![]() |
Outside Politics22nd March 1998 |
Front Page | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Lend me your earsIt is not always that a nation hears when the Presidential Secretariat wants to reach a Cabinet Minister on the telephone. It happened last Thursday. Sports Minister, S.B. Dissanayake, was on a live radio programme with TNL radio. He was talking about LTTE threats to the Sri Lanka cricket team that was touring South Africa. If their security was endangered, he would have no hesitation in bringing the team back to Colombo, exhorted Mr. Dissanayake. Then came the operator's voice from the Colombo Telephone Exchange. "There is a call from the Presidential Secretariat. Please replace the receiver," the lady said. Mr. Dissanayake was not happy to be disturbed when his voice was being heard countrywide. "Please call back in five minutes," he exclaimed. He said he was giving an "interview" to a radio station. But the operator interrupted once more. That was within 30 seconds. This time she said "The Secretary to HE the President wants to speak to you. Please replace the receiver." Mr. Dissanayake asked (vena number eyak neththda). Isn't there another telephone number for the operator to call. But TNL's friendly anchorman Chamuditha Samarawickrema sensed the Minister's embarrassment. "Ehema nang Bohoma Isthoothie Emathi Thuma (then, thank you very much Mr. Minister), he said. And thus ended the live interview. Of course Mr. Dissanayake was most pleased. It was only weeks ago he had withdrawn a law suit against TNL. Why should phone calls stand in the way when he has something to tell his countrymen !
|
|
Please send your comments and suggestions on this web site to The Sunday Times or to Information Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd. |