• With this wretched outbreak people are quarantined and rightly so, we are living through limpid dreary days
• They are imposing Quarantine Curfews, Monitoring and constantly reporting the COVID 19 cases reported throughout the country, Co-operating with Security Health Officials and now we read that the Army would tackle the issue of forest cover depletion.
• We were glorified as one of the countries that contained the virus in the shortest time but what happened this time around?

With the second onslaught of CORONA, my mind goes back to the words of Stanley Kubrick when Gene D. Philips interviewed him and I quote: “One doesn’t give up being concerned for mankind because one acknowledges their fundamental absurdities and weaknesses.  I still have hope that the human race can continue to progress.”  Brave words indeed but can they be applied to the people of our country?  We were glorified as one of the countries that contained the virus in the shortest time but what happened this time around?  The virus taught us humans a vivid and profound lesson but sadly not all of our citizens seem to have learned that vital lesson.  They got smug, they got complacent, they forgot the ‘ENEMY’ that gave us such a tremendous jolt and went back to being CARELESS.  

When I talk of being CARELESS, I also speak in terms of how demoralising it is to open a newspaper today and see the majority WITHOUT MASKS!!  AS LEADERS, ARE THEY SETTING AN EXAMPLE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD FOLLOW?   The absurd irony is that in our own ‘Daily Mirror’ of (13/10), on the Front Page, we had a Pundit who said that all who don’t wear Masks must be fined, but he himself was without a mask!!   How cool is that?

All of us have to realise and understand that this virus will not leave quickly.  It needs to see the ‘Cultivation of good human habits; heightened awareness, increased thoughtfulness, less selfishness, greater prudence and equanimity.  Very unlikely attributes considering that the first day the resurgence of the pandemic was announced, all the supermarkets and stores went without goods to sell.  Never a thought for another – I personally saw one man, I won’t even give him the honor of calling him a gentleman, pushing four (4) trolleys loaded to capacity, without giving a thought for another!  Oh no, all that matters is ME, ME AND ONLY ME.  One poor man could not get even a kilo of rice to feed his family.  In such times of crisis, supermarkets and stores should give a minimum to each customer to ensure even distribution as far as possible.  Sure, you can buy all you want if you have the money, but how about a little THOUGHTFULNESS, sparing a thought for the man who does not have the money you do, but also has a family to feed, like you do??

 What the world needs today is some GENUINE CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS, A TRUE FEELING OF BROTHERHOOD, TO SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING, FOR THE POOR CHILDREN WHO ARE HUNGRY; ESPECIALLY IN OUR COUNTRY.  What is happening in our country?  With this wretched outbreak people are quarantined and rightly so, we are living through limpid dreary days, the streets will soon be empty again and the shops closed.  Already hoarding of foodstuffs and basic essentials has started.  It seems that people are also avoiding all public places; apparently even bars!!  The parks and greens that were once crowded with laughing playing children and adults are now almost deserted.  It is terrible; we must indeed weep for the eventualities this has brought. No matter what the grim realities are, there are still people WHO REALLY DO NOT CARE!  They carelessly go around with no thought for hygiene, no sanitizing, doing everything that they should not be doing in the face of this plague that has covered the world!!
A GRIM REMINDER IS NECESSARY, TO FACE REALITY:
 
It is evident that the Tri Forces are all over, doing the best they can to combat not only all that nature is throwing at us but more importantly, the extensive damage we, as citizens are causing in so many areas.  They are imposing quarantine curfews, monitoring and constantly reporting the COVID 19 cases reported throughout the country, Co-operating with Security Health Officials and now we read that the Army would tackle the issue of forest cover depletion.  According to Rajpal Abeynayake’s column in the ‘DAILY NEWS’ “When the Defence Secretary says that the Army would tackle the issue of forest cover depletion, the only reaction, therefore, could be as if to a prayer that has been answered.  Will public vigilance improve and will law enforcement become effective in the face of greater demand from among the people for accountability regarding forest destruction?”  WHAT MUST STOP IS THE BLATANT ATTITUDE OF WE DON’T CARE, WE HAVE MONEY, WE HAVE POWER, WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE WANT!!!  IT MATTERS NOT THAT THE MONEY IS FROM ILL-GOTTEN GAINS, MONEY OBTAINED FROM DRUGS WHICH IS ANOHTER EVER PRESENT SCOURGE TODAY, MONEY IS ALL POWERFUL SO WHO NEEDS RELIGION, WHO NEEDS GOD??? GOD IS THE TESTIMONY OF FOOLS!!!

THE VOICE