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Chris Nonis, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Britain, came out with the scent of roses for the way he challenged the British Prime Minister during talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week on the sidelines of CHOGM. His interview with CNN also earned him accolades.

His Minister may have been a tad envious of the envoy’s performance and the President asked him why he did not tackle the troublesome British TV station Channel-4 similarly earlier.

Dr. Nonis’ overt enthusiasm with the British Royal Household and Prince Charles’ visit was the subject of bickering at the Foreign Office. Dr. Nonis had wanted the Prince to plant a tree at Peradeniya and fly the British Coat of Arms at the Colombo Museum. The President shot down both requests.

He said the Prince can plant a tree at the new Botanical Gardens at Hambantota, if he so wished. The problem in taking on the British Prime Minister and pleasing the future King, said a Foreign Office official, was that the decision maker in Britain is at No. 10 and no longer at The Palace.

CHOGM treat for media

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, now Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, hosted a breakfast for some 400 local journalists last Tuesday. It was to say ‘thank you’ for their support over the ‘successful’ completion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo. The media personnel including a large number that served State run media outlets were seated in ten different tables which accommodated ten each. That was in a hall adjoining the main building at ‘Temple Trees’.

Groups of State media personnel congratulated the President and posed for photographs with him. One of them said it was good the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not attend the CHOGM. “Eka kirata goma daala vagey ney (that is like introducing cow dung to milk),” noted Rajapaksa.

At one point, Rajapaksa told a group of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) staffers “hondata giya neyda (It went off well, didn’t it?).” Rajapaksa walked around speaking to media personnel. Several ministers were in attendance. That included Basil Rajapaksa, Mahinda Samarasinghe and Keheliya Rambukwella.

There was a variety on offer at the breakfast. Besides Continental and English breakfast, also served were Kola kenda, Cowpea (Kadala), Mung eta, Manioc, Batala, Kiribath, String hoppers, Hoppers, Pittu, Roti and eggs in whatever form.

 It was a long, long way to the wedding

Who said there would be no road closures for longer hours during the CHOGM that ended last week?

One of those who paid a heavy price was K. Velayuthan, a former United National Party Parliamentarian. He had originally fixed the noon wedding of his daughter at a venue in Wellawatte. Realising that road closures would cause delays, he later shifted it to a reception centre in Kotahena.

The important guests – UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya – turned up only at 3 p.m. The wedding was almost over and most guests had left. The delay was due to road closures.

Tintagel meals: Organic veggies, chemicals-free eggs for Charles

Prince Charles who was in Colombo for last week’s CHOGM stayed at ‘Tintagel’, once the household of the Bandaranaike clan.
His staff who had made preparations for the visit thought his noon drink Pimm’s No 1 may not be available in Sri Lanka. So they brought along cans of the rum based drink — acknowledged as Britain’s most popular summer drink. Usually the Prince of Wales avoided lunch.

When he did have lunch, that would have to be prepared with organic vegetables. He also wanted eggs laid by hens not treated with any food mixed with chemicals. ‘Tintagel’ Manager Shanth Fernando found one such place in Bentota to obtain such eggs.

Charles also enjoyed modha fish and spinach. It was sweet karuthakolomban. Mangoes for dessert. He drank Earl’s Grey Tea, when he was not drinking Pimm’s No. 1. No wonder he was sporting a smile wherever he went. Two chefs from the Royal household prepared meals for the Prince and were helped by their local counterparts at ‘Tintagel’.

Biting jokes over snake in Ranil’s office

The presence of a snake in the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliamentary Complex this week was to draw some cantankerous remarks from UPFA members. It came when a few UNPers met up with them in the lobby. Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne remarked that “Vipakshanayaka thumage le biwwa nam mapilata kalanthe dai (If the snake sucks the blood of the Leader of the Opposition, it would have fainted).”

Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha went one step further, saying the snake would have died if it sucked Mr. Wickremesinghe’s blood. Offering another view was Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake. “Ethumage ange le nehe. Pakshe aya gahana gehillata le tika okkoma pichchila (The blood in his body has dried up due to attacks from his party ranks),” he said.

A UNP Parliamentarian who listened to the conversations told a colleague later, “Ara aiykuntakayo kateng nai natawanava (Those gypsies – referring to the ruling party MPs – are making snakes dance with their mouths).” Mr. Wickremesinghe told his party seniors that according to Zoo officials the snake was not a cat snake but belonged to a non-poisonous variety. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has already ordered an investigation.

Minister begins day with Jothipala

There is at least one Minister who begins work daily by first listening to songs of the popular vocalist of yesteryear, the late H.R. Jothipala. The disclosure was made by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, at a school ceremony in Matugama.

MLH takes the cake and political bakery

Mount Lavinia Hotel had a busy week baking birthday cakes for VVIPs. First it was for Prince Charles and then for President Rajapaksa. It was the Canadians who first suggested that as the President was to celebrate his birthday the day after the conclusion of CHOGM, and most delegates would have left by then, a ‘birthday party’ be held on Sunday, the final day of CHOGM.

Were the Canadians trying to make amends for their Prime Minister boycotting CHOGM, asked a diplomat?

The word went around, and the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was tasked with an intervention on the final day of the Executive Session to make a formal announcement wishing President Rajapaksa on behalf of the CHOGM delegates.
The MLH caterers at the BMICH were then given orders to make one big birthday cake for those present.

Budget: Menu without a price list

The Budget for 2014 has been described in many colourful ways. A former Treasury official who prepared budgets in the past described it as a menu without prices. An economist described it as better than an election manifesto.

Was the Budget a Budget, asked a student from her teacher. An elated tax evader shouted: “No taxes in this budget, only giveaways.”

An economics lecturer said MR was able to disprove Milton Friedman’s famous saying that “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” He demonstrated how we could all have a free lunch! During the Budget speech a Government MP asked another MP:
“Where have all the Elephants gone.” The other MP replied: “They are preparing to cross over, without their leader”.

Turtle tribute

Wildlife Conservation Minister Vijithamuni Soysa marked President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s 68th birthday with a novel ceremony. He released new born turtles to the sea at Bentota and prayed there that President Rajapaksa may have a long life.

Abbott hops like a kangaroo, Namal keeps pace

CHOGM which ended last week was not all work and no play for its leaders.  The man who stole the show was Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, who is a fitness fanatic. From the Cinnamon Lakeside overlooking the Sri Lanka Air Force grounds, he walked to the Galle Face Green. He jogged on the Green and moved towards Chaithiya Road. He climbed the tower which houses a stupa.

He was accompanied by Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and Army Commander Daya Ratnayake.
Lt. Gen. Ratnayake politely withdrew at one point. He later turned up with a bandaged leg. He was to tell Prime Minister Abbott that it was a wound he suffered during the separatist war and was still causing discomfort. Young Rajapaksa, the national rugby captain, kept pace with Mr. Abbott. As the jogging ended where it began, he had run for some 12 kilometres, said a panting Sri Lankan security official assigned to the Australian Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron managed four deliveries from Sri Lanka’s ace spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan. Later, they ended up talking. However, Mr. Muralitharan was to later get into a spin with the Tamil Diaspora over remarks he made to Britain’s Channel 4. He said there was no killing of Tamils when the war ended. Protests prompted Mr. Muralitharan to say that the Channel 4 had misquoted him.

Brunei’s Sultan Hassen al Bolkiah wanted his security staff to locate a good badminton court. The king who arrived in a special aircraft wanted to play with his two children who accompanied him.