Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Elections are at the doorstep. Hardware shops are selling mamoties and masonry trowels ( made in China) like hotcakes. Computer suppliers are trying to supply state of the art tabs to the government to support the student communities to make them more involved in the web-based communication industry.

What is the secret?

Minsters of the government with leaders are attending placing of foundations for schools, temples, culverts. Mamoties are sold with a masonry trowel for the invited VIP to place the first brick during the eve of the election.

Good all day even prime ministers like Duddley and Premadasa got into paddy fields wearing G strings trying to prop up paddy cultivation because the price of rice decided the fate of the politicians at the elections.

Now different tools are used to prop up the image. Mamoty and masonry trowel are the symbols of the housing construction boom.

Tabs are given to children to have easy access to the web, which will be used to access facebook and other social media. Some parties will use social media to win elections. Some parties will use mamoties and masonry trowels.

Telecom and mobile operators will benefit by providing broadband access to tabs. They may even fund election campaigns so that they sell more webspace.

Only items missing are the hammer and sickle which was the symbol of development during the times of socialism at the forefront.

That is because front line leftist parties are spearheading disturbances in the urban area by organizing demonstrations throwing stones at the police.

Hammer and sickle which were the real symbol of working-class are  rusting in their memories,

Poor people in rural areas are suffering because of the spiraling cost of living.

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera