Diary of a power-cut citizen
Friday, February 25, 2022: 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Watching horror movie with elderly father.
Now plunged into our own horror – another power cut. Second today.
Church candles are now antidotes to government’s initiative of taking the country back to the Dark Ages.
Elderly father with dementia repeatedly tells me all governments of Sri Lanka, no matter what party, do nothing to improve the lives of the people. They drag the country further backwards for their own benefit.
He speaks more sense than the authorities. Saturday, February 26, 2022: 2 p.m.– 4 p.m.
Fans slowly halting. Appliances dead. The same death that plagues us all, across the country.
A symbolic testament to the death of accountability and proper governance of public utilities in Sri Lanka.
Why aren’t Sri Lanka’s generators properly fuelled? Don’t they have fuel gauges?
Dear Electricity Fat Cats,
Don’t you know what happens when you don’t pay your bills on time?
I suggest you read the bills you send us – it’s written clearly in red on those!
Sunday, February 27, 2022: 2 p.m.– 4 p.m.
Meter-Man hands me an electricity bill. Grrrrr…
“Here’s your electricity bill for ‘disservices’ rendered.”
He wants my mobile number, to SMS me times of power cuts!!
The Electricity Board is setting up a SERVICE, to notify us when they will be providing us with NO SERVICE !!
Being the height of inefficiency is one thing. But dropping me a text to rub my face in your inefficiency?
I ask if I can text them back and arrange power cuts to be scheduled at times convenient for me? Am told no.
If scheduled cuts in newspapers are inaccurate, what faith do I have in your SMS alerts? Monday, February 28, 2022: 4.30 p.m.– 7.30 p.m.
Friend’s online business is terribly disrupted by cuts. I suggest exercising our citizens’ rights. “No point, what good will it do?” he asks. Feel sad. We’re so ground down by the antics of politicians, and public service officials ‘offenders’.
We placed our trust in them to look after our country. They swore an oath.
I wonder what oath they swore….
“I hereby promise to mess up The Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka with all the incompetency and ineptitude I can muster in myself and my staff for as long as I hold this office.”
And they lit lamps.
I thought for posterity.
Now I’m thinking it was just a power cut. Thursday, March 3, 2022: 1.30 p.m.–ongoing
Watching programme about Los Angeles public solving crime. Police unhappy – their inefficiencies are highlighted. Tough, say public – you clearly can’t do the job.
Couldn’t watch end. Power cut. Perhaps we should do the same? Enlist talented Sri Lankans far more capable to manage our utilities.
Like Lankan superheroes, these Batmen and Wonder Women would take on these jokers and restore livelihoods, education, health and wellbeing.
This incompetency is being perpetuated by leaving same public officers offenders to remedy the issue.
Like catching the fox in the hen-house and asking him to solve the dead chicken problem! Friday, March 4, 2022: 8 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.
7.40 a.m. – a 10 minute ‘amuse bouche’ cut. Was this a genuine power cut, meaning an actual technical problem, rather than cuts caused by national financial malfeasance?
Awoke at 3 a.m. – another ‘power cut’ effect. When the power goes off at 9 p.m. what to do but go to bed.
Early to bed, early to rise.
So, sleep pattern disrupted, I take advantage of uninterrupted ‘midnight power’… whilst it lasts.
Am now also adept at ‘blind’ tastings. In London and NYC people pay huge amounts for the thrill of going to restaurants to ‘dine in the dark’.
Come to Sri Lanka! You can eat without seeing your food, every day!
Friday, March 4, 2022: 18.30 – 21.30
Waiting three hours for doctor in hospital with father is a pleasant sojourn. Ahh…luxury… lights and air con! Can charge phone.
Which Peter will be robbed to pay Paul in Customs to release generator fuel shipments?
Suggest we use Russian shipments first (Oh how we like to dance with the Devil). I read that a Russian tank ran out of fuel whilst invading Ukraine. They might ask for their fuel back.
Headline appears on phone: Our good President has announced that there will be no more power cuts after March 5. HURRAH!
Sunday, March 6, 2022: Unlimited electricity
A POWERFUL DAY
But now 14-hour water cuts!!
Perhaps Water Board Heads are jealous… “Not fair! How come the Power Boys get to turn off their supplies for weeks and not pay their bills? We want to do the same!!!”
Thank God these Boards don’t regulate our air supply – we’d all be dead by now!
Monday, March 7, 2022: 3.30 p.m.– 6 p.m.
Cuts again!
I forgot!
The only power our politicians ever worry about is their own.