Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is this thirteenth Amendment?”
“Why, Bindu,” Bindu’s father Percy said, “why are you worried about it?”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu explained, “all these people are talking about it...”
“And who are they?” Percy wanted to know.
“Well, Uncle Champika says he’s against it and Uncle Wimal also says he’s against it...” Bindu observed.
“And for once, Uncle Somawansa also agrees with Uncle Wimal and says he too is against it...” Percy declared.
“Why are they all against it, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy explained, “they claim that it gives too many powers to the provinces...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu was curious, “doesn’t the thirteenth Amendment already exist in our Constitution?”
“It does,” Percy agreed, “but everyone knows that it was never fully implemented...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu recalled, “even the uncles in the TNA are against it...”
“Yes,” Percy said, “and that is because they claim that it gives too little powers to the provinces...”
“So, thaaththa,” Bindu was puzzled, “what will Mahinda maama do?”
“Why should he be worried?” Percy asked.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “some people within his own government are opposed to it, so shouldn’t he be worried?”
“I don’t think Mahinda maama is too worried about that, Bindu...” Percy said.
“And why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu demanded.
“Oh, I am sure he has his own way of dealing with the problem, Bindu...” Percy assured.
“And what way is that?” Bindu inquired.
“Why, Bindu, just look at what he did to Wimal and his crowd just when they started making nasty comments about the thirteenth Amendment...” Percy said.
“What did he do thaaththa?” Bindu queried.
“Why,” Percy said, “they were given two ministries and now they have to forget about the thirteenth Amendment and start enjoying the perks of ministerial office...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “they have been given the all important Ministry of Tourism at a time when the industry is just starting to pick up after the end of the war...”
“Yes,” Percy agreed, “they have indeed...”
“And even then,” Bindu pointed out, “it is not uncle Wimal who has been given the ministry but someone else...”
“And,” Percy said, “I am sure Mahinda maama has a reason for that too, Bindu...”
“And what reason would that be?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy recalled, “remember how uncle Wimal used to lament that he worked for the rathu sahodarayas so much in his youth that he didn’t even have time to visit Sigiriya...”
“Ah, yes,” Bindu said, “he did say that when he was leaving the rathu sahodarayas...”
“So,” Percy explained, “that is why Mahinda maama gave the tourism ministry to uncle Wimal’s party, so that he could now visit Sigiriya with his friend who is now the Tourism Minister...”
“That could be true after all...” Bindu conceded.
“And of course,” Percy pointed out, “he couldn’t give the ministry to Wimal himself because we cannot have a Tourism Minister who hasn’t even visited Sigiriya...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “while all this is happening, what are the Greens saying about the thirteenth Amendment?”
“Well,” Percy declared, “they are responsible for introducing the thirteenth Amendment over twenty years ago, so they can hardly oppose it now...”
“So, would they support it now?” Bindu asked.
“Well,” Percy explained, “they have said they will support it but they are busy with other matters now, Bindu...”
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu queried, “what are these other matters that they are so worried about?”
“Why, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “don’t forget there will be another election, this time in Uva in a little over a month...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “surely, the Greens are not expecting to win that election, are they?”
“No,” Percy said, “they are looking to astrologers to tell them they will be winning soon...”
“But the problem with that is the astrologer couldn’t predict his own kidnapping, leave alone predicting election victories...” Bindu countered.
“Yes,” Percy agreed, I suppose Mahinda maama is as confident of winning that election as the Greens would be of losing it...”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu was puzzled.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “even with an election so near, the prices of gas and fuel were increased last week and it is not that the people of Uva don’t have vehicles or that they don’t cook...”
Bindu then realised he knew the outcome of the election already.