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| Sunday, 14 July 2002 |
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Letters |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Please forward your letters to [email protected] in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
A project to protect the coastal belt in Boossa from erosion was launched in 1995. But a stretch of about 300 metres of this coastal belt from the Boossa Army Camp junction to the 68th mile post was excluded from the process of coast protection and left to the mercy of the sea, while heaps of unutilised boulders are still lying idle in several places in the vicinity. Incessant representations made by concerned residents who had suffered loss of valuable land, coconut plantation and buildings every time there was sea erosion failed to evoke any response from the authorities. Another upsurge of the coastal current is now manifesting itself and the energetic tidal waves have already washed away the beach and vigorously rolling towards land, which portend an imminent onslaught by the sea. Residents are now in despair about their fate in the event of a coast erosion which is likely to occur. There is no gainsaying the fact that this unprotected small stretch of land in between the protected portions is invariably rendered more vulnerable to erosion than it was before. It is therefore, clear that unless protective measures are taken to safeguard this area the sea will definitely keep eating further into the land until it reaches the Galle - Colombo highway. I being an aggrieved resident request, the minister concerned on behalf of the other residents to take positive action to protect this precious bit of land. P. HERBERT MENDIS, I wish to refer to the news item on page 3 (SO 23 Jun) in which a senior motor traffic officer states that having a valid driving licence is no guarantee that the holder is competent in driving. Plans will be drawn up to teach driving in schools and issue Student Driving Licence (SDL) from next year to produce good drivers in future. I do not think this is the solution for safer roads. Private bus drivers whether competent or incompetent are issued with a driving licence after an examination. Unfortunately they have not been trained and educated on the basic Highway Code and traffic laws.It is my personal view that if the pavements are freely available without obstacles for pedestrians and roads without congestion death threats could be then minimized. The pavements on either side of main roads are completely overcrowded with hawkers and their wares. Pedestrians have no alternative other than to walk on the roads. It was mentioned in the Central Bank Annual Report of 1999 that roads were not designed or built according to accepted engineering standards. Road maintenance and improvements have not kept pace with the increasing number of vehicles.Due to the lack of co-ordination between the Ministry of Transport, Municipal and Urban Councils, RDA and the Traffic Police, traffic congestion is on the rise. We cannot expect a reduction of traffic growth in developing countries and it is the duty of the authorities to accommodate the vehicles in a methodical pattern and avoid congestion. The main reason for present congestions is improper working hours. It is my personal view that working hours should be re-scheduled to commence at three different stages from 8.00-3.30, 8.30-4.00 and 9.00-4.30 including a 30-minute break for lunch. It is the only alternative solution to ease traffic congestion. Mahinda Nihal Perera , Emergency medical services sadly lacking I am writing this letter following an incident that my family went through recently. When my parents, my wife, 6-year-old son and two-month-old daughter arrived at Katunayake airport for a visit, a medical Emergency turned into a nightmare. My Father who is a heart patient apparently had a cardiac emergency. The two nurses who came to assist didn't do a thing. My wife made my father sit down, in the mean time he began to lose consciousness. She placed a Nitroglycerin pill under his tongue and he recovered soon after. Thank God due to the quick action taken by my wife, my dad is alive today. The way the emergency personnel handled this situation is unacceptable and unprofessional. After about half an hour the doctor arrived. Imagine if my father was travelling alone. I know I can't compare Emergency Medical Services in the United States with that of Sri Lanka, but I expect a little more efficiency and professionalism from medical officials in Sri Lanka. In general Sri Lanka has a very poor emergency medical service system. I am surprised why citizens do not pressurise politicians to improve medical services. Better equipped ambulances with trained emergency medical technicians or paramedics is the need. I hope with the peace process in place the government will not have to spend so much towards the war effort. As a result programs like health and welfare will be better funded. Having been involved with emergency services for almost ten years here in the United States. I see room for improvement in Emergency Medical Care in Sri Lanka. They deserve the best medical care available in the world today. I understand the countries resources are stretched at the present time, but health and welfare of Sri Lankans should be the priority. HANEEF M. SAHABDEEN, 18th Amendment to the Constitution For the first time since the introduction of the present Constitution in 1977, this country is experiencing a unique situation where the Executive President is from one political party while the Prime Minister and his Cabinet are from a different political party whose policies/views are at variance with that of the political party to which the President belongs. This, no doubt, is a very unhealthy trend which would adversely affect the smooth running of the Government, resulting in disastrous consequences. The ambiguity is a sad reflection on those who planned the present Constitution, which had to be amended 17 times within a brief period of 24 years. Be that as it may we owe it to our future generations to ensure that they are not faced with similar situations in future, especially in view of the fact that there appears to be no move at present, for the abolition of the Executive presidency. This impasse could be easily overcome and millions of rupees and man hours saved, by an amendment to existing Constitution, whereby only one General Election is held every six years where the leader of the party who has a majority of seats in Parliament becomes the President while his/her deputy becomes Prime Minister who will in turn select his Cabinet. Of course, for this purpose, every political party contesting such elections should advise the Commissioner of Elections, well in advance, who their Leader and Deputy Leader are and this information should be made public through the media, to enable the voter to have a clear view as to who he should vote for. We must ensure that our future generations are not saddled with ambiguous situations like the one which the country is now experiencing. The only problem that would arise is who is going to be the President from 2005 (the year on which the present President's term expires) to 2007 (the year on which the present President's term expires). During this interim period of only two years, an acting President could be appointed since a precedent has already been created for the appointment of an acting President. The threat of dissolution should not appear like the Sword of Damocles over Members of Parliament elected by popular vote and such an eventuality could be totally eliminated if the proposed amendment is given effect. D.C. ABEYRATNE, Vegetarianism has a definite place in the teachings of the world's great religions. Religion has always recognised the fact that one's spiritual awareness involves to some extent his physical state. Physical purity has been equated with a vegetarian diet for thousands of years by great religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity sects such as "Seventh Day Adventists". I am not an expert on Hinduism and I stand to correction. Hinduism is well-known for its adherence to the doctrine of re-incarnation. Yoga an offshoot of Hinduism combines, meditative exercise and breathing techniques with a vegetarian regimen based on the idea of reincarnation. Many people in the West embrace Yoga as a religion. The yogi believes that all living beings go through a series of rebirths taking on many forms. Meat is thought to bring on negative karma and is therefore is strictly prohibited (Erhard - Vegetarian Nutrition 1974). A vegetarian yogic diet may emphasize fruits or vegetables or dairy products that are believed to create the greatest life energy. The New Vrindaban Society for Krishna Consciousness is another Indian sect that has a large number of Western followers. This society was founded in 1986 by his Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivendanta Sivami Prabhupada. Krishna devotees seek to experience profound religious revelations and ecstasy after sessions of chanting of the Maka mantra. But in order to be prepared for the divine occurrence, one must live a proper life by keeping four rules of conduct: (a) No gambling, (b) No intoxication, (c) No extra marital sex and (d) No meat eating. The foods that are eaten are thought to possess purifying qualities especially when ceremonially blessed. The food called "Prasadam" or "mercy" is thought to possess special qualities that are not only nourishing but spiritually stimulating and awakening. The Rajineesh Foundation in Maharashtra also embraces vegetarianism. Its founder Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh believes that physical purification must precede spiritual evolution. The first step in this direction is to refrain from eating anything dead because it only deadens your character. To eat something that has been delivered through violence only instils in us violent and aggressive nature. The vegetarian is more graceful at ease with his environment and with his fellow creatures because his diet consists of foods that are whole and alive. Dr. D. P. Atukorale. That there is life much more intelligent than ours in other parts of the universe and far away galaxies would be considered, I believe, a very intelligent conclusion to arrive at. That supra-intelligent beings will try to contact us (not necessarily Sri Lankans) is nothing but natural. If there really were probes moving two feet above ground level they definitely would have been probe craft from a mother ship and could have been a kin to our hovercraft. There is no point in running behind them or trying to track them for, if they are coming for a purpose, they will achieve that. "Leave them alone and they will come home". I doubt them looking for the key to the universe. If they have not found it how could they be here? If we are going to be the first that they are planning to contact how honoured we should feel. Looking at things even on our own planet a visit from an alien being could be considered a casual visit. There surely is no limit to achievement if the will and the determination is there. Even covering two million light years from our immediate neighbour, the Andromeda galaxy, in 24 earth hours would be nothing for any being who has unravelled the universal secrets still kept at bay from our senses. So, all earthlings, let's lay the red carpet to welcome the first aliens on our Planet. If that first alien decides to disembark at Dimbulagala history will record his name as Dimbulagullirer. Universal brotherhood is not very far away. In conclusion, with his over 40 years in Sri Lanka I pity the lack of information good Sir Arthur has gathered about the extraterrestrially famed Galle Face Green. UFOs don't visit Galle Face Green. The ones that do visit are called UUFOs. P. RYAN DE MEL, Non payment of EPF, ETF and gratuity I worked at a motor spare parts shop at Panchikawatta for eight years. The authorities have not deposited or only have deposited a part of the deductions which they have recovered from my salary. While I was working there, they created an unpleasant situation and I was compelled to leave the shop. Finally I left, because if not I would have had problems, but I was not paid my gratuity or any other payments. I brought this matter to the notice of the Commissioner of Labour on October 19, 2000. I was called for an inquiry on February 12, 2001. Though I answered the request I had to return as my employer did not turn up for the inquiry. I was called for a second and third time but my employer did not turn up. After a long period I received a letter from the Commissioner of Labour stating that he made inquiries from my employer and found that they had correctly recovered and remitted the EPF and ETF for three years, and they have to check for the balance five years, after the final letter I did not receive any information from the Labour Department. I wonder, why the Commissioner of Labour is keeping silent for my appeals. I kindly request you to have a check on this matter and to get the Labour Commissioner's attention to get the employer to pay my dues as there can be a vast difference of the pay receipts and the pay records with the employer. ANURA UDADENIYA, 'bring education to a decent standard' Officials at the Department of Education are concerned mostly about their importance and scoring points for promotions and not about education. This is not new but is a system that has taken strong root over the last few decades. If they are interested and competent to bring the system of education to a decent standard, parents need not spend on tuition. Children need not spend time and energy going for tuition. This tuition system must change - change without any further delay - and for the change to be a reality, 'road blocks' at the Department of Education must be removed. Senior Bands of twelve schools in the Colombo region are to participate at the Asian Games Festival scheduled to be held in August 2002. These students are required to attend practices at the Sugathadasa Stadium every other day beginning with the first week of July and that too from 8.30 in the morning till 4.30 in the evening! A vast majority, if not all of these students are studying for their GCE (O/L) or GCE (A/L) examinations. Immediately after school is over they rush for tuition. But with band practices these students are deprived of their studies. Those at responsible places must think before they leap. Education officials will say they have done an excellent job in getting school bands to play for the Asian Games forgetting that they are in such high places because they were educated. Why ruin the education of these students merely because they are members of school bands? Don't these officials give first place to studies and then to other activities? Please, for the sake of the children, think constructively! A CONCERNED PARENT Justice Sri Pavan appointed to the Court of Appeal Justice Kanagasabapathy Sri Pavan was recently appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal. As a Senior Deputy Solicitor General he was one of the most polished and hardworking individuals. His methodical and meticulous preparation of the work entrusted to him was an exercise in dedication and utmost endeavour to give maximum assistance to the Bench. As a Senior Deputy Solicitor General he won the admiration of judges for his clarity of thought, masterly analysis and mellifluous language. Besides, he handled a large volume of work both in the Court of Appeal and in the Supreme Court including Bills and Fundamental Rights Applications. He also supervised Court of Appeal cases including Revenue matters and supervised Legal work of State Counsels in relation to advice sought by various Government Departments and Statutory Boards. Justice Sri Pavan was born on February 29, 1952 and had his early education at Hindu College, Jaffna. Thereafter he entered the Sri Lanka Law College in 1974 and obtained First Class at the Intermediate Examination for the admission of Attorneys-at-Law. On August 23, 1977 he was admitted and enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law. He also obtained a Diploma in Industrial Law from the University of Colombo in 1992. From 1993-1994 he was at Queen Mary and Westfield College and also obtained the Master of Laws (LLm) from the University of London. On February 13, 1978 he was appointed as acting State Counsel. Justice Sri Pavan is of the opinion that a judge has not only to do justice to man but also do justice to the citizen and state and believes that a respected and an independent judiciary and a vigilant and strong Bar are indispensable for the administration of justice and for the vindication of law. C.M. |
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