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| Sunday, 14 March 2004 |
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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.
"It has been a sad state of affairs that in spite of the several representations made by me in various newspapers, also by leading individuals and even on parliamentary level,, no action has been taken to declare 'Good Friday' as a holiday for the mercantile sector. The Archbishop of Colombo Rt.Rev.Nicholas Marcus Fernando had told me that they at the Bishops level had taken up the matter without success. I have also addressed a letter to the President whom I trust will take appropriate action. In this context I suggest that 'Good Friday' be declared a holiday only for Christians be it in the public, banks or the private sector. Authorities concerned please note and initiate necessary action. Herby Tucker, *************** Who is running the trains? Reference the letter to the Editor in your esteemed paper on 08th February, 2004 Sunday Observer I wish to clarify the position of the Railway (I am a retired station master) as to why additional compartments cannot be added to certain trains which are over-crowded and which run to maximum permissible load. Almost all trains during the peak hours run maximum permissible load. The newly appointed Railway authority is, I think not competent enough to handle the operating aspects of the Railway.As per technical requirements these matters are handled by GMR/OPS advised, whenever necessary by senior station masters and controllers. I will state a few examples why no more compartments could be attached to these office trains -For instance the M7 (Rumanian) engine could haul a load of light carriages only. M4 (Canadian) engine only 13, M8 (Indian) 14 and M9 (French) 18. S9 could carry a load of 12 in two sets (6x2) coupled together. S9 10 (5&5) coupled together.S7 and S6 only 4 in KV line (old compartments). Then in the Up Country M6 maximum of 10 (5x2) with brake vans. Then on Maho line 15 to 18 max. On Galle line 18 max. These few examples, I have given, will I presume, will clear the doubts in the minds of the travelling public. I am reminded of an incident which happened during B. D. Rampala's time when I was attached to the G.M.R./OPS office. When Anil Moonesinghe became the Minister of Transport he asked Rampala to increase the number of compartments in the Samudra Devi the Galle train, as it was allways overcrowded to bursting point. Rampala explained why the Minister's request could not be complied with. But he gave an order who was not aware of the technicalities. The GMR summoned the Operating Suptd. asked him to carry out the Minister's Order from the very next day.What happened? - Due to the abnormal length of the train it could not keep time according to schedule and also because of the increased load crossings could not be arranged due to the crossing sidings being too short. The train was hours late and the travellers accompanied by travellers' union officials came running to Rampala, who was aware of the consequences and expecting their invading his office. He quietly told them that he had nothing to explain them and asked them to go and see the Minister. The Minister was non-plussed and had to apologise to them as well as to GMR. Thereafter the Minister never interfered in the affairs of the Railway. So you see the Competent Authority has given an impossible promise. So it is better to make representations to the GMR Priyal de Silva, who is very competent to handle these matters. I retired in 1987 and I stand to correction as it is long time since retirement. V. K. B. Ramanayake, *************** First the opposition filed complaints against the government on bribery. Then the government followed similar action against the Opposition. The government should submit to the opposition lawyers, copies of documents filed with the Bribery Commission and obtain from the Opposition the documents filed by them. It is reported that the bribery commission had turned down a request by government ministers for copies of documents filed on grounds of secrecy. All concerned are declaring their innocence and all are interested to clear their names. Therefore appoint an international judicial commission to inquire into these allegations and to give a ruling. After all there ought to be grounds for claiming damages for defamation if the allegations are false. All innocent parties should pursue legal action and claim substantial damages so that one would think twice before making false allegations. C. S. Fernando, *************** As per a recent publication in the newspapers the National Council for Elders issued National Identity Cards at Bambalapitiya Flats Community Centre on Feb. 14 to the senior citizens. On seeing this publication I too went and obtained a Elders' Identity Card without much hassle. I was fortunate to have two passport size photographs and this helped me to obtain my identity card much easier than the others numbering to approximately one hundred and fifty senior citizens who had to wait to be photographed. I presume that these persons would have waited quite a considerable time to be photographed and thereafter obtained their identity cards. If the authorities informed in advance that it would be more beneficial if they brought their own photos it was possible they would have saved much of their valuable time and obtained the identity cards. I hope that the authorities will inform accordingly to those who wish to obtain such Identity Cards in future at any other forum. The identity card itself mentions that those who hold such cards would expect that the bearer should be given priorities to health services, Transport, postal and pensions, banking, police and legal advice and office work. The National Council for Elders should take steps to advice all concerned to give these facilities to the Elders who hold Senior Citizens Identity Cards on producing same. For Example: It would be futile if a senior citizen wants to travel in a private intercity bus from Colombo to Kandy is not permitted to enter the bus without waiting in a queue. According those who hold such Identity Cards would expect that all services mentioned in the identity card available and these services will be granted. It is suggested in addition concessions should be granted in buses/Train fares, discount in supermarkets free entrance to flower shows and trade fairs etc. The most important aspect should be to give priority to the senior citizens those who receive low interest rates on their provident fund savings deposited at various finance companies and banks enable them to higher interest rates as senior citizens. M. T. A. P. Fernando, *************** Look forward to higher earnings on dollars, bank deposits I read with interest a letter from a retired mercantile sector employee urging the senior citizens not to vote for the UNF as the present government was responsible for the reduction of their income on account of the reduction of interest income. As an ex-mercantile sector employee let me also add to this. I did not retire but was sacked 2 years ago for participating in a strike. But the loss of employment did not matter as my 2 children working in the middle east increased the allowance sent home to compensate for the salary I lost. But Mr. Choksy with his financial measures reduced the rupees I got for my dollars. Besides the interest income earned on bank deposits also reduced. There may be many others who would have had to undergo such difficulties. Anyway once the Sandhanaya comes into power the workers can look forward to freely go on strike without being victimized. I am sure the new government will also take action to increase the payment to a dollar. To make up for our losses under the present regime at least Rs. 150 should be paid to a dollar without delay. The interest income should be increased to at least 20% per annum. My advice to those who are renewing deposits currently is to renew the deposits only until mid April. A better interest rate can be expected after April. The services of the retired employees are available to the new government free of charge. But we all know who politicians are. The Sri Lankan voters are not fools. Therefore the senior citizens and those depending on middle east remittances should insist that the Sandhanaya include the above in their election manifesto. If this is done they are sure to get additional votes in millions. K. Nandasena, *************** It was most encouraging to note in the media a statement made by Minister Karu Jayasuriya that the President was committed to ensure a fair and violence free election. There is no doubt that she is the only person capable of ensuring a peaceful and fair election under the present circumstances with all three relevant Ministries in her hand and also many accused of being the most thugs and ballot box stuffers around her as top rung leaders in her political retenue. What remains to be seen is whether she will use the ministries taken over to curb the activities of these political criminals or use these Ministries to aid their criminal activities. She will get full credit for fair and peaceful elections and she will be held solely responsible for any election related thuggery. The cause and cure for election related lawlessness are in her hands. Her political future and that of her party will depend not on victory or defeat in the forthcoming elections but on the confidence she can instill in the people about her honesty, reliability and selfless devotion to the welfare of the people as against personal ambition. A difficult task in view of recent desperate and reckless actions sacrificing on the altar of ambition the welfare of the country in the form of economic development and peace. The greatest danger is not from Opponents confronting her but from desperate, power hungry, self-seeking wolves behind her. The people will be looking at deeds to form their conclusions as words have consistently proved to be unreliable. We wish the president all strength and safety from the wolves behind to fulfil her commitment to a fair and violence free election. Lincoln Wijeyesinghe, *************** Caller party pays - for whose benefit ? Once again, the general public is been tricked by false statements made by people in authority! First, SLT raises its telephone charges and rent with a bogus claim of giving 200 units free. Now the bogus claim of increasing the teledensity in the country by introducing the CPP system and the 'FREE 200 units fly into thin air - only a couple of months after it been introduced! But the increased rent stays! All this with the blessings of the so called intellectuals and experts at the TRC. Were they ignorant of this fact? Many advertisements inserted by the TRC (obviously at great expense) appeared in the daily news papers explaining the 'so called' benefits of the CPP system. But the bottom line is that the Fixed line subscribers have to pay greatly inflated telephone rates and loose the 'FREE' 200 units. Even the Government departments are incurring an additional expense. Is the telephone a super luxury item in Sri Lanka! How many people could afford a monthly bill of around Rs. 1000 minimum? Any individual who purchase a mobile phone knows very well in advance the call rates that apply to his individual phone. So how is it that the TRC experts say that the mobile phone user has to pay for incoming calls that he is not responsible for? Isn't this a statement that belittles the mobile phone users intelligence? Would a person who use a Cadillac limousine complain that the maintenance cost is high? On the other hand, the SLT is twisting the arms of the mobile phone/other operators and their customers by limiting drastically the interconnecting lines, thereby making it impossible or very frustrating to call a mobile or non-SLT phone from a SLT phone at certain times. The current SLT phone directory been distributed is absolutely insufficient for the user. For some areas it is a small yellow pages, for others rainbow pages etc. The most useless telephone bill sent by SLT-infact, should be sent an itemised bill free of charge to all customers. What is the TRC doing about this or at least is DG of the TRC aware of these facts? Increasing the teledensity in the country is useless if they cannot communicate amongst themselves. Please experts at the TRC, do not fleece the general public to enable greater profits to unscrupulous business magnates. You must set your priorities right - YES! The telephone system needs improvement, but CPP is not the way or the crying need right now - SCRAP IT, NOW! It seems that the TRC has achieved its vision, but failed dismally in its mission! Terrence Pereira, *************** Agitation, to the point of anger, over the past months has been evidenced in letters to the editor, articles and loose talk about "unethical conversions". This has risen as a result of weightage being given to cosmetic religion or 'religiousness'. Religion is faith. Faith may be based on one or more Divinities or a set of Teachings. Whatever one's faith, it is, or should be, something that comes from within. It is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This, of course is the position of those who profess true faith (irrespective of the religion). Every person is born into a family professing a particular religion. There is no choice in this. With parental guidance, instruction from teachers and priests and the observation of others they learn more of their religion. As they grow older they decide to confirm that the religion they were born into is the faith they would follow. Events in their life, successes, ill health and reasons to be thankful for may reinforce that faith. On the other hand, there are people who learn about faiths other than what they were born into or believe in and feel impelled (not compelled) to change their faith. But, this change comes from within them. This is genuine conversion. "Ethics" is defined as morally correct. "Unethical" is the opposite and therefore to link unethical to "conversion" is an oxymoron. The success of Christian fundamentalists in "buying" converts could be directly connected to institutional poverty in the rural areas. Material and financial rewards to the poor are irresistible and powerful enticements. If a decision to change ones "label" of religion results from offers of material or worldly benefits it is not a conversion - but a joke - a bit of knavery. Such converts are not worthy of either the religion they abandoned or the one joined. Many people pay lip service to religion - going to the temple, church, mosque and following the rituals and mouthing prayers. Perhaps, it makes some of them better followers of their faith, but, true religion is demonstrated by actions and the lives led. Articles, letters to the editor, peace walks, white flags and seminars help to focus a busy self-centered world on the problems surrounding us. However, the time has come for the many articulate and erudite people who are concerned about a particular religion to profess the great universal truths each one teaches. These do not clash. This ought to be the message, not so much for the urban population but for the villagers where unscrupulous powerbrokers whip up emotions at the cost of reason. Freedom of conscience and the practice of religion are the birthright of every human being. No Constutution or law in the world should interfere with the free expression of a person's conscience. To legislate against conversions is to try to resolve a spiritual dilemma with a political solution. It is an exercise in futility. India has recently created the precedent by criminalizing conversions. While we can learn much from India, we must not forget its horrific history of religious intolerance. Is this the example we wish to emulate? A. D. David, |
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