Cabinet and State Ministers assume duties having us the people watching them

Yes, local TV news channels have all shown daily clips of most of the newly appointed Cabinet Ministers and State Ministers set to develop our clay, batik, spices and what-have-you small industries assume official duties. Buddhist monks were escorted hither and thither to chant pirith. Family members in their finery stand close, admiringly watching the Successful One place his signature. VIPs of Cabinet rank visited other Ministers and State Minister on their respective ‘assume official duties’ ceremonies. Methought, says Cassandra, ceremonies and ceremonial decoration i. e. flippancies, were to be eliminated since with the Prez a workaholic, expectations were that his appointed Ministers would get down to grips with their allocated ministries/duties with no song and dance. Cass aches with boredom and annoyance when advertisements jut into teledramas she couch-potatoes herself to enjoy, but during this season of assuming duties, she even welcomed that absurdest of absurd ad of a man descending steps backwards, being drooled over by lovelies and then traveling backward in a fast car to shave himself with a razor, leering!

But seriously, though quips and jokes are making their rounds along the grapevine and through the ether about a State Minister for ‘meti’ works and another for batik dyeing, there is sense in this innovation. Most of the products and small industries receiving State Ministers are potential moneymakers so they are given authoritative Heads to money-spin by wringing the workers in the various sectors. People say it is going to be a sort of Disce Aut Discede – show results or be made to depart. Jolly good! No mere warming of comfortable seats in plush offices. One ex-Minister with many allegations pending had even a bed in a private section of his office in the ministry building. Was it a double bed by chance?

Tongue held firmly leashed

Cassandra’s week for comment runs from Wednesday to Tuesday, hence she did not comment on the selection of Cabinet and State Ministers in her previous ‘cry’. She dare not comment this week either except to say most of the choice seems to be that of the Prime Minister. Those who stayed loyal to him through thick and thin were again rewarded with ministries. Disappointingly, few bright new faces! Hence Cass’ comment when she saw the two group photographs splashed in the daily papers of C Ministers and S Ministers was: the same old tired faces. The world ‘tired’ refers to her sentiment. There sat the very old who would perhaps be more comfy in a rocking chair or cushioned setee and some faces who, she thought, would be out for past acts. For instance, with all the rumpus and unpleasant waves sent across internationally too via a made-up story (dare not say blatant lie) about match-fixing and casting a slur on our honourable ‘gentlemen in white flannels’, the rumour monger is back as a Cabinet Minister! Methought, again says Cass, malicious lies and fake news was punishable and not rewardable. Ah well! We are Sri Lankans, no? In a Land like No Other.

Talking as Cass has done so far about assuming duties very publicly, she was tickled pink and blue and loved the irony of the situ to see on page 1 of The Island of Wednesday 19 August, two sets of pictures. One was of (to quote) “Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s wife, Shashi arriving at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court where a case was taken up yesterday against her for using forged documents to obtain a passport.” Now that is the legally wedded spouse of one of our most important Cabinet Ministers who not only assumed duties before media cameras but was even seen to deign visiting other ceremonial work-starting by cabinet colleagues and State Ministers. Shashi in the picture is in full white. Even attorneys-at–law attending court now wear pastel shaded saris. So is she mourning the death of a close relative? Not that we know of. Shoot! Must be for that friend of her son or daughter who died in their home of a heart condition, young as he was.

The other photograph that can be classed black humour was the faces of Premalal and Chandrakanthan with the caption: “Among those scheduled to take oaths as lawmakers tomorrow (20) are Premalal Jayasekera and S… Chandrakanthan a.k.a Pilliyan, currently held in Welikada and Batticaloa prisons respectively” for no less crimes than MURDER. So that is the state of our voters who voted supposed-to-be criminals to our august, almost sacred Parliament.

Cheerful news

Investigative journalism in this land is commendable and deserves praise. TV One of the Maharaja Organisation is one such TV Channel. Even before the power cut of more than seven hours on Monday 17 August was over, their report on the power situation/ CEB was compiled and we heard the detailed report on their 9.00 p m news. Great!

The Face the Nation programme

on Monday 9.30 p m onwards is also highly commendable as it is spot on and the convenor/interviewer is totally unprejudiced and the journalists present acute in their questioning. This last Monday had the discussion focused on whether it would be a revision of the entire Constitution or only the introduction of the 20th Amendment. But the most time was spent on the issue of women.

The evening’s convenor, Nadim Majeed, showed himself to be a very competent substitute for the inimitably excellent Shameer Rasooldeen. Panelists were Attorney-at-Law Canishka Vithanage (SLPP), Lihini Fernando – Member of Moratuwa Municipal Council (SJB) and Mahesh Senanayake – defeated UNP candidate for Kandy in the recent elections.

Cass admits that she was so disinterested in appointment of the new Cabinet that it did not strike her there was no Ministry for Women and Child Welfare. Shocking, she realized as Lihini spoke during the programme. Vithanage manouevered this way and that in trying to say the State Ministry for Women was of equal status et al to a Cabinet Ministry; rather annoyingly. But this fact remains: women and children have been downgraded as issues of concern 52% + children of population. Another fact pinpointed was that there was only one woman Cabinet Minister among 28, so far appointed.

Heartening snippet from the UK

In the midst of turmoil in other countries and huge question marks in our own, the commitment of individuals sent in a ray of sunshine of hope. Cass listened to BBC HARDtalk on Monday 10 August when Chris Packham, naturalist and wildlife campaigner, one of UK’s best known naturalists spoke in his vast home garden pointing out the weeds and grasses as vegetation to be protected and said that the protection of animals and vegetation was of immense importance if we wanted the Earth to continue maintaining life on it. One do-away-with act was consumer consumption so gross in developed countries, contributing to poverty in others. He has been diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of autism, a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, but is dedicated to selective issues such as the environment and protection of species, even weeds. We have our own naturalists fighting for our elephants, leopards and forests but we are still to see the Act to Animal Rights passed. It is hoped the new Parliament will pass this long awaited Act.