No Mathews; like Hamlet without the Prince
Cricket is an unfair game. The result of a cricket match does not solely depend on skill, experience, or effort of the players. It is influenced by a host of factors, namely, the weather, wicket, umpire, third umpire, toss, Duckworth and Lewis calculation and match-fixing. On many occasions the ruling given by the ground umpire is turned down by the third umpire. Even the ruling given by the third umpire has been subjected to controversy. So are the other factors mentioned above. So, how on earth can a game be genuine.
It is a time-consuming sport, an ODI game consumes at least seven to eight hours. It is injury-prone. Even with all the protective gear, the players have succumbed to injury. Test matches are played for nearly five days and end up in a drab draw. It is not suited to a third world country like ours, who live on loans, grants, donations and foreign assistance.
As for captain Angelo Mathews, the punishment meted out to him is too harsh and not in keeping with his credentials. He is an all-round cricketer and has played good cricket for Sri Lanka. At present, he is going through a lean period. No player is at his best always. Mathews is no exception. Playing cricket without Mathews is like playing Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark, I guess.
K. J. Silva
Matale
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Waqf Board and Tribunal’s incompetence at the Jawatte Mosque
The Jawatte burial ground, at Torrington Avenue, Colombo 7 was donated by businessman O.L.M. Abdul Cader in 1876 to serve the needs of the Muslim community, the mosque being constructed and opened much later in 1941.
The shape and design of the mosque was transformed during the last two decades and the administration of the burial grounds became more systematic and planned.
Since August 2016 a board of management selected by ‘consensus’ – whatever it means, is now running the matters of this Trust.
The former trustees have filed a case at the Tribunal requesting a fair election and an abolishment of the present committee.
The Wakf Board’s and the Tribunal’s reaction to this case is totally opposed to the true spirit of Islam. Dragging the case for more than two years, they have enabled and indirectly supported an illegal coterie to run the affairs of this mosque and burial ground.
The present members do not possess any documents or letters of appointment of trusteeship issued by the Waqf Board (thereby by passing a mandatory regulation).
How can these illegal members transact a Trust’s monetary affairs amounting to millions of rupees in their banks when their trusteeship is not recognized?
How can they charge, at their whim and fancy burial rates viz. high price for Maldivians, a different price for others and another structure for those in the locality?
This is contrary to the pious purpose and intention of the donor, who, true to his religious belief, wished all of the faith to be treated equally.
How could donations especially during the Ramadan Fast be collected and accounts not be displayed on the notice board?
How do files pertaining to former trustees’ appointments disappear from the Waqf Board?
Does the Waqf Tribunal run by the Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs serve any purpose? Is this how they implement the Waqf Act to “establish a just Muslim society”? By law only Muslims can serve on this Board and Tribunal.
Are the members of this Board following instructions of their in-laws, friends or new rich businessman who have vested interest? Shouldn’t the law be amended to include upright and eminent non-Muslims to sit and ensure that true justice is dispensed?
God forbid that litigants turn in disgust to civil courts of law for relief.
Akthar Mohamed
Dehiwela
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Fisheries sector, the step child
The fisheries sector is the step child of all the Governments of this country. Nary a word do we hear about it, either on the part of the politicians, or the press.
On the contrary, all the time we are being told of massive budgetary allocations on behalf of the agricultural or transport sectors, and their doings. I lived from 2010-2014 in the last house down Station Road, as a tenant of Mrs. Jayawardene.
Her uncle, M.D.H. Jayewardene, had been a ward of my father’s. Thus, there was only the railway track separating me from the fisheries village next door.
As far as I could see, there was neither a palatable present or a future for the fisheries people there. Most of the younger generation had become 3-wheeler drivers, doubling up as crew members if needed.
Sales were conducted by third party brokers, who may or may not have had a share in the ownership of the boat.
We are so worried when bad weather strikes, and the meteorological department goes out of its way to warn all and sundry to take care. But, you have to be a coastline- dweller, as I was, to see the impact that such weather can have on the inhabitants.
They cannot go out to work, and, hence, on such days there is no prospect of income for the family. I have no idea how many fisheries villages there are in this country.
But there is an institution devoted to fisheries research called Nara and they could be called upon to identify the different zones around this sea-girt isle, in terms of the fish that breed there. Perhaps, that immense territory lying around us which is part of our extra-territorial domain, (Economic Zone?) several times the size of the island itself, may be zoned in terms of the fish that breed there and this useful information passed down. S
ome sort of better institutional organization is needed to strengthen the individuals engaged in fisheries, as a group.
None of the other occupational communities, in this caste-bound society of ours, is as isolated as this community. I dare say we may draw upon the experience of other very successful fisheries communities, such as the Portuguese, Japanese, etc who are fishing very profitably in our waters, and even canning and re-exporting our mackerel to us! It is not that they are better at the fisheries technique, but simply that they are better organized, group wise, and better treated by their governments, and better funded.
All the fisheries people I know are badly off, and in debt. Is there a man of goodwill and vision among the government ranks today, who is prepared, like D.S. was in the case of the rice-growers of yesteryear, to yank the fisheries people out of their mire, and put them on the high road to prosperity? Maybe then, under the initiatives of such a leader, the Fisheries sector will not be a step child anymore.
My personal choice would have been Minister Mangala Samaraweera, but unfortunately, he already has a lot on his plate.
Elangai Naganathan