You will recall, Sir, that you appeared on the television and reassured the nation quite some years ago that there would never ever be such power cuts in the future as we experienced them at that time.

You also offered the same reassurance through the print media as well, which was given wide publicity both in your government controlled media as well as the other ones. I, like the vast majority of the citizens in this country, placed so much of reliance on your word at that time. But I am wiser today.

However, it so happened that a heavy loss and damage has been caused to me recently as a result the present day power cuts. My technician had advised me to fix a contraption which he called Uninterrupted Power Supply (U.P.S.) and I did so at the cost of Rupees nine thousand (9000). But unfortunately, the power failures these days could not be tolerated by my UPS and therefore went haywire thereby causing a loss and damage of Rs. 9000 to me.

Well! A loss of Rs. 9000 could have been tolerated by me if not for certain other developments. It should however be noted that even this damage resulted from my reliance on your reassurance as aforesaid and you are accordingly held liable for the said damage.

Please note that governance of a country is a social contract between the governors and the governed as Rousseau has enunciated centuries ago and at present widely accepted without controversy.

Let me state that some of the documents that I had preserved on my personal computer were also lost for ever as a result of the said power failures. The loss caused to me thereby cannot be quantified in monetary terms. But, for the purpose of this letter of demand, I estimate it at Rupees Five Million.

Please therefore be good enough to remit the said sum of rupees five million plus five thousand within two weeks of the receipt of this letter to me personally to the address stated here by bank draft/cheque/cash.

Please note that in the event of your failure to comply with this request, I propose to institute civil legal proceedings at once in order to recover the said sum of money together with cost of litigation. Please also note that it is advisable for you from whatever angle you look at it to settle the matter in an amicable way without entering into litigation.

Dharmapala Senaratne
Gothatuwa New Town