{"id":61654,"date":"2016-12-19T20:29:54","date_gmt":"2016-12-20T02:29:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=61654"},"modified":"2016-12-19T13:29:31","modified_gmt":"2016-12-19T20:29:31","slug":"controversial-christmas-tree-guinness-dream-coming-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/12\/19\/controversial-christmas-tree-guinness-dream-coming-true\/","title":{"rendered":"Controversial Christmas Tree Guinness Dream coming True"},"content":{"rendered":"

Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

19 December 2016<\/p>\n

His Eminence Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith
\nThe Archbishop\u2019s House
\nBorella 00800
\nColombo 08
\nSri Lanka<\/p>\n

Your Grace:<\/p>\n

Re: Controversial Christmas Tree Guinness Dream coming True<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is my third letter on this subject and the first addressed to you.\u00a0 The other two were addressed to President Maithripala Sirisena and copied to you, which I hope you have read.<\/p>\n

O Christmas Tree…O Christmas Tree…with faithful leaves unchanging,
\n<\/em><\/strong>not only green in summer\u2019s heat, but also winter\u2019s snow
\n<\/em><\/strong>and sleet
\n<\/em><\/strong>O Christmas Tree…O Christmas Tree…. Sri Lankans
\n<\/em><\/strong>are into risking lives building the tallest one.
\n<\/em><\/strong>saying you represent \u2018Religious Harmony\u2019s\u2019 call
\n<\/em><\/strong>and they are a bunch of liars all.
\n<\/em><\/strong>O Christmas Tree….O Christmas Tree….can You
\n<\/em><\/strong>imagine such foolishness\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yesterday\u2019s (18 Dec,) Ceylon Today<\/em><\/strong> news item Controversial Christmas tree<\/strong> Guinness dream coming True<\/strong> bylined by Gagani Weerakoon perhaps reveals how all this came about.\u00a0 I am curious and disappointed with all who are involved in the project other than the Guinness Book Dreamers.\u00a0 And chalk me down as one of the \u00a0staunch critics and annoyed about it as you are all a bunch of liars.<\/p>\n

\u2018Disappointed\u2019 was because the thematic approach of the Christmas Tree project on Religious Harmony<\/strong> is questionable and a lie to the public.\u00a0\u00a0 My question is, where the heck does Buddhism and Islam fit in to this evergreen folk tale.<\/p>\n

Let me summarize this saga as best as I understand it.<\/p>\n

1, Ten prime-mover truck drivers of the Colombo Port had a dream of building the world\u2019s tallest artificial Christmas Tree. I have no qualms about it, as we live in a dreamer\u2019s world and they are entitled to have their dream.<\/p>\n

So they picked up a theme to make it a legit reason to be accepted to build this 325 foot tree as an island exhibit, of all places at Galle Face Green, an open space beside the Indian Ocean, exposed to strong gusting winds and cricket test-match abandoning unpredictable torrential rains.<\/p>\n

This project leader has ignored the fact that a 50 km wind would snap branches of a tree and 100 km winds would uproot large 30 foot tall trees as it often happens in Ottawa where I live, and other parts of the Province of Ontario.<\/p>\n

To overcome this possibility in the tall maple tree in my front garden, I got the branches braced with heavy-duty wire, so that they don\u2019t oscillate when it\u2019s windy and snap and fall on the house.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. It does seem that the lead person responsible for the project is Minister Arjuna Ranatunga who should come out clean and say that this project was purely to accomplish a Guinness Record by 10 Port workers and that he piggy-backed on it, expecting a return in favours of votes from inter-denominational voters on a lie at the next election. The Christmas Tree has nothing do with \u2018Religious<\/strong> Harmony\u2019<\/strong>.\u00a0 That is a heap of dried cow dung patties, Minister Ranatunga, and you well know it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here is the story about the Christmas tree that you will be interested to know, and understand when I say \u2013 The Christmas Tree to bring Religious Harmony<\/strong> is full of Bull.<\/p>\n

    Centuries before Christ, people who worshipped nature brought evergreens into their homes during festive times as proof of continuing life.\u00a0 The ancient Romans decorated evergreens with gifts and ornaments at Saturnalia, a winter festival to welcome spring and revival of nature\u2019s fruit-bearing season.\u00a0 There you are, Mr. Minister.\u00a0 For Jesus sake don\u2019t try to link Buddhism and Islam into this folk tale, as that is a lie so that you can legitimize spending all that money to build the Christmas Tree which is an exercise to create a record entered in the Guinness Book of World Records.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The people have been told by the Project Leader Minister Ranatunga as well as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that the project will cost 12 million rupees.\u00a0 And you, Your Grace informed\u00a0 us as that was the sum quoted to you by the Prime Minister, monies contributed by sponsors, and you felt it was OK, then.\u00a0 You were a fool Your Grace.\u00a0 I suppose you realize it now. As I read today (December 19) in CEYLON TODAY headlined Catholic group flays Galle Face Christmas tree Alleges Cardinal was forced to a re-think.\u201d\u00a0 Ummm….Not good is it?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I challenge all three of you that there is a hidden cost which will go into many more millions of rupees.\u00a0 Such a colossal exhibit needs a maintenance budget?\u00a0 What is it?\u00a0 You all say that the Christmas Tree will be illuminated with 800,000 LED bulbs and decorated with two million pine cones.\u00a0 What you all have not told us is whether the 800,000 bubs will be illuminated by plugging them into blades of grass (for no cost) in Galle Face Green or into electricity power producing generators which will have a cost, \u00a0and who pays the electricity bills which will cost you all more than two bags of peanuts, a tray of konde kavum<\/em>, a tray of masala vade<\/em> and a tray of Eid al-Fitr<\/em>.\u00a0 If you have a cost then let us know the amount.\u00a0 I am positive that all these costs will not be included \u00a0within the Rs. 12 Million you all have told the people.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. What you have not told us is whether this risky project was approved by a certified structural engineer having looked into the materials that will be used on this 10 storey high Christmas Tree and approved the design for the anchoring of the Christmas Tree. \u00a0As a collapse of such a 325 foot structure is possible attributed to poor welding and weakened metal fatigue even if it is standing only for a few days.\u00a0 This metal fatigue will be induced by oscillating lateral forces of strong winds which \u00a0is very possible in Galle Face Green by the\u00a0 rough wave active Ocean.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        And whether the Engineer had recommended the Project leader (Minister Ranatunga) that there is a need for an Insurance to take care if there are claims for injuries and deaths if unfortunately the Tree would collapse and land on \u00a0workers and tourists\u201d.\u00a0 Did you all have insurance on this project?\u00a0\u00a0 Well…let us know the truth.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. On the eventuality of such an unfortunate incident happening (which I pray and hope not), auctioning Minister Arjuna Ranatunga\u2019s 1996 World Cup cricket bat and other World Cup paraphernalia, and the President Maithripala Sirisena\u2019s and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe\u2019s autographed bathing loin cloths would not bring you all enough money to pay for the \u00a0possible claim(s). As for your contrition if such an unfortunate eventuality, Your Grace, I suppose the rich Vatican will come to your help to get you out if this mess.\u00a0 The 10 Guinness World Record Book Dreamers, should not be holding the buckets to get you all off \u00a0another Yahapalanaya scandal.\u00a0 It was just a dream of the Port workers and their leader Minister Ranatunga approved it and turned the first sod of soil at Galle Face Green blessed by the clergy of the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Islam faiths.\u00a0 That was a joke, wasn\u2019t it!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Your Grace, the time has arrived that the Yahapalanaya \u2018Good Governance\u2019 politicians stop hoodwinking the masses with their cunning in search of votes in their vindictive politics.<\/p>\n

          And as for you, Your Grace, stop getting dragged into this Yahapalanaya foolishness.\u00a0 And if you do not wish to get dragged into controversies, it is time that you learn to say NO\u201d\u00a0 to such foolishness whether the request comes from an MP, or the Prime Minister or the President.\u00a0 This issue has hurt you immensely,<\/p>\n

          And this is my last request to you, Your Grace, let us pray together each morning until this Christmas Tree is dismantled, that no mishap would occur that would injure, maim or kill someone, during the process of satisfying someone\u2019s ego….someone\u2019s Dream which has nothing to do with Religious Harmony<\/strong> as been promoted by the Yahapalanayoes.!<\/p>\n

          May you be well, happy and Peaceful.<\/p>\n

          Amen!<\/p>\n

          Sincerely<\/p>\n

          Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)<\/p>\n

          (A Buddhist)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada 19 December 2016 His Eminence Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith The Archbishop\u2019s House Borella 00800 Colombo 08 Sri Lanka Your Grace: Re: Controversial Christmas Tree Guinness Dream coming True This is my third letter on this subject and the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asoka-weerasinghe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61654\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}