The Fifth Column

26th September 1999

History repeating itself in a funny way

My Dear Solomon,

I thought of writing to you because these days, the entire country is busy commemorating your fortieth death anniversary. In a sense, you are lucky about that, Solomon because just last week the Old Fox had what would have been his 93rd birthday, but hardly anyone noticed it- simply because the greens are not in power!

Anyway Solomon, now that you are resting in the Land of Never Return, I’m sure you must be watching events in our Paradise with interest, especially how your little daughter is handling the ship of state.

Thinking about that, Solomon, I sometimes feel that history is repeating itself in a funny way. I can remember that when you took office too there were great expectations that finally here was someone who could do a job of work. But once in office you had to deal with so many problems and the work never got done.

I feel the same way with your little daughter too, Solomon. After all, five years ago she was hailed as the saviour of the country. But today she too does not appear to be able to deal with the problems confronting her effectively.

But what I always find ironic is that she is undoing most of what you did in the late fifties, Solomon. During your time, you nationalized so many private institutions and took them over to the state. But today, your little daughter is taking those institutions belonging to the state and giving them over one by one to private companies!

And we all still remember how you came to power in ’56, using the Sinhala Only cry as a powerful slogan that captured the imagination of the majority community. But today your little daughter is trying to do the exact opposite by introducing this ‘Equal Opportunities’ law.

So I feel you must be a sad man when you see these events in Paradise: your only son has left the party you founded after a quarrel with his sister and joined your rivals; and now, your daughter is doing her best to reverse the social changes brought about by you forty years ago!

But Solomon you must also be happy to be away from it all, considering politics is not what it used to be in your time. Those days, bomb blasts were unheard of and people didn’t go about recording each other’s conversations and then leaking them to newspapers, did they? And when Collete drew a sarcastic cartoon on you, no one ever thought of sending him to the next world, did they? That’s what is happening these days, and that is why your little daughter is finding her job rather difficult.

But she also has an advantage you never had, Solomon. Remember, when you were in power, Dudley and J. R. were always trying their best to oust you with the help of some within your alliance? Well, your little daughter is also saddled with an alliance but the greens have no one of the calibre of J. R. or Dudley who could think of a good strategy or two. To be fair by Ranil, of course he is still learning what it is like to be in the opposition and it looks like he will need a few more years of tuition! And that, Solomon, is at present the greatest strength of your little daughter!

Anyway, Solomon, you may rest assured that we will be remembering you in style this year. And in case you have not realised, your little daughter has even re-named the airport in your honour once again but you know how it is- whenever the greens come back they will paint it green and call it the ‘Colombo Airport!’

Yours truly, Punchi Putha.

PS- Talking about changed times, you must be thankful that you presided at a time when there were no ministers and advisors for the media. With friends like those that your little daughter has around her, who needs enemies anyway?

Rajpal Abeynayake's Column

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