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An exemplary postponement 

28 Apr 2021

School is where a lot of things of a person’s life begins, and Sri Lanka is a country that views schools not only as educational institutions but also as places that promote and teach good values. And the best way to promote any good value is by action, not words.  It was reported recently that the ‘Battle of the blues’, or the Royal-Thomian annual cricket match or the big match, was postponed after several players tested positive for Covid-19.  The Royal-Thomian cricket match, which is even older than the world famous Ashes test cricket series between England and Australia which was interrupted owing to the World War, is the second longest uninterrupted cricket match series in the world. It is bested only by the match series between the St. Peter’s College and Prince Alfred College, South Australia.  Last year, the Royal-Thomian cricket match came under fire, after it was reported that a Covid-19 infected SriLankan Airlines official had attended the match which was held in March last year, just a few days before the country went into a nationwide lockdown. There was also a certain criticism against the Government for allowing the match to take place in a context where the country had already recorded Covid-19 cases and speculation was rife that the country was on the verge of an outbreak of Covid-19.  The Royal-Thomian cricket match being Sri Lanka’s longest uninterrupted annual cricket match is not the only reason it has been able to gain prominence compared with other similar inter-school annual cricket matches in the country. Over the past few decades, it has made a unique name for itself, which has only been on the rise since its inception in 1879.  In a context where the country is struggling to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, especially by limiting people’s movement and interaction by restricting national level events, this may not seem like a big step. However, given the financial aspects and the fame it has gained over the last few decades and the fact that it is an event looked forward to and celebrated by the elite of Colombo society, postponing it sets a valuable example. Needless to say that the two schools, being two of the most prominent schools in the country, are, in fact, the alma mater of a number of prominent figures in many fields including politics, art and commerce, which makes it a cricket match that has a considerable influence.  Also, the organisers could have held the cricket match with a limited number of or zero spectators, which would be allowed under the Covid-19 safety guidelines the Government has stipulated. Also, it could have been held after conducting tests on all players and organisers, which again would have allowed the holding of the cricket match. But, setting an example to even smaller and less financially significant events, for the first time in over a century, the match has now been postponed.  In this context, deciding to prioritise the people’s lives over the interests of the two schools and the brand the Royal-Thomian cricket match has created, even when the organisers had every opportunity to go ahead with the plan regardless, is admirable.  It would not be an overstatement to say that this is a prime example that shows how a nation should understand its individual responsibility in contributing to the larger cause of containing the Covid-19 pandemic. Fulfilling that responsibility is as simple as refraining from attending or holding any event that may pose a risk to the people, and taking swift measures as soon as a risk is detected.  With the emergence of the second wave of Covid-19 last year, and after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations this year, the country learnt a lesson that the Covid-19 pandemic needs grassroots level action more than guidelines or the vaccine.  The postponement of one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent annual social events being considerate about the Covid-19 pandemic, gives a message that change should start right from the top.


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