FIRING  LINE                                     

Never mind Poya, we are cops

Police spokesman recently publicly denied the generally held belief that the Department had gone to the dogs. He maintained that what had happened was, a few dogs had got into the force.

But khaki coats themselves point out that, despite last Sunday being a full moon Poya day, considered sacred by Buddhists, the Department thought it fit to have its annual sports meet and all the revelry that went with it.

Teachers or cheaters?

Some of our cheaters, oops, sorry teachers, who are ever ready to hold their pupils to ransom to win their demands, should be asked to explain how so many children fail important examinations so badly. Even many of those who pass from fancy schools, do so, thanks to extra coaching at tuition classes, at tremendous cost to the parents. What really takes the cake is the fact that at this year’s Grade Five Scholarship Examination, about 400 students had not been able to score a single mark!

Punchi Banda needs to resign more

Poor Punchi Banda, once considered a paragon of virtue and permanently seconded from the bank that is central, to handle government coffers by successive administrations from both sides of the political divide, has certainly fallen to sorry depths.
This week his resignation as Chief Treasurer was accepted. But now it looks as if he may have to step down from the Dandu Monera as well, for its unions are calling for his blood for suddenly confirming two individuals in their posts, which they earlier had held in an acting capacity.

According to union wallahs one guy had a hand in blindly recruiting a German pilot with questionable qualifications and the other has had a string of misdemeanours, including taking off an aircraft with the baggage of an off-loaded passenger, which is considered a serious offence in this day and age of international terrorism.

He had almost flown to London with the suspicious cargo, if not for the airline ordering it to be diverted to Abu Dhabi and off-loading it there. In the process, the aircraft had ditched about 35,000 litres of costly jet fuel over the Indian Ocean to make the unscheduled landing.

Having learnt a thing or two from our very own cardboard Castro, now the unions are saying that if Punchi Banda does not step down voluntarily someone will file a fundamental rights violation plea claiming that they cannot work under a convict.
Unions are also claiming that without someone like dirty Harry at the helm to shake the place into shape, it might be a nose dive for the national bird like for so many other carriers around the world.

Raw deal

Fate and her bosses have been most unkind to hard working GA Mulaitivu, Imelda Sukumar. Ms. Sukumar’s hopes of getting a break after serving in this difficult station for 10 long years, were suddenly dashed recently when her transfer to Vavuniya was abruptly cancelled without any explanation, when she was about to assume duties there. Since that inexplicable decision, Mannar GA has been entrusted the task of overseeing Vavuniya. Conspiracy theorists are of the opinion that this is all because some Minister wants to induct one of his men as Mannar GA. In the meantime, Ms. Sukumar is now hospitalised in a Colombo hospital after an operation. The stock reply of the authorities for the injustice caused to this public servant is that they cannot find a replacement for her in Mulaitivu.
 

Southern airport opposition rests

Remember the commotion over the plan to site the country’s second international airport at Weerawila, because of fears that it would adversely affect the nearby Bundala bird sanctuary; President Rajapaksa solved the problem overnight by deciding to shift the site to Mattala, close to Lunugamvehera Reservoir. More than anyone, the environmental lobby is at ease with the new site it appears. The CEA has now issued the terms of reference for a new Environmental Impact Assessment for the new site and the Airport and Aviation Authority, in association with a university, are on the job of preparing the EIA.

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