Sri Lanka Request for Flood Relief
Posted on May 31st, 2017
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
29 May 2017
Rt. Hon. Maithripala Sirisena
President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Galle Face
Colombo 1
Sri Lanka
Sir:
I have just received by e-mail a Request for Flood Relief Assistance to Sri Lanka from our High Commission in Ottawa.
Yesterday,I felt morally generous when I participated in a flower auction at the Buddhist Monastery, Hilda Jayewardenaramaya in Ottawa, in the presence of our Acting High Commissioner. He was witness to this event when our generous devotees collected a handsome quantity of Canadian dollars for the Sri Lanka’s Flood Relief efforts.
I want to share my observation about the Press Release that I received from the Mission.. There was an omission of a pertinent sentence or two that would have encouraged more expatriates to open their wallets to help the victims of this unfortunate natural disaster which your Government had no control of.
However, I wished you gave me the opportunity to read some words showing the proof of your government’s genuine sincerity like –
To kick start and join you all in your generous participation, I am glad to announce that all our parliamentarians have donated this month’s bonus of Rs100,000 to the Flood Relief Assistance. In addition I, as your President, have ordered that the Rupees 1.1 Billion that has been requested to purchase 32 brand new luxury vehicles for the use of Ministers and Deputy Minister to be approved and allocated to the Flood Relief Assistance Fund.”
Sir, will you go ahead and do it if you have not already acted on it, although I am not certain whether the MPs are receiving that bonus already which was requested for them by the Prime Minister as an incentive for the Ministers to participate in national development and work in their electorates a few months ago..
This honourable, honest and heart-crying action would certainly negate the words that I heard in February 2016, when I asked 24 gamme minissu in the coastal-west, south, hill country and the north-west, kohomadha appey aluth arnduwa?” The response was, almost a choral unison accompanied by a snicker Oya okkoma hora yakku, mahathaya.” I sent you a letter about this pulse of the gamme minissu no sooner I returned to Ottawa.
Sincerely
Asoka Weerasinghe.(Mr.)
May 31st, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Do NOT give ANY donations to the SL govt. or anything to do with it. Your charity money will be ROBBED by the govt. to buy luxury vehicles for MPs and vehicle permits.
All donations to the SL govt. for flood, tsunami, etc., etc. are subject to part or full ROBBERY.
Donate to WELL ESTABLISHED PATRIOTIC charities.
May 31st, 2017 at 10:57 pm
Does any one believe this two tonged crooked traitor any more? For the past two and half years he has made so many promises. To name a few his 100 day programme, reducing the cabinet, pensions for disable war heroes, solution to SATIM and now this. This is just a scam to get money from patriotic Sri Lankans. He knows giving those cars to those crooks is to bribe them to stay with the government and is he stops that some ministers will abandon the sinking ship. Looks like he has fooled you guys again. The solution is to send the money through international RED CROSS.
May 31st, 2017 at 11:00 pm
Excellent suggestion Asoka!
Flood DONATIONS should be led by our illustrious Parliamentarians who have FLOODED the country with their EXCESSES!
June 1st, 2017 at 12:18 am
A very large number of families in Sri Lanka have lost everything in the floods. They have lost their homes, all of their possessions including furniture, clothes, cooking equipment, and the books and schola supplies essential to the continued education of their children.
While the GOVERNMENT will help each family in the FULLNESS of TIME, the NEEDS are URGENT. They need HELP NOW and CANNOT WAIT until the slow wheels of government machinery unstick itself and begins to function. Each affected-family needs FOCUSED CONTINUOUS HELP NOW!
I think it would be a good idea for GENEROUS WELL-TO-DO SPONSORING FAMILIES in Sri Lanka to ADOPT one or more FLOOD-AFFECTED-FAMILIES in Sri Lanka, and help them RECOVER from this MONUMENTAL DISASTER.
Such helping families can maintain a focused level of help thst would be impossible to achieve by an impersonal government bureaucracy.
I propose that an organization such as the YMBA in collaboration with Buddhist Temples that know both the well-to-do people and those needing assistance in each community should do this in collaboration with the media organizations that gave already done yeomen service such as Manusath Derana, Sirasa and Hiru TV.
Once such an organization is quickly setup, the first step should be to CREATE A LIST of the participating Temples, and make a PUBLIC MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT for SPONSORING FAMILIES to volunteer and sign up to adopt flood-affected families in their neighborhoods. Then, each SPONSORING FAMILY can be paired with specific FLOOD-AFFECTED- FAMILY thus avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort while assuring that those in need get the needed help.
I am convinced that such a API-WENUWEN-API PROGRAM would be the VERY BEST WAY to ensure that no family in need is left behind without SOME HELP and SOMEONE to turn to in their hour of need.
I plan to do this by myself in collaboration with one or more Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka in the immediate future, irrespective of whether this suggestion is implemented by others.
However, a SYSTEMATIC Natiowide Program is what is really needed. Once established, it could become a MODEL for coping with FUTURE DISASTERS.
I also believe that this would be GREAT WAY to promote the UNITY of our NATION and ALL OF OUR PEOPLE leveraging the unfortunate pain and suffering this flood has caused, at a time when the common people are feeling ABANDONED by a PROFLIGATE and UNCARING government.