President awakens Ganegala from political slumber

"Is Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), W.B. Ganegala, in a deep political slumber?" seemed to be the question in the minds of many during the breakfast meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with the Editors and Publishers of the mainstream media at Temple Trees yesterday.

At the meeting, a journalist began bitterly complaining against the CEB Chairman, claiming that Ganegala never makes him available to answer queries of the journalists.“He doesn’t even answer the phone and this has become a big issue for us,” the journalist complained to the President.

The President, on hearing the complaint instructed his personal staff to get Ganegala on the phone for him. When Ganegala came to the phone President Rajapaksa queried: “Ganegala, why is it that you are going into hiding when journalists try to contact you?”

Ganegala: “No sir, I spoke to 15 journalists yesterday.”
President: “That’s all right! But please come here from wherever you are right now.”
Ganegala: “Right ‘Madam’ I will come right away!”  President: “Aney aney! So, it is still ‘Madam’ for you, is it? Now, it is not ‘Madam’ anymore. It is me! Don’t go and see Madam, but come and see me right now!”