Recently I read in a British magazine an appeal for old unwanted but intact specs to be sent to people in developing countries, in need of them, after sorting out, cleaning and grading them.
There must be many eye glasses thrown away which could be used by somebody else in this country. Perhaps some NGO could take the initiative.
I wish to draw your attention to a feature article which appeared in your last issue entitled: Azdak flies to Melbourne. This is meant to be an account of the local production of Hunuwataye Kathawa staged in Melbourne in October 19,1997, where Henry Jayasena and Manel Jayasena were invited- Henry being invited to act and Manel to be present. Beside Henry, the entire caste was off local talent.
The above article, firstly, carried an inaccuracy namely to the effect that it was I who had invited these artistes to Australia for the purpose stated. I feel genuinely embarrassed and grieved by this untoward error. It was a local organisation called SPUR (Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka) which sponsored the arrival and stay of the Jayasenas here. SPUR is an incorporated association of Sri Lankans in Australia who are combatting LTTE activities here. SPUR has spent a great deal on these artistes and looked after them warmly.
Another inaccuracy: namely, that I produced the play. Australian Hunuwataye was such an unanimously acclaimed production that it is nothing but fair to mention the real Producer and Director who is Malini Jayasinghe. I merely gave logistical support.
I had to go with my daughter-in law to the Moratuwa Police Station to lodge an entry. A person (drug addict) who had been stealing from about 40 houses, had broken her kitchen window and stolen some of the electrical items and a gas cooker to the value of about Rs. 17,900/- The same week he had come to three houses in Laksapathiya, Moratuwa.
For many years this drug addict had been on the job of stealing. Along with him there was another person who was involved in buying the stolen items from him. These items were stocked in a house.
Within a few week's time of lodging our entry OIC Harsha Amarasinghe and the staff were able to nab the culprits and send them to jail.
OIC Harsha Amarasinghe and his staff were kind and attentive every time we went to the Moratuwa Police Station.
One cannot help but feel amused at the manner in which the P.A.Government has rushed to take credit for every victory scored internationally by the country's sportsmen and sportswomen.
We read in a newspaper supplement to mark the third anniversary of the P.A. Government that the resounding success of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team at the World Cup Tournament and our sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe securing a Silver medal at an international meet were all achievements of the Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga Government. The headline to this item read "Renaissance in Sports" with a picture of a beaming Susanthika soon after her victory to illustrate it.
The reason given for taking this credit is that these victories were due to the policies of the P.A. Government without so much of a mention being made to the great efforts made by the respective sports bodies and governments over the years which made these victories possible. Even a schoolboy knows that a world class cricket team or athletes cannot be produced in just one or two years.
Leaving this aspect aside,we had not known governments of any country or for that matter any previous government of our country taking credit at a political level for achievements of their sportsmen; or Ministers getting into garlands and coming to the fore to take credit on others' achievements as we had seen recently following victories of Sri Lankans in the international sports arena.
Rewarding sportsmen and sportwomen for their good showing and providing facilities is one thing. But trying to gain political advantage over their victories amounts to basking in reflected glory.
We knew that Susanthika Jayasinghe, hailing from a rural area had been spotted as an athlete of promise and brought to the national level and been placed within the top three sprinters in around 1991. She was already the national champion around the time P.A. came to power. Would Susanthika be able to come up to such international standards had not Sugathadasa Stadium been devevloped enabling our local athletes to train and compete on a track of international standard. Did not a large number of our athletes win gold medals at the SAF Games held in 1992 as a result - a showing that could not be repeated in later years. It is the duty of any Government to give encouragement to athletes. But taking sole credit at a political level when they come up with sterling performances, to put it mildly, would be unsporty. But now with Susanthika coming out openly that the encouragement given to her recently were for matters other than sports gives much food for thought.
The Sri Lanka cricket team which won the World Cup too was built over several years with a majority of players having played in over 100 one-day internationals. But the impression given was that it was all the work of the P.A.Government without so much of a mention being made to the hard work done by successive Chairmen and members of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka during the past 20 years.
The irony of it all is that no mention or credit is given to the relevant personalities or sports-bodies or past work done by Ministers of Sports for these achievements. It was made out as if these were miracles brought about by the P.A. Government without doing much for the game up to that time.
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