Siri siri bags and supermarkets

Disposing garbage in Sri Lanka has become a huge issue. Although the Colombo Municipal Council and the Dehiwela- Mt Lavinia Municipal Council are trying to educate users to separate bio degradable garbage from plastics and plastics bags, it is still a difficult task. More so because supermarkets freely give siri siri bags to customers. Sometimes two or three siri siri bags are given for a single item.

The state should insist that supermarkets should give goods in bio degradable wrapping such as newspaper like in the good old days and request customers to bring their own carrier bags. I think then half the problem of garbage disposal will be sorted and the public will be aware that they should carry a bio degradable bag.

These siri siri bags can be seen strewn all over the place and if these bags fall into a drain, it will clog drains. During the recent floods it was found that siri siri bags were the main culprits.

A.E. Cooray
Mt Lavinia

Colour confusion

There is a bit of confusion with regard to the colour of notes, among the public especially pensioners. The colours of the Rs 500 note and Rs 5000 note and the Rs 20 and Rs 100 notes issued by the Central Bank have caused a certain amount of confusion.

I fell victim on two or three occasions, where I mistook a Rs100 note for a Rs 20 and on another occasion I mistook A Rs 5000 note for a Rs 500, although the colour shading of the notes are different. A friend of mine too made a similar mistake.

In the case of the Rs 1000 note, there is no problem at all, as the green colour is clear. I think the government must take this confusion into consideration when minting the next quota of notes and print the notes in clear, bright colours.

B.A. Srini Mendis
Katuwawala

Indiscipline in government organisations

The licence of the pilot who was to operate the Sri Lankan flight from Frankfurt to Colombo on 19/8/2016 was suspended with immediate effect by the Civil Aviation Authority yesterday.

This incident shows the serious problem of indiscipline in government organisations.

Discipline is important in every aspect of life in order to be successful and free, and it allows one to have power and control in life.

A disciplined person is free of the chaos that people without that skill experience. A disciplined person adheres to and abides by certain rules and norms.

Law and order are fast declining in our society. Therefore internal lack of discipline in law enforcing organisations is nothing new.

The discipline in the universities has deteriorated to such an extent that indiscipline tends to become the accepted norm. The students, teachers and even administration are afflicted with this calamity. The chaos and anarchy in the universities are evident in the frequent student clashes and staff student conflicts.

There were news items about indiscipline among footballers. Sports teaches us to be humble in the victory and determined in defeat. Sports teaches several other virtues that help to bring out the gentlemen in life.

We have observed increasing incidence of indiscipline in some schools.

*Indiscipline among politicians is a big problem in Sri Lanka. Various actions are being taken to control this situation.
*Indiscipline in public service is very common. In any government office following problems are very common:
*Late arrival of employees
*Negligence.
*Wastage.
*Inefficiency.
*Not answering letters sent by the public.
*Corruption.
*Red tape.
*Favouring friends, relations and political party supporters.

The public have to wait for hours to get a small thing done.

Indiscipline has become a virus in the government service due to various reasons. Corrupt and selfish senior public officers should take the major portion of the blame. They always fight for their salaries and benefits but fail when it comes to work.

They unfortunately forget the fact that they are paid by the people and they should always look after the rights of the people.

D. Weeratunga
Nugegoda