The Diyawanna group of the Green party had its regular powwow the other day with the Green leader in the chair.

The main items of the day’s agenda duly disposed of, the members were given time to air grievances related to their constituencies.

A talkative young member from the city whose name reminds one of a founding leader of a SAARC nation pointed out that the construction work on a school in his area was yet to get off the ground despite years having gone by since laying the foundation stone. “I understand that no funds for this have been released so far,” he said and added: “Trenches dug for laying the foundation get filled with water. They have to use a motor pump to drain out this water practically every day!”    A voice from among the members was heard before anyone responsible could give a reply: “There is a severe drought on and there’s a scarcity of drinking water! From where do these trenches get so much water that necessitates a motor pump to drain it?”

Loud guffaws greeted this query and a smiling Green leader said: “Let us get on with the next question!”