There’s no topic other than the recent local government polls. You phone a friend and she says, “I have been depressed since Sunday” “My goodness how my heart sank as the kurakkan colour spread on the map of Paradise leaving only the Jaffna area yellow and a few other places green with the colour blue having to be searched, using a magnifying glass”. This feline was shocked and felt sad, particularly, for the quiet and deliberate speaking President. How three years changed the picture! Remember January 8 2015 and August to follow. What a complete topsy turvy occurred then with the sitting President getting far too autocratic, regal with a royal family to follow him on the throne and too confident by far. He was roundly ousted. Understandable. People welcomed yahapalanaya. But, this last weekend’s rout was least expected and inexplicable, at least to this feline. She has friends who still adore MR because he saved the country! Tosh and nonsense! It was the triumvirate of Mahinda, Gotabaya and very importantly Sarath Fonseka - actually battling with his men on the war front - that crushed the LTTE leadership. The LTTE leaders also contributed to their own defeat. So this cat has not contacted her friends who favour the satakaya, not wanting to hear crowing. The JVP was expected to do much better. Their downfall is severe.
Reasons
The pundits have analysed the situation; some electronic media channels are pontificating and the row of riders on MR’s success – GL, Wimal Weera, Udaya Gam are demanding Parliament to be dissolved and the government disappearing, making way for the pohottupodu janas. Fat b… hope! This government has to run its course and then face two elections. Come 2019 and 2020.
The best and most believable reason was forwarded by a woman who comes a-visiting – earlier to massage tired limbs but now merely to say Hi! How are you? Well she gave one word –bada (stomach). People’s insatiable bellies could not be full to discomfort level because prices of goods are high. They have no thought for the world market; the deviousness of the weather; the attempts made at poverty alleviation. They blame it all on the government. Our people have got so used to free rice or subsidized stuff that when full payment is necessary, they blame the government. She said many poor families were reduced to eating one meal a day. OK. But this feline adds two more reasons: invariably the existing government turns unpopular and people’s memories are very short. Maybe they were recipients of buth packets; a tot or more of arrack and money handed out. They thought that would be the order of the day if and when they beat the Greens and True Blues. Fat hope! None of the poor were taken away in white vans, but some were shot at when water was asked for, and bullied in other ways. They want change. That I suppose is why so many men change beds with new co-occupants – change is the desired condition.
The woman analyst also commented. “Who are the villagers who want this wi-fi that Ranil promised. Some years ago it was chewing gum as reward for voting the elephant in, then raththaran valalu for nangila and mallila.
Ingratitude and impatience, major reasons
This cat says, she is ever grateful to this government for freedom bestowed to talk, write and question. The poorer of the population amounting to about 80% of the whole do not care for freedom of expression and democracy. It’s not to have the Island divided and to fill their bellies. They were told yahapalana was selling the country. Who started the selling with gay abandon – the stretch along Galle Face Green gone to the Chinese for a song; snatches of the song retained for personal and individual pleasure.
This cat needs quite a cocktail of drugs, thank goodness NOT for AIDS but for combined ailments involving heart, blood vessels, cholesterol and kidneys. Due to the yahapalanaya Health Minister, she only pays half or less of what she forked out earlier. Her gas cylinder also costs much less than what it cost then. The mass voters who brought the Bud in, do not buy medicines, we suppose, making use of free health services and they must be doing damage to trees for firewood.
People have short memories and shorter amounts of gratitude.
Impatience seems another hallmark of our people, in addition to laziness and expecting everything free. Development takes time. There were projects to develop the country, make poverty less prevalent, improve schools et al. These all take time. But, people want instant results. Now they protest; three years back they had to shut up or else… Isn’t the completion of the Moragahakande project commendable? These are not considered; it is thinking just of oneself and one’s stomach, as many politicians do, and not of the country.
Cat disgusted over a certain channel
The news half hour is not what it was on TV I. For some time now two presenters have been pontificating on scams et al, but only the Head of the UNP is mentioned. It looks to be a vendetta. Not done, not done at all. This cat holds no brief for any politician or party, truth to tell, but she is insistent on impartiality and fair play. News imparted via print or electronic media must be unbiased. Personal views expressed in feature articles or talk shows over TV are another matter. Such can take sides; not a TV channel giving its listeners the news of the day.
Analysing the defeat of yahapalanaya, the two know-alls speak only of the defeat of the UNP. The elephant did not really do so badly. It was the blues that sank. No mention of that. Even the devil must be given his due. So this cat does not listen to the English news on this channel. It does not matter a pin head to them and their parent organization, but the cat can talk.
This feline admired the spirit of the UNP via its Gen Secy. It conceded victory where victory was won and accepted their defeat as a warning, a lesson to be learnt and acted on.
So cheers to all! A clear indication that urbanites think straight and clear. Cats and humans in Colombo look forward to good mayoring by Rosy of the lovely looks!
Menika