Jungle Telegraph

16th August 1998

Everything ended well

The Navy sailor froze as he stood to attention and saluted.

The lady in a radio cab whose identity card he asked to check turned out to be none other than President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

In her efforts to personally ensure everything was in place for the SAARC summit, she had decided to take a cab ride from her Secretariat to Temple Trees.

The Navy man apologised profusely. "No, No you don't have to say sorry. You have done your duty well," she replied with a smile.

Of course, she made a request. Please allow the radio cab behind to proceed. Her children were travelling in it.

The nervous Navy man reported the matter promptly to his superior officers. All were happy everything ended well.

President's move

Who secured a pay rise for the Police ?

This was the question doing the rounds at the Presidential Secretariat last week after a state run newspaper report gave all the kudos to the outgoing Police Chief, W.B. Rajaguru.

Not that he did not deserve praise. It turned out that President Kumaratunga had initiated the move herself.

Court of Inquiry

Reports of items missing from the Sri Lanka Air Force works services has prompted Air Vice Marshal Jayalath Weerakody to appoint a Court of Inquiry.

The team is headed by Group Captain Sriyan Samararatne and comprises Squadron Leaders Premaratne and Rambukwella.

The trio will determine what has been lost and how much it cost.

Ack ack gun

Among the items Tiger guerrillas were able to get away with during a recent attack on SLAF Wanni defences, they say, is an ack ack (or anti aircraft) gun. There were other items too, mostly assorted. But the list ran to five pages, they say.

Latest Tiger diet

A packeted fried rice with a life span of one month seems to be latest diet for Tiger guerrillas.

A note inside one of the packets captured by the security forces gives the manufacturing date as May 12, this year and advises that it should be consumed before June 11.

According to instructions for use, the 330 gramme packet should be open and left for two minutes before consumption.

Editorial/Opinion Contents