SUNDAY OBSERVER people-bank.jpg (15240 bytes)
Sunday, 13 January 2002  
The widest coverage in Sri Lanka.
Letters
News

Business

Features

Editorial

Security

Politics

World

Sports

Obituaries

Archives

Government - Gazette

Daily News

Budusarana On-line Edition




 


Sigiriya at night

Sigiriya is one of the most treasured cultural heritage sites and is also a very attractive tourist site. Imagine what a magnificent sight it would be if Sigiriya is illuminated at night.

If Sigiriya is lit up and made a night time tourist attraction that would enhance its potential to attract a large number of local and foreign tourists. For this purpose, Sigiriya will have to be illuminated in a similar manner to those of Pyramids illuminated at night in Egypt. The illumination has to be carried out in a professional manner without harming the natural features of Sigiriya.

It will also be much more pleasant to climb Sigiriya at night in cooler temperature. I hope that relevant authorities will take note of this proposal.

K.G.E.,
Nugegoda

Health Ministry clamps down on overseas registration

I read with interest the article by Shanika Sriyananda Liyanage on the efforts the Health Ministry is taking to ensure the return of Sri Lankan doctors due to a shortage of specialists. I could not help but write a response to the above article.

I am a Sri Lankan citizen who qualified in India and obtained registration with the Sri Lankan Medical Council after passing the registration examination (Act 16). I proceeded to the UK for postgraduate training and am on the UK training program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

On a visit to Sri Lanka I approached the Sri Lankan Health Ministry and the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (University of Colombo) to discuss prospects of returning to Sri Lanka on completion of my Specialist Training in the UK. I was totally discouraged from returning to Sri Lanka and was told to "go away and do private practice in India". I was very surprised since I have been well trained clinically and academically with quality publications in reputed medical journals, which has changed clinical practice in the UK in certain areas.

I have been offered a Senior Lecturer position in New Zealand even before completing my training in the UK needless to say that I would be appointed as a Consultant in the UK on completion of my training.

If the country is short of specialists why are overseas-qualified doctors (citizens of Sri Lanka) who have been well trained being discouraged to return to Sri Lanka? Is there an element of hostility towards overseas-trained doctors? It appears to me that doctors like myself who are well qualified to practice, as specialists are able to find Consultant posts in most parts of the world but not in Sri Lanka. Yet Sri Lankan authorities claim to be short of specialists.

Doctors qualified in Sri Lanka and who are sent abroad for postgraduate studies by the Health Ministry are not returning to their own country because countries like Britain and Australia are recognising well trained specialists.

The Health Ministry and Professors in Sri Lanka should take an initiative to recognise well-trained overseas doctors who want to return to their own country and not prevent them from returning to Sri Lanka prior to stopping other medical councils from registering Sri Lankan doctors. There should be appropriate steps taken to recognise Sri Lankan citizens who are well trained overseas and such doctors should be encouraged from returning to their own country.

Dr. Premila Wenceslaus Ashok,
University of Aberdeen

Sick and tired of being sick and tired

Towards its end, the last government made people so sick and tired of being lied to, intimidated, thuggery set on and law routed by the very "law makers" - that the people became sick and tired of being sick and tired of them (as the song goes).

The only ray of hope is the, so far) unblemished record of Ranil - though he is in an unenviable position where he has to sort out the utter chaos left behind by the earlier government, especially economy wise and defence wise.

There was a wonderful piece of e-mail written on "why I love Ranil" doing the e-mail rounds before the elections, which really hit the nail on the head on this aspect. I reproduce some parts herewith.

Maybe we should all change our attitudes towards politicians. Rather than treating them as demigods, we should leave them well alone to do their duty to the people. Other than governance, which the common man feels is at very capable hands, looking at the Cabinet, there are certain things which the new government will do well to concentrate on:-

1. Politicians should refuse to be chief guests at functions that are not related to their portfolio or professional qualification. We should do away with the practice of 'the man in charge of exports of meat' presiding at the vegetarian's functions". The people must also recognise that boosting the egos of politicians are detrimental to both, in the long run.

2. The politicians must be exemplary in both their professional, as well as their personal lives. No misconduct, no arm dealing at the top please. After all the politicians themselves opted to be in the limelight - once they chose to be the 'Fathers of the City' and Leaders of the country, they should remember that they "really set the trend" for everyone in the country to follow.

Their lives are no more private, since they opted to live in the glass house. This is the price they pay for the privilege of being in the highest echelons of the country. Parliament should be conducted with decency and decor. Nothing undermines people's sense of propriety as seeing the elected members behaving worse than hooligans in the august body of the country.

3. Provincial Councils should be run by all party members, it being a combined effort of developing the country, rather than establishing one's authority. This would give an impetus for the reigning party to do better while giving the opposition to work in such a way to obtain the goodwill of the people in future.

5. No newspaper should be the mouthpiece of the government. We had the frustrating situation where the independent media was concerned solely in criticizing the government, and the government media dishing out so much of lies with truth.

6. The economic sector coming forward to take part in the governance, in the Sri Lanka Fast Movement was a good move, though ridiculed by many.

For the first time the rich and economically powerful set out, rather shyly, to have a say, in the governance of the country. We must develop this, so that in the absence of a good opposition, the economic sector will act as a stop-gap for any misdeeds of the government.

Tall orders, true, but if we do not aim high, we won't get anywhere from the depths we have fallen into would we?

Dr. (Mrs.) Mareena Thaha Reffai,
Dehiwala

No discipline

To quote a saying of Napoleon "the word impossible is not in my dictionary". It is relevant to mention that the word discipline may not be found in dictionaries used by most people of the majority community in Sri Lanka. I say this with deep regret as there is no discipline whatsoever in most institutions run by the State. Discipline is control or order over people in the exercise of their duties.

It is also a training or way of life aimed at self control and conformity. It may be also be defined as a set of rules for the conduct of smooth administration.

Discipline is the chief ingredient that should be imbibed into the minds of the Police and the Armed Services. It is questionable whether discipline prevails in our schools, universities, public offices, on the road, playing fields and such other places throughout the length and breadth of our small country.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki is past history and it is an accepted fact after the above-mentioned holocaust that Japan built over ashes rose up to be one of the most powerful nations in industry and trade.

Likewise a unified Germany after the demolution of the Berlin Wall is another classic example of a nation that emerged as a powerful economic power after the ravages of World War II.

A close observation and evaluation of the working especially of public offices and corporations in Sri Lanka will give a true picture of the attitude and dedication to work of our people in an overall analysis of the situation.

In most quarters the lame excuse given for such lapses is the insurrection or civil strife that prevails in Sri Lanka.

Those who govern and all sectors in the upper strata society should first be disciplined to set an example to all others. Attention maybe focused on Singapore where discipline is adhere to, to the very letter of the law.

It is a false assumption that discipline aI›,„ is associated only with mosques, kovils, churches and temples.

Self-discipline entails being alert and helps to weed out lethargy, delays, waste, corruption and nepotism in society whereupon a powerful nation emerges.

Earle R. De Silva,
Ratmalana

The Internet version of Lake House newspapers

Because of my low vision, I am unable to read the daily newspapers. Therefore I am dependent on the Internet version for my news. One important feature I look for is the obituary notice. But last Sunday 16th December, I missed one.

It was the notice of the death of Mr. J.N. Ponniah, which did not appear on the Internet. I missed the important funeral of my former Vice Principal. I was told later that it appeared in the Sunday Observer. I wonder why it was missed. Was it because of the late notice?

If this is so, would it be possible for the late notices to be included in the next issue, so that we are aware of it even later.

I spend about two months each year overseas and I am totally dependent on the Internet for Sri Lankan news on the internet. I hope I will not be let down with some items are missed by the Internet version.

Dr. E.S. Thevasagayam

Crescat Development Ltd.

Sri Lanka News Rates

www.priu.gov.lk

www.helpheroes.lk


News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security 
 Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries


Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager


Hosted by Lanka Com Services