All that glistens!
August 14, 2014
Do better roads and a spruced up capital city compensate for lousy prioritisation, corruption and repression in post-war Sri Lanka?
Under the glass deck at the entrance to Independence Arcade on Bauddhaloka Mawatha, hundreds of ornamental fish swim hypnotically to and fro, delighting children and visitors to the latest entertainment spot in the capital. The glass is tough enough to walk on and the pond is lit up beautifully at night, making the massive underground tank a major attraction at the 85,000 sq.ft. recreational facility. Every other afternoon, the fish confine themselves to the farthest corners of the tank, and visitors can view a different species half-submerged in the green waters. Window pane viper and brush in hand, a Sri Lanka Navy sailor floats along the surface, diligently wiping slime and water vapour off each glass pane to prevent the view from above being obscured. Senior officers stand upon the glass, issuing occasional instructions. Each pane on the deck that covers the fish tank is estimated to have cost well over a Rs. 1 million.
