Go On Climb A Tree To Pluck A Coconut

By Suranimala –JULY 5, 2021

It is a shame that Sri Lankans are yet like Ostrichs with heads buried in the sand. In this modern age when information is at a click of a button, millions of our people at home remain in a slavish state by choice. Loss of shame, slothfulness and a sense of entitlement have seeped into our people. Such a mindset cannot be wished away. It is simpler to demolish a house than to build one.

There is more. Consider, if a child is ( he/she ) is aware that his/ her father has never held a regular job in his life other than that of a politician, but yet has acquired millions nay even billions, wouldn’t he /she know that such wealth is robbed from the people? I will not refer to the people in the know calling out such politicians. No, they do not do so in public as they are aware of the consequences. Nor will the ” I am alright Jacks ” out of self-interest, or the rural masses who are too ignorant to grasp even a simple fact such as that. But the wife and children of such politicians must know that? I have not heard nor you of any such wife or child leave home or blow the whistle on such profligacy. They enjoy the benefits of robbery, corruption, and bribery. Ill-gotten gains have no other nomenclature. It is sheer robbery of people’s money. It cannot be wished away by convincing oneself that much money is required to stay in power to work for the peoples’ benefit. No Sir, it is bribery, corruption, and robbery. The wives and the children of such politicians have no shame. That shame must be shared by the nation.

Selendiva, the SPV which would pilot the shedding of prime property extending in a contiguous line from the Port City will leave only The President’s House owned by Sri Lanka. The Presidents House will be garrisoned. Or it could be surmised that The President’s House will be secured by foreign-owned interests. Is there a sinister motive behind such a move? There were news reports that vaccines from a certain country were being bought at five dollars more by Sri Lanka than the price offered to another nation. Lo and behold, such nation issues a press release that vaccine prices sold to Sri Lanka will be classified information alluding that it is at concessionary rates. It may not be so as well. Surely if people’s money is being used should it be not their right to such information? Can any Sri Lankan import a product backed by a letter from the producing country that the price paid is confidential? C’mon, tell that to people who yet plait their hair.

President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa touted as the messiah has been nothing but a wolf. The sheepskin has worn off in double-quick time. His grasp of governance is not only woefully inadequate but the arrogance inherent in him prevents good advice from being offered. It appears that his elder sibling Mahinda who has experience in governance is unable to be of any help either. But consider. Does someone over seventy years of age and coming from a stable that is known to be dodgy at best wake up the next day a changed man?
Dream on Sri Lanka. Dream on.

Be that as it may, what future does one foresee for Sri Lanka? Covid has not helped. That is true of all nations. President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in his simplistic mindset misread that a pandemic could be eradicated by the Army pointing a gun at the virus. Such naivety has pushed the nation behind by a decade. It was not as if Sri Lanka had financial stability prior to the pandemic ripping through the world. Financially stable nations and others that care about her people have fared better at minimising the impact of the virus. Sri Lanka fails on both counts and naturally will pay dearly. I digress.

A morally degenerate country cannot keep pace with an ever speeding world pushing forward backed by a knowledge-based and technologically driven path to prosperity. Recall our three principal exports, Tea, Rubber, and Coconut?
Sri Lankans yet harvest Tea and Rubber by hand. Remember this is 2021. Coconut? Yes, you still climb trees.

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