A President With A Jumbo Ego
By Imaad Majeed
Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Performing Arts Theatre, Mahinda Rajapaksa College Homagama, Rajapaksa with Namal at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Rajapaksa at Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Harbour and Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name in English, Sinhala, Tamil and Chinese on the foundation stone
In a country which prides itself on being ‘A Land Like No Other’ Sri Lanka has set yet another precedent. By passing local council rules and regulations, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has seen fit to name buildings, a cricket stadium, a school and a port after him showing scant regard for local authorities to actually approve these name changes.
More recently the impressive new performing arts theatre has been named after the President – and if that is not bad enough, at the entrance you find a large mugshot of Rajapaksa. On the foundation stone, of which there are two, his name is found, not just once but four times, in English, Tamil, Sinhala and even Chinese! Making sure it is shoved down the throats of this nation irrespective of whether we find it offensive or not.
In the instance of the naming roads etc., after individuals, there is due procedure to be followed. First a proposal is made by a counsellor, if it is seconded it must then go before the local council committee, and subsequently brought to the attention of the departments concerned. If all parties agree it will then be published in the local media for anyone who sees fit to object. None of these procedures was observed in the cases mentioned above, with each instance being handled by their respective ministries, ignoring all accepted procedures.
The following of due procedure and naming convention is a matter of principle. It is when the masses come to a consensual agreement to remember the services rendered to the country by an individual, that anything of this sort should take place. Homage is not the pet ego of any individual, but is expected to be paid to show respect, usually after the person concerned is dead.
In Colombo it is not uncommon to find streets named after individuals who have made a significant contribution to the country. From Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, to De Soysa Circus, many of the more commonly used roadways have been named after such persons to pay homage to their memory. D. S. Senanayake College, named after the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, was named so after his death. Looking back at past presidents, there have been many instances where buildings were to be named during their tenure. In the case of the Keththarama cricket stadium, Ranasinghe Premadasa vehemently opposed the use of his name. It was named after him following his assasination. Both J. R. Jayawardane and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge refused to have buildings named after them during their time in power, ignoring requests of those around them who wished to glorify their names, although there is a road named after Kumaratunge in Battaramulla.
However, though this is the norm there have been exceptions. Tyronne Fernando had the De Soysa Park cricket stadium named after him while he was still alive, as was done by Stanley Tillekeratne when a connecting road in Nugegoda was named Stanley Tillekeratne Mawatha.
When it comes to Mahinda Rajapaksa, since his re-election in 2010, the President has gone on to write his name into the Mahawamsa, and subsequently make sure his name is flouted freely in the South. In his hometown in Hambantota there is the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Harbour. While there has been much criticism over the actual usefulness of the port, the fact remains that it serves the purpose of glorifying Rajapaksa’s name. One does not have to look far to find another. The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, also in Hambantota, is yet another instance where the President decided (a decision entirely at his discretion) that his name must be inscribed on stone. There is more. Post tsunami, a pavilion at the Galle International Stadium was also named after him and called the Mahinda Rajapaksa Pavilion. Then there is the Mahinda Rajapaksa National School in Homagama.
Mahinda Rajapaksa has also succeeded in stifling dissent on the issue. When The Sunday Leader tried to speak with numerous people in relevant Authorities and obtain their comments on the issue they all steadfastly refused. Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil, and Chairman of the Urban Development Authority, Janaka Kurukulasuriya, both shied away from commenting.
I AM SURE WHEN THEY WILL LOOSE THEIR POWER AND NEW GOVERNMENT APPOINTS THEY HAVE TO RENAME THESE VENUES WITH A SUITABLE NAME.
The emergence of the third instalment of the LTTE will end this thug’s corrupt reign. Prabkaran maybe dead (that is what u pple say), but there are so many others to take over. Be prepared.
What Moronic ways we hace in this shallow headed leader with very crooked and corrupt agendas…Apart from a mega ego, he and his cronies, some of whom are not fit to even walk thru’the doors of our parliament, are deliberate crooks and shpuld be put behind bars for thieving and plundering from our country’s funds.Utter disgrace….a low level, never reached before.
Please rename the NELUM POKUNA as Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga. 90% of the credit should go to her name.
Nelum Pokuna is a great name. As it is.
Do not ruin it by naming it after corrupt, power hungry leaders such as MR or CBK.
CBK family is already occupying the public space way too much on this tiny Island. Airport, BMICH and a huge statue at Galle Face Green to name a few.
Dedicate Nelum Pokuna to honest and hard working ordinary Sri Lankan man and woman.
Big deal? Don’t we have more improtant issues than how to name roads and buildings? Someone must write a petition to Obama on White House website about this buring issue in Sri Lanka.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Meaning “What matters is what something is, not what it is called”.
Origin “From Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1600″:
Kolaveri kola kenda dynasty song (sung to the tune of the kolaveri di song)
yo boys i am PresiDunce singing song
kola kenda song
one family song
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
rhythm correct
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri……dynasty
Elder brother-u Speaker-u Speaker
Younger brother-u Goat-u Goat-u
Youngest brother-u 10% commission-u
Country going to dog-u dog-u
coming colour not good-u good-u
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
Lot of money Swiss Bank-u Bank-u
Family set for life-u life-u
My future bright-u bright-u
Country future dark-u dark-u
laughing…ha…ha…ha…ha…haaa
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
Raja pa pa paan raja pa pa paan raja pa pa paan
sariya vaasi
first lady maama ready
ready 1 2 3 4
whaa wat a change over first lady maama
ok maama now tune change-u
kaila glass
only english….
hand la glass
glass la kola kenda
hand la kiribath
laughing…ha…ha…ha…ha…haaa
this kola kenda song for family-u
my country people-u don’t have choice-u
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
why this kolaveri kola kenda family dynasty
family song
—————
Almost everyone can understand this song…
anyway here is the meaning for the title of the song
Kolaveri – Killer rage or Murderous Rage.
Well Done, well said!!!
they both know better LOL
BY LAW – STATE PROPERTY, STREETS OR ROADS ETC SHOULD NOT BE NAMED AFTER A PERSON.
You must be living in Utopia Tony. Just look around the world – Over 90% of the place names are those of persons.
I would have agreed if you said “AFTER A LIVING PERSON”
@paul
The politicians are the ‘Living Persons.’
Most of their loyal subjects are just zombies and they have been zombies for the past 63 years… :D
Only a despotic megalomaniac like MR will go around naming everything after his name, when true buddhists know that such is impermanent. A country of yokums to keep voting for these pariahs.
In this idiots land it’s a painstaking wait to see a leader with a decimal of an ounce of a brain.We are sick of these corrupted goons.Oh lord,when can we see the light as the end of the tunnel seems to be never ending.Sad and pathetic situation.
Did you know that he has acquired a title which was only used by a king? Saw this in the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. In the memorable trees section.
What a jerk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahinda_Rajapaksa
At this moment I remember something I read in the past, that it has been proved time and again that when a person thinks he is invincible his end is near. Power and pelf generally give a false sense of security and it is natural to get carried away by their trappings. In fact a person who becomes successful and influential in the world becomes more and more vulnerable. All worldly attainments are only transient in nature and no one can enjoy them always. So it is important to cultivate humility and humane values and not become inflated with ego by one’s achievements. Moreover, it is also necessary to remember that whatever one enjoys is due to divine grace and not attribute success to one’s effort alone. Unless such an outlook is developed consciously one can easily succumb to ego.
“Dangerous consequences will follow when politicians and rulers forget moral principles. Whether we believe in God or karma, ethics is the foundation of every religion.” — Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama quote.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t our legislative capital named after good old JR, and that during his tenure?
I cannot believe the jealousy directed towards current government. All previous government should feel ashamed that they could not do half the economic development the current administration is doing. Changing names as one has suggested an easy thing to do. That is famous for some people to take credit for work done by others. Yes, with the power of unjustified media blast this government will have to come to an end some day. But with this kind of criticism it will not be easy for any future government to conduct business.