Deadlier than the male  

A raw attempt is apparently being made by a foreign agent who has landed in Colombo to organise oppositions. She is said to be busy organising minority parties to gang up against the government on the ethnic issue. So far it is said that her attempts have been a failure and she is under the watchful eyes of our spooks. But, we wonder whether our usually flat footed spooks are a match for this Mata Hari.

     All systems ready    

Though there have been point blank denials of an immediate general election. Our oracles say already auspicious days and times have been calculated. Is it the Budget that is holding back the declaration? They wouldn’t want UNP rebels who are in no hurry for a poll to vote against the Budget.

    Monumental blunder    

Can you guess the Bribery and Corruption Commission boss who blundered in writing to the National Police Commission requesting a replacement for its Director Investigations, SSP Neville Guruge, who was due to retire early this month, instead of asking for a list of candidates to pick a suitable person for the post? This led to accusations that a favourite of a politician against whom there are complaints pending with the Commission was getting his man in. Fortunately, the blunder has now been corrected with a fresh request to NPC calling for a list of suitable persons. So now, till a new man is thoroughly checked and appointed by the permanent Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption as its new Director Investigations, Guruge will remain in the post using his unutilised leave.

     Wires crossed      

Did our Essential Services Commissioner S.B. Divaratne bite more than he could chew when he publicly contradicted the mode of distribution of 1680 tonnes of aid sent by India early this week to trapped people in Mulaithivu? At the aid receiving ceremony on Thursday, organised by the ICRC at its warehouse complex in Kelaniya, Divaratne insisted that the aid would be distributed by respective Government Agents of the area under the supervision of the ICRC, but the international humanitarian organisation said in a statement that it would be distributing the Indian aid directly to the displaced and to residents affected by the conflict in the Wanni. This position was reiterated to us by its Communications Coordinator Ms. Alexandra Matijevic on Friday.

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