The ministers celebrated the government's fourth birthday with a cake bearing four candles President Chandrika Kumaratunge brought along to Wednesday evening's cabinet meeting.

The president was late for the meeting that got underway at the scheduled time in her absence with the prime minister and Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake piloting business. The president arrived later with the cake.

Once the official business was over, it was time to cut the cake. The president needed some ministerial persuasion before she did the honours, we are told. One of the ministers tried to get "Happy Birthday'' started but it trailed off.

Mrs. Kumaratunge herself passed generous slices of cake around at the customary refreshment time at the end of the cabinet meeting.

Early flowers

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister S.B. Dissanayake got a bunch of flowers and a birthday card from the president on August 18, exactly a month before his birthday! Somebody on the presidential staff had goofed.

Media Advisor Sanath Gunatillake was a visitor to Dissanayake's home the day the flowers arrived. So there was a hearty chuckle about the mistake which, according to our information, has been duly conveyed to the boss.

Undiplomatic, Sir!

A Colombo businessman had an unhappy experience with a foreign office staffer after striking a deal to buy the official's van advertised last Sunday.

The businessman inspected the vehicle and the price was agreed upon. He said that he was buying it under a lease arrangement through a bank and it would take three days to finish the paper work. He needed a valuation report and a letter from the importer to the bank. This was given on Monday evening.

On Tuesday, the buyer rang the seller and told him that the papers were being presented to the bank that day. If the bank needed to inspect the vehicle, deficiencies including a missing spare tyre and meters that did not work had to be looked after. The seller's wife said this would be done.

The bank approved the lease on Thursday and the buyer rang the seller to fix a convenient time to complete the transaction. He was surprised to be told with a marked accent, "I have sold the vehicle.''

"But we had an agreement. Why didn't you at least phone me and tell me without making me waste my time,'' said the buyer. The seller had a short answer. "He had spot cash and offered a higher price.''

The angry businessman was constrained to say: "If the country's foreign affairs are in the hands of the likes of you who cannot keep your word, will our policies also be sold to the highest bidder?''