The Island carried an article on the A.D.B. project for wild-life in its Midweek Review of December 28. Writing of the arrogance and hauteur of the donors, a member of the Netherlands embassy was mentioned. This reminded me of Mauritius.

The island of Mauritius had been almost completely covered with ebony forests when the Dutch colonists arrived.

They cut down - can you believe it - all the forests, every single ebony tree. Not one exists there now.
Swarna Nadaraja
Colombo 7