Mannar.The doric, flamingos and Pearl fisheries of yester year.

fb.watch/isAMMw1PUG/

I saw this post on FB and thought that it deserves to be shared.Mannar has history of pearl fishery, contact with India, Baobab trees, ponies and much more.However I am fascinated by the migration of the flamingos to this part of the world from Europe.This short post is well done and merits a share. I hope you will al enjoy it.

Wish you a happy christmas and a bright new year.Eddie.

Dear colleagues,

It is the christmas season again.This year, we are at the tail end of the Covid 19 pandemic and looking forward to a better new year as travel picks up, world wide.Many things have changed over the last three years and the attached cartoon sums up the work situation all over the world.

Christmas is a time for sharing our warmest wishes for good health and happiness with family and friends.

Happy Christmas and a blessed New year 2023.

Eddie.

Judith Durham and Olivia Newton John.

youtu.be/WZfOxMjqX2Q

This week two Australian greats passed away. I am sure we all remember them as they were the stars we watched during our youthful years. I have attached a song by Judith Durham and the Seekers, as it has much meaning and I have enjoyed listening to it many times. The words, ” I am, you are, we are” are strikingly close to one’s heart. The song is a uniter and I always thought that our motherland should also have one like it to make all people who live in the country feel a part of the land they live in.It maybe a Utopian dream.! What do you think.? Eddie.

Mysteries at Galle Face.

Hi Colleagues,

I think, we are all asking ourselves, of what is going on in Galle Face.?The answer is not clear but the call is clear. A few days ago Victor Ivan , the journalist in a post mentions the name of Dr Pathum Kerner as the man behind the call.. I have never heard of him and hence researched him.Interestingly, he has been active on FB for quite sometime following his war time posts in Sinhala on his FB. These posts have since beenu translated into English.The title,A healer in the war zone.The memoirs of a doctor in Sri Lanka’s last Eelam war.I sourced the book and read it. Dr Pathum is the product of a burgher father and a Sinhala mother. His father died early and it was his mother who brought him up in a sinhala buddhist environment.From Kelaniya to Nalanda and Medical college. In his final year he decided to join the army to save the country from the LTTE.It is an interesting read of the experiences of a young doctor in the ” Advance dressing unit “. He has seen it all and the book is worth a read. Until he saw the suffering on both sides he did not know what the other side was about. The war taught him that everyone was the same, each fighting for their cause and the only difference was that they could not communicate effectively with each other, as the language was the barrier.He idolised Sarath Fonseka and Shavendra Silva and was comitted to the cause and was there at Nandikadel lagoon at the end of the war.

In the prologue of his book , he says ” The book is a collection of true stories….own experience….only truth…..There are some things that are better unsaid…..things that will not bring any good to the world with their disclosure…….and these will eventually be buried as someone’s memories.”

Soon after the war ended, he absconded from the Army as it would not release him.He scooted off to Singapore and worked in the Orthopaedic department of Changi hospital for 4 years. After 4 years he plucked up courage to re enter BIA from where he was taken into custody and then released after paying LKR 800,000 which was the security payment for his training.He now lives in UK, following a Masters in Public Administration in Birmingham university. He is still active on FB.In 2020 he contested as an independent from Gampaha and secured 5780 votes.He is the man behind the National Green Front. http://www.ngf.lk.

This is an interesting story that I came across a few days ago and I thought of sharing it with all of you. To many of you, it may be old news but all the same it is invigorating to know that young people are trying to make changes.There are many young women too ,Hirunika Premachandra, Amarasuriya and Lihini Fernando and they are all worthy of mention.What the future holds.? Que sera sera.

Regards to all. Eddie.

Our history by Matt baker.45 minutes.Well researched.

youtu.be/DH3lEbQkOzk

Dear colleagues,

We must all agree that we are a priviledged batch,for several reasons. We were born just before our nation was granted independence.We have seen our country evolve from Ceylon to Sri Lanka.We have experienced all the changes that have happened since then.Thanks to Sam,as the Colombo batch of 1964 we are still able communicate through our site.

This youtube clip of our history is one of the best that I have come across especially because the time lines are clear and the history is well researched.I am sharing this as it concerns all of us and in my opinion should be viewed by every youngster from Point Pedro to Dondra head.When the next generation is able to view, understand and are able to do their own research on every aspect of our history, is when we will all be in for better times.

My comments are,

1. Prime minister Rajiv Ghandhi is incorrectly referred to as president.

2.The visit of Zheng He,is mentioned but not detailed.The issue was over the installation of the tri lingual tablet ( Arabic, Persian and Tamil),which Zheng wished to install in Galle. (1410) .The king of Kotte, Alakeswara did not allow this.In retaliation (1411). Zheng captured Alakeswara and took him prisoner to China and in his place installed Parakramabahu the V1.In turn Sri Lanka became a vassal state of China and continued to pay yearly tributes to China until 1456.This is an interesting piece of history which is not well known to many.

3. The video of the children from the estate sector is heart warming.It is a great effort to upskill this group of children who deserve better for their fore fathers have been the backbone of our tea industry from the begining.

I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did. Regards to all. Eddie.

Looks like monkeys are taking over our lives.!

Does this picture not remind us of life in general.? Is the elder monkey reading? Is it the end of term school report.? The worried look on the young one as he sits patiently by this parent is telling..Is he about to be reprimanded for a poor end of term school report.? Enjoy the pic.You may have other interesting captions.Please share.

Posted by Eddie

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