The Jungle Telegraph
By Aliya
9th December 2001
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The luxury lover

The top man in uniform is furious over Alia's reference last week

on his moves to acquire a super luxury Mercedes Benz, worth a cool Rs. 8.5 million.

As Alia said the transaction was carried out during the polls campaign, where Government and Opposition leaders traded allegations against each other on the untold hardships faced by the common man.

Our warrior was in tantrums. Not because the report was wrong but because it became public. "Others have also acquired similar vehicles. Why don't they report them too," he lamented to friends. Unlike the others, this purchase was despite the man having a fleet of vehicles including luxury Mercedes Benzes.

Now it transpires that it is not only a super luxury Mercedes Benz he wants to travel in, and not battleships, to win the 18 year long war. There is more.

The warrior had even sought and won approval of his own organisation's Tender Board to convert a Pajero vehicle into an Intercooler Turbo. The cost, until now, is a cool Rs. 600,000.

Little wonder, the war is the costliest burden for the Sri Lankan taxpayer. Whilst bureaucrats responsible to oversee public money is not squandered, conveniently turn a blind eye, the urge to live in the lap of ultimate luxury and comfort is something our self exclaimed heroes cannot resist. Anything at tax payer's expense or free is always sought after.

If the Rs. 8.5 million would have provided school uniforms to all the country's needy children, the Rs. 600,000 would have helped build two modest houses for disabled soldiers.

One can only hope the new United National Front Government will not only put a stop to this but also punish those who have had a free run so far.

Cowboy brat

The notorious gun toting son of a hill country politico demonstrated his firing skills into the air opposite the kachcheri building just a day before the polls. If that was a repeat of his rowdy performance last year, there was more.

Weeks ahead of the polls, the man immune from all laws of the land, walked into a club in the city with a group of friends. The manager sent a message through a waiter that his group consisted of more than the number of guests allowed.

This political cowboy pulled out his revolver, disconnected the magazine and pulled out a 9 mm. bullet. He placed it on the waiter's tray, asked him to take it to the manager and ask him whether he would like to have one in his body.

Amorous pilot crash lands

Even the tight security at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after the July 24 incidents could not prevent this attack.

The pilot of the national carrier, prim and proper in uniform carrying a leather bag in hand, went reeling on the apron floor after being assaulted by a steward.

It turns out that whilst the steward was dishing a taste of paradise in the skies, the flier was romancing with his wife.

The man with a bruised face and spoilt shirt has chosen to remain silent.


The Rajpal Abeynayake's Column
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