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Nightmarish Travels and Travails during Covid – By GEORGE BRAINE Since moving to Sapporo, Japan, in 2019, I had not been to Sri Lanka in two years. Not seen or spent time with my sister Beula; my cousin Marie and her husband who were my neighbors; their son and his family; a 95-year old aunt and her family; my friends Victor, Eileen, and a few other friends and relatives, some elderly, others ailing, some both.  I missed “Pondside”, the greenery around my small home there, the sound of the birds and the crickets, the mangoes and other fruits, delicious meals loaded with coconut curry prepared by Indra, my housekeeper. I missed sitting on my verandah and watching the world go by, the daily visits and con chats with distant relative Ignatius. I missed travels with Gamini, my part-time driver, chatting with him for hours as he drove. I missed the rain on the roof, the ...

Jul 25, 2023 Posted by In Articles, George Braine Tagged , , ,
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Sri Lanka’s band left playing the blues after stunning World Cup upset to minnows Namibia – By Daniel Brettig Source : smh Sri Lanka’s army of Australian fans brought tremendous noise, colour and verve to the Twenty20 World Cup’s opening day in Geelong, only to watch unfancied Namibia conjure an almighty upset to start the tournament. Extra trains and buses were put on to get supporters down to Kardinia Park on a pristine spring afternoon, helping to reel in a crowd of almost 13,000 for the game. They were to be confounded first by the sight of Namibia posting a challenging 7-163 for their heroes to chase, and then by Sri Lanka’s collapse to a vast, 55-run defeat. Dihan Nammuni Dewage, trumpeter in the Papare Band Melbourne that has followed the Sri Lankan team’s fortunes around the world for some 20 years, balanced mounting anxiety at the fall of Sri Lankan ...

Oct 17, 2022 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , ,
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In praise of trains, buses, and bicycles By GEORGE BRAINE Recently, while taking a walk in my neighborhood in Sapporo, Japan, a mother and a son passed me on a bicycle. The mother was riding, and the son, about three years of age, was safely belted to a seat in the rear. They appeared to be happy, chatting about something that made them smile. Once again, I found this, a scene that I witness often, charming. Japan is a wealthy country. In my neighborhood, some households own three cars. But, many people also ride bicycles. Middle school and high school students, working men and women, housewives, the elderly. Wide pavements and bicycle lanes encourage the practice. A habit children have gained while riding with their mothers is carried onto adulthood.  Compare this to Sri Lanka, a poor country, where bicycles (till the economic crisis hit recently) were a rarity on ...

Jul 5, 2022 Posted by In Articles, George Braine Tagged , , , , , , ,
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How Ponting could have released pressure valve in Australian cricket By Malcolm Conn Source:-smh.com.au Ricky Ponting could have been quarantining in a Dubai hotel as coach of Australia’s Twenty20 team if history had not taken such a tumultuous turn. Previous Australian coach Darren Lehmann wanted Ponting in the T20 role before the sandpaper scandal blew up Australian cricket during the 2018 tour of South Africa and maintains that the roles should be split. “I look back now and I think I coached too long,” Lehmann told the Herald and The Age. “I probably should have bowed out 12 months before that. I reckon four years is a good cycle when you’re away from home 300 days a year. “If you split the role there is more longevity because you don’t have to do everything. And it has to be done properly so the T20 team can specialise. That’s just sensible.” Whether current coach Justin ...

Oct 13, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , ,
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Joe Root wants Ashes clarity before committing to tour he is ‘desperate’ to play in Source:-www.thetimes.co.uk Joe Root says he is desperate to play in this winter’s Ashes but refused to guarantee he would lead his team to Australia given the uncertainties about the Covid restrictions that will be imposed on the touring squad. Speaking after being named men’s player of the year by the Professional Cricketers’ Association, Root would not commit fully to leading the team in the ten-week tour, saying that no one could give any guarantees until they had been fully briefed by the England management this week. “I feel it’s so hard to make a definite decision until you know,” the England Test captain, 30, said. “That’s why it’s so important that we get all the information. I’m desperate for part of an Ashes series. I always am. It’s that one series as an England player that ...

Oct 1, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , ,
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Sunil Perera: Sri Lanka’s larger than life music legend dies at 68 By Ranga Sirilal and Ayeshea Perera Source:-www.bbc.com His songs have pulled people on to dance floors at weddings and parties for decades. Sunil Perera, one of the stalwarts of Sri Lanka’s baila genre – a memento of Portuguese colonisation – died on Monday aged 68, his family said. He is believed to have died of Covid-related complications. Along with his band The Gypsies, Sunil wrote and performed songs with catchy tunes and clever lyrics, often about Sri Lankan life and politics. His song Uncle Johnson from 1987 related a hilarious tale of a ruined wedding anniversary party, while Signore focused on the laments of a defeated politician berating his ungrateful voters. Saima Cut Vela gave advice to a hysterical young woman convinced her husband was fatally ill when in fact he was just drunk. “It was his presence ...

Sep 6, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , ,
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Emma Fulu on feminism Spotlight on Emma Fulu Source :- ( Partners In Prevention )  Emma is the Founder and Executive Director of The Equality Insitute, a global feminist agency working to end violence against women and girls. We talked with Emma about her work, the effects of COVID on prevention work, leadership and ‘imposter syndrome’. Here’s Emma’s story. I feel like I was born an activist. I come from a family of mixed race and mixed religion. I grew up experiencing a lot of racism and sexism and saw abuse within different parts of my community and family. From when I was a child, I had an intense desire to try and make the world a better place. My parents say I used to walk down the street at age six trying to collect coins for charity from the neighbours. I did a degree in International Development and Gender Studies. ...

Sep 2, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , ,
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Obituary: MARGARET MUTTUKUMARU ”PEGGY” (31 October 1924 – 21 August 2021) Beloved wife of Anton (dec) Loving mother and mother in law of Tony and Margie, Phil and Geraldine (dec) and Chris and Ann Loved Mini and Granma of Sandi, Toni (dec), Mark, Cathy, Marina, Damon, Alison, Michelle (dec), Tim, Nick and Kamini and their families A private family service will be held due to COVID restrictions. Live-streaming option will be available. For details please contact the family or William Cole Funerals ...

Aug 28, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Obituaries Tagged , , ,
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Multiple challenges associated with online education; Too many Cooks? – By Raj Gonsalkorale “Children’s education is among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world. Prolonged school closure and limited access to distant learning has deprived children of their universal right to education, particularly in poorer countries” –UNICEF By Raj Gonsalkorale The COVID pandemic has accentuated a disparity that already exists between facilities that are available for poorer children in semi urban and rural areas, and those in more urban and affluent situations. While standards of educational institutions are different to what they were some years ago, there are many schools amongst the nearly 12,000 schools in Sri Lanka which lack even basic teaching needs, and worse, even essential facilities like decent toilets, water, electricity and other amenities. Often what is taken for granted in an urban central school, is a luxury in many rural schools. Opportunities for ...

Jul 9, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Raj Gonsalkorale Tagged , ,
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