Poor Berty
Why did NCP Chief Minister re-elect Berty Premalal suddenly hold a media briefing on Wednesday to publicly announce that the President will not change his mind in appointing him as the Chief Minister? Folks it is all to do with the palace suddenly canceling an appointment given to the man to swear him in privately. And it was only an exercise to pacify himself.
Apparently el presidente is not all that happy with the performance of his man, especially with gun shot garnering more preferential votes than Berty. And many are crediting the victory to the President’s last minute appeal to give him a mandate to finish the war. So we are told that there will be no private oath taking ceremonies and it will be a common one with the other Ministers of NCP.
Nobody’s
memorial
The impressive memorial built by the Sri Lankan Government in the run-up to the recent SAARC summit in memory of Indian Peace Keepers who sacrificed their lives fighting the LTTE is now literally gathering dust. Though it was completed by the Sri Lanka Navy working day and night to be declared open by the visiting Indian Prime Minister during the recently concluded summit, for some unknown reasons it was left out of the itinerary of Premier Manmohan Singh.
The Indian High Commission’s Information Counsellor Dinkar Astana refused to comment on the subject and requested us to ask the Defence Ministry, but there too we were sent from pillar to post. Additional Defence Secretary R.M. Ratnayake said only Military Liaison Officer Maj. Gen. (ret.) Palitha Fernando could shed some light on the matter. But repeated attempts made to contact Major Gen Fernando proved futile.
Marching orders
for casinos?
We cannot really call him Dharmika, for he also owns gambling dens. The man is also said to be in a warrior mood these days for his casinos too have been given marching orders on the ground they are too close to schools and this fact had been brought to the notice of the top by some leading religious dignitaries.
Poor man has also invested a fortune in building a classical abode in the adjoining property to shift one of them. But when orders come from numero uno we all have to obey. So will he jump board from one that is of investment? |
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