- That incontrovertible camera evidence led to the booking of Minister Amaraweera’s nephew [brother’s son] regarding the mayhem let loose at Yala? However, Yala authorities say that other persons related to politicians and their catchers are also involved and Ministry officials are tardy in going after them. It has now transpired that the Minister’s vehicle had, on an earlier date, knocked down a deer in the sanctuary and a boisterous gang had forced a leopardess and its cubs, who were favourites of regular visitors, to disappear. Anyway, it’s a bad idea to appoint a Minister of Wildlife from Hambantota because local politicians and their kith and kin begin to interfere with the administration of the sanctuary. The large number of jeep drivers, small boutique owners, and hoteliers involved in this much-visited site begin to twist the arms of local politicians, as we saw when an attempt was made some time ago to regulate the jeep drivers who were a law unto themselves. If the President does not step in and address this issue, another tourist site will fall into the hands of thugs and their political sponsors who are only interested in their vote banks. While we are talking of an upsurge of foreign visitors, our popular sites are being taken over by thugs who are only interested in fleecing them.
- That in Sigiriya a similar debacle is in the offing because previous ministers-in-charge have appointed hundreds of their supporters as labourers in the Cultural Triangle? It is said that a daily bus service from Kuliyapitiya brings them from their hometowns to Sigiriya and back. Basic services like toilet facilities and timely issue of tickets are not easily available. The Sigiriya Archaeological Museum, which is an outright gift from Japan, is badly maintained and the display boards are mildewed. The road network is deteriorating. Minister Harin Fernando who has become a globetrotter with his cronies, trying to do what his officials are paid for, should visit these sites and see the damage that is being done daily to our tourist attractions. In the trade, it is an axiom that a satisfied tourist is the best publicity for a destination and no amount of globetrotting is a substitute for a well-managed tourist sector. With the resurgence of tourism, beach boys in southern hot spots have again started to patrol the shoreline, give the middle finger to the Police, and take their complaints to local politicians. This is not a difficult scenario to understand because some of the local politicians have been beach boys themselves.
- That as the investigation into the Priyamali scandal widens in scope, a Buddhist monk – who is accused of dealing with gold bars which the accused lady had promised to deliver to some of her customers as repayment – has been remanded? This appears to be the tip of the iceberg. The ‘modus operandi’ of Priyamali had been to lavishly spend on rituals. She has liberally sponsored poojas not only in temples but also paid for demonic rituals for her well-being. With all that mumbo jumbo, she joins Gnana Akka, Pastor Jerome, and hundreds of shamans who dot this country claiming to heal or bring prosperity to weak characters. In spite of the Aragalaya, Gnana Akka has resumed her trade and Anuradhapura sees many high and mighty people descend like locusts on her shrine room and hotel, which she allegedly had the good fortune [ha ha] to have built by the armed services on the State account. Look out for that red thread on the wrists of her loyal devotees.