Outside Politics

10th January 1999

Grand affair

The dinner at a five star hotel to felicitate the jovial and genial poltician, Tourism and Aviation Minister, Dharmasiri Senanayake, was in fact a grand affair.

Even the impressive menu showed it:

Soup of Peking Duck, Fettucini Noodles, Crispy Tiger Prawns in Chilli and Plum Jam with Pumpkin and fried Kumara, Grilled Seer with oven dried Tomato, Basil and Chilli, Mediterranean style lamb cutlet with Scallop potato in Rosemary and Roasted Vegetables, New Year Glazed fruit pudding with Galangal Anglaise, Petit Fours, Tea/Coffee.

That was how those in the hospitality industry wanted to say thank you to Mr. Senanayake.

Who could give more meaning to the word lavish than those in the hospitality industry. To go with the good food, there was the good stuff that cheers.

Black Label, Chivas Regal and other premium stuff flowed freely.

No wonder they were all in good spirits including some of Mr. Senanayake's own ministerial colleagues. Evidently some of them were exhausted after campaigning in Wayamba. What better medicine than cool your nerves with a few stiff ones.

But one was in a show off mood. Even if he could not say "Fettucini Noodles" without mumbling for words, the man made an effort.

In his bid to extend courtesies to Presidential Secretary, Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, he ended up calling him "Mr Balapatagala..." Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Semasinghe became Mr.Saman. Luckily he did not refer to other higher mortals for they would have been offended for the insult of their paternity being challenged.

Another, who appears industrious, came out with some raw material, I mean the verbal kind.

He was polishing his wit and humour after breathing fire and brimstone in Wayamba.

It seemed a case of the baritone baila singer losing his voice for it failed to evoke laughter.

Those days, our man (some tease him as John Vain for he slightly resembles actor John Wayne) said, it was easy to identify media men. They wore the tag PRESS across their chest. Now women had joined the ranks and the label had been done away with. The reason was obvious, or so he said.

Otherwise, people would have pressed the wrong place !! Ha !! Haa !! How funny !!

Jungle Telegraph

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