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| Sunday, 11 July 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.
Is G. L. playing Puran Appu or Moratu Saman? While reading through the comment entitled "Is G. L. playing Puran Appu or Moratu Saman?", coming "from the Kraal Mahout," which appeared in the Sunday Observer of June 27, 2004, I came across a glaring mistake. It says, "Hailing from Moratuwa this man was committed to widening his knowledge through reading..." But Gamini Lakshman (G.L.) Peiris definitely does not hail from Moratuwa, nor had he been living in Moratuwa at any time. It is rather regrettable that the writer does not know that Professor Peiris hails from Panadura, and was born, bred and lived there before coming to Colombo for his own convenience. Late Gate-Mudaliyar Edmund Peiris of "Wasala Walauwa," Gorakapola, Panadura, who administered the Panadura and Kalutara Totamunes for a very long period as Totamune mudaliyar, was G.L.'s paternal grandfather. Gate-mudaliyar's youngest son Late G. S. (Glenville Sextus) Peiris, civil servant and one time ambassador to Bonn was his father. They had been living in Panadura from time immemorial. Besides, G.L.'s mother, late Lakshmi Peiris (nee Salgado) was the only child of Late Walter Salgado, the well-known landed proprietor and celebrated philanthrophist of Panadura, under whose care and supervision, Lakshman lived a very comfortable life. D. F. - Passenger comfort in A/C buses News is out that the private bus owners are contemplating of going on strike if bus fares are not increased. It is time that the Chairman cleans his own den before bearing his fangs at other infrastructure organisations. This is aimed in particular at the luxury intercity service that at present charge double the normal fare. I would like to highlight some of the difficulties that already are existent in the service and are endured by the passengers. (a) I estimate that over 40% of these luxury busses are below the required standard. Have any of the officials of the Association inspected them? If so when? (b) Tickets are being issued without any serial number on them. How are we to make any claim to prove beyond doubt that we were passengers on that particular bus? (c) Overloading is common on these buses. How many standing passengers are allowed? If overloaded what are the rights and privileges of the passengers already travelling? (d) On most buses the A/C does not work satisfactorily. With overloading the situation is made worse. (e) A good number of busses deliberately remove the folding seat adjacent to the door so that they could accommodate more standing passengers. When seated passengers are inconvenienced what can they do? (f) Breakdowns are frequent. I give three that I have been in within the last one and a half months. (1) Rear axle getting loose from Matara to Colombo at Weligama. Money returned passengers had to find their own way. 2. Universal joint damage on A/C bus from Colombo to Matara at Wellawatte. The bus continued its journey up to Galle by accelerating for a short distance with the noise and then continuing on neutral for as long as possible. At Galle the passengers were handed over to another bus. 3. A/C stopped functioning on bus from Matara to Colombo. Passengers were handed over to other buses at Galle bus stand. It is interesting to note that this week most conductors and drivers politely refuse excess passengers due to Police checks. Of course there are the golden exceptions and we salute them. A/C traveller - Fish, chicken, beef and all vegetables in the entire city at the reasonable prices and correct weight have become a challenge to both the local authorities and the Central Government. The rate payers in and around the city are unable to get their clean meats, even at the jacked up prices of both items from Rs. 220-240 per kilo respectively by these stalls. Yet the consuming public do not get a square deal as they have their own trick to introduce offal and bones without seen by the purchasers. It is also noted that there is only one chicken stall in the Maradana Public Market who fleeces the consumers by take it or leave it attitude, with his jacked up prices. I suggest a vice squad be organised by the price controlling authorities and give them wide powers to prosecute not only the meat dealers but also the vegetable vendors too who fleece the consumers by selling underweight. M. I. M. Mudassir - Mathuravani by SLBC, a success The National Tamil Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation provided the listeners of Carnatic music a fine performance by the Sinhala students of the Kelaniya University and the Sri Palee Section of the Colombo University on two consecutive days on the 26th and 27th of June, 2004 from 10.30 pm to 11.15 pm each day. Upul Wanigasekera, the first Sinhalese to learn and perform Carnatic music, also presented an item. The program was titled Mathuravani. According to the announcement made, it was a recorded program of the performance held in one of the studios of the Corporation a few days earlier with the Segu Issadeen, the Deputy Minister of Media, as the chief guest and Visharada W.D. Amaradeva as a special guest, with Hudson Samarasinghe, the Chairman. The ragas were sung well and the pronunciation of the words, according to the Minister who spoke after the opening item given by a group of female singers, was so accurate that had the names of the singers not been announced he would have assumed that they were sung by Tamil speaking singers. Some of the ragas they sang were: Abohi, Rathipathipriya, Canada Kalyani, Mathanakuthookalam, Hamsathvani, Averi and Sivaranjani. I cannot remember the names of all the singers. Srimalla was one of them who sang about four songs. In the fifties Pathmini Dahanayake went to Kalakshetra in Madras and learned Bharatha Natyam and had her arangetram and started her own school. Now there are many Sinhala ladies who had learned and are learning this dance here and in India and also having schools of their own. Perhaps, in time to come there will be Sinhalese who will be teaching Carnatic music. It was told by the person who is in charge of the Music Section of the Kelaniya University that the Carnatic music classes were started in the University about three years ago in 2001. The standard reached during that short period is to be proud of. Shrimathi Arunthathi Sri Ranganathan who, I believe, is a teacher there, should be given some credit for it. I congratulate the organisers of this program and the Tamil Service for broadcasting it over the radio. It might be re-broadcast. Arul - Recently it was reported in the media that a statue of Lord Buddha was placed before the church and there were a pandol, dansala and Bhakthi Gee for Vesak at St. Sicilia's, Raddolugama. In previous years there have been preaching of Bana for Vesak in the same church. In some other Catholic churches too there were pandols and Vesak lanterns for the occasion. The church is a place consecrated to God. According to Buddhism, Lord Buddha is not a God but an enlightened human being. To adore a human being in churches would amount to sacrilege from the Christian point of view. It is one thing for people of different faiths to work together for common good while maintaining the religious identity. There is nothing wrong in assisting our Buddhist brethren in the Vesak celebrations. We could even organise dansalas for Vesak. We could also emulate the Buddhists and wear white for holy services to create a serene atmosphere in the church. But to mix up religions and create a hotch-potch would lead to destruction of both Christianity and Buddhism. There are shameless acts of proselytising by fundamental Christian sects by offering money and other material inducements. Although this charge cannot be levelled against the Catholic Church, there are some Catholic priests who have formed their own organisations with foreign funds who used to carry picture of Christ on one hand and that of Lord Buddha in the other advocating Buddhism and Christianity which are poles apart as parallel religions. They want to get round Buddhists with hidden agendas. If the parish priest and Catholics in Raddolugama want to have Vesak celebrations as a mark of goodwill towards Buddhists, they could organise it in a neutral place like a school. Adoring Lord Buddha who denied an omnipotent God in the church where Holy Eucharist is present is hypocracy and a big joke as well. This type of deception would arouse suspicion of Buddhists and cause confusion among the young in their formative years. In fact celebrating Vesak in churches was criticised in a popular column in a Sinhala Sunday journal. It is time that our Catholic hierachy take necessary action to prevent this type of the mockery of religion. W. T. A. Leslie Fernando - Exploitation at embassies based in Colombo I was a Visa seeker at British Embassy last week. I reached British Embassy and joined the queue set up outside British Embassy at 05.00 am. To my surprise and dismay I noticed a number of unscrupulous street urchins occupying the beginning of the queue meant for Visa seekers without any documents in their possession. This queue was just in front of the British Embassy Security post, Kollupitiya Police Station and at the edge of the queue you find a special police guard post. As soon as I joined the orderly queue a street urchin approached me and inquired whether I could pay Rs. 1000 to get a place within number 1 to 5 of the queue. I said, sorry, I do not have that money to give you. However, the entire street urchins were able to convince many visa seekers and got places to those who arrived late and were prepared or agreed to pay the money they demanded. Those who paid Rs. 1000 were lucky to be in front of the queue. Then the urchins moved few numbers behind the queue and reduced their fees to Rs. 750 similarly the rate came down, as the queue was moving. This operation went on till the entire lot was permitted to enter the Embassy compound. I am sure the British High commissioner may be perhaps not aware of this modus operandi performed by street urchins probably with the connivance of some officials who are supposed to prevent such things happening. My earnest appeal to all administrators in Foreign Embassies is to treat and facilitate our citizens to transact business easily and without undergoing hassles or being prey to unscrupulous street urchins. K. Sivalingam - Prices of Urea fertiliser had come down, but at the cost of other fertilisers such as ammonia based super crop, and ammonia sulphite based Y.P.M. (Young Plant Mixture) to the disillusion of coconut growers who have much faith in this variety of fertiliser to better the results of their plantations. Most coconut estate owners, including smallholders burdened with high costs of labour wages, and even increasing fertiliser prices are of the view that to own and maintain a coconut estate is a 'While Elephant", nowadays, and they have begun selling their estates as evidened by the vast acres of arable coconut land fragmented and sold all over the country. If this trend were to continue, it will adversely affect the coconut industry as a whole and also swell the ranks of the unemployed, as hundreds of estate employees would be thrown out of employment, and the day of reckoning will not be far when we may have to depend on coconut imports for our daily consumption. Merril Gunaratne - Fragmentation of coconut plantations The above has become a common sight mainly in the coconut triangle which is continuing for a number of years without any action being taken to arrest same. Many plantations are continued to be acquired and sold for other purposes. Accordingly, it would not be long when we would be required to import coconut, similar to many other commodities depending further for our survival. Tommy Wanigesinghe - Piyaratana MV: A clarification The Piyaratana Maha Vidyalaya, Dodanduwa was founded by Ven. Dodanduwe Dhammissara Maha Nayaka Thera, the Mahanayaka of the Kalyaniwansa Sect of the Buddhist clergy. The school was named "Piyaratana" in honour of his Venerable Guru who passed away in 1906 eight years prior to the opening of the school. It may be recalled that the first Buddhist school in the island was inaugurated in Dodanduwa in 1869 by the Ven. Piyaratana Nayaka Thera naming it the Dhammissara Vidyalaya in honour of his guru. All this happened before the arrival of Col. Olcott. It may be recalled that the Ven. Piyaratana Nayaka Thera had been a pen-friend of Col. Olcott long before the latters disembarcation at the Galle Port. Ven. Piyaratana had also been among the congregation of Bhikkhus when Col. Olcott observed Panchaseela at the Wijayananda Pirivena, Galle. Herbert De Silva - It is common knowledge that all health conscious people are highly concerned about the present dengue epidemic. I came across a very old lady living in Colombo 7 who told me that she has made a new discovery about dengue. She is quite sure that dengue mosquitoes breed on branches and leaves of mango trees! She refuses to believe that dengue mosquitoes breed in stagnant water collections. This lady goes from house to house in her neighbourhood advising the owners to cut the mango trees as she is living with the eternal fear that she will get dengue fever and die one of these days if the mango trees in her neighbourhood are not chopped off. She says she has already complained to the municipal authorities to advise people to destroy the mango trees in order to prevent the spread of dengue epidemic in Colombo. Pro Bono Public - I am a retired teacher and I like to inform all that mosquitoes which breed in fresh water in the cities is due to water flower pots in front of all hotels, home and other places. Though the water is replaced daily, the mosquito larva won't die. They live in the pot even for six months unless you throw away the water and place the pots upside down. Even with salt or soap the larva won't die. However, much you clean the places unless, of course you fine the householders and institutions who keep fresh water with flowers. An old lady - Ceylon Electricity Board recovers from the monthly bills of domestic consumers 15 per cent as VAT. The National Water Supply Board recovers only 10 per cent. Will the General Manager, CEB please clarify. S.M.M. Mohideen - Sex and nudity in teledramas, films Apart from the sex and nudity I thought the required qualification for a film actress today is that you must know to cry. There is not a film where there is no crying and lamenting in 'Negombo Style' of funeral criers. And so is crime TV dramas pollute the young minds on crime, sex and nudity. There are scenes in temples involving Buddhist priests, temples and schools as background showing what should not happen in temple compounds and schools. School principals wooing teachers or teachers wooing each other are not scenes that should be given publicity. The boss taking away the new recruit lady away in his car, a lady employee being tempted away to a hotel and seduced, how certain men deceive their wives or the wives deceive their men are the common repeated scenes. Worst is that children are dragged into the drama and these are what our growing children are watching. What is shown and highlighted in the films are disharmony in a family and never the love affection and sanctity that should prevail in our homes. To add to all this we are loaded with some of our politician actors who display their vulgarity to the public not satisfied with their performance in Parliament. Equally bad are some of the commercials which we are forced to watch in between even the few decent programmes and news telecasts. Padma Abeyratne - Southern voters become king makers The voters in southern province have become king makers in deciding which party that will accede to power in Sri Lankan elections scenario. In last April elections more than 60% voted for UPFA in Matara, Hambantota and Moneragala districts and 57% in Galle district and this factor played a major role in forming the present minority govt. It is the southern voter who signalled the change in 1994 PC elections that voted UNP out of power. Realizing this both UNP and PA have given priority for development of southern province. The UNP started Kataragama Railway extension and the PA govt opened it. The railway line was extended for about 3/4 mile with a railway station at Piladuwa and the construction was abruptly stopped closed to Nilwala river, after destroying hundreds of houses belongs to urban poor. There is no service at present as engines cannot turn at this station except powersets. The previous PA govt established a Southern Development Authority (SDA) after spending millions of dollars. The US and British citizens of Sri Lankan origin came back to the motherland, drew plans for harbour at Hambantota, Airport at Eraminiyaya, Electrified railway from Eraminiyaya to Matara and made plans to transform poverty stricken Hambantota to a mini Singapore with environment impact reports prepared by the local and foreign experts. What is the outcome in realistic term? Absolutely nothing majority of the people at Hambantota are still without drinking water, and southern voters gave overwhelming majority to UNP in 2002. The posh foreign or Royal educated English speaking elite officials of UNP again drew plans for country development. Their counterparts in India the BJP, after studying this program called for early elections with a similar India shining program riding high on election predictions conducted by the urban media. These programs were not beneficial to poor poverty stricken masses in rural areas and both parties were outsted at elections. Therefore both parties UNP and UPFA should understand this naked truth. The economic benefits should filter to poor common masses in the south and the north. Majority in both these groups are entrepreneur in nature and radicals in spirit. Their aspirations for a descent life should be taken into account if either party wants to remain in power. Prof. Rohan - Psychological counselling needed Depression is a psychological state that makes it difficult to cope with the uncertainty and complexity of day to day life. Deprived of love, sympathy, disintegration of families, failure in materialistic pursuits of happiness are chiefly responsible for it. If not taken care of timely, like a deadly disease, depression makes life lethargic and gradually glides a person's life to rejection. Organization related to human rights should raise the importance of counselling for mental fitness and help mentally distressed people to lead a normal life through remedy. A Abdul Aziz - |
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