Hemin Hemin superior to being badgered; retribution comes; obstinacy may cause WWIII

Warnings have been issued, even in editorials, that promises made in election manifestos by parties, even the more responsible minded NPP, have to be accepted as slightly exaggerated and not implementable immediately. Cass would like to use the phrase ‘taken with a pinch of salt’ regarding election promises, which to her is actually what she means but won’t say it in case she is accused of being frivolous in such a serious matter as country policy decision making and undertaking.

Go slow in Expectations

As is pointed out by the wiser and more knowledgeable all round, time must be given to any new government to implement promises made, and again not to believe all will be met. We, Sri Lankans, have some distinct national characteristics like lotus eating which produces indolence; being akin to soda bottles – sudden spurts of activity, mostly anger and then after damage is done subsiding, froth and bubble forgotten. Also, ever ready to point fingers of accusation outside at others, never at ourselves.

Warnings that the new government which may be solely NPP or a mixed one will necessarily need time to implement promises such as salary increases; life made easier to live; catch rogues, slam them in prison and bring looted billions back to the country where it all belongs. These will take time. Some cannot even be fulfilled like bringing looted money back since the looters would certainly have done their evil with no tracks and traces left. People’s policy should be to wait patiently for a while, go hemin hemin on expectations and demands and be thankful that at least the prevention of two national curses is in place resulting in much less corruption and public servants working as they should.

Cassandra laughed slyly when reading an editorial warning that the youth, not witnessing quick action and implementation of NPP or other parties’ promises, may take to protests and perchance violence as of 1971 against Mrs B’s government and in 1989 may erupt.

No fear dahling! Remember it was the then JVP that organised and set in motion the protests, extremely violent in the late 1980s. They are wiser, much more democratic and instilled by the actions of the mini Cabinet of three confidence. The JVP is now very different from what it was in 1971 and 1989, or so we believe.

Confidence that they, the new leaders, are sensible, wise and even accepted as thus apparently by the international community is a given. The American ambassador was instrumental in bringing a US manufacturing project to Sri Lanka from China. The absence of horas in the departments that deal with foreign investment makes rank corruption a vile practice of the past. Mr 10 percents descending on SL to peck a picking and returning to a life of luxury and locals following suit are also, mercifully, things of the past. Kaputas will be kaput, we expect

A virulent virus in remand prison?

It is a mystery but a fact that whenever a political VIP is remanded, he has to be immediately hospitalised – at the prison hospital or more generously in the National Hospital, Colombo, and for sure in the highest paying rooms with full liberty except to walk out, sorry, chauffeur driven in the most luxurious vehicle. These – unlicensed – are being discovered by the dozen. Keheliya Rambukwella, who Cassandra makes bold to accuse of directly or indirectly causing the death of many by allowing the import of dangerous drugs solely to make illicit money, is one such. He fell ill the moment he was remanded and so sick that he was even allowed food to be brought from home.

There are others, the latest being Lohan Ratwatte. Monday November 5 The Island reported he had been taken into custody for possessing a vehicle stolen overseas and brought into SL. We thought he was a sturdy strong man, quick on the draw even in peaceful hotels and invading prisons when the Minister with a mini-shorts clad girl to frighten poor prisoners, while other frustrated men drooled over the girlish spectacle. The moment he entered the remand prison he fell ill and so ill that he had to be transferred to the general hospital.

Hence my theory there is a virus, short of being deadly, which ghouls the Colombo remand prison. It is mercifully selective; attacks only the very rich, and powerful politicians. Proof again of Sri Lanka being a land like no other, harbouring such a virus.

One politician who was different was Hirunika Premachandra. Sentenced to three years imprisonment for a 2015 abduction of a youth, she spent four or five days in remand prison in an ordinary cell, probably sharing it with convicted female prisoners. She was released on bail on 22 July this year as she appealed against the judgment. No virus attacked her; brave woman that she is. She emerged from incarceration looking lovely as ever with nary a complaint; rather did she comment on the treatment she received and how it was good to spend days and nights in confinement with the hoi polio (not her words) law offenders. Unlike the other quick-to-sickness

male political detainees she had to be separated from her three young children, and she bravely bore it all. Her ‘crime,’ too, was far from abetting the killing of people and crass dishonesty.

No compromise, no heed to mass killing of innocents

Maybe Cass is chicken-hearted and dodges reality, but she just cannot watch or read about the horrendous situation involving Israel, Gaza, Palestine and now Lebanon with Iran in the immediate periphery. To her simple mind, she cannot understand how Israel particularly can kill so wantonly. Why cannot Hamas/Hezbollah declare they will not fight a war anymore? One cannot expect Netanyahu alone to do this. One party has to compromise. Lives have to be saved, especially those of children.

A video clip I watched had Prof Jeffrey Sachs in an interview categorically state that the US should move to stop the war by withdrawing all help – arms, money – to Israel. “Where is western civilisation when Israel is massacring hundreds of thousands and bombing indiscriminately, now threatening Iran? The pervasive view around the world is that there is no western move to stop genocide; not one attempt to reign in US operation carried out by Israel, with silence from Western Europe. A stark failure of American politics.

Netanyahu leads the US to commit disaster after disaster and the US Senate applauds him. Netanyahu will take the world to WWIII just to prevent Palestinians from having a state of their own. A strong US President is needed to stop the war and that is what the Presidents of the US have to do.”

Jeffrey David Sachs is an American economist and public policy analyst who is a professor at Columbia University and was director of the university’s The Earth Institute.

New US Prez

Shocking surprise to Cass that Trump won the US presidential election. She fully expected the American voter to be sane and sensible enough to vote in Kamala Harris, who was empathetic to the less privileged and had much better policy plans than Trump, who spoke almost solely of immigration. He is still running down women. Hearing his acceptance speech on Wednesday noon felt like an actual body blow to Cass. We, Sri Lankan voters, are so much more enlightened than the Americans who rooted for “Make America Great Again” which to the perpetrator means “Make me great again and save me from all the pending court cases.”