Of Sub-Standard Products and Establishments

Many eating houses have popped up all about town. An example is the flogging of the traditional lamprais, which has so many versions where most of them are nowhere to the real deal

Of late, various establishments, groceries, food, medical or wellness, have sprung up all over the city and the entire country. The latter three have very posh appearances and are on fabulous looking premises, making you suspicious as to where the money came from.  

The beauty sector starts off with grand openings, where they wax eloquently about their products, experiences and results. Their common marketing lines are variations of “how often have you promised yourself that you are going to prioritise your wellness, that you are going to get fitter or take care of your skin and then faltered,” and attracts a clientele. Recently, a rumour went viral of a girl who had paid a tidy sum for treatment of a small patch on her face at a beauty establishment that resulted in disastrous damage to her face. Yet, the establishment concerned seems to have got away with it.

The number of spas that have sprung up all over Sri Lanka, makes one wonder whether the masseuses have had any proper training; if not, they can easily damage the body. It seems that most of the spas are fronts for brothels, as reported in local newspapers.  I was tearing with laughter when a person known to me related the story of how he had visited a spa after a long day of tiring work looking forward to a relaxing massage when he was propositioned with some improper sexual proposal that made him leap into his clothes and flee, even forgetting to put on his under-wear. He will never visit any local spa after this experience, he said, and what had fooled him was the very posh appearance of the place. 

Food is another experience.  Many eating houses have popped up all about town. An example is the flogging of the traditional lamprais, which has so many versions where most of them are nowhere to the real deal.  The only common factor being that they all come wrapped in a banana leaf.

  Amusingly, some are sold as Lump Rice. Yet there are some who rave about this un-edible lump wrapped in a banana leaf. 
The list is endless of every product and establishment, expired food and drugs and many more. I read in a newspaper recently that some people had banded together and opened a drug rehabilitation center sans qualifications or knowledge on the subject. 
There are laws in place that need to be followed to obtain a license and approval prior to operating a business.  However, whether they are followed is doubtful, from the number of little shops that seem to be mushrooming in my neighbourhood.  These businesses attract unsuspecting clients till some disaster happens and is reported.  
It seems that we are all getting used to very low standards.