News - odds and ends

News - Odds and Ends

Why English only?

The South Asian Games began with much pomp and glory at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday with President Mahinda Rajapaksa among the large number of persons present. However all announcements made over the public address system at the opening ceremony were in English. This has irked the President who has now directed his Secretary to immediately inquire why the announcements were not made in Sinhala and Tamil as well and report to him.

Five star treatment
The discrimination against locals was not confined to the announcements. When a group of Sri Lankan players came to a five star hotel in Colombo to check in as they had been asked to do, they were kept waiting for several hours while the foreign delegates were given right royal treatment with garlands and all. The end result was a heated argument between the staff of the hotel and the athletes after which the rooms were provided.

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