Features

A people like no other in a land like no other

Published

2 years ago

2023/10/13

Sanath Nishantha

Take that first part of the title in the most derogatory sense; with an insulting innuendo; but justified. The second part retains the message intended by the Tourist Board, which coined the blurb to advertise this marvellously serendipitous island. Yes, those who represent the people of the land, the MPs, are like no other in this land and in other lands. Of course, governments, legislators and VIPs are notorious for corruption, stupidity, vanity, selfishness all over the world, but it seems that many of our representatives voted in by us are the most despicable.

All this was demonstrated so clearly on 02 Oct., by MP Sanath Nishanta from Puttalam. In his personal capacity, he is a money maker from fish and so wealthy that he can put down cash to the tune of millions in one go. Boastfully, he announced to a posse of media persons after emerging from the CEB head office: “Today, I paid the total electricity bill of Rs 2,682,246.57 to the Electricity Board on behalf of Mr Namal Rajapaksa.” This was a long unpaid bill for lighting up Medamulana home to celebrate son and heir Namal R’s wedding.

Sanath Nishanta went further to explain the matter; “When I talked to MP Namal Rajapaksa, he said that he or his father had not requested additional electricity supply for his wedding. But there was a rumour spreading about this electricity bill.” The reason for his two million plus rupee generosity was that the father of the bridegroom of the much-illuminated wedding: “Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the leader who ended the war and engaged in massive developments in the country. I cannot let him hear blame from anyone.” He also said he was grateful to him for having helped him – maybe to become a MP and also a multimillionaire.

A booklet can be written in comment of that paragraph and what emerges from it as regards people like no other and events like no other.

Have you ever heard of such generosity to people who appear to be stinking rich themselves? Thus, the Good Samaritan act makes this land like no other and the people concerned unique. Hosts of people are living in the dark having had their electricity supply disconnected due to non-payment of bills, which surely are not even a thousand rupees.

Mahinda R and his brother Gotabaya did not save the country, unaided. The country was saved by brave armed forces personnel who sacrificed life and limb. It was they who won the war, given the lead by the two brothers Rajapaksa who were safe and heavily guarded in Colombo. Post war did the two R brothers save Sri Lanka? No! They sent the country reeling to bankruptcy through, among other things, heavy borrowing and banning agrochemicals.

However, does one spend 2.6 million on illumination at one function? Impossible to imagine. The absolutely sharp contrast between them who wielded power and made money, and still do so now, against the toiling masses of now and then when the brilliantly illuminated wedding took place, has to be like no other. The colossal amount spent on lighting up the venue could have kept an entire village of many families fed for a year. How did the other wedding expenses go? Who generously footed the bills?

How was an electricity bill unpaid for so many years: four years to be exact since the all-important marriage was in September 2019? Is there a difference in billing and collecting dues from VIP’s and the ordinary you and me?

The contrast between the rich and the poor in SL is like in no other country. See how India and China, weighted down with vast populations sunk in poverty, have risen to be economic giants. Sri Lanka, so small, so manageable, with intelligent people, was driven to bankruptcy by its leaders like no other.

In conclusion, Cassandra opines that while Sanath Nishanta got himself publicity, cheap, Cass adds, he has opened a can of worms. But our land is overrun by suckers and lunatics and who knows Namal and Sanath may well be returned to Parliament if elections are ever held.

Another event that made this country a land like no other was a TV interview in Germany, where the President went ballistic. He lost his cool completely, used hoi polloi expressions like ‘bunkum’ and took offence which was not made: “You think we are bad!”

Leading from this is another supposition. Not many countries considered democratic and having intelligent people have a Prez who is so focused on returning as an elected Prez. Otherwise why the display of pyrotechnics with Deutsche Welle and adopting the trend of many anti-West Sri Lankan nationals. Was he appealing to national pride? The fringe lunatics approved.

Except Japan, has the Far East genuinely helped us overcome our economic conundrum? In fact, the rising giant of the East, China, led the most powerful Brother R to build massive white elephants in Hambantota and the Lotus uselessness in Colombo, incurring huge debts.

IMF and SL

Please, someone let Cass know whether any other country receiving IMF funding to overcome financial crises has acted so lackadaisically as Sri Lanka in fulfilling conditions laid down by them – the IMF. To Cass the government’s nonchalant manner of ensuring receiving the second tranche of their aid package is unique – like no other bankrupt country. The IMF visited, assessed progress, and did not appear satisfied. Its report mentioned 16 areas of concern which have not received enough attention, and were corrected. To mention but a few: “widespread corruption; vulnerabilities and governance weaknesses arising and ad hoc policy decisions; half-baked approaches to anti-money laundering; lack of robust legal framework; ad hoc tax policy.”

Even a novice like Cass sees that many of those areas mentioned could have been given strict attention to, and corrected or at least seen to be attempting correction. No. Instead, taxes were increased. Going all out to find tax evaders has not been attempted. Has the tax exemption decreed by Prez Gotabaya R of certain wealthy persons been rescinded?

At least widespread corruption could have been curtailed – import of poor-quality medicines stopped and the guilty punished. No! Politics to the fore in this area of obvious and mass corruption. The no confidence motion against the Health Minister was defeated by SLPP MPs merely on party allegiance and saving their positions and perks. Set a thief to help and save a thief! The health sector does not hold hope for the sick but promises death for even the healthy.

Falling roadside trees

Sure, Sri Lanka is like no other country, except the most backward and environmentally non-caring, to not examine and be warned of unsteady trees. We have grown lots of trees during British colonial times which make some of our Colombo roads marvels of tree beauty. Anyone with a modicum of sense knows they have to be regularly checked as being centurions and likely to be weak in root and bole. Cass was told the CMC bought a very expensive detecting ‘machine’ for gauging the stability of trees.

Where is it? Why not use it? Cass was also told 25 Municipal persons are delegated the job of inspecting roadside trees for their firmness. Like many employees of the CMC, the informer noted, they must be punctilious in punching/ signing in and out, but no inspections carried out. And, so, the totally unnecessary loss of precious lives. The CMC might now go on a rampage of felling trees. What are the Mayoress and Commissioner doing? Feathering nests?

The brighter side, yet like no other

Tharushi Dilsara Karunaratne bagged gold for herself and brought golden honour to Sri Lanka by winning the Women’s 800 min the 2023 Asian Athletics Championship, competing against bigger made stalwarts and broke the 25-year-old Asian record in the event, as well. All praise to her school – Rathnayake Central in Walala, her coach Susantha Fernando, and her brother, also an athlete, who won silver in the 2017 Asian Athletics Championship in the same event; and her parents.

Most praise for her determination and supreme effort put in. The tag ‘country like no other’ in the negative sense fits in her case too. A mere security guard of a sports ground, assuming power, refused entry to her. This is because she did not have the Rs 30 entry fee that day. Also, Cass believes she was not given all the encouragement and perks that most other countries bestow on their athletes and medal aspirers. Also not done is not publicly giving her coach his due. He must be generously acknowledged.

All of Sri Lanka congratulate Tharushi and wish her many more successes both in the sports field and academically.

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Related Topics:CEB head office Electricity Medamulana MP Sanath Nishanta Mr Namal Rajapaksa

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Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.

Features

Banana and Aloe Vera

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

To create a powerful, natural, and hydrating beauty mask that soothes inflammation, fights acne, and boosts skin radiance, mix a mashed banana with fresh aloe vera gel.

This nutrient-rich blend acts as an antioxidant-packed anti-ageing treatment that also doubles as a nourishing, shiny hair mask.

* Face Masks for Glowing Skin:

Mix 01 ripe banana with 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel and apply this mixture to the face. Massage for a few minutes, leave for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off for a glowing complexion.

* Acne and Soothing Mask:

Mix 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel with 1/2 a mashed banana and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture to clean skin to calm inflammation, reduce redness, and hydrate dry, sensitive skin. Leave for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

* Hair Treatment for Shine:

Mix 01 fresh ripe banana with 03 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply from scalp to ends, massage for 10-15 minutes and then let it dry for maximum absorption. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for soft, shiny, and frizz-free hair.