Strangely, a deafening silence prevails on the justice meted out in the Water’s Edge case. I expected loud hurrahs and hosannas at least in the Letters to the Editor page. None!

However, the editors of The Island (Thursday 9) and the Sunday Island (12 October) carried superb analyses of the case in point with succinct comments. Needless to say, they were spot-on and gave verbal expression in their own excellent styles, to much of what we thinking public had in mind. We thank both editors and say we are very grateful to them. (If you have not read the editorials I refer to, please read them. It is a ‘must’ in the prevailing situation).

So, late in the day though it be, I shall cheer.

Hooray! Cheers! Congratulations and jubilation and huge bouquets of deep appreciation to Justice Shirani Thilakawardena and the Chief Justice Sarath N Silva for showing the country that justice will be meted out; that public interest litigation is very much in the genes of the judicial system of Sri Lanka. It taught, indirectly albeit, that power does not last for ever; that malpractice, especially in robbing the country and, by extension, all of us who are poor, will finally be accountable for. Of course, in today’s political culture, a fine is nothing and the slur to character is not such a big deal in this country.

Anyways, we revel in the thought that the those responsible have been apprehended and fined. The fines, though in millions, are, of course, peanuts to all those found guilty. From this one deal – the Water’s Edge - each may have made not millions, but billions. The fine was not adequate, but the judgment - fair and fearless - was superb.

Madam CBK gave the impression that no one would dare fault her, leave alone fine her. We suspect other nefarious deals. We await the day these will be exposed, too, and quickly. Our anger is due solely to the fact that in such a poor country, with many not having one square meal a day (and that’s just rice, pol sambal and dhall) these bigwigs rob, steal, cheat and live it up. How on earth can they? Are their children the only ones who need looking after and cushioning? Have any of those found guilty, really given charity worth its name from their own purse? Why not to a poor student who cannot afford schooling or a child suffering from a disease that calls for expensive treatment? I don’t mean grand danas to Buddhist monks, handouts from the President’s Fund nor paduru parties for sycophants.

Jeffrey must also be congratulated for his cartoon comment in The Island of Saturday 11th . We see a judge’s gavel shoving a sari-clad woman and a trousered, shoe-ed man into water. He should have caricatured a crowd of cheering, jeering on-lookers – we the suffering ordinary people of Sri Lanka.