Your View...

Dear reader, the Sunday Observer has revived the 'Letters to the Editor' column and welcome your letters. Letters should be brief, legible and contain the name, address and contact number of the writer. Mail your letters to: 'Letters', The Sunday Observer, 35, D.R.Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10. Email: [email protected]

Handwritten copies should be duly signed.

Current crisis in education

Steps have been taken to develop education - the introduction of the technology stream, setting up of laboratories for Mathematics and Language studies and the improvement of bilingual education are some of them.

Appointment of henchmen as principals and even to other higher offices, development of schools through school development committees and the lack of confidence in examinations. Steps taken to develop schools through the mediation of school development committees, is critical. OBAs also joined in this venture. Principals face a number of allegations because of this intervention and the quality of education has dropped.

Those who held impartial and independent views were ignored.

Principals acted like despots and and did not listen to the views of the public because of political patronage. There are a number of recognised schools in Sri Lanka where selection of students is done on the results of the Grade Five scholarship examination. This is essential to increase the progress of education and distribute equal opportunities. In my view, schools should be set up as independent bodies that will contribute to the progress in education. Recruitment of teachers should be based on accepted qualifications and competitive examinations and they should provided time to complete their professional qualifications.

Transfers should be made within an accepted time. When making transfers it is essential to pay attention to the performances of teachers in previous schools and they should be transferred to a similar type of school. Strict supervision and mediation, for construction work and the finance should be connected to the Auditor General's Department. Evaluation of such construction is essential. When appointments of principals are made not only qualifications, prior performance and working capacity are essential to make progress. They should be provided with special training for educational management, financial control, ethics and social relations.

G.H.P. Nimalasena

New appointments give the lie to good governance!

A weekly newspaper published the following recently. "This week President Maithripala Sirisena's son-in-law Thilina Suranjith was appointed Public Relations Officer to the Ministry of Defence, while Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe's son, Rakhitha Rajapakshe was made Media Secretary to the same Ministry."

Last month, President Sirisena who won the election on a platform of good governance free of corruption and nepotism appointed his brother Chairman, Sri Lanka Telecom, for which he was roundly criticised.

These three appointments give the lie to good governance and no nepotism and no corruption.

Nearly six million people voted to do away with this type of thing and to chase away Mahinda Rajapaksa for practices such as these. One of the main topics the election campaign of President Sirisena were these issues. Now he has gone back on this. However, much he rationalises these appointments, in my opinion he should not be doing this.

Over 6.25 million people gave their vote to change the system and he solemnly said he would. To recover his credibility, he must now cancel these appointments and appoint three others in their place.

Otherwise, the Government will go the way Narenda Modi's government did recently when they were soundly defeated 67 to 3 in the New Delhi elections.

This is a betrayal of the voters who will bide their time and oust President Sirisena his government as well to the detriment of the people. It is important to act fast.

S. Waduge, Nugegoda

Blocking of drainage system

Residents of 9th Lane, Athurugiriya Road, Malabe face a health hazard and a flooding problem from stagnant water collecting at the bottom of the road after a householder blocked the original drainage system.

The pool of water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and flies and greatly inconveniences residents at the bottom of the lane.

Repeated complaints to the Kaduwela Municipal authorities about the health hazard and unfair blocking of a public drainage system have proved to no avail.

The road is managed by the Municipal Council of Kaduwela. Complaints have been lodged at the police station, Athurugiriya and the Municipal Council of Kaduwela.

Senior officials of the MC from the Mayor to the technical officer are aware of this problem. Despite promises of a solution over the past several years nothing has been done so far.

Residents of 9th Lane, Malabe

Pedestrians at wits' end!

The Station Road - Bishop's Road stretch commences at Hendala Junction of the Negombo/Colombo Road and ends past the Fertiliser Corporation at the Hunupitiya Railway Station level crossing .

With the setting up of the State Fertilizer Corporation at Hunupitiya under the Government of former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the road stretch was to be widened and work commenced after measurements were made by the RDA.

When the Bishop's Road portion was widened and work was going on they lost the elections and the widening of Station Road stopped and only drains were constructed on either side and the road was carpeted.

Despite representations being made to the authorities nothing happened even during the regimes of J.R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Towards the end of Mahinda Rajapaksa's term, workers from a private road construction company defaced roads and walls along Bishop's Road and Station Road stretch where measurements were clearly made.

On inquiry they said the road was to be improved but not widened although the initial plan to widen the road was conveyed to them when they lost the elections.

The same road construction company is now attending to repairs on the widened Bishop's Road and when questioned they said that Station Road will not be widened but repaired.

The Station Road stretch is not safe for pedestrians as the road is narrow and heavy traffic makes it impossible for pedestrians.

Traffic is directed from the Kandy Road to the Negombo Road and Vice versa along a new road from Hunupitiya to the Kandy Road as it is shorter and helps to reduce congestion on the Kandy Road due to heavy traffic using the Highway to reach Colombo from Katunayake and from Colombo to Katunayake at the Peliyagoda end of the highway.

We hope this longstanding problem of widening the road and making it safe for all users will become a reality.

Harold L Fernando, Wattala