Failing in English language – By GEORGE BRAINE Some time back, local nurses earned headlines when only four out of four hundred passed an English language test in order to qualify for work in the United States. If a similar test is conducted for local doctors and lawyers of a certain age group, I am afraid that the success rate would only be a little better. The tragedy, perhaps, is that many of our English teachers would also fail an English language test relevant to their profession. A few years back, the twin daughters of a neighbor sought my help with their English. They attended the local maha vidyalaya and were in tenth grade. On the first occasion we met, I asked them to read aloud from their English text book. Neither could; they said that their English teacher never read aloud in class. Hence, they lost the only opportunity ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 27th October 2024 -8th Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter Sri Lanka Association of NSW Inc Gala Spring Ball 2024 Winds of change indicate surge in Sri Lankan cricket. Windies crushed in one- day rout. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor) SUNDAY CHOICE – Because of Jesus – By Charles Schokman Doug Walters: AN ODE from a Sri Lankan Fan – By Michael Roberts Kal Jayasinghe’s 70th milestone birthday celebration. Kaleidoscope with Savithri Rodrigo 233 24 10 2024 King Charles III and Queen Camilla Conclude Historic First Visit to Australia as Sovereign New Book Launching – AN INTERESTING READ OF AN AUTHOR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY By Marianne Ferdinands-Grigson Good News From Jayam – By Jayam Rutnam The Brad and Kiara Show Podcast – 2024-10-26 CLIMATE MEET COP 29 – SIGN OF HOPE OR DESPAIR ...

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Italian Exodus and it’s Consequences – By GEORGE BRAINE My village, Boralessa, is only 40 km from Colombo. Starting with my paternal grandmother, our family has resided at Boralessa for well over a century. My modest ancestral property, “Pondside,” was previously owned by my grandmother, an uncle, and an aunt. It has been mine for nearly fifty years. Most probably, I’ll be the last Braine to live there. About 95% Sinhala Catholic, the villagers used to be masons, carpenters, sawyers, and workers in tile factories and brick kilns. Over the years, as the population grew, the large coconut plantations that surrounded the village were divided and sub-divided for distribution among landless villagers. Gradually, these plots have been reduced to only 10 perches. The “Italians” About forty years ago, looking for work, villagers began to travel to Italy, first illegally (on jam-packed, rickety fishing trawlers, and later with forged passports), then by ...

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The Moonstone Painting – By George Braine One privilege of teaching at the Chinese University of Hong Kong was the health care provided to staff. On my first visit to the campus Health Center, I was intrigued by the large, colorful paintings that hung on both floors of the Center and on the stairwell as well. They were mainly scenes from around the campus, not accurate depictions, whimsical and somewhat childlike. All eye-catchingly colorful, green and blue abounding. I later learned that Dr. Memie Kwok, a physician at the Center, was the artist. Her intention in displaying her paintings may have been to cheer up visitors. Memie was not my doctor, but she was my wife, Fawzia’s. They soon became friends, and I came to know that Memie also kept a popular blogsite, which was filled with detailed descriptions and photos of her world travels. I became an avid reader ...

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The death of Jude – By GEORGE BRAINE Jude passed away two years ago, at the height of the covid pandemic, from covid. He was mourned deeply by his small family, but, no memorial service was held for him, no obituary written, no monument constructed. In accordance with prevailing regulations, he was cremated, and not even his ashes could be recovered. Behind the passing of Jude lies a lifetime of neglect and exploitation – by family and fellow villagers, by an evangelical church, by doctors and nurses and hospital workers, even a crematorium attendant. This narrative memorializes an ordinary man who did not move mountains and whose death did not make headlines, but deserves to be remembered. Some background to begin with. My paternal grandmother lived at Boralessa, a village 43 km north of Colombo. Her older brother Charles was married thrice, and his eldest son from the third marriage ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 26th July 2023 – 8th Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter Christmas in July organised by Shanali Gomes For Old Girls of Ladies College, Colombo and friends Sri Lanka Lions Sports Club – NSW SEEKING FOR NEW PLAYERS How does salt affect your health? – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Poem on the Meaning of Life – By Ivor Novello Nightmarish Travels and Travails during Covid – By GEORGE BRAINE Successful Sri Lanka Tourism Networking Events held in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, led by Hon. Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism and Lands ICC Men’s CWC Trophy at the MCG for global journey – By SNNI Global, Melbourne, The Splendor of Kandy Esala Perahera: Sri Lanka’s Magnificent Festival of Light-eLanka-by Kalani Bradby Shield: Trinity College pull off stunning win over Royal College Against The Modernist Grain: Polyandry ...

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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 ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 5th April 2023 – 2nd Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter KELLY KLASSICS – Jerry Lee Lewis – Pick Me Up On Your way down Sri Lanka Para Athletics Team – Thanks to the Sri Lankan community in Brisbane Charith Asalanka and Kusal Janith Perera steer Sri Lanka to a nail biting win – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) How I made good in Australia, some reminiscences – By Dr. Harold Gunatillake GOOD FRIDAY – What Does the Cross Represent in the Christian Faith? – by Charles Schokman Sinhala and Tamil New Year – By Donald Gunatillake Cricket & Galle in Rothman’s ‘Potted’ History of Sri Lanka-by Michael Roberts victor melder lecture Sunday 30 April, 3pm-4pm – Clayton Hall, 264 Clayton Road OBITUARY: CHRISTAL JEUNE MERLYN LA-BROOY (12-06-39 – 19-03-23) Puthandu AN ...

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eLanka Newsletter – 30th October 2022 – 10th Edition Sri Lankans in Australia Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter GRANDMA’S APRON – by Des Kelly From Sri Lanka to Maningrida New Zealand compound Sri Lanka woes – Zealand announced themselves as a serious challenger to win the T20 World Cup – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. “APPRECIATION OF ARTICLES” – by Des Kelly Felicitation Event for Dr Harold Gunatillake SUNDAY CHOICE – HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY- 30. 11. 2022 – by Charles Schokman ICC T20 WC Sri Lanka Vale’ Gavin Stevens – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Mrs. Rushira Kulasingham ,Designated as Principal of Jaffna College, Vaddukkoddai With Effect From 1st January 2023, Makes History as the First Woman Principal of the Institution DILHANI ASHOKAMALA EKANAYAKE ICON ACTRESS ACCEPTS ANY ROLE ENTRUSTED RELISHES DANCING ACTS TO ADD GLAMOUR TO HER VIVID ROLES DOMINATED OUR ...

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The Talaimannar Pier – By GEORGE BRAINE A couple of years ago, I visited Madhu church after an absence of 50 years. The church has been restored by the army, but, in contrast, the area is in a deplorable state. The verdant forest is gone. Instead, what is mostly visible on either side of the road are small houses, some mere shacks, sitting in the middle of shrub jungle. Not even a chili plant can be seen near most houses. Some have been abandoned. Poverty and despair haunt the landscape. The usual practice in our country is to fell the trees, sell the wood, put up a shack to claim ownership, and aim for the next piece of forest. Pity the poor animals. The only commercial activity appears to be cattle herding. However, the splendid railway track and the modern railway stations built with Indian help, do offer much hope. ...

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