What happens when police clerks protest

As a law enforcement agency, personnel in the Police Department are trained in specialised skills such as methods to cope with riots, protests and other low-intensity threats.

The men come in handy when the Police chief or his senior officers need to quell disturbing situations. But for Police Chief Mahinda Balasuriya, there was one occasion when such skills could not be put to use to protect others.

It came when the clerical staff in Police Headquarters staged a protest. They turned up for work in black arm bands. The pace of work was slow.

So much so, Mr. Balasuriya had to meet the union bosses and negotiate a solution. It turned out that a senior superintendent at PHQ had allegedly abused a clerical officer of a higher grade. Accusations and counter accusations were made.

The Police Chief settled the matter amicably. CID detectives were called in to investigate the matter. In the interim, the SSP in question was moved out of Police Headquarters.

Blockbuster lawbuster

The controversial billboard (left) and (right) another candidate markets his number by distributing free Avurudu lithas.

A well-known film producer contesting on the UPFA ticket from the Gampaha district has adopted dramatic backstage tactics to circumvent the polls laws and play to the gallery.

His posters with only number 12 in larger than life size give the impression that they are advertising one of his old blockbuster films to be shown on the 12th at a theatre in Wattala. Cynics ask whether this is a blockbuster or a law-buster. These and other wannabe lawmakers are showing great skills in twisting and distorting the law to use it for their own gain or glory.

Lucky 7

Police in some City suburbs were removing cut-outs and posters. They had a problem when it came to one poster that was plastered on walls and lamp posts. They could not decide whether it was a polls poster or not.

With a large number 7 in the background, the lettering in Sinhala said "jathiyanthra koti handa nihanda kala apey handa."

The Police chose to leave those posters alone. Number 7, however, belongs to Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who is contesting from the Colombo district.

Her minister's secret service

The political degradation of the foreign ministry has hit a new low. While the ministry's publicity division has been deployed to implicitly campaign for the minister's re-election -- and his political survival -- even career diplomats are abandoning their neutrality to jump on the election bandwagon.

In one instance, a lady ambassador from a Western capital, who has temporarily abandoned her post for politicking, has been in Colombo for nearly a week now participating in two publicity stunts for her minister, including the presentation of so-called "diplomas" at the Bandaranaike Institute for Diplomatic Training.

The award ceremony, replete with pandals and slogans, had one hidden agenda: glorifying the minister.

Spending spree continues

How lavish some of the UPFA candidates have been during the parliamentary poll campaign can be seen by how much they spend.

In the Colombo district, one of them, a Minister gave Rs 100,000 each to eight different social organisations. He hopes these will translate into votes.

Food for losers

Despite the heavy intra-party confrontations amongst UPFA candidates for Thursday's Parliamentary elections, a sense of humour still remains among some of the campaigners.

In the Colombo district, the would-be losers have been given a new name by them. They are referred to as those gedera yana gamang (on their way home).