Outside Politics

5th April 1998

Please don't go

Another comical epi- sode in Deputy Defence Minister, General Anuruddha Ratwatte's, resignation farce after the Dalada Maligawa bomb explosion, is now doing the rounds.

Amidst the multitude of "protests" asking him to withdraw his resignation, one of his aides came up with a bright idea.

The man, whom they say, is from an 'airy village' telephoned the powers that be and wanted to arrange the service chiefs to come on national TV. They were also to appeal to their military and political leader to withdraw the letter and come back to lead.

Even if they chuckled about the comical events that accompanied the resignation, this request was far too much for them to allow. "No, no…That's not going to be allowed," declared one top man who was very angry that such a request has been made.

So they had to make do with men in uniform who are now retired. That was how a voice was heard to plea all the way from Islamabad. That was Lt. Gen. Gerry de Silva, former Army Commander who is now Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Pakistan.

Some sure know not only the value of propaganda but also how to manage them. Ninety eight marks for them.

Outside politics

My report in these columns last week headlined Epicurean Guards spoke of how some MSD men gate crashed a party held by Consul Generals based in Sri Lanka at the Taj Samudra.

W.Tissa Perera,who says he is Private Secretary to the Minister of Industrial Development, has written a letter to The Sunday Times.

He begins by making reference "to the article on page 8 of The Sunday Times of 23rd March 1998..." You are wrong Mr.Perera. The date is 29th March, 1998.

He adds: 'I too was present on the first floor of the hotel until the departure of the Minister as is customary and his security personnel were present throughout on the first floor of the Taj Samudra and thereafter accompanied him on his departure.

How good Mr.Perera !! As is customary, I have also verified what happened.

Besides the Consul Generals, a Foreign Ministry official present on the occasion also tells me it was MSD men (assigned to Minister Gooneratne) who were there at the party. They now tell me they not only enjoyed the culinary delights but also a couple of Scotch and sodas.

The President of the Consul Generals Association Col. A.M.Fareed not only established their identity but also asked them to withdraw.

But the good Colonel has forgiven them and forgotten the episode. So have I. Why grudge a few lads helping themselves to a few bites of star class products.

That is no crime.

But during my customary checks , I spoke to Director, MSD, Senior Superintendent of Police, S.C.P. Jayasuriya. A friendly person, he explained his inquiries had revealed the men involved were not from the MSD but the Minister's television crew.

Have you heard that one Mr.Private Secretary. Like the date, you may have mixed up this too.

Jungle Telegraph

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