“Tick, screech” Alroy Mascerenghe sounded the releasing of the handbrakes of a car; before he steered the audience at the annual All Island Toastmasters competition, through a rib tickling and inspiring speech about how bitterness can be a restraining force.
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| Chief Guest Dr. Ravindra Ruberu presents the winner’s trophy to Alroy Mascerenghe who entertained all with his ‘tick and screech’ speech. |
Describing how he failed his driving test as he had forgotten to release the handbrakes of the car, Alroy had the audience rapt as he animatedly expressed his frustration with the driving school he’d enrolled at. His frustration however, only made him more bitter. Once he realised that this was not helping him, he returned to the driving school, with better temperament, and this time around- he passed his driving test.
Applying the lesson he’d learnt, about how being bitter is like the locked handbrakes of a car- to life in general he encouraged the audience saying “Get rid of bitterness. Get rid of enmity. I have released my handbrakes, have you released yours? Tick, screech.”
Alroy was the 2010 winner of the AIBS Bartleet Challenge Trophy. The first runner-up was Anne Dilhara Seimon who spoke about having an action plan and following through with your dreams, while the second runner- up was Ruwani Rajapakse who persuaded the audience to think out of the box and not to be afraid to explore their world.
The other two contestants who made it into the finals included Shehan Mihindukulasuriya and Imanka Hikkaduwage.
The finalists however, did not make the most of the impromptu speech, titled ‘When I go to sleep’. Alroy however, won the audience over with his humorous speech on how being trusting and less anxious can help you sleep better.
The competition organised by the Colombo Toastmasters Club was held at Cinnamon Grand, where friends and family of the finalists had convened to cheer and support them. Chief Guest Dr Ravindra Ruberu and special Guest of Honour Eraj Wijesinghe said they were impressed by the speakers and the overall competition.
Also present were fellow Toastmasters and President of the Club Competent Leader Mohommad Zawahir. |
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