Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai, Vanderwert Place, Dehiwela

Whether we suffer from rise in cost of living or not, we can be thankful the  government provides  some amusement for the common man at regular intervals.

There was this plan to jail the beggars and without any  warning some beggars were taken into custody – and we had beggar free streets just for two days. They are all back where they were – right in front of the noses of the police, but then who cares? The news provided fuel for conversation among the erudite –as often it does for two days and – presto! We forget about the whole issue and life goes on.

The dengue prevention program takes life now and then. The inspectors of the gardens come in whenever they feel like – in various capacities – the PHI, the laborers, the army  etc. and if there is a little bit of water on the surface of a pot they threaten court action, while the whole huge drain just outside the houses in the lanes are overflowing with garbage; if pointed out they say it is not their duty to check them but that of the RDA. A thousand drupes into the palm of these people makes them forget about the court action and then we don’t see them for another  month or two.   A good drama of amusement!

Then a couple of officers walks in to your home talking about the home gardens. They bring seeds and talk for hours and how to grow vegetables in pots etc.   The novice gardener starts off very enthusiastically but then the advisors are never seen again. Interesting amusement for a short time.

Suddenly some nitwit gets this idea that the flower sellers must go. Go where? Go home! And do what? Whatever you want to! How to feed the family? How do we know? A good topic of conversation for our armchair critics for a few days. And then are they are all back  where they started.

But the best plan of amusement ever  is the plan to have the parliament proceedings broadcast for public on large screens! With the “dishum dishum” fights going on much better and more interesting  than our Sinhala films, it sure is going to provide much needed entertainment, specially with the raised electricity costs, when people will soon have to shut down their TV’s.

We Srilankans are privileged indeed to be entertained at the expense of the state with no cost for us whatsoever!