel and a whole array of other lawyers.
So much so, Ronald Perera was prompted to ask for a list of who is representing whom. It was turned down on the grounds that it was not the time. Perera turned to the Chief Justice and said one would find it difficult to pick a lawyer in Colombo to be retained for the petitioner. Chief Justice Silva judiciously smiled.
It was others who saw through the nuances of the larger presence. Many of those who turned up were wannabees. With appointments as heads of corporations and other statutory bodies pending, the best way was to mark their presence and score some marks with the powers-that-be. |
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