Thanks for sending a BLOGGER to the Parliament

This is a short note and you know why. As an elected Member of Parliament, I am about start a new journey. Responsibilities bestowed upon me by the people of Kalutara district are my prime concern now.

About two and half years ago, while analyzing different electronic options, a former classmate suggested a blog. This was a novel idea. Typically politicians like web sites. I was then only a lawyer, holding no political office and thus hardly known to anyone outside my clientele. I had to make my voice heard. I didn’t have money to run a web site. So I selected doing a blog. A low tech and risky approach. All my content was with WordPress. Had they collapsed in the world economic crisis, I would have been history. Fortunately, they didn’t.

The secret of surviving on-line, I was advised, was to update, update and update. A blog has to be a hearth; always warm. Though I do not claim having done a perfect job, I was able to maintain a constant pace. I was slow during elections, perhaps when one may think it was needed most. It was a compromise. Overall, I am happy about what I did. On the last count there was over 343,000 page loads. For twenty seven months that was not small.

To all my readers: You came, you read and you commented. We have come a long way together. I am grateful for you all. I am also grateful to the syndicators Kottu.org and Sinhala Blog Reader too. A special thank for Indi, for comments/suggestions online and offline, and giving me a larger audience through Sunday Leader.

Finally, I am happy to the first Sri Lankan blogger to make to the Parliament.

Ajith P. Perera,
Member of Parliament (elected),
Kalutara District