21 April, 2025

Blog

The ‘Jungee’ PM

By Grusha Andrews

Ranil Wickremesinghe’s mother is late Nalini Wijewardene, the benefactress of the supreme hub of Theravada Buddhism, the Kelaniya temple. His father is late Esmond Wickremesinghe, the Editorial Director under Ranil’s grandfather DR Wijewardene’s Lake House. Ranil is the recipient of a free honorary doctorate in law from Deakin University, Australia in 2017, orator at the Oxford Union and the biggest proponent of liberal democracy. He is also the Prime Minister of our republic. And he has delivered his most distasteful, shameless hee-haw on 4th March 2019.

At an event organized for the launch of Export Supplies Zone of Bingiriya, to an audience consisting predominantly of women who are working in the garment sector, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe in his characteristic delivery of Sinhalese thought it fit to insult the underwear of women referring to them as ‘jungee’ – a slang word used to describe the lower body garment used by women. Whilst the word ‘jungee’ is not considered a ‘dirty’ word, its use by the PM of our nation in a derogatory manner contributes to compound the already existing stigma for workers in the garment sector, particularly, women.

His exact words were: “the best female ‘jungees’ are manufactured in Sri Lanka. Ask Victoria’s Secret where those ‘jungees’ come from! The women know”. In all fairness, Ranil said this in the context of referring to the initial views on the garment industry in Sri Lanka calling these factories ‘tailor shops’, ‘under garment shops’ etc.

More than his words it is his derogatory facial expression, jeering laughter and mocking body language, reducing his audience to a state of humiliation that hurt. Here is a cultural ignoramus, the PM of our nation, who thinks it’s funny to infer to our garment workers as ‘jungee stitchers’. 

Is he brain damaged, senile, or plain arrogant? 

May be he thought it fashionable to use the word  ‘jungee’ on the same week Donald Trump thought it fit to use the work ‘fuck ‘ in his Conservative Political Action Conference address? Would he use this debasing language on his Colombo elite cousins and wives of friends? Would he use the word ‘jungee’ when referring to his wife Maithree Wickremesinghe’s wardrobe – yes, the same Maithree Wickremesinghe, the gender researcher and Professor? The same ‘classy’, ‘educated’, ‘simple’, ‘sarala Maithree’, ‘reincarnation of Elena Jayewardene’, who was following Ranil like a jenny in Thirupathi, kissing the kovil walls- lots of class, lots of intellect! (We cringe, Prof, we cringe).

Is It A Big Deal?

The author had several discussions about this delivery by the PM with several men including the Editor Colombo Telegraph who sprung to a semi-defense of the PM on his Facebook stating that the words were taken out of context and the focus should be that the PM was actually trying to say that in spite of the initial skepticism, the garment industry has come so far that we manufacture the most expensive undergarments for brands such as Victoria’s Secret. 

But, the editor CT is a man. And he does not get to mansplain the hurt, humiliation and the demotivation PM’s language can inflict on the hearts of the audience, largely consisting of women, and the industry in general. 

Even more repulsive is the article written by yet another woman, Punya Samarakoon trivializing the PM’s comments carried on Colombo Telegraph, making light of PM’s comments. The author basically advocates to us to get over our fragile primness, stop being so excited about a ‘jungee’ and suck it. 

According to the World Bank report in 2016, 71% of the garment workers (‘jungee stitchers’ in Ranil’s reality) are women. And they earn less than 55 USD cents per hour working as a garment worker in Sri Lanka. In spite of the tall claims by the industry and the government on quality and work condition compliance, they cannot earn a living wage (calculated as a puny Rs 20 000) with 8 hours of work. They earn this amount or more with countless hours of forced labor in the form of over-time and night shifts. 

In 2017, the garment industry contributed 4.8 Billion USD for national revenue. The export garments constituted 40% of our total exports in the same year. The garment industry is the biggest industrial employer of Sri Lanka and the highest foreign exchange earner. 

So, yes. All those unending ‘official trips’ of Ranil that occur every time he survives yet another stressful political upheaval – paid for by the jungee stitchers’. All those opulent halls of the Temple Trees that Ranil donates to Chathura Senaratnes of the world to have people sponsored weddings – maintained by the jungee stitchers. All that wealth, Ranil with his limited oratorical skills and recent display of lack of reason can never earn if he were to practice as a lawyer- and yet spends bullet proof vehicles, entourage, foreign trips and what not- paid for by the jungee stitchers. The 50 day constitutional coup tamasha that we all endured in the name of democracy, defending Ranil, paying for the water, electricity and AC for UNP supporters camping in the Temple Trees- paid for by the jungee stitchers. Ranil doesn’t do these things with his Wickremesinghe/Wijewardene inheritance. He does all this with our money. And he has the gall to insult the sweat and the tears of these workers. 

Shame on you Ranil. 

Uncalculated Human Cost

In the immediate aftermath of his speech two organizations fighting for the rights of garment workers, “Daa-bindu Saamuhikaya” (The Sweat Collective) and Savisthree” (Power Women) condemned his words calling them ‘stigma inducing’ and ‘demoralizing’. They mentioned that the PM of our nation ‘crumbled our dignity in the matter of seconds’.

In 2011 in Sri Lankan garment industry launched a multimillion rupee campaign to encourage the female workers to join the industry that was fast losing its appeal due to social stigma. In some parts of rural Sri Lanka the garment workers were still called “Juki- Kaali” (“Juki Bits”). Juki was a popular brand of sewing machine used in the garment factories in the 80s and 90s). 

The President of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Tuly Cooray outlined the 3 main reasons that were creating a dearth of workers joining the industry. 

1. Poor image. Name calling such as “Juki- Kaali”

2. Cat calls and sexual harassment 

3. The condition where the workers have to work all 7 days depending on the orders

What he didn’t mention was the uncalculated human cost of being an internal immigrant in one’s own country. The poor living and the travelling conditions escaping the so-called compliance certification processes that the industry boasts of; the separation from family and children; the plight of children whose mothers leave home- the sexual harassment and depravation faced by the children of these workers in motherless households; the difficulty in obtaining leave; health and sexual health issues; lack of access to contraceptive services provided with dignity; the issues of the workers in smaller garment factories that escape the scrutiny of the global standards of MAS holdings or Brandix. 

It is this uncalculated human cost that is making it more and more difficult for the industry to find employees who will last. Hence any time is a good time, not to plummet it further by using derogatory language, belittling inferences, sarcastic gestures.  

Leave all this aside. 

When one is the PM of a nation, is it really necessary to show the men and women you rule, who the boss is? Is it necessary to hurt them with untoward words, when you already have so much comfort, recognition, power and privilege? Is it really necessary to remind them that “I’m the PM- and you stitch ‘jungees’? 

So Ranil, grow a brain. 

And the next time you feel the urge to insult the sweat and tears of the workers of our nation by using words like ‘jungee’ and mocking them with spastic gestures, rehearse in front of the resplendent gender researcher at home, Maithree Wickremesinghe and use those words on her. And see if you come out alive. 

Finally, Ranil, here’s some evening entertainment to you from a song in your second language –Sinhala. A song by Victor Rathnayake launched nearly ten years ago as a part of the destigmatizing campaign of the garment industry. Listen to its chorus.

“She has the love and nobility of a mother within

Do not look at this sister with belittling eyes”.

Latest comments

  • 4
    4

    Just excuse and forget!

    • 6
      6

      Was Grusha wearing a “Lunkat” when he wrote this article?

    • 5
      6

      Looks like Grusha the Geisha is Kinckerless.

      • 8
        6

        Grusha, many thanks for this. Let us hope that not a single Sri Lanka woman would vote for Trumpland’s puppet, Bondscam Ranil.

        But there is a bigger story in Bingiriya, where there is a massive financial Crime and Land Grab to destroy agriculture and fill up paddy lands in Sri Lanka and turn Lanka into a US Military Base / strategic hub. The land grab is rationalized on the basis that farmers are poor. However, US and EU subsidize their farming sectors for FOOD SECURITY.
        Bondscam Ranil and his mafia are bragging about setting up a Bingiriya Industrial park and export processing zone though there is NO FDI coming to Lanka. Not a single name of a real investor for whom all this land is being grabbed is specified. This will be like the Volkswagon Car factory and Horana Tire factory for which lands were appropriated.
        Ranil has said, “we seek 4,000 acres in Trincomalee. Five thousand acres have been allocated for Hambantota. Another ten thousand in Moneragala and one thousand acres in Kalutara. There are 100 acres of Mawathagama. 600 acres will be inspected in Kuliyapitiya.”
        The land grabs to set up infrastructure for Trumpands military bases and supporting infrastructure continue in Lanka as in Chagos islands/ Diego Garcia military base- in the name of Human Rights and Security for Indian Ocean, when in fact Trump is the single biggest threat to world peace at this time ..
        Although there is no Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) coming to Sri Lanka after the loss of investor confidence caused by the Bondscam in the CBSL Prime Minister Ranil is requisitioning massive amounts of strategic lands for industrial development despite Lanka’s labour shortage, lack of skilled industrial labour and

        PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE: Filling up paddy fields and land grabbing for Industrial parks for FAKE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS! These ‘economic development’ plans are dratted in Washington by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to benefit Trumpland and its strategic interests in Indian Ocean
        Reply

        • 4
          2

          Dear Don,
          Can’t you write ANYTHING without using the words “bond scam/ trumpland/ MCC/” etc???
          You are so boring.

          • 5
            2

            Raman:
            You missed the obvious: if for nothing else than his bombast, this man (“Don Stanley”) is deserving of being called “Ali-Don.”
            It used to be said that “empty vessels make the biggest sound” and this lends validity to that belief.
            Small word of advice to “Don” from someone who is not an admirer of Ranil W or his late father, Esmond: better to keep one’s mouth shut and let people think you are stupid than to open it and confirm the fact.

        • 1
          1

          Dear Don,

          Your are a few notches above the so called Political Gurus who frequent these columns….

          You have given us Food for Thought.
          These thousands and thousands of Acres of our motherland being given to Foreigners is not a Joke.
          Specially in light of Dr Ranil’s desperate attempts to partition Lankawe into Nine Independent Provinces with full Police and Land Powers..

          As you said, not even one Dollar has arrived from those so called Investors .
          But Dr Ranil and his Rainbow Boys have given them the Deeds.

          What really happened too those Hundreds of Acres in Kuliyapitiya and Horana which Foreigners and Locals apparently received from Dr Ranil?..
          Have those been repossessed?.
          Can you buy land in your part of the World without at least putting a deposit of 20 Percent Minimum.?.

  • 13
    8

    Grusha Andrews is blaming Ranil for nothing. He was not derogatory but a true statement. ‘jungee’ was used by Premadasa. Now 30 years it is normal vocabulary.

    • 3
      4

      lionel,
      Do not insult true Statesmen. This guy is a notorious ‘Benku Hora’.

      • 4
        0

        Eagle Blind Eye with a bird’s brain

        “Do not insult true Statesmen.”

        Please name true statesmen, explain why they are you say/assume they are.

        This guy is a notorious ‘Benku Hora’
        You mean Gota and his goons who broke into Vellupillai’s Tamil Eelam Bank and robbed the entire safe, cash, gold, jewellery, …..

        • 2
          2

          The writings of Native Vedda allow us to infer that Prabhakaran is his true hero and statesman (note = Kingdom = Arasu —-> Eelam.
          Eelam is merely an attempt to grab the land that was bequeathed to the Muslims by Sinhalese Kings.
          The Sinhalese kings were generous and just; the Tamil leaders are Malabar immigrants who are crooks who want to grab the land of the Muslaims and the Sinhalese. Unfortunately, Ranil is in collusion with all this because he wants to stay in power by any means, fair or foul.

      • 2
        3

        You are known to many as MAHINDA PALA from Downunder.
        But you too to attack RW regarding the complex bond bank scam is beyond comprehension. President himself endorsed that the breach to have occured in Rajakapskhe govt since 2008 to 2015 is 99 fold more than the sum to have occured in RW led govt.
        Even if primafacie evidence is on the table, you as an octagenarian to hang on with the culprits mindset show everything about you. Ballige putha Rajapakhes s and his abusive net work made almost everything that went over to 990 billions of lanken rps.
        But just the sum to have gone wrong during RW led govt ( 11 billions, still the sum is frozen in the bank for future use).. … and to make that out of big issue is LOW level jounalism of former LANKA WEB back licker Mahindapala..We hate you only for this that much. You will never find peace in you r mind when you die soon.

  • 10
    8

    Grusha please grow up. Enjoy a decent joke. Are you a grumpy old woman?

  • 2
    3

    Excuse me ! So this is the article to Celebrate Day of the Female……Infamous 8th of march…. I did red the Article I must state this is the Very first time in my Entire Life I have Heard Let alone saw an article WRITTEN by a Sri Lankan Sinhala women USING the TERM JUNGEE explicitly and she has Used the term ” JUNGEES” Repeatedly as She sees it fits OMG…OMG …… [ I wonder is that erotic – in sinhala raagaya ….] Am I even allowed to State that …..That is Y X E S …….for me……I ‘ve never heard my wife says or uses that term…… well I would kind of liked it….I guess.

  • 5
    7

    There’re many half brains together with RW to believe that taking an investor to buy our cheap physical labor is a great achievement.

    They don’t know that labor is of 2 types as physical & mental.

    Letting functioning of both labor of an individual in a balanced way is what’s sought by wise economists.

    What’s done by present investors is nailing mental labor of our youth by putting their maximum physical labor into action to keep creativity shut so country will never progress on its own but kept surrendered for ever.

    This slavery must be stopped so no more investment zones please. Let our people’s minds work.

    • 5
      5

      RR,

      “This slavery must be stopped so no more investment zones please. Let our people’s minds work”

      Investors want workers. It is your own local managers who make them slaves. It is our local mentality, one grovels at doctors, but boss around a carpenter though both of them sell their knowledge and expertise for a fee.

      • 1
        2

        Fathima

        When local managers are given tight production schedules that are difficult to cope with but difficult to refuse, the ultimate sufferers are innocent youth in the production floors.

        Cup of tea & some times the meals too are provided on to their lap, with a set of flattering words to save that time too.

        What a pity.

    • 0
      0

      “There’re many half brains together with RW to believe that taking an investor to buy our cheap Labour is a great achievement.”
      Why is there no Gurusha Andrews to heart bleed for the female estate up- country tea pluckers who have been exploited for generations forced to live in squalid one room line rooms and denied even the pittance of Rs.1000/- to have one decent meal?
      Is it because they are Tamils?

  • 6
    4

    In simple language you are barking up the wrong tree! Making a mountain out of a mole hill when there are other critical issues to ponder ov er like the news I read recently where Ranil is accused of having received a diamond as a gift from a famous drug peddlar .

  • 1
    12

    The woman who gave the title with Ranil’sname but wrote everything without Ranil’s activities, I thought she has some kind of mental defect.

  • 10
    5

    It was said in jest, and it is the truth too. “Victoria Secrets” is a very popular brand name for “jungees”, probably if MR had said this the writer would not have taken so much offense at this.

    It is again the politics that is at play.

  • 11
    5

    Geisha,
    You definitely have gone over the top with this piece
    “According to the World Bank report in 2016, 71% of the garment workers (‘jungee stitchers’ in Ranil’s reality) are women. ” Where has Ranil called them jungee stitchers? What he clearly says is that other critics called this industry by various degrading names. As such, your attempt to attribute bad language to him is dishonest to say the least. The CT editor was quite right.
    I am no blind Ranil supporter, but I feel this sort of nitpicking, supported by a video from that paragon of impartiality, News first, leaves a bad taste

  • 5
    6

    Of Boy…….
    This is more potent than the the Israeli Defence Force Attacks on poor Palestinian Houses in Gaza Strip.
    Poor Dr Ranil…

    I didn’t even read it because Dr Ranil’s Economic lectures bore me to death..
    Like the one the other day promising to Digitalize all our schools….
    And send them to Super Schools which Dr Ranil is creating .., in fact Four in Colombo alone where Dr Ranil supporting Elite live.

    I don’t think Dr Ranil knows there are different species of Jungees..
    And the new Species like Thongs, which are the “In” thing among our Colombo Elite..

    Also I don’t think this Jungee Talk is driven by any inclinations of Fetish for Female Under Wear which is a common feature even in the West.

    But this writer must be congratulated for pointing out the fact. that our Jungee Stitching Sisters in the FTZ, keep Dr Ranil and his Cohorts living the Luxury Life , while Jungee Stichers’ families have to survive on the Fifty Five Cents an Hour they earn in the Sweat Shops …

    Wonder how much one of those Victoria Secrets Thongs Cost?.

  • 5
    3

    In my humble opinion RW should have been more circumspect in choosing words and facial expressions. After all he is supposed to have got some training in the US to ward off his social weaknesses. If he merely said “Kantha Andum” (Ladies garments) instead of being more explicit, he would have made his point better. At the same time, in the garb of derogation of women’s respect, a mountain should not be made out of a molehill. Although the West is portrayed as egalitarian, there are enough of men there who would crack ribald jokes about women on the sly. As a country, we as ordinary citizens must show an example to the world in cultivating a good taste of mutual respect, whatever be the differences, such as ethnicity, religion and even gender. Had that basic education was ingrained in our society we would not derogate women’s under clothing as “jungee” or men’s underclothing as “lunket”. Don’t forget that RW is a party leader who was elected with thumping votes in the 2015 elections in the Colombo District, despite the fact that he was the prime mover behind securing a pardon for the convicted rapist, Gonawala Sunil, and subsequently making him a JP. In effect he is acceptable to quite a majority despite his shortcomings.

  • 9
    1

    Dear Grusha,
    .
    I read this article, there were no comments on it; I checked the Sinhalese section, and found this:
    .
    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/grusha-andrews-7-march-2019/
    .
    I made the comment appearing below and returned to the English version, which by then had nine comments. I had voiced only mild reservations; most of the other comments express serious misgivings.
    .
    I shall elaborate tomorrow.
    .
    .

    “Thank you, Grusha for highlighting these issues pertaining to the women of two or three categories who keep our economy running.
    .
    Could you please next deal with the women working in the Middle-East?
    .
    Can you please suggest ways in which we could bring about change? Some of your articles in this regard were excellent. How should we vote to bring about the changes that we all desire? Unless you tell us that all this talk is of little use.
    .
    I humbly suggest that you do another article on Nagananda Kudituwakku.”

  • 2
    6

    there is a photo of Ranil with a gang of Drug barons and he is holding a reqally big Blue sapphire on his hands. Genrally, that is illegal. It is not the private peraon Ranil got that present from DRUG barons (again unmoralistic even among christians) and it is the PM ranil. then comes a long list of wrongs including the Bond Scam, VAT sam in 2004 …a realy long list. where is all those money…check the list of the bond scammers and profit takes. Whole extended family is there.

  • 6
    5

    Come on, for a change RW has tried to speak something a common man can understand, things went wrong it seems. In this context I don’t think it is to be taken serious he just used the exact same word of his party’s critics. Still what is wrong with stitching “jungee”? It is the utmost useful piece among all other garments women wear. And whether you call it with a slang or formal word, still refers to the same..

  • 4
    7

    Is the author implying that Ranil knows more about jungies and probably he was wearing too. Only one member of the Samanala party has come out yet.

  • 2
    4

    Always some people try to catch him making a mistake. What a fuss, there are many issues lots of damages done to the nation. Why don’t talk about those?

  • 6
    2

    what can you expect from a man who calls himself a theravada buddhist and goes to thirupathi to worship a hindu god

    is there a bigger con man in sri lanka
    and he wants us to vote for him as president
    o tempora o mores

  • 6
    4

    He wasn’t being derogatory. Watch the video.

    The author is misrepresenting the speech.

  • 6
    4

    Even JR did not talk this grade of bullshit.

  • 6
    3

    “Is he brain damaged, senile, or plain arrogant?”

    He is plain arrogant. His sense of entitlement is astonishing. He is unbelievably insensitive and thinks he is funny..

    The most unfortunate thing is that we, the people of Sri Lanka, will never get rid of him until death do us apart.

    • 0
      1

      Rajiv Tennekoon

      “He is plain arrogant. His sense of entitlement is astonishing. He is unbelievably insensitive and thinks he is funny..”


      You mean Mahinda on 26 October 2018, and the next 50 days.
      He does or doesn’t think he is funny, however he was actually funny during the 50 days.

  • 7
    1

    I think Grusha Andrews has touched a important area related to Sri Lankan society.

    Women who work hard and diligently to make a living should be held in high esteem

    not to mention the foreign exchange that is generated for the economy

    It is high time that Sri Lanka moves forward in these areas .

  • 5
    3

    The man is an absolute clown . His ‘dry’ jokes are insufferable .

  • 8
    2

    “Gee” Andrews comes across as a wimpy feminist. Why not recommend Latha Walpola over Victor Rathnayake? Grusha, don’t sling mud at every turn whether at RanilW or SajthP or anyone else. Did you share a plate and contact an infection in mud slinging from Vayagra-Wansa? Leaders like RW need not prove to our masses that they’re boss. Trying to prove such a point will be self-conceited arrogance. We suffered previously under the thugs of a murderous regime we called MA’RRA -DUSHTA palanaya. We know how they proved their “royalty” or showed that they were bosses by killing and disappearing journalist like yourself. Had writers like you made insults as you do in the CT, the maraya would have torched the press and TV stations, and also blocked internet and social media that give you a pedestal. The Poddala Jayantha who is known to me cannot walk without difficulty. He had his knee caps busted and had his privates crushed by a hand plier. The outspoken critiques of the Buddhist clergy like Ven. Wataraka Vijitha Thera was circumcised with a rusted razor blade, beaten, his anus stuffed with a message to dissenters. The Thera was gagged and dumped into a canal. It was a miracle that he survived the ordeal. Juno’s like yourself Grusha would have been strangled by your brassier and hung off a bridge in your undies. Needless to say, I am not defending anyone in this government because all politicians in my view are rotten. Unfortunately, we Sri Lankans currently have no alternative before the forthcoming elections. Every political party is corrupt. Given the pathetic inaction by our intelligentsia to come forward, we will not have honest leaders to govern until the next century. Our choices are limited to picking the best worm out of a heap of worms that keep boring this rotten apple we call politics. Our kind of swamp cannot be drained easily.

    • 6
      1

      Yes, dear WalaGembaRaja, this may be termed the nadir of all public affairs: “Ven. Wataraka Vijitha Thera was circumcised with a rusted razor blade, beaten, his anus stuffed with a message to dissenters.”
      .
      I wonder where Ven Vijitha is and what he is doing. There are few truly religious people but Vijitha surely is one.
      .
      Ven. Watareka Vijitha Thera arrested – nghenhachay
      https://nghenhachay.site/…/r…/ven-watareka-vijitha-thera-arrested
      .
      Translate this page
      Jan 23, 2019 – https://www.youtube.com/user/hirunews Subscribe Now: https://google.com/+HirunewsL Follow us via G+: https://twitter.com/hirunews Follow us …
      .
      The link to this YouTube was the most recent that I saw, but this must have happened much earlier.
      .
      https://nghenhachay.site/nghenhachay/r_Uo8A4NG9g/ven-watareka-vijitha-thera-arrested
      .
      Some readers may not have heard of this man’s travails. Now he is a truly holy man. Please listen to him.
      .
      To be continued . . . .

      • 4
        0

        As I had indicated above, I was rather confused by all those links myself; they were all obtained when the 2-minute clip of Vijitha Thero was playing. Now that it has come on, I’ve tried out all three. It is the third, and last, one that will give you the Thero’s speech.
        .
        I think that all non-Buddhists should listen to this, because then you will realise that there are monks – and monks. This man is railing against other, racist (he actually uses the Sinhalese for it) monks, and he is threatened.
        .
        He is standing against racism, because racism is wrong – not because he expects to gain anything from it, but because, at this juncture, that is the right thing to do. Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative. We will never know the internal struggles that Vijitha had to overcome, like Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, in T.S. Eliot’s play. It is in these crisis situations that the spirituality of individuals is to be seen.
        .
        As for organised religion, I don’t give a fig for them. Our knowledge is limited, but in most circumstances, we can tell the difference between good and evil.

    • 4
      1

      Continued:
      .
      Yes, WalaGembaRaja,
      .
      Religions are not of this world of ours. Their true adherents (I wouldn’t claim to be one) are liable to be thought quite mad.
      .
      We’re glad that Gnansara is still undergoing rigorous imprisonment (I’m fearful that there could be news to the contrary!), but surely further action ought to be taken against him because of what he has done to poor Vijitha.
      .
      Grusha, what is sad is that most readers are by now agreed that you have let yourself down with this article. None of us takes Ranil Wickremasinghe seriously, but he obviously gets a few million votes whenever he contests islandwide, not because of his virtues but because some people always vote UNP.
      .
      So, yes, we have to expose him, but you’ve fallen below the high standards that you have set yourself. This is tragic because you have such an important role to play in this, given your ability to write well in English, but even more, your fine command of Sinhalese.
      .
      This article is much too long. Just Ranil’s words and his body language with a very few words from you would have been enough. We need you to continue. But I was also serious when I urged you to re-think your attitude towards Nagananda Kodituwakku, whom you once slated unconvincingly. We have to put somebody forward whom we can trust. I have seen nothing bad in Nagananda, and yourself, you could only say that he wasn’t elegant.
      .
      Let’s get our priorities right.

  • 1
    5

    Dear commentators with all respect for your various views which I accept its your rights, we need to rise above petty arguments and appreciate the strides achieved by the Garment industry in this country. Well we all know certain people criticized this initiative in very lowly terms. The PM highlighted these in lighter vein and that’s nothing wrong. If anybody has better plans to improve this sector which would benefit our COUNTRY / PEOPLE please help coming forward and give your constructive advice rather than criticizing in an unwarranted manner. Put COUNTRY First.

  • 1
    2

    Maskeliya Local Government has decided to change the name ‘Sree Paada’ to ‘Shiva Paada’. What the hell these descendants of slaves brought illegally by British colonial bastards think. The Government took control of the country after independence made a blunder by not deporting these rascals back to Hindusthan. Mano Ganeshan, is this the ‘Reconciliation’ that you are promoting?

  • 3
    1

    Knowing Ranil, one cannot expect potable mineral water to flow from a raw sewage drain.

  • 0
    4

    without working so hard at the machine,what jungee ranil should do is send used unwashed jungees to japan.One sniff and a japanese man will know this comes from a different country than what he is currently sniffing and the repeat orders will start to pour in.Grusha can collect jungees and give him.

    • 2
      0

      Shankar,

      Calling him “Jungee Ranil ” so close to the Election is devastating…..
      Especially when his Buddy Mangala has presented the Budget of the Century , in his own words of course.
      And Managala has said both Elections are around the Corner .

      I thought what a fascinating campaign it will be.
      When Colombo Elite and their hired labour from Keslwatta Kid and Appuhamy would have planned big slogans like Rajapaksa Hora Hora , just imagine our Dalits in all parts coming out shouting “Jungee Ranil Apita Epa”. after Dr Ranil’s insulting comments about our Village Girls who are the ones who still use Jungis…..

      Just imagine how crushing it will be to Dr Ranil followers and specially his mates in the Rainbow Cabinet..

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    Grusha,

    Have you gone mad . What is the big fuss about him making reference to Underwaer which is to cover women”s modesty. But he has given body armour to THUGS , CRIMINALS THEIVES and CROOKS to protect them As a result Sinhala Lanka is standing Stark Naked with nothing to cover other than a ” KOMANAM”

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    Men are not offended by the use of the word ‘Lunkat’ so why should women take umbrage when someone uses the word ‘Jungee’?

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    Grusha Andrews:
    Simply put, your entire piece reeks of malice and certainly DOES NOT serve the purpose it purports to. Twisting what Ranil Wickremesinghe said in the manner you have certainly provides no support to those most needing it: the exploited women of one of the world’s classic sweat-shop industries, garment manufacture.

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