The Fifth Column

8th November 1998

Well timed Budget

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedara asked, "what do you think of the Budget?"

"Well, it has given our Professor six hours of free publicity on television," Percy, Bindu's father said.

"But Thaaththa, they say it's a progressive Budget...."

"Why are they saying that?"

"The Professor says he didn't impose any hardships on the people...."

"Well, considering the fact that he withheld a pay increase for everybody in his last Budget, that may be true...." Percy said.

"But Thaaththa, he has also given us so many concessions...." Bindu argued.

"Like what?" Percy wanted to know.

"Why, he talked so much about helping farmers and the Samurdhi people."

"That may be to prevent them from taking to the streets...."

"And he has done some other good things as well...."

"Like?"

"Like increasing the price of cigarettes and arrack...."

"But he also increased the postal rates and refused to reduce the price of petrol...."

"Well, he has to find the money from somewhere, Thaaththa...."

"But, Bindu, tell me, do you think he really prepared this Budget?"

"Why do you say that, Thaaththa?"

"Why, Bindu, can't you remember, just two days before the Budget, they showed Satellite on TV, going through the Budget with whom they called senior Treasury officials."

"What's wrong with that, Thaaththa?"

"Why Bindu, G.L. was not even in the picture, which they also carried in the next day's newspapers...."

"So, was Satellite trying to show that it was her Budget and G.L. was only reading it out?"

"Like Dearly Beloved did in the good old days...."

"But Thaaththa," Bindu argued, "in the next day's papers they showed G.L. putting the Budget papers into the so-called 'Black Box'...."

"Like Ronnie did those days...." Percy recalled.

"What was that, Thaaththa?"

"Why, those days, when Ronnie presented his Budgets he would go to his estate in Geekiyanakanda and all the press photographers would follow him there to get a pre-Budget picture...."

"Then," Bindu suggested, "they should buy a little estate like that for poor G.L. also, so Satellite won't be able to steal all the publicity."

"But," Percy said, "G.L. timed his Budget well...."

"Why do you say that, Thaaththa?"

"Why, Bindu just imagine what would happen if the Budget was scheduled for next week. Everybody would be watching the cricket matches and Sanath's batting and no one would watch the Budget...."

"Which is better Thaaththa?" Bindu asked.

"In a way, Bindu," Percy said, "they are both similar...."

"Why do you say that?"

"Both G.L. and Sanath, when they go out, start hitting all around the wicket, the tragedy with Sanath is that he gets out easily. The tragedy with G.L. is that he doesn't...."

Bindu didn't know what to say to that.

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

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