This feline uses the initials – GROBR – in connection with a minister of state, with complete feeling of it being good riddance. The initials, as you may well know, very popular with the older female generation when they were kids, reads: Good Riddance of Bad Rubbish. This statement is applied to a Minister, a doctor of law no less, who had to be ejected out of his ministries since he spoke against a Cabinet decision on the Hambantota Port after voting for the decision to be taken, knowing full well the onerousness of collective decision making. He was extended saving grace by the Prime Minister to give an explanation of his behavior – confess or depart. He spoke not thus so the President proclaimed: leave your ministries and go.
The said minister some moons ago vowed he did not know a certain rich fat cat – no relation of this cat since yours truly whose eye spies is really akin to a church mouse when it comes to wealth. Then lo and behold, the Field Marshall abracadabraed some photographs showing the Minister and the rich shipping type, with families, sightseeing in Los Angeles. He broke bread and drank wine probably (breaking two Buddhist precepts though Minister of Buddha Sasana) with the Avant Garde millionaire. The President boldly, knowing for sure a saffron surge would attempt submerging him, showed the door unceremoniously to the said Doctor of Laws and President’s Counsel. This cat touched on this dismissal last Sunday too, but it’s too enjoyable an expulsion to be written about once and forgotten - a character trait of the Sinhalese. The correct act of the President and the GROBRness of the incident calls for delicious repetition.
Good to have you!
What’s with Menika’s Welcome? Why, it’s a hearty, warm, heartfelt welcome to a lovely smiling lady who the President was wise enough to appoint Minister of Justice. She does not possess a doctorate but is an attorney-at-law and honest and squeaky clean of corruption. This as often happens is contrary to Wimal Wee’s latest shouted diatribe. In a Tuesday 29 August daily, a sub-headline reads: “Wimal renews corruption charges against new Justice Minister: Thalatha to counter all allegations after assuming duties on Thursday.”
Reading further this feline finds him saying that the yahapalanaya government overlooked the complaint made by the Joint Opposition last year to CIABOG. What else should be done with JO complaints? Ms Atukorale had denied any wrong doing on her part. Why the shouting against her? Fearful apprehension is the reason this cat believes. “Instead of probing Atukorale, she had been given the justice portfolio to oversee the AG’s department taking action against Joint Opposition members in the run-up to Local Government elections.” That’s Wee Wee thundering. The people however welcomed the lady to her double ministries. Right thinking citizens, senior and junior, hope this will come to pass. It is wished, desired and prayed for that she will get wheels turning so that those in the previous regime and this too, who were/are guilty of rank corruption; misuse of government money, resources and power; and outright cheating (altering dates of birth and possessing more than one passport for instance) will get it in their necks. Punishment for crimes committed is justified and not a witch-hunt by any twist of facts.
Instant punishment for the less powerful
This feline heard on TV that a school principal had received a bribe of Rs 25,000/- to admit a child to her school. The CID nabbed her in the act of taking the santhosham. A three wheeler chappie who carted Menika on an errand on Thursday 31, commented bitterly on the deduction that only the powerless are punished. He further clarified his statement by saying that millions have been stolen and no punishment since the rouges were powerful VIPs. True to a large extent and difficult to argue the case. Menika managed to say in defense of yahapalanaya that the woman bribe-taker might have been watched by the CID, consequent to complaints about her. She further said the government was democratic but the powerful escape the chop on the neck because of the difficulty in framing charges against big grabbers, since evidence is difficult to gather what with trails of money laundering and stashing away cash being obliterated; body parts made to disappear and computer files altered or erased altogether.
Let’s wait and see is the wise advice of this feline. The new broom in the Ministry of Justice might start a clean sweep of the floor. Old Father Time who ticks away the minutes and hours may surely ensure the government, having reached its half-life, may grow wings on its sluggish back and hasten matters, with a capable feminine hand guiding its justice ministry.
A very sad death
As this piece is being written this 31 August, London must be awash with resurrected memories of the People’s Princess meeting with a fatal car accident in Paris. Her sons have opened up to the public in an interview to say how unable they felt to cope with the loss of a wonderful mother. But this feline has genuine reservations against blaming Prince Charles for the marriage break-up. As a recent biography titled Prince Charles by Sally Bedell Smith states, the prince tried hard to make his marriage work but due to Diana’s emotional demands, intransigence and all that, he was dangerously near a nervous breakdown. So he went to his former lover Camilla for solace. While he was a one woman-out-of-marriage person, Diana had several lovers ranging from the go-getting Hewitt to the playboy son of the Muslim owner of Harrods - Dodi Fayed. Also she was deeply in love with a Muslim surgeon whom she pursued desiring marriage, forgetting she was the mother of the Heir to the British Throne. She proved that fast living is very dangerous.
Going against strong currents, meeting disdain and even derision, this cat has stood up for Charlie boy!! May he ascend the British throne in spite of his ex-wife unforgivably saying he was not fit to be king.
- Menika