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| Sunday, 13 October 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.
The ETF (Employees Trust Fund) awards Rs. 10,000 to children of ETF members who get through their year 5 scholarship. This is a commendable act. But there are many delays in making these awards awards. This may be due to the heavy workload in the department. If these delays are minimised and payments are expedited it would be a great benefit to the recipients. Ranjith Pathirane, Trincomalee-Colombo train service There are many shortcomings in theTrincomalee-Colombo train service that it is never run at the schedule time. Issue of tickets at Trincomalee Station is delayed for reasons known to them and when issued, people are not allowed to go to the platform, but kept behind the platform gate till the train is ready. The lethargic workers find their own time to complete their job to get the train ready for the following trip to Colombo. By this time a large number of passengers are there waiting to go to the platform. When the gate is opened, there is a rush of passengers to get seats and at times they get injured. Inside the train cleanliness is lacking. Fans do not work properly, windows and doors are in bad condition. There is no first class compartment in these trains. First class ticket holders are forced to travel in the second class with third class passengers. It is almost impossible for first class ticket holders even to reserve second class sleeperettes. First class ticket holders are not given preference in reserving second class sleeperettes or even third class sleeperettes. Govt. servants holding first class warrants are badly affected as they are informed that the sleeperettes are reserved. To reserve sleeperttes one has to pay somebody to stand in the queue in time or have contacts with railway officials. Batticaloa-Trincomalee mail train is scheduled to leave Valaichenai at 8.30 p.m. from Colombo Fort but the train mostly arrives late. The reason is that it comes all the way from Matara. In the good old days this train left from Fort on schedule and it was convenient for passengers to get into the train. Now, as the train comes all the way from Matara, it comes crowded leaving no room for Trincomalee passengers. However the Trincomalee passengers (for any class) can get a seat only when the train passes Maho or Gal Oya or Chinabay. At Fort station it was observed that the passengers to Batticaloa and Trinco struggle to get into the already crowded train. Worst of all there is no proper ticket checking of third class passengers are seen travelling in the second class either from Ragama or Maho up to stations within Gal Oya. At Maho a tea maker used his kerosene cooker in the second class corridor to heat water. The railway security is so lethargic. There is no sign board on the sides of the compartment indicating the destination of the compartments, and passengers run from one end to the other of the train seeking their respective compartments. It is important to fix the sign boards distinguishing the destination of compartments as this train is scheduled to run up to Gal Oya with compartments meant to Trincomalee along with Batticaloa and Valaichenai compartments. In the good old days when this train was leaving Fort station it carried the sign boards on both sides of the compartment indicating its destination. As the passengers are on the increase with all these shortcomings, it is time to separate the Trincomalee train from the Batticaloa train and run a separate train from Fort to Trincomalee and back at a convenient time. At present joint running of Batticaloa-Trincomalee train causes much inconvenience and so much of avoidable delay at Gal Oya. At present it takes more than 12 hours to cover up the distance between Trincomalee and Colombo whereas it could be done within 6 to 7 hours, by bus. In view of the above, it is hoped that passengers would agree that either a proper service be run or the railway be privatised to provide a better service. Secretary, Travellers Association, Bonsai: An exhilarating or sadistic exercise The art of bonsai requires much skill, time and patience. The trees can be grown indoors or outdoors. They are kept by pruning the roots and branches and repotting the trees. The size of the container also partly determines the final size of the trees. The art of growing miniature trees or other plants in a tray or container is called Bonsai. It is claimed that bonsai has a philosophical basis in the traditional oriental love and respect for nature... is a way of experiencing the world.... a way of experiencing for just a moment or two - the meaning of life itself. Trees belong to the forest, jungle, or park and grow in resplendent beauty in their natural habitat. They draw in the free atmosphere, water and heat, bear fruits, provide shade and altruistic benefits to man. Trees, being a form of life pay their gratitude to their creator for completion of their life on earth. If for some reason or other we stifle a tree of its natural growth, its freedom and subject it to ordeals of the cutting edge of instruments, in order to alter its ambience of growth to suit our mundane or even spiritual delights, are we acting in the altruistic sense of man's mobility? Will deriving pleasure by inflicting excruciating pain on a tree justify the means to attain spirituality? The simple aphorism: 'Good begets good while cruelty begets wickedness' appears to be the answer. If 'Truth' or 'Reality' is our spiritual goal, let us develop our pure that latent human potential - the spiritual inner strength to sacredly reach ultimate sublimity-pure and direct, unsullied and untampered by the corruption of the external media of 'Bonsai' or any other contrivances. "How blest is he who can close his eyes M.A. Sourjah, The facility provided by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to change currency notes of high denominations has been carried out in the premises of the Bank of Ceylon, Metropolitan branch and has been recently shifted to another location which appears to be a part of the same building without notice to those that seek that facility. On one occasion, customers were kept waiting outside for a considerable time in the forenoon, the reason for which was told to those who clamoured to gain access by the security officer that, the tea-break was in force and the customers had to feel satisfied that such a long tea-break may have been required because of a picketing campaign due to be staged by some staff during the lunch-break. Notes of the denomination of Rs. 200 are issued only if the amount involved is in multiples of Rs. 5,000. This now appears to be a small mercy showered upon the public at large as sometime earlier, notes of that denomination were issued if the amounts involved are in multiples of Rs. 10,000. I wonder whether the senior management cannot see this conduct of those manning that counter as being insensitive to the public at large and if their worthyselves do not have the time to visit this counter by surprise to learn of the travails of those that call at this counter, at least place a book in a prominent place in close proximity to this counter for the public who are harassed to state their complaints in writing. Albert P. Wickramasingha Practitioners of indigenous medicine Unani was the system of medicine practised by the ancient Greeks. This system continues to be practised in some form in India and Pakistan. It is from India that this system of Unani medicine was introduced to Ceylon in the late nineteen twenties. With the introduction of Unani medicine, it was expected that this system with Ayurveda and Siddha, would become another alternative to allopathic system of medicine. These expectations from all three systems proved to be wrong. Most Unani graduates except for a few people most took up the practice of allopathic medicine. Up to present, most of these Unani graduates and an equally significant number of Ayurveda and Siddha graduates practise, illegally, the allopathic system of medicine. Although the regulations are in place to nab these illegal practitioners, they get away with blue murder due to the laxity of the authorities. When officers authorised by the Department of health attempted to bring these 'qualified quacks' to book, the same department issued a circular preventing these officers from carrying out this duty. The Ayurvedic medical Council, it was stated, would bear this responsibility. This never happened and the 'qualified quacks' continued their practice. It is said that the reason being put forward by the graduates of this system of medicine especially, the Unani system, is that the drugs are not available in this country and they are compelled to turn to allopathic medicine. If the non-availability of drugs is the reason for these indigenous graduates illegally taking to the practice of allopathic medicine, then all that needs to be done is for the concerned authorities to make available the raw drugs. I fail to see any difficulty in taking this action. The truth of the matter is that many of those who join the indigenous medicine courses do so only to obtain a licence to set up a practice. Once they achieve this, they then set about their illegal practice of allopathic medicine. Lives of hundreds of thousands of patients, is at risk at the hands of these 'qualified quacks'. Yet the authorities seem to be completely oblivious to this situation. The SLMC has prohibited its registered practitioners from training this category. What it hopes to achieve from this is not very clear but at least it is a start. The SLMA on the other hand is concerned about the fundamental rights of these indigenous graduates but does not seem to voice concern about the rights of innocent patients exposed to risks at the hands of these 'qualified quacks'. Perhaps the solution to this situation lies in the hands of the indigenous graduates themselves. It is they who should look inwards and realise that the income that they earn and with which income they feed, clothe, house and educate their children and build the future of their family is illegitimate to the very last cent. It is income earned by practising a profession, which in law requires a licence, and which licence they do not possess. It is income earned by knowingly breaking the laws of this country. If I am not mistaken, in law such people are known as criminals. These individuals should heal and cleanse themselves of this criminal malady before genuinely thinking of healing others using the glorious knowledge of indigenous medicine,which they have learnt. Please do not degrade this honourable indigenous system for a fistful of rupees. M. Nilofer, A proposal is made to introduce a new system of teaching English by a non-profit making organisation through a team of talented teachers. This system is aimed at helping all those who are less privileged in gaining a knowledge of English. Lessons are prepared to suit individuals according to their knowledge. A student, by choosing the appropriate package does a self examination and determines where he stands and proceeds to the next. In the first stage of learning English a pupil's ability to express ideas, converse and speak is developed in a simple form. This system is not limited to school pupils alone but to those employed and who repent for the loss of opportunities to learn English. Anyone can learn English during their leisure hours. Vocabularies are set to suit each grade. These vocabularies are termed "Spelling and Pronouncing dictionaries" which will be of great help for beginners. Those interested may contact the "Team Leader, Ludvick Rajee at Vendesi Watte, Karambe, Palavi. Ludvick Rajee, Going from pillar to post get a NIC The National Identity Card has become an essential document for every Sri Lankan above 16 years. Banks do not accept postal identity cards but they may accept a letter issued by the police even without the photograph or the signature of the holder. If there is a small error in the N.I.C. made by the departmental officers concerned the holder of the N.I.C. has to suffer. Even if the error is made by the departmental officers they will blame the holder of the N.I.C. In 1996 an applicant submitted his application to the department of Immigration and Emigration to obtain a passport. Along with his application he had produced his N.I.C. as it is an essential document. This particular application has been returned with the comments 'Passport has been issued to this N.I.C.' "How can this be? How can there be two identity cards under one and the same number?" This particular applicant from Kandy District has submitted a fresh application to the G.S.N. in April, 1996 to get a new N.I.C. as it was not possible to get a passport without the N.I.C. Since April, '96 he had made several visits to the department, Jawatta. He has not got the Identity Card, he made his last visit to the Dept. during the 2nd week of September, 2002, now the departmental officers are unable to trace his application and according to their advice he has submitted his new application couple of days ago.. He himself has sent the application under registered cover. What would be his state of mind? When will he get his N.I.C. and how long he has to wait? Another applicant from the Kalutara District has submitted the application many years ago. Recently I was informed that she was also planning to submit a new application as there was no news about the previous application. Recently I submitted the application of one of my daughter's to the G. Niladari of my area with three photographs, the original and a photocopy of her Birth Certificate. All this was well checked and he returned the original copy of the B.C. and the other papers were accepted. A few months later my daughter received her N.I.C. to see that her name was written incorrectly. Her first name was written correctly but the second name is a boy's name. I immediately referred the matter to the G.N. and according to his advice I met the Divisional Secretary. When I reported the matter to him at once he said 'Oyagollan Liyana Heti Thama' and he advised me to take it to Colombo. According to his advice with three copies of the same photograph, original and a photocopy of the B.C. and with his letter addressed to the Commissioner I went to the office at Jawatta, Colombo. After a long wait I met a lady, I think most probably she might be the C.C. of that section. I gave her the D.S. letter and explained the matter to her. She did not want to listen to me but she repeated what the D.S. said 'Oyagollan Liyana Heti Thama'. What does this mean? Do these Government servants think that they will never make mistakes? After all they are also human beings liable to make mistakes. Why do they cover up their mistakes by putting the blame on the others? If they are writing the name as if we write what is the big idea of asking for a photocopy of the B.C.? If the applicant makes a mistake they must be able to correct it by looking at the copy of the B.C. The application form was filled by me in English, it may be that they would have had not understood what was written. They could have easily read the B.C. which was in Sinhala. This shows that they are very careless and do not take any interest in their work. I request all those who are in the Government Service to take some interest in their work and not to work for the sake of working and also they must remember that they are public servants. M.S. Mohamed Farook, |
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