The grass is not so greener on the other side.

Boat loads of people are stranded in some parts of the world trying to reach countries which are economically prosperous.

If the figures reported in some of the press are correct, the people now stranded in Indonesia have promised to pay or have already paid the smugglers in excess of two million American Dollars for the passenger of 250 people.

This translates in to over a million Sri Lankan Rupees for each head, which is a very large sum of money for someone like me who is presently employed in the Gulf even.

Looking at the pictures it is evident that the average family cluster on that boat is about four per family.

I was wishing if I can raise that kind of money (Rupees 4 million), not to pay some slave trader but to start up something of my own back in Sri Lanka.

Some may try to take political advantage on the predicament of those people still stranded on those boats.

These people neither political nor economic asylum seekers but a bunch fools who always believe that the grass on the other side is much greener only.

I have travelled enough in those countries where some think the grass is much greener and have met, spoken and visited many of those who have thought so earlier and ended up there.

Many of them are living in appalling conditions in attics, go-downs etc and doing some works that they would not even think of doing in their own mother land, even if they do not have one square meal a day.

We have a Sinhala saying which goes “Even if you make a living by slaughtering cats, the money you get in return for that work will not mew when being spent”.

But when they return to their motherland for a short holiday or looking for a prospective life partner to take back along with them, they do not tell the whole truth.

Instead, they flaunt a little to impress the others.

A couple of designer ware, a rented out car and a few extravagance parties to impress their other family members, neighbours and friends send a wrong message.

“The grass is much greener on the other side”.

Many who are living in their native lands are unable to see through the false facade and willing to gamble on their health, wealth and most importantly the peace of mind looking for greener grass.

It is not even worth the try.

If you can raise that kind of money, (I am talking about four million Sri Lankan Rupees) as your start up capital, then you do not need go anywhere but start something of your own in your own country.

The stories are galore in medias of many (mostly from the south and the north) have come to cities from their tiny hamlets with only cloths on their backs and have made money and a name for them.

If that is not a dream then what about someone with a disposable four million Sri Lankan Rupees as a start up capital?

Unless we learn to ask the right questions and willing to change to looking glass, the stories of such boat people will be repeated.

The parable is “the grass is not so greener on the other side”.

Kithsiri Sasanka De Silva,

Sultanate of Oman.