The Island Editorial

Yahapalana ‘kick’ 

14th October 2015

Four religious dignitaries, representing Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, have moved the Supreme Court against a government decision to facilitate the proliferation of toddy taverns in Colombo. They want a recently published gazette to that effect cancelled. Whether the arguments in their petition against the government move stand up to judicial scrutiny or not remains to be seen. After all, that is a matter best left to the learned judges. Suffice it to say that the four prelates have, through their unity, set an example to others.

It is hoped that religious leaders will make a similar effort to tackle the scourge of religious intolerance which caused public disquiet in Kotahena the other day. A group of concerned Hindus have complained that they were prevented from conducting a religious ceremony, as we reported yesterday. A stitch in time, as they say, saves nine.

Successive governments have generously issued liquor permits to their supporters. We thought there was no dearth of liquor bars in this country, given the huge volume of alcohol consumed annually—malt liquor: 123,556,629 litres, bottled toddy: 17,325,918 litres, Arrack: 82,169,059 litres, Whisky: 1,114,099 litres and Brandy: 6,794,382 litres. These figures issued by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board do not include the volume of kasippu and toddy served in coconut shells. Licensed liquor outlets are ubiquitous besides a countless number of shebeens and there is a drunkard embracing almost every lamp-post.

Toddy is described as the poor man’s scotch, but a government cannot be seen to be pro-poor by allowing more toddy taverns to be opened. If toddy gives poor males who cannot afford expensive liquor any relief that is because it comes mixed with diazepam (a drug used for the short-term relief from symptoms related to anxiety disorders). The diazepam-in-toddy racket came to light a few years ago. We reported on July 21, 2013 that the Cosmetics Devices and Drug Regulatory Authority, had, in a series of raids on taverns in Gampaha, confirmed that diazepam was mixed with toddy. A suspect was arrested at Kosgama with a stock of 200,000 diazepam tablets to be supplied to toddy taverns! Is it that the government has found an easy way of calming the nerves of the frustrated poor who expected relief after the Jan. 08 regime change?

It is an irony that a UNP-led government is now drawing flak for trying to open toddy taverns. One may recall that in the 1970s, when the then Finance Minister Dr. N. M. Perera sought to augment the government revenue through the expansion of toddy industry, his detractors within the UNP ranks ridiculed his effort which was also purportedly aimed at combating the rotgut menace. They coined a catchy slogan in the form of a verse which says toddy (‘ra’ in Sinhala) oozes from trees, flowers and creepers and expresses sympathy for Perera.

Gasvalinuth prerai ra

Malvalinuth prerai ra

Velvalinuth perai ra

Anai, Apoi Pere ra

The proponents of good governance tore into the Rajapaksa government, and rightly so, for having caused ‘a river of ethanol to flow through the country’. The architects of the present government promised to block the ethanol river at source. But, today, it is in spate and the yahapalana leaders have apparently drunk the waters of the Lethe, the mythical river that causes forgetfulness. Are we to conclude that, the alcohol policy of the incumbent government is old wine, nay old ‘ra’, in a new bottle?

The government says it is doing everything in its power to combat killer non communicable diseases some of which are caused by alcohol and tobacco. President Maithripala Sirisena, when he was the Health Minister of the Rajapaksa administration, went so far as to warn that the state-run health institutions would not provide free health care to patients afflicted with alcohol related diseases. But, plans are now underway to open more toddy taverns!

All of us have heard of the three proverbial monkeys, See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil. But, there is said to be a fourth one, Admit No Evil, which has left his siblings for a career in politics. It is going great guns in the yahapalana government!