New Prez; act of Sajith, continued coverage in intl. media

So the waited-for election of an interim president by 225 members of Parliament is done and over with. Can we settle down with peaceful minds believing the best will be done for our country, sunk in the deepest depths as it is? Also will peace reign?

Cassandra takes herself as an example or symbol of/for the general public, or at least the ordinary sensible women of the country. She is all bewildered, fearful and totally agitated. Why so, the complacent might well ask. The nightmare she suffered early on July 21st morning; the disturbed sleep and getting up mentally tied up in knots and physically in aches, forebodes ill. She heard screams in her worst dream and then opening a door she saw Kaputa a-bed, ordering a menial to catch ‘em.

Others will comment more learnedly and wisely on the result of the election, unlike Cass who is all emotional. Her uppermost feeling is disgust that a person with not one Party member in the house obtained such a majority of votes. Is Ranil W so popular among the 225, among whom are at least a hundred who are suspected of having voted for lucre. Probably all 134 who voted for the new Prez will expect high posts in the government. To answer the question posed: Ranil was never popular in the House. The convolutions, twists and contortions that occur in the House by the Diyawanne are multifarious and beyond belief.

What does the immediate future hold for us with a new Prez? Glimmers of silver in the dark clouds lowered over Sri Lanka? Maybe. Corruption is one obstacle in the IMF and other countries helping us. Is it decreased? Absent? Not at all. Fresh, recent proof is available. Will that stymie help which we need so urgently?

We hope so fervently that people will go back to their jobs, businesses, occupations. We need peace and stability and then can come the tourists, since there seem to be many who are prepared for inconvenience to taste Paradise. Remittances should dribble in, increasing as time passes .

Just prior to the election of July 20 in Parliament, Ranil W said he would get help from Scotland Yard to probe the Easter Sunday bombing. Rather late in the day, don’t you think? An election promise to be broken? Is Sirisena the target for inspiring trepidation?

SajitH’s act of giving

Cassandra admires Sajit for withdrawing his candidature from the presidential race so his votes could go to Dallas A. There are different opinions on this like Sajit never actually faces a decision or decisive move. I disagree in this instance since he was altruistic and to be admired and commended. The country before self seems to have prompted him, which is a very rarely occurring premise or belief in most of the present occupants of the august House.

Newspaper snippets

The Island 18/7 and a very recent NY Times quoted the Director of the IMF’s warning to the world citing Sri Lanka as example at the G20 Finance Ministers and CB Governors meeting in Indonesia. “Look no further than Sri Lanka as a warning sign. Countries with high debt levels and limited policy space will face additional strains. Downside risks about which the IMF had previously warned have now materialized.” How very sad! Sri Lanka was considered serendipitous; was elevated to the best tourist destination in the world by no less than Lonely Planet Guides. Sri Lankans were noted for their friendliness, charming easy going-ness, their genuine smiles. And now where are we? All due to an all powerful family of brethren and extravagant sons followed by bootlickers who only knew the word yes to whatever was decided on by mostly one of them recently earning a new name – Kaputa.

Frightening TV interview

MTV 1 news at 9.00 in the night of July 20 screened a scene at Gotagogama and along the opposite side of Galle Face Green. Much police security surrounded the statue of SWRD B. Cass wondered what it was all about. Surely Mr Bandaranaike and his ex Prez daughter were far removed from the present tumult, so why was his statue guarded and from whom? Was a protest against the SLFP expected?

Then was shown a press interview by the new aragalaya of the IUSF and other TUs. A Christian priest with long hair, IUSF’s Mudalige, a young Buddhist monk and others spoke surrounded by several very hard faced people. Cold shivers ran along Cass’ spine. They were not handsome nor even humane faced; rather were they cruel to look on and frightening in their threats to come out in mass protest due to Ranil W being made President.We pray earnestly for peace. If the new Prez is objected to, let the Opposition in Parliament do the needful. All Sri Lankans, or some on the street cannot dictate terms all the time. Savour the ousting of the last Prez. But the renewed anger, supposedly is because the hand of the Rajapaksas is again evident.