In my experience the sight of a politician is a trigger to a signal in the brain to see what we can get. Remember these are politicians, most without any elected office, many with sparse funds and some just local government members whose monthly stipend is Rs5000, not those in Government who have access to a largesse others can only dream of.
People believe politicians, part timers are fair game for whatever that ails them! To use the example of a heavy day of work in the Mahara Electorate today, covering Sunday schools of different religions, sports clubs and societies providing death benefits. We gave sports equipment, chairs and lets review the requests, some mindbogglingly cheeky.
At a daham pasala in a Temple today, the Principal of the school said that children sit under trees, and learn their religion, but when a day like today (sporadic rain) comes around they have nowhere to learn, and all children are together in the main hall. They would like assistance with building class rooms so that the children have somewhere to learn.
The fact that no one realizes that as a preposterous request takes my breath away. If they want to learn in a school room type environment use the services of the unused school rooms on Sunday in a school close to the Temple. Why waste a fortune to build school rooms only to be used one day of a week? What a waste of scarce resources?
In my opinion, learning Sunday school under a tree for shade has an aura of religious mysticism to it. I feel I learn better in this serene setting. The fact that it rains in a blue moon on a Sunday morning does not mean that schools are interrupted! They should use the rain day to congregate in these beautifully crafted temple halls, where the gathas can be learned or recited in unison with all the students. I really cannot understand the need for school rooms in temples. In fact it takes away from its purpose.
As a country we fail to realize how fortunate and well endowed we are. Instead we compare ourselves with others and think we are owed something better. It is with this selfish attitude that a religion which teaches one to give up all earthly desires is mired in only a list of wants.
I have yet to go to a temple that has not asked for something over and above the goodies they have been given that day.
One Sunday school asked for a photocopier, another for more chairs and whilst in the car a Headmaster of a local National School asked for an overhead multimedia projector that had been asked previously at the time chairs were donated to the school. The headmaster must have his head examined as he spent Rs500,000 on a useless waste of resources when the President’s wife came to the school earlier for a prize giving, when he could have bought a minimum 6 projectors with that budget.
We are talking about intelligent learned people misusing resources of a country, who have no idea that any money distributed is hard earned by someone and not growing on trees. They should fundraise where appropriate especially from those directly benefiting from the expense, namely parents of students at these places. They will ensure that money is not wasted. Other people’s money is misspent, so this discipline will ensure productive use of resources for only the purposes intended.
If the Headmaster does not think he is cheeky, he really must realize he has abused his rights by the sheer waste of the event, where for personal prestige the wife of the President was invited, and all that spend was in vain as it did not result in any largess from her, as he mistakenly assumed.
At the sports clubs the requests were for grounds to play any sports. In this regard, I believe there must be an arrangement with schools for the use of their grounds. I believe that all these grounds built by Pradeshiya Sabhas for the people are not maintained. It costs a lot to maintain, and the clubs only use the facilities and DO NOT contribute to their maintenance so the PS does not believe it is a cost worth bearing as the grounds itself will go into disuse as I have seen most of these common areas in villages.
At the death benefit society the request was for a easily collapsible hut that can be used for funeral houses, usually with galvanized roofing sheets. Along with these requests are the usual personal requests too! Kid to Schools, jobs for family members, assistance with operations, and today, assistance with building two homes for two of the village’s families who are most in need, and have a dwelling that is not livable!
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