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| Sunday, 10 April 2005 |
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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.
My name is Gearoid Leen. I am living in Abu-Dhabi in the UAE. I am head of an organisation set up to help orphaned and destitute children living in the Galle region. A group of people from our organisation will be visiting Sri Lanka from 20-24 of April. The group will be visiting orphanage sites that have been affected by the tsunami in the southern regions of Sri Lanka. We have made contact already with a number of childrens' homes and are arranging meetings but we would like to maximise the visit and meet more and visit more homes. We have collected a large amount of money and are proposing to assist in repairing, refurnishing, rebuilding, etc. of homes damaged on December 26 and the homes suffering from an increase in demand brought about by the tsunami. We are eager to use the funds collected quickly, effectively and with maximum benefit to the children of any denomination. Orphanages in need on the southern coast close to or in the Galle region could contact me on 00971(0)26263217, 00971(0)505463701. Fax: 00971(0)26263217. Email:[email protected]. by Chairperson of the friends of the Orphans of Galle. After passing Bambalapitiya junction signal lights, a lane of traffic moving towards Wellawatte turns to the right between Majestic City and Unity Plaza to the lane that leads to the Immigration and Emigration Office. Not only vehicles coming from Colpetty but also vehicles that come from Bauddhaloka Mawatha too joining the right lane traffic to turn towards the Immigration and Emigration Department between Unity Plaza and Majestic City. This intersection causes a traffic block and very often while intersecting accidents take place. Added to this congestion on the left, just opposite to the right turn the Bambalapitiya bus-stand and the market is situated. When buses come in a row and stop at this point the traffic block turns into a traffic lock. From the Bambalapitiya traffic signals up to the right turn there is a wide pavement on the middle of the road approximately fourteen feet and fenced in the middle. Narrowing this pavement to two feet and laying a third lane originating from soon after the traffic lights up to the end of right turn would ease this traffic block. K. Sivalingam. Too many reservoirs dot the hill country Gregory's Lake, Kande Ela, Castlereigh, Mousakelle, Samanalawewa, etc. Travelling by train between Kotagala and Nanu Oya, I observed suspensively, the precipitous base of Nuwara Eliya suspending portentously over the Kotmale valley. We must learn hydraulics from our forefathers. The highland waterways are to flow down, not to be dammed and absorbed by mountainous foundations. F. Abeykoon, In accordance with the 1978 Constitution, all retired Presidents and late Presidents' wives are entitled to a number of privileges, usually not enjoyed even in affluent countries. The Presidents of Sri Lanka who go out of office are constitutionally entitled to official posh residences, official luxury vehicles, a large staff with modern equipments, security officers, thumping pensions and medical assistance. These expenses run into millions of rupees. Isn't this an unwarranted and serious burden on the Treasury coffers. In contrast to this situation, India does not indulge in such extravagances to liquidate State funds. We like to quote a glaring example from the Republic of India where the second Prime Minister, Lal Bhadur Shastri who succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru did not own a house to live in. When the Prime Minister died of a sudden illness, his family (wife and two sons) had to vacate the official residence and virtually they were badly stranded and had to live in a rented out, low middle class house in New Delhi. A. B. C. de Silva, President, The stretch from the Savoy theatre to Galle Face between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. has turned into a racing car track for young drivers. They drive at a speed not only endangering their own lives but also the lives of other motorists and pedestrians. They also cause noise pollution to residents living along their racing track. It is surprising that two police stations at Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya have taken no action to stop this dangerous night racing. These young persons originally used the stretch in front of the Art Gallery for their racing. Neighbours complained and the police stopped them. Now they use the Galle road stretch. Resident, "According to the latest financial policies of the present government. We are compelled to deduct 5% from all the payments," says the Bookmaker Association on a notice. Although the Government imposed an increased tax on betting it is common knowledge that this tax is nothing in comparison to the daily takings of the Bookmakers'. Therefore, there is no justification for taxing punters on their "losses" For example if a punter invests Rs. 200 and loses half of it he is called upon to pay 5% on the balance Rs. 100 due to him. Nowhere in the world is there such a ignominious tax. We hope the Finance Minister will step in and put on end to this criminal levy. This is their rid of the wedge to make the Government impopular. This move is comparable to Bandula Gunawardena's diabolical move to impose a VAT on cheque book after introducing a tax payable on every single cheque cashed. This meant that a single cheque leaf is taxed twice. It was a pity that the Finance Minister did not repeat this diabolical 'tax on cheque book' in the least budget. P. H. Nonis. Only a handful of students get through English Language subject at GCE (O/L) exam. About 20% of the students who sat for O/L exam last year had obtained good results and the rest had failed. Finding a suitable job in Government or private sector has become a problem as priority is given to those who are proficient in English. Learning English at classrooms is not enough for students and they have to go for tuition. The General English book, introduced for A/L classes by the NIE is also not being done properly in some schools, especially in rural areas as there is a shortage of qualified English teachers. English is a language that should be learnt practically. Therefore, much attention should be paid to uplift English education. L.W. Gamini C. Kumara, The area of traffic lights at the William Grinding Mills is poorly lit. Sometimes, there are traffic policemen standing at the junction who direct the traffic in such a way, the motorists are asked to drive even when the lights are red. The problem is that often the motorists cannot see the policeman until they come very near. The reason being, on one hand, the policeman does not wear a luminous glove and on the other hand, the area itself is poorly lit. Similar danger lingers at the Dehiwela-Wellawatte Bridge, this area too is poorly lit. The boulevard starts in Dehiwela and one driving from Wellawatte can hardly see the boulevard. Often due to the multiple lanes of traffic, motorists knock against boulevards. Dr. Mareena Reffai, P.A. Binduhewa in his letter under the heading 'Mathematical problem' in the Sunday Observer of 27.4.2005 had drawn the attention of the reading public to an intention of the authorities to permit the use of calculators at GCE (OL) examinations as 60% of the candidates had failed in mathematics. In spite of the use of calculators, for addition, substraction, division and multiplication a large percentage of students fail, what will the authorities do? Will they allow the students to bring their tuition masters to the examination hall? My suspicion is that this move is to help the fast sale of calculators. Imagine lakhs and lakhs of students buying calculators every year! The only way to improve the learning of mathematics is to teach it properly. Arul, CAA or the Consumer Affairs Authority is a farce! This authority appears to have no authority whatsoever where the consumer is penalised! Let us consider the following matters: 1. Petroleum Products are sold at a premium within the Colombo Municipal Limits. Isn't this a gross violation of the Constitution? Every citizen is equal! 2. Bill Payments of public utilities - beneficiaries being the Ceylon Electricity Board, National Water Supply & Drainage Board, and Sri Lanka Telecom - effected at Commercial Banks are subjected to a charge to the payer and not the payee (receiver). Usually, commission of a transaction is paid by the receiver and not the payer. In Sri Lanka the consumer of public utilities credits (or deposits) money to the service provider's account with the Bank. Why should the consumer be liable to a service charge when the Bank has no contract whatsoever with the payer. The service charge should be claimed from the customer of the Bank - the service provider of the public utility. Could any reader with legal knowledge advice the usually ignorant citizen-of-Sri Lanka in this regard? D. A. M. Ayantha, I salute the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association for establishing a centre to care for the welfare of the elderly members of the armed forces in their hour of need. The veteran's home, managed by the Association at Bolagala, Katana, is a worthy example that should be emulated by others, such as the Sri Lanka Police, banks, corporations, business establishments, trade unions and other such organisations. Either individually or collectively such centres or homes should be established as a mark of respect and gratitude to care for those who served their respective organisations to become what they are today. Let us grant service citizens the opportunity of living with a sense of great satisfaction, pride and dignity, which they richly deserve. A. B. Wimalasuriya, Resident Veteran's Home, The US has become the champion for democracy in the world. At the moment they are concentrating in the Middle-East. They are also of the view that democracy must first be established in Iraq and then spread to the other Arab countries in the region. However, the result of the elections has left the US with a stinging dilemma. The US expected that their supporters would get a majority in parliament, but this did not happen. When some extremist Sunni rebels threatened to disrupt the elections Ayatollah Sistani told his Shias followers that it was a religious duty to vote at the general elections. The Shias having 60% majority in Iraq braved the threat of the Sunni extremists and voted to obtain 51% of the vote. The victory of the Shias is very disturbing for the US on account of an Islamic government in neighbouring Iran. If there is anything the US does not want it is an Islamic government like that of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ayatollah Sistani the powerful leader of the Shias is a pious, wise patient and clever person. He wants the Kurds and Sunnis to join the majority Shias and work unitedly to reconstruct and rebuild Iraq. The US is wary of Ayatollah Sistani and the Shia majority in parliament. The US will plot and plan but they will find it difficult to outwit Ayatollah Sistani who was born in Iran and now lives in Iraq. It will be natural for Iraq to have close links with Iran. Saybhan Samat, |
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