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| Sunday, 10 March 2002 |
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Letters |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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I was highly amused by the headlines of the Sunday Observer of 17.02.02. Not because a fellow human being was suffering with a deadly disease. But rather, because the SL Red Cross had urged the Government to immediately control the spread of the malarial epidemic, which actually is in an area under LTTE control. Ironic, it is, that the LTTE, a ruthless terrorist organisation, is allowed to control the people, trade, order and all resources of this area, while the Government is expected to control any epidemic or famine. Shouldn't it be the LTTE that should be spraying Malathion, instead of spraying bullets? Shouldn't it be the LTTE that should be distributing drugs and medicine, instead of cyanide capsules? What happens to the millions of dollars, or even the millions of krones which they collect in Norway alone? Why isn't it spent on the people whom they claim to be fighting for? It is understandable that the SLRC is trying its best to create a situation of normalcy in the war-ravaged North, but the fact is, normalcy can never be achieved, with an elected Government of a sovereign nation being unable to control any land area which is rightfully her own. Indeed, a very 'abnormal' situation. Probably the above questions will be answered by Mr. Eric Solheim, in a few months time. S. S. LIYANAGE, I was a witness to a gory incident at a Grocery Shop in Gongawela Road Matale Town in broad daylight and witnessed by hundreds of shoppers on Thursday 21st February afternoon. A group of thugs raced up in trishaws and stormed in to this shop and unmercifully assaulted the owners and dragging them out, amid protests by the crowd around, loaded them into the trishaws and drove off after threatening the people around not to follow them and if anybody did all will be killed. Some of these thugs toppled the display counters and want only damaged the goods. One of these thugs who led the attack climbed on to the cashier's counter and unmercifully kicked and beat up the cashier. In the melee the cash counter crashed to the flow and money was thrown all over. On probing further I learnt that the shop owners and the cashier were taken to the house of a convicted boot legger who has instigated this attack. After more kickings and beatings they were all left. The trishaw drivers are also members of this gang of thugs. I further learnt that these boot legger's daughter is in love with a friend of the shop owners, which love affair the Boot Legger did not approve. No amount of threats to the lovers by this father to break off the affair has had any effect. The infuriated father is now all out to vent all his anger on the lover boy and his friends. I am told that this is not the first instant where these thugs had gone on rampage. These thugs numbering around 20 to 30 hang around street corners and girls school gates and pass very crude and vulgar remarks at girls and passers by. Even a look in their direction ends up at the innocent victims being badly beaten up. Victims are afraid to complain to the police for fear of merciless and despicable reprisals. They all belong to a minority community in Matale and these thugs have earned the wrath and curse of their own community. In the name of justice please stop these thugs rampages before they take to the high road gangsterism in Matale town. M. STANLEY PEIRIS, Public library branch - Kotahena As a resident of Kotahena I am very happy to participate at the opening ceremony of the newly constructed Public Library at Kotahena on February 15 2002. Today we have a two storied spacious building at Kotahena junction, the ground floor being the Library and the first floor a large study hall. In the past it was a dilapidated building very crowded without proper ventilation and could not accommodate the number of students who use to patronise the study hall. I must congratulate Mayor Omar Kamil for having given due consideration to education particularly for the residents of Kotahena for having being responsible in demolishing the old building and constructing this new structure within 1 1/2 years. May the Mayor and the Council be given further strength in developing the City which is already being accepted as a City making great affects in working towards excellence. S. SAHADEVAN, Delays in school leaving certificates All institutions where courses of studies could be followed by school leavers for a career insist that the candidate should produce the school leaving certificate for admission. This being so, the University Grants Commission took a period of 4 years and 8 months to return my school leaving certificate which was sent to them in November 1996. At least five representatives called over at this office with my written request and they were simply told that the certificate has been posted. Eight written reminders requesting the return of the certificate had no reply. Finally, I had to travel to Colombo from Jaffna along with my father spending Rs. 12,000/= for the plane journeys up and down and when the question was presented at the esteemed office, the short answer that the document has been posted was given. My father insisted that it was not posted and if their statement was correct, to show him the 'outward register' where an entry could be found to the effect. Why could they not reply the eight reminders sent had no answer. This request was simply repulsed by the lower ranks of the office. The matter had been gone to the head of the section. A date was given to us in last July. Lo - the certificate was found in the office and I was asked to sign and take over same. I got the certificate on 13.07.2001. Imagine the plight of several other students who would have suffered this situation in silence. When will these organisations established by the Government of the country fall in line to help the public? When will they cease from causing such embarrassments, especially to the young people who seek a position in life? P. SWARNALATHA, Gem authority, washing plant and the industry - a reply With regard to a news item which appeared recently in the press on matters connected to the above, I wish to point out the following facts so as to enlighten the public and the authorities concerned. Gem washing machines are commonly used in most of the countries where open pit mining is done and though it is illegal, still there are few locally made very sophisticated and effective such machines in operation in Ratnapura, Elahera and Monaragala areas. Hence, in the first place, this cannot be treated as an invention of the Gem Authority. The Gem Authority has banned heavy machinery for gem mining as they curtail the employment of idle local labour and also are capital intensive and therefore it is apparent that this exercise is against their own goals. Further when there is a separate institute namely Gem & Jewellery Research & Training Institute to handle matters of this nature one wonders why the Gem Authority has ventured out to attend to a matter that does not come under their purview. Therefore it is very clear that Gem Authority which is the sole government establishment responsible for the upliftment (debar research & training) of Gem Industry - a very vital sector of our economy - while doing nothing to halt the rapid decline of the industry is trying to cling on to a series of propaganda stunt so as to hoodwink the public and the political authorities in a bid to cover up their inaction due to lack of interest, dedication and knowledge. I feel the news item appeared recently in the press on Madagaskar issue is also a futile attempt in this direction. All in the Gem Industry which is in danger of collapse know that Gem Authority did nothing (other than its Chairman making a coupled of trips to Madagaskar in the company of his business friends) to get a Charged' Affaires Office of Madagaskar established here. If not for untiring efforts of Trade Chambers of Gem Industry this would not have become a reality. The Foreign Ministry will vouch for this. In these circumstances we request the authorities to go into the matters seriously and quickly without getting deceived and misled by the bogus facts and figures of the Gem Authority even at this late stage. IFTIKAR SHAHID, Beira Lake - the beautiful cesspool The Beira Lake is one of the principal features of the Colombo City. It today covers 65 hectares of land with a catchment areas of 448 hectares. It is still one of the most pleasing sights in the city, though it stinks due to pollution caused by sewage entering it. Chemical waste also drains into the lake from industrial factories, garages, workshops etc., causing the formation of gases like methane, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia etc., giving a foul smell. The prospect of the lake not getting polluted seems to be only a miracle, so long as people are not concerned of the obnoxious effluvia emanating from the water of the lake, which is obviously a health hazard. Prof. Patrick Geddes, the Colombo Town Planner, writing in 1920, says "At sunset, specially, looking over the lake to the palm forest in the lakeside bungalows, is by the finest park near Colombo, and only second to the totally different seascape of the Galle Face. It is a clear sheet of water, motionless, and with no smell or colour." After Independence in 1948, things changed and the lake became a forgotten beauty. Today, it is under the Urban Development Authority (UDA), which has not attempted to make any drastic changes, either to improve its environment or to make it an unpolluted lake by not allowing anaerobic conditions to occur as a result of chemical waste flowing into the lake. Large sums of money are being spent to clear and clean the lake, but the outcome seems to be infinitesimal when compared with the labour involved. Shanty dwellers and others of low calibre make use of the lake as a cesspool allowing all the muck to flow into the lake. This most unwanted act must be stopped, without red tape in drawing out charts, plans, programmes, projects etc., which ultimately die a natural death. "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Aryadasa Ratnasinghe, Deterioration of Public Service I am a retired public health inspector, my matter which could be settled easily is being dragged on wrongfully by the Director General of Health for 8 long years in spite of my having written to him innumerable letters since 1994. Being demoralized over the matter, I appealed to the executive President, Prime Minister, Health, Public Administration and Justice Ministers, except the Justice Minister all others have instructed the Director General of Health to take necessary action to mete out justice to me which had been blatantly ignored. On my appeal to the ombudsman could see some light through the dark tunnel by way of his holding an inquiry over the matter and ordered the Director General of Health to grant my due rights which the Director General of Health agreed to fulfil by December 2001, whereas it is February end 2002 now and yet it has not borne fruit. (Ombudsman's ref. P/2/5/793 dated 19.11.2001) On reading an article in the press under the caption "Ombudsman's Order not carried out," I wish to inflict few words of my plight which is the same as the grieved retired Electrical Engineer. Regarding the deterioration of Public Service another gentleman had highlighted through the press, stating that the Public Administration Circular 23/97 of 27.11.1997 and other instructions are more observed in the breach, which I too endorse correct from my experience. The Establishment Code Chapter 28 of Section 3:8 requires the replying of communications from the public promptly. The section specifies that an interim reply be sent within one week of the receipt of the communication and the final reply be sent within 4 weeks. Hope and pray that action would be taken before the "Sinking Boat" capsizes with the retired Electrical Engineer and the Public Health Inspector. M. CHANDRAN, Recently I had the opportunity of coming into contact with a spiritual doctor form India who believes in the axiom that prevention is better than cure. One of her amazing observations during the short stay in Sri Lanka was that the suffering of a human being at the time of formation of the lustful thoughts in the mind and the vast damage causing to fellow beings and society during this period could be more harmful than what that person can do to destroy herself/himself and society later on as an incurable Aids patient. Is it not a better way to give the message to the people of Sri Lanka, a country imbibed with Buddhist Philosophy, rather than introducing condom in public and enhancing the injury advocating "Do what you do but with care?" G. T. Pandikorala , |
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