A LESSON FOR LANKA – By Des Kelly

“Breaking News” Ian Kiernan, a famous, former Australian of the year, Order of Australia Medal winner, Yachtsman, and all-round Gentleman, has just died of cancer at the age of 78. Millions of people around the World should remember him firstly, as the Founder of “Clean-up Australia” & later as “a shining example” to dozens of other like-minded Countries around our Planet, where it has become the custom to, not only clean-up the Land they live in, but also the Oceans that surround them.

It all started very simply. As a yachtsman, sailing around the World, Ian Kiernan could not help but notice all the rubbish strewn around the wide expanses of the Oceans he was sailing on. This unsightly garbage made him decide to firstly, make the effort to have the Seas around his great Wide Land cleaned up as much as possible, following up with, what had to be one of the most important decisions in his life, his desire to clean-up ALSO the LAND that was girthed by the sea, for those who are not aware of the lyrics of “Australia-Fair”.

Strangely, as things would have it, quite apart from the cleanliness factor, Ian Kiernan was also involved in protecting the father of Prince Harry, who, with his new, now pregnant wife, Meghan, is touring Australia at this very moment. On one of his many visits to this Country, the Prince of Wales, Charles, Harry’s dad, was suddenly attacked by some idiot, who was immediately brought down by security that included Ian Kiernan. Not only was this Sailor a Yachtsman, he was “tough” as well.

The reason for the “title” of this article is because I do feel that Countries like India AND Sri Lanka must take a lesson from dinkum Aussies like Ian Kiernan. Both, wonderful Countries vying for as much tourism as they can get, have to remember that “outward show, inward woe” is certainly & poetically, as I say, not the way to go, as I know, many areas, in both Countries, sadly lack the cleanliness of places like Singapore, for example. Ian Kiernan’s advice here, would certainly be a boon, if carefully followed.They say “cleanliness is next to Godliness”, and I am sure that this great Australian thoroughly believed this.

On behalf of all Lankan Aussies, I would like to send our deepest sympathies to his family. Ian Kiernan, rest in peace, now. You will always be remembered for trying to make the World a cleaner place to live in. God bless you, Sir.