It’s bang on January 1st 2021, right on the first day of the New Year. Cass with kindness overriding her usual acidity, wishes each and every one of you a much better year than 2020 was. It started off bright and clear with a well matching 2020 label to it. But soon the Covid 19, curse its vey name, which had already sprung up in Wuhan and even now suspected Europe, raged forth. Little Sri Lanka was one country that managed to contain it well, with a superb presidential task force and the public health service working dedicatedly from midwife upwards to the admired Dr Jasinghe, assisted by armed forces personnel. Cass believes that the usual malady that hits us, Sinhalese particularly, took hold: complacency following initial success and we let the virus return with a vengeance. Answer of the Minster of Health to this rising crisis was throwing pots of water into rivers. She should have carried out the threatened self-sacrifice that was torn out from her by criticism in Parliament. For she did harm, not only act stupid. She imbibed, demonstrating approval of a paniya concocted by a kapurala, claimed by him to be both preventive and curative against C-19. So, we ordinary folk have much to contend with including incompetent people wielding power. But let us all unite in hoping for a better 2021 just dawned.