Lock All Entrances but Leave a Side Exit Un-bolted
Posted on January 13th, 2015
Prof. Hudson McLean
During the tenure of MR, he maintained cordial and civilised contact with the Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickramasinghe. A few had negative comments. When MR defeat was announced, it was Ranil who had the courtesy to visit Temple Trees to arrange the transition of power. One point which bothered MR was the possibility of an act of revenge by Sarath Fonseka.
With the new President Maithree Sirisena offering guarantees of safety & security to the Rajapaksa brothers, dignified civility entailed.
And MR reached Ranil Wickremasinghe really through the Side Exit.
That was the end of Part One.
Part Two is Revenue Generation to Fill the Gaps.
As a non-Sri Lankan citizen and an impartial observer, the world should find that Sri Lanka is a country where citizens and visitors alike can feel safe & secure.
Away from politics, an important source of revenue Sri Lanka earns today is from tourism. Here, credit should be given to MR – GR – and Sarath Fonseka who cleared the LTTE Tamil Terrorism.
Point of concern, is that with a hotch-potch of political & ethnic players, and already “Tamil Dead-men” beginning to walk, Is the new President My3 ready to deploy bold action, with Zero tolerance, against any form of unrest? (Terrorism is too sharp a word to use right now).
Also, surprised to see that Cabinet is without any Tamil representatives.
Taking a leaf out of India and Thailand, violence against tourists, and mainly against women, rape & murder, has damaged the tourism to India & Thailand. Sri Lanka has an ideal opportunity to gain from this situation.
Several of my close friends who spent Christmas & New Year in Sri Lanka in 2014, for their first holiday, were greatly impressed by the HRM service, food, despite torrential downpours.
Unfortunately, Russians are suffering from a slide in the Rouble by 50%+, and European Union is experiencing an economic crunch.
These economic woes will also have negative impact on the Sri Lankan exports to EU & Russia, leaving the American – Canadian – Australian markets as primary targets.
The new Foreign Minister, hopefully has more dynamism than the outgoing FM, who did not manage his Diplomatic Missions in a professional manner. Over the past years, the Diplomatic Service was inundated with political henchmen, not professionals. Is the new FM upto the task of selecting dynamic professionals who are able to present Sri Lanka to complement the professionalism in the change of government?
In this case, there is only the Main Door and there are no Side Exits!
Now that the new Cabinet Ministers are appointed & sworn-in, and a Papal visit to boot, new broom of My3 should start moving the debris out with speed.
I take this opportunity to Wish President Maithripala Sirisena & His Government God’s Grace and Best of Luck!
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January 13th, 2015 at 10:13 am
Economist and investment expert Arjuna Mahendran will be appointed as the new Governor of Sri Lanka Central Bank- at last Thank to our Chinhala Brothers & Sister .
Hon MS (from a village JP to become President ) you are following MR vision to Unite Mother Lanka !
Now we can see clearly, like light at the end of a tunnel !!!
January 13th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
“Reports are emerging that President Maithripala Sirisena’s son Daham has been spotted at Racecourse Colombo with at least 40 members of the presidential security division.” – CT
Here we go again!
January 13th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Sri Lanka during most of her history was not known for her tourism. It is a new sector and a byproduct of the British Empire. Sri Lanka’s fame and fortune throughout the ancient world was due to her strategic position. that is why the map of Ptolemy shows Sri Lanka disproportionately larger than India. her fortune is also echoed in King Solomon’s mines, and exports. So lets deal with the issue of “strategic location” and ‘exports” since these are time proven aspects of Sri Lanka’s economy.
Strategic location:
ti is what made Radio Ceylon reachable to so many across the region. Sri Lanka is strategically placed for signals. If so she is also in a good location to develop her Satellite industry. India just proved to the world that this industry can now be done on a shoe string budget when she built upon the mistakes made by the developing world and successfully launched a mission to Mars. That mission in Indian papers were often touted as “cheaper than a Hollywood movie”. If so Sri Lanka must develop this industry to launch satellites of other nations into orbit. the profits are enormous, the technology is dual as it is used both in the civilian and military aspects.
Well placed to invite shallow and deep sea oil drilling which these days does not require an oil rig. they are done by ships who drill and process the crude aboard the ship before moving to the next site.
Exports:
If anything Sri Lanka learned from the war is that unless she has a domestic arms manufacturing sector she will always be dependent on the goodwill of other nations. India turned down Sri Lanka in the start of the war and Sri Lanka had to form alliances with a variety of nations that she normally would not (especially Muslim nations with an agenda of their own). Just like India any import of military hardware must come with “technology transfers” till Sri Lanka build an arms industry equal to any in the world. This too ancient Sri Lanka excelled in.
It is also time for Sri Lanka to move up the chain of exports where items such as cars, trucks, engines etc. can be exported. One easy way is to bring in the manufacturing of other nations like Japan to manufacture in Sri Lanka, which would employ Sri Lankans train them and then export the finished product from Sri Lanka.
Relying too much on the Tourist sector can be a risky business as eluded in the article.
January 13th, 2015 at 1:43 pm
In the interest of the country,now that we have a new government, if the policies and agenda is beneficial to the country as a whole, all must unite and support the people in power.Of course the Tamils and the Muslims will have give up their aspirations of dividing the country. Snhalese Buddhist need to unite as one, not to suppress the others but for their own survival.
The people who are in power should learn a lesson fro the past. No more Paskaralingams,Mervin Silvas or Gonawela Sunils or Incidents like Batalanda massacres, millennium betrayals and many more.
They also must remember keep the siblings and the off-springs out of the government unless it is absolutely necessary, are qualified, capable and know how to behave.
You have only four years and things can change. It happened to the people who liberated the country from the ruthless LTTE.
January 13th, 2015 at 1:51 pm
A couple of other areas Sri Lanka can exhale is
Gem industry:
Diversify: time to invest in gems not native to Sri Lanka such as diamonds, emeralds and pearls
DIAMONDS : India is a leading nation in the processing of imported diamonds. Close to 90% of one carat and less diamonds are polished and processed in India. it has grown to a multi billion dollar industry in India. Sri Lanka has the abundant expertise and the manpower to take a slice of that industry.
EMERALDS: Some of the finest emeralds now come from Africa. Unlike the South American emeralds these ones are flawless,. Time for Sri Lanka to invest in owning some these mines across the world.
PEARLS: A western lady’s best friend. A pearl necklace is essential for any attire in the Western world. Japan has made incredible strides in this industry. Australia’s new “yellow’ pearl is a sensation. Sri Lanka should develop pearl beds for her traditional gem industry.
Banking center. From Bahrain to Singapore they are financial banking centers because they started from nowhere and put a lot of time and effort to emerge as these centers. Singapore now is a greater banking center than Switzerland. Bahrain was a Bedouin nation, now she is a banking center of the world.
Sri Lanka’s biodiversity which is one of 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world. that means her forests are literally “biological labs” waiting for her researchers to find the potential of them. Keep in mind entire industries sprang out from such discoveries such as the Rubber tree, the silk worm etc. The wealth locked in Sri Lanka’s ecosystems may rival any wealth she has created so far.
Simply put Sri Lanka can achieve a great deal more than she has achieved by just emulating her neighbors and those nations around the world who started with far less than Sri Lanka and achieved far more than she has.
January 13th, 2015 at 1:55 pm
One more issue:
the sale of long hair. it is a world thriving industry and not just in the wig market. Natural human hair used to sell for 350 US dollars per foot. Now it is much more. India is the world’s largest export of human hair. Google the uses of Human hair in the 21st century. it includes many areas. Many Sri Lankans can supplement their income by growing, grooming and selling long hair to the world market. In an aging world where natural hair wigs cost a fortune this natural “product” is just waiting to find eager buyers.
January 13th, 2015 at 2:02 pm
One last comment:
Location for the growing world of the media industry. Sri Lanka must promote her nation as a location for global studios to make commercial, tv serials to movies. It is still a sad fact that there is no good documentary on Sri Lanka but that can be rectified in the near future. but in the meantime nations to regions within nations are competing for this service. they are offering state of the art studios, film locations, and aggressively promoting their regions for the the world movie industry to choose their locations. Sri Lanka is a natural
January 13th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
On the subject of Hair
I wonder why Mahinda Rajapakse keeps dyeing his hair (& moustache) black.
He is 70 yeas old. Who is he trying to kid?
Is he that vain? He needs to grow old gracefully.
January 13th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
One final comment:
The health tourist industry. if India can made billions in this market where first world patients come to India for costly operations to get them done in hospitals such as the “Apollo Hospital chain” for a fraction of the price so can Sri Lanka.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Dear non-Sri Lankan citizen and an impartial observer our beloved professor ,
Please do not forget ,
1. Killing of Khuram Shaikh by MR’s friends
2. Rape of Australian girls
4. Remember what Maraka the famous doctor’s son trying to rape foreigners in public .
3. Most citizens staring at women non-citizens (who wear normal cloths as they wear in their countries) like they want to rape them.
Ma-hindaa Chintanaya created a culture that let some idiots who did nothing to win the war to feel a big pride and a stupid superiority complex. This is the culture that made the down fall of all our discipline and behaviour.
A country cannot go on lawless way of Mervyn Silva and Duminda Silva and Mutuhetti Silva.
January 13th, 2015 at 8:16 pm
Hi folks, if the island nation to prosper the control economy should be in the hands of the majority. I know it took me a long time to understand this. The economy is in the hands of the Indians and that is why and how we got a new president.
January 13th, 2015 at 8:37 pm
On these views expressed by our former Burger(Burger means citizen or Puravesi) citizen of our country I wish to appeal to him and the western cultured gentry to please give our game rala a chance. there shouldn’t be relentless attacks on him and others until they show some results.
Actually what happened was something like a computer jilmart. Sometime ago I was looking at a certain computer progamme where some Martians fought with others. As long and they saw they have sufficient numbers they fought for their king bravely. When they saw their numbers reduced bellow a certain number they became cowards. Probably that is what happened at the election too. When Mako, IGP and the army saw that there was a last minute shift they seem to have deserted the leader and had second thought about their support. All those people who did the massive financial malpractices were sure that MR in not going to go away for another 20 years and they thought MR will have his plan B. That also failed due to to the above jilmart. He is now trying to execute his plan C. Most probably he and the clan will receive the same medicine FS was given no sooner the pope is gone.
I bow my head to Ven. Athureliye Rathana and Patali for taking the bold decision to come out take the struggle to the masses. I also thank Anura D and the crowd for their very important support. Finally the change was made possible by the minorities whose support the new gosl should not forget.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:07 pm
Sorry, Hudson, but Sri Lanka is a BUDDHIST country, not a Catholic one (Catholics are only about 6% of population). The ONLY reason we have any Catholics in Sri Lanka is because of Portuguese COLONIZATION (forced subjugation), and for this the Pope should apologize just like Popes in the past have apologized for the Crusades which killed anyone who did not regard Jesus as their lord and savior.
This idea that certain white people have that they can FORCE their religion and their rulership on distant lands MUST be challenged upfront. If Buddhists behaved in the same way, we would never hear the end of criticism and condemnation, so why are we silent when it comes to Catholic and Christian efforts to force their religion on us and subjugate our people to THEIR rule?
Jesus would never approve of the behavior of the Catholics whose pomp, excessive materialism, and fascination with how many people they can control would actually disgust him. Craving more power and material things is not part of the teachings of Jesus, and if the Pope is a true follower of Jesus he MUST speak out against these un-Jesus-like features of Catholicism and the the Christian faith.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:24 pm
All are supporting the new Govt is good but think of the people who are in it. JR also started DHARMISHTA SAMAJAYAK when he came to power.What happened to that later on. So this YHAPALANAYA will also be the same with this kind of people in the Govt. Ravi is a famous crook. He sold Sathosa completely. Mangala is a famous lair. UNP appointed him only to spread lies can anyone remember that. Tissa Attanayaka said he is a master of lies and people will believe his lies if he go on saying it to the masses on daily basis. He did that in style and some stupids believed it. Who is Sajith? Every citizen knows about his character and what he did during his father’s time. Karu another thief. So these kind of people cannot be trusted again and again because we are stupid.
The chief organizer Chandrika who is a well know character for stealing wealth when she was in power. Who said Mr. to the devil Prabakaran when he was alive as well as after his death. A lady who said she is ashamed to be called a Sri Lankan openly. People like Ranil,Kiriella,Ravi who down graded the war heroes on several occasions in public. These people must come clean and apologized to the citizens of Sri Lanka and ask for forgiveness for their crimes against humanity first before they start their new life. Then to start Yahapalanaya they must be like Nelson Mandela forgive others,their enemies the same way citizens forgave them. Then only they can survive to serve the people of this country.Unfortunately we hear from morning till evening the other way around Corruption and revenge. They want to kill and destroy the peace we had all these years after the war. They want to send our war heroes to gallows only then they can sleep well. How can we have Yahapalanaya with this kind of people and this kind of talks? Yahapalanaya has started arresting and harassing people belongs to the opposite side for petty things. Already started to take revenge from every section of the public. Discipline we had has vanished in to thin air overnight. Let’s hope MY3 will take his team on a correct path to serve all the people not only one section of the society.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:55 pm
“Discipline we had has vanished in to thin air overnight”
What discipline we had ?
1. Kudu container is ordered to release by the prime minister
2. 1.4 billion stolen from samurdhi funds catered for the poorest people of the country.
3. Mervyn Silva, a minister publically said he is going to “bada udata” of Hirunica’s mother
4. Mutuhettigama who is on a warrant to arrest simply could go to Singapore and come back
5. Naveed Cabraal, Basil Rajapakse and more people who were directly responsible for many billions of dollars of the countries money were allowed to escape . ( If they did not do any bad why vanished ?)
6. Womanising Bars everywhere.
7. Aryuvedic Massage places everywhere actually brothels
… list goes on.
Love is blind. Love of 1 man out of 25 million people is even more blind
January 13th, 2015 at 9:59 pm
Ranjit,
Please join us to criticise all wrong moves of these jokers and crooks including Ma-hindaa Rajapakse. As Ravaya says ,”කළගුන නොසලකමු” in this context.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:20 pm
“SA Kumar Says:
January 13th, 2015 at 10:13 am
Economist and investment expert Arjuna Mahendran will be appointed as the new Governor of Sri Lanka Central Bank- at last Thank to our Chinhala Brothers & Sister .
Arjuna Mahendran; Bloomberg Video “Opportunities in Indian Rupee”.
That is one thing India wanted, the economy of the island nation is in Indian hands since 1792.
Only a fool will appoint an investor as the head of the countries monetary boss. The skills, knowledge and intelligence required are entirely different.
Where is Raj Rajaratnam?
January 13th, 2015 at 11:35 pm
Professor, the West is moving from the so called Professional Diplomats to other individuals and have better trained professional staff.
One of the reasons for the problems of the island nation are the so called Professional Diplomats who supported the Indian terrorist arm and the arrival of terrorists as refugees in the West. They made good money out of their clerical and appearance work. Jai Hind
January 14th, 2015 at 1:28 am
Maithri Palanaya, like Dharmishta Plananaya during JR’s time, is around the corner;
The terrorising the victims begins;
1. Move to arrest Wimal Weerawansa-NFF
NFF Spokesman Mohammed Muzammil addressing a press conference in Colombo this morning said that as an initial step, police arrested Mr. Weerawansa’s brother-in- law yesterday over alleged spreading of rumours to embarrass and inconvenience the government – See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/61211/move-to-arrest-wimal-nff#sthash.MjLt0tRQ.dpuf
2.Namal receives death threats
UPFA Hambantota district Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has complained to the Tangalle Police last evening claiming that he had received death threats over the phone, the Police said The caller had threatened Mr.Rajapaksa to resign from politics or otherwise he would be killed, SSP Rohana said. – See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/61207/namal-receives-death-threats#sthash.fslabq27.dpuf
3.House belonging to Sajin Vass attacked
A house belonging to MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena in Delduwa, Galle has been attacked by an unidentified group this evening. Police said four petrol and kerosene filled glass bottles had been thrown to the house and a window glass of the first floor had been damaged following the attack. No injuries were reported. – See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/61185/elonging-to-sajin-vass-attacked#sthash.xSNPgxlB.dpuf
4.
January 14th, 2015 at 2:28 am
NMY,
Are you born yesterday ?
During Maa-hindaa Palanaya not only death threats but actual death came. Not only “moves” actual jailing of SF was done with trivial charge.
This Wimal bugger must be caught and how he built such a house, how he can afford such a pen should be investigated. Sajin Vass too must be brought to justice for stealing billions.
These is not Maithree Palanaya , this is called Yahapalanaya. That is punish the criminals. As I said earlier, I am against the term “maithree palanaya” = maa-hindaa palanaya = releasing criminals and murderers.
January 14th, 2015 at 11:39 am
Vimmutti
That sounds like a Tamil Hindu name. You may want to jump on the Catholics but the days of Catholic imposition on Sri Lanka is at least a few centuries old. DO NOT DEFLECT.
LET US ADDRESS THE ROLE HINDU TAMILS HAVE PLAYED:
THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF INVASIONS FROM SOUTH INDIA.
KALINGA MAGHA MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A TAMIL BUT HE WAS CERTAINLY NOT A BUDDHIST. THE DAMAGE HE INFLICTED ON SRI LANKA CHANGED THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THAT NATION FOREVER AND HELPED YOU TAMILS TO ESTABLISH A HINDU KINGDOM IN JAFFNA
THEN COMES THE 30 YEARS OF MAYHEM BROUGHT DOWN ON SRI LANKA BY THE HINDU TAMIL TIGERS.
FOLLOWED BY 5 YEARS OF MORE TORMENT BY TAMIL NADU WHERE SINHALESE BUDDHISTS WERE OPENLY BEATEN TO JAYALALITHA DEMANDING THAT NO SRI LANKAN MISSION OF ANY KIND BE HONORED IN INDIA TO THE DEBASED ISSUE OF HINDU TAMIL FISHERMEN INVADING SRI LANKAN WATERS AND COLOMBO BEING BLAMED FOR “AGGRESSION”
THE UGLIEST BLOW IS THE PORTRAYAL OF SRI LANKA IN THE HINDU RAMAYANA AS THE HOME OF RAVANA AND TAUGHT TO EVERY HINDU CHILD IN INDIA TO SOUTH EAST ASIA. HINDUS OFTEN REFER TO SRI LANKA IN THE DEROGATORY LANGUAGE WRITTEN IN THE HINDU RAMAYANA
THEN COMES THE MUSLIMS WHO HAVE TO THIS VERY DAY CONTINUE TO CONVERT SINHALESE IN SRI LANKA. IN THE MIDDLE EAST SINHALESE MAIDS ARE SYSTEMATICALLY BRUTALIZED AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO POINT FINGERS AT THE CATHOLICS?
January 17th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Bernard
Fully agree with you
We were dominated and ruled by the South Indian type and our leaders are still seems to glorify them by he attire and discarding and erasing the good done by the colonials. If not for them we would not have a legal system,roads,hospitals,schools etc.Hypocracy of our people is that they rob us mercilessly and give us a lot of hog wash about our culture, religion where these jokers wear prith nulas to deceive us and leave the country and the people on the lurch and live a good life in west. They have their side kicks and other cronies who have settled in the west,enjoy the benefits of their new found freedoms and democracy and lecture us and the people in SL about out our stupid history and our ‘glorious culture’. How pathetic? They wouldn’t dare wear their monkey dress and pirith nulas in the West.
January 17th, 2015 at 1:59 pm
Nimal,
You cunningly mixed up two different things.
1.If not for them we would not have a legal system,roads,hospitals,schools etc.
2. Hypocracy of our people is that they rob us mercilessly and give us a lot of hog wash about our culture, religion where these jokers wear prith nulas to deceive us and leave the country and the people on the lurch and live a good life in west.
I agree with 2, but I am sorry to say 1 proves your PURE IGNORANCE and lack of ability to think.
These buggers gave us “Vesavalame Law” , burrowing the modification from Lorenzo. I am not spending time on teaching you what the invaders did, including Indians. We DID HAVE A PROPER CULTRUE before murderers, genocide inventors carrying a fake JESUS came. In Korea , until 1998 people leave hoses unlicked , cars unlocked. So was in Sri lanka until 1970
January 17th, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Nimal,
So, in Australia you approve genocide of aboriginal people mercilessly and stealing their children by Catholics because they build roads , rails and imposed sudda’s law.
Please apologise to Sinhala Buddhist and Australian Aborigines now.
January 17th, 2015 at 2:04 pm
By agreeing with BW you can’t become a BW . You have to read a lot , study a lot with an open mind to come even close to BW.
January 20th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
I don’t agree with what they did to the original settlers in Australia. China is bound to over run that continent.
January 20th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Nanda.I would like to enlighten again about no 1,
Whatever you say, we never had hospitals, schools and a legal system only the Kakille rajjurwa type. So be honest.Why do our people want to live in the West,pehaps if you don’t know the ask Basil Rajapaksa,CBK and even Charles
and Ananda.
People mustn’t give any more grief to our suffering people quoting history and culture which is not relevant.
I remember MR replying to Camaron in SL that Cameron doesn’t know our culture.
Does it mean the head of the state have thugs around him not accountable to people who elected him or supported him?