“SRI LANKAN SHAME” by Des Kelly

The last thing I want to do, as Editor of both eLanka, and The Lanka Times, is to write anything derogatory about the beautiful Country we were born in. The Island remains the same. Often referred to as another Garden of Eden, the Pearl of the East, the teardrop of another huge Country, in the Indian Ocean, the Island of “Ceylon-Tea”, oh, so many “ravings” of the millions of tourists who have visited her, over the years, it would be impossible to say or write anything “bad” about the Country itself, BUT, I have always taken pride in ” saying it, as it is”, good or bad, happy or sad.

As recently as last week, the “Golden Peacock” Award, well-earned by one of Sri Lanka’s famous Sons, Dr.Lester James Peiris, was STOLEN from right in front of the great Man’s body, as it lay there for people to pay their last respects for a life well-lived.

Money, it seems, is in terrible short supply in Sri Lanka.

Tell me something I do not know, readers. Money IS in short supply everywhere in the World (for most ordinary people), the reason being that while the “rich” get richer, the “poor” become paupers. Ordinary folk in ” My lovely Island Home”, are even worse off, I am given to understand, while the “Top-Brass”, plus 225 M.P.s (Members of Parliament) are doing very well, thank you, ordinary folk are battling for every rupee, and thereby, I do think that this “Golden Peacock” was stolen in order to put a bit of extra food on the table. I certainly do not condone the robbery. A thief, under any circumstances, is still a thief, will quite probably get caught and have to pay the price for the foul deed, done.

The problem now, is that Sri Lanka is getting a very BAD reputation for it’s “greed” in everything to do with money.

People are being warned that, unless they are a 100% more careful, not to send any money, for whatever the reason, to this little Country. This being the case, genuine charities are being deprived of cash with which to do their good work, as well. I do think that both the President & the Prime Minister of the incumbent Government should make it their priority to quell this “greed for money” factor before it gets worse.

I would hate to imagine what it would be like, then.