Your View... Dear reader, the Sunday Observer welcomes 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.

Investor-friendly environment - a must

According to a World Bank(WB) report, Singapore is the best country for foreigners to invest. The WB has made a study of 189 countries and has found Singapore as being the best country for foreign investment. Sri Lanka is ranked 107.We have a lot to learn from Singapore and find out the reasons why investors go to Singapore and don’t come to Sri Lanka. We must take corrective action. Just making a noise at meetings, conferences and seminars will not help. We have to correct our mistakes, shortcomings or lapses.

The reasons that have been adduced for the failure of foreign investors wanting to invest here are: Difficulty in obtaining various approvals and sometimes investors have to go behind politicians and State officers.

The relevant authorities must study the problem in detail and take immediate remedial action.

Foreign investors should be able to immediately start a business and maintain it without a hassle. There is ‘red tape’ in many government offices. sometimes commissions and bribes have to be given. There are various issues where an investor is harassed and as a result many of them have turned away from Sri Lanka.

A conducive investor-friendly environment must be set up.

D. Weeratunga
Nugegoda

Pensioner widows and widowers

There are so many government pensioners who have become widows or widowers.This category of pensioners have become lonely as they have no one to care for them or help them in the sunset of their lives.

Therefore, it will be a relief if the government would pay pensions to them even if they re-marry. Many don’t re-marry because their pensions will be halted. Of course, the government could deduct a certain percentage (say, about 10%) towards the W&OP fund, from these category of pensioners’ monthly pension payments.

Hope the government would consider this matter sympathetically and allow this category of widow or widower pensioners the facility to have some sort of happiness in the evening of their lives. They have contributed much to the welfare of the nation, while they were in the government service in their youthful days, even serving in remote areas away from family for moths on end.

Late President J.R. Jayewardene wanted to implement this proposal, but due to terrorism at that time it was delayed being implemented.

Now, as the country is enjoying peace, the government could implement this scheme, so that it may be a source of happiness to these lonely widow or widower pensioners.

M.M.A. Barie,
Kalutara.

Private hospitals and price regulation

I am writing this letter to bring to the notice of the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Health and others concerned in the enforcement of prices and regulations.

We have many private hospitals today in Colombo and in the provinces which are flourishing due to the need to obtain medical assistance. Meanwhile, government hospitals are crowded and in some instances the necessary drugs are not available.

Today private hospitals have become a law unto themselves. When a patient is admitted even for a minor ailment, he is subjected to many tests and when the bill is given, the patient is shell-shocked. Even in the case of a mother having a normal delivery, the hospital charges together with doctor’s fee and ancillary charges, admission fee etc. which exceeds Rs. 100,000. If the use of the theatre is involved another Rs. 100,000 would be added to the bill.

In the case of patients complaining of chest pain and admitted to ICU, lakhs of rupees are being charged from them. This is more the rule than the exception.

Medical doctors and specialists have raised their fees and this adds a further burden to the patient who comes to receive treatment.

All professionals including doctors, who earn over Rs. 100,000 a day should be brought under the ‘Professional Category’ by the Inland Revenue Department and charged a lower rate where the highest slab is only 16% while non-professionals are charges 24% in the highest slab.

I appeal to the authorities to take steps to review the rates charged by hospitals, laborotaries and medical charges of doctors as they are at present exorbitant and in some instances mercenary.

M.N. Mohamed,
Dehiwala.

Poonagala Prajasalawa needs asistance

I thank the editor of the Daily News for highlighting ten-year-old Fathima’s plight whose hope to top the Grade 5 scholarship examination in the Badulla District had been shattered as her family had been confined to a small makeshift tin hut in the Poonalagala Prajashalawa in Bandarawela for the last one year without electricity or any other facilities.

Perhaps the little girl was aware about the landslide that destroyed her house in Jalasakanda, and also destroyed seven houses in the area and the victims have been provided shelter in the mosque, Kovil and in the Prajashalawa.

They were crammed in a 8’x8’ room. The Government or any politician of the UNP, SLFP or the SLMC has not taken any action to relocate these families. Hence, I draw the attention of the Muslims of Sri Lanka to read the article published on page 6 of November 16 of the Daily News and help destitutes to build their own shelter. I appeal to Muslim philanthropists to wake up and help them to overcome their misery.

Z.A.M. Shukoor
Via email

Chaos at pedestrian crossings

Pedestrian crossings have been constructed along the Galle Road and vehicles have to stop on a regular basis when the red light comes on thus causing a hindrance to motorists. Some of these pedestrians don’t serve any purpose and should be abandoned. On the other hand there are traffic lights that don’t function at all thus inconveniencing pedestrians.

In some instances, especially near the Lake House roundabout there is chaos with vehicles going criss cross and pedestrians are afraid to cross the road.

One fails to understand what is happening at this point. The authorities must take note of this situation and take remedial action because an accident is waiting to happen at these crossings. During peak hours, a traffic policeman blews his whistle and directs traffic but at other times it is chaotic

E.M. Cooray
Mt Lavinia