{"id":94388,"date":"2013-07-07T00:05:19","date_gmt":"2013-07-06T18:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=94388"},"modified":"2013-07-11T01:44:46","modified_gmt":"2013-07-10T20:14:46","slug":"keheliya-saysramith-says-meanwhile-in-a-parallel-universe-called-humility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/keheliya-saysramith-says-meanwhile-in-a-parallel-universe-called-humility\/","title":{"rendered":"Keheliya Says, Ramith Says: Meanwhile In A Parallel Universe Called Humility"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Malinda Seneviratne<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

Keheliya<\/a><\/span> says<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

First of all, please understand that I have a tough job.\u00a0 On the one hand I am a conveyor of Cabinet decisions.\u00a0 When I do this I am the first \u2018point man\u2019 for tough queries on these same decisions, even though I am not necessarily an expert on each and every subject.\u00a0 I also have to play a damage control role because the media is notorious for taking the slightest error or slip on the part of the Government and inflating it for their own purposes, not all of which is about informing and educating the public.\u00a0 There are times when the slip-ups are real and embarrassing. At such times I have a tough brief to defend. I do my best to keep things sane and in context.<\/p>\n

It would be better, infinitely, if those who err were to come clean, admit fault, ask for forgiveness and try to do things differently the next time.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t happen often.\u00a0 I am torn.\u00a0 On the one hand there is party loyalty and a need to defend friend and colleague. Then there is the public demand for the truth, however unpalatable it may be.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve defended the incorrigible sons of my colleagues.\u00a0 I said \u2018boys will be boys\u2019.\u00a0 That\u2019s easy to say.\u00a0 Boys can\u2019t be camels or rhinos, after all.\u00a0 I should have added, \u2018be that as it may, it is no excuse to break the law and if caught to invoke daddy\u2019s or mummy\u2019s name to escape the law.\u00a0 It is my son Ramith who I have to talk about today.\u00a0 \u00a0I didn\u2019t say \u2018boys will be boys\u2019 when my son stepped out of line as a schoolboy, but my position clearly helped him. Any other child would have been sacked immediately.\u00a0 In hindsight, I should have insisted that the school do whatever was necessary in the name of discipline to protect the dignity of the institution.<\/p>\n

The incident itself is hardly a crime.\u00a0 It made headline news because he happens to be a minister\u2019s son.\u00a0 I know that a breathalyzer test was not done by the flight crew and so it is easy for me to say \u2018prove he was drunk and I will resign\u2019.\u00a0 I know that no one is buying that story. I know also that no one is purchasing the sleep-walking explanation.\u00a0 He was returning from a tour where he represented the country.\u00a0\u00a0 When you represent the country, you have an added responsibility to ensure that nothing is done to tarnish the name of the country, on the field and outside it.\u00a0 It is not illegal to take a drink, but one expects, given the situation, that limits are understood and kept to.\u00a0 My son did not.\u00a0 That is where the transgression took place.<\/p>\n

I strongly urge Sri Lanka Cricket to mete out the maximum punishment to my son for whatever infringement he is guilty of, in the name of the sport, in the name of discipline and in the larger interest of the country.\u00a0 Anything less gives a wrong message and only proves the general perception that politicos and their near and dear are above the law or at least are treated with soft hands whereas others get their knuckles rapped or worse.<\/p>\n

Ramith<\/a> says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this point I remember how as a schoolboy I was caught doing the naughty-naughty during a period when I was representing the country.\u00a0 I remember that I was not admonished. I remember that I was not caned or put on detention. I was not suspended or sacked.\u00a0 I believe now that the leniency shown to me emboldened me to disregard discipline and responsibility.<\/p>\n

On that occasion my father\u2019s name and position clearly worked in my favor.\u00a0 It embarrassed him.\u00a0 I was a schoolboy then and all that mattered was that my rear end was saved.\u00a0 My appachchi<\/em>\u00a0 should have known better, I now think.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I am no longer a schoolboy.\u00a0 \u2018Boys will be boys\u2019 cannot be explanation enough, I understand this.\u00a0 I was desperate, though.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want my appachchi<\/em> to be embarrassed.\u00a0 I ought to have known that cover-up makes things worse, especially given my history.\u00a0 The \u2018somnambulism excuse\u2019, moreover, made me look an even bigger idiot than I am.<\/p>\n

The thing is, whether I sleep-walk or not, I should have shown more discretion in my conduct.\u00a0 Drinking is not illegal, but I was part of a team that represented the country.\u00a0 Coming off with egg in the face, especially in a British Airways flight, put egg on my appachchi<\/em>\u2019s face and on the nation\u2019s collective face as well.<\/p>\n

There is a time and a place.\u00a0 There is a thing called \u2018a sense of proportion\u2019.\u00a0 If I haven\u2019t understood these things, I cannot expect the general public to show sympathy.<\/p>\n

I am sorry.\u00a0 Truly.\u00a0 I will accept whatever punishment that Sri Lanka Cricket metes out to me.\u00a0 I will do my best to be a better citizen. I think this will help my appachchi<\/em> in the long run too and compensate him for all the embarrassment I\u2019ve caused for he won\u2019t have to \u2018cover up\u2019 for the errant sons of his colleagues hereafter.<\/p>\n

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of \u2018The Nation\u2019\u00a0and his articles can be found at\u00a0www.malindawords.blogspot.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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