|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 20 June 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
'Candle and Other Poems' : inspired by hymns Having read Sandra Fernando's first volume of poetry, Candle and Other Poems (launched last week) Professor Ashley Halpe said he was shocked into recognition. In fact, Candle and Other Poems first went on sale at the Gratiaen Awards, for 2003, in March this year. Sandra is a member of the Francis Ford Coppola internet writer's workshop and the local English Writer's Workshop, better known as the Wadiya Group. In both fora she has honed and developed her skills. Sandra secured a combined degree in political science and English, at Carleton University, Canada, in 1978, while her father, in foreign service, was posted to North America. Then, her father was transferred to the United States and Sandra went on to graduate study in literature. Sandra came to teaching by accident and is head of English of the Overseas School of Colombo. There were others, who came for the launch, more to honour an invitation, but went away impressed. The book is the work of a bold woman, who as a kid, travelled the world. Born in Karachi, in 1961, Sandra said she learned to read, when she was in the Philippines. The first book she purchased was the unbridged version of Oliver Twist, and the second, Edgar Rice Borroughs' Tarzan, because a Tarzan story was being serialised on TV. Later, she purchased age appropriate books, and when there were no books at hand, she read the Atlas. Back in Colombo, in 1974, Sandra chose the Anglican school - Bishops College with the Anglican Church having an impact on her, as the chief guest at the launch, Mrs Punyakante Wijenaike made out. Sandra's introduction to poetry was the church hymnal, which in the Anglican church contains hymns written over a period of several hundreds of years. Hymns were poems written to be sung, so they have regular rhythms and clear rhyme schemes. And, that according to Sandra, is why she uses rhythm and rhyme. Sandra said,"I use common metre most often - which is essentially seven iambic beats arranged in pairs of lines, with four beats, in the first and three in the second, much like Emily Dickinson. In Sandra's words, the moods of the hymns are multiple and vary within hymn as well. "They are profound statements of the scriptures applied to daily living and served as my example of poetry at its richest, densest and finest. I do aspire to write in the same manner, and feel that some of my religious poetry is superior to the rest." Perhaps, that is why Vijitha Yapa took on its publication, merchandised at Rs 220. This 108 page book, covering 76 poems, some titles being, Gift, Yonder Tree, Pianist, To all Smokers, Adam, Cocooned, Nightmare, Vision, The Economist, runs the gamut from tightly structured pieces to open, loose pieces; from light poems that seem one dimensional to denser ones that are more difficult to penetrate; from descriptive pieces to satire. Perhaps, there is something for diverse tastes. L I M E R I C K ######## Man's descent to chaos and confusion Descent of man by L.N.T.Mendis Reviewed by Carol Aloysius Like its title, this book is gloomily prophetic. man in pursuit of material gain, is racing towards self destruction, taking with him the planet he lives on. The key culprit of this human drama is man's current mind-set. Living in a world over run by information technology and heavily dependent on the machine, (in this case computers), man has failed to understand the meaning of the word "inter-dependence". In fact he has mistranslated this all important word when attempting to solve various problems he confronts to suit his end goal - pursuit of power and material comforts. "Although inter-dependence is in frequent use we treat the cluster of problems confronting us in remarkable isolation, bringing into play only considerations closely touching the questions at issue. Inter-dependence has simply come to mean that the poor ..desperately depend on the rich who appropriate needed labour and raw materials of the poor cheaply". It is this factor and our tendency to reduce everything into fragments that has hastened our path to self destruction. "Man has to resort to the technique of Reductionism by which he broke up the object of inquiry into parts he could study. Later it was realised that this reductionist and fragmentation approach yielded less knowledge ". The result? Confusion and chaos because of our failure to realise the connection with the "whole" problem. This gap between "metropolitan" and "periphery", between a fragmentary approach and a holistic approach, has been the inspiration for "Descent of Man" a book which takes its title directly from Charles Darwin's monograph. The author L.N.T. Mendis who makes his debut as a writer in this fascinating dissertation about man's origin, his development and finally his predicted downfall, links man's path to self destruction with the way he deals with his most pressing problems. He draws on his vast reservoir of knowledge gleaned as a former SLAS officer, Information and Documentation officer in UNESCO and national consultant in various UNDP projects, to validate his arguments. As he observes in his Preface, "The attempt to come to terms with and explicate the complexity of factors influencing our present perplexities is of recent origin. ..It is this overwhelming mass of segregated approaches which mostly determines the outlook of the majority around the globe, dictating their actions and compounding the confusion around us. The continuance of this mindset spells ruin." The mindset that human beings have today is something we have inherited from our ancient ancestors. But the time has come for us to change it,so that we can call a halt to our self destructive ways, warns the author. Having raised the question: "How was man able to control men and matters and stave off many crises with the same mind-set in the past, he proceeds to give the answer as well. In the past, the problems, situations and human groups requiring control or solution were relatively smaller, restricted to geographical scope much less complex; consequently much less knowledge was ." On the other hand today", the current features of the human "problem set" is pockmarked with complexity and bear the hallmarks of near insolubility. Frequently resorting to news flashbacks, quotations from statesmen, writers, scientists and other well-known personalities, and facts drawn from an extensive bank of data, it is clear that the author has studied his subject(s) well and thoroughly. All his discourses are based on hard scientific facts whether the topic is on environment, poverty, unemployment, over population, debt, unequal exchange, globalisation, money laundering or terrorism among other things. It is this scientific base that adds validity to his arguments- however mind boggling they may be!. He wraps up these learned discussions with a sweeping indictment on the whole of mankind. Referring to the speed at which consumerism and greed are overtaking the global society he quotes Christ; " The truth shall make you free" adding his own comment to the Biblical words of wisdom."We cannot flee the truth". This pessimistic outlook is echoed again and again starting out at the very onset of the book, when he talks negatively of his own country Sri Lanka, as, "a country that has", "metamorphosed into a land marked by mutual distrust and fear". "But Sri Lanka does not stand alone from the rest of the world. As the author observes." it is like most other places on earth, a place to run away from, unless you are rolling in money". The book is a random collection of ideas loosely put together with no structured or logical order, although divided by chapters. But the central theme of man's descent which runs through the book manages to hold these divergent thoughts together, and make them a unifying whole. An interesting read that will grip your attention as you travel through its pages. ######## Indispensable contribution to industrial relations The Transformation of Labour Law and Relations By Sriyan de Silva Reviewed by Franklyn Amerasinghe This is the most significant contribution to the subject of Industrial Relations (IR) in many years. Sriyan de Silva, when he published 'The Legal Framework of Industrial Relations in Ceylon' in 1973, perhaps did not realise that his work was so thorough and authoritative as a text, that no one would really challenge his work with another on the same subject. There have been books which, although useful, have not dealt with the subject of industrial law and relations as scientifically and exhaustively as does Sriyan's book which, still continues to be quoted by judges at the highest level and used by academics and students. Over the years there have been many requests that 'The Legal Framework of Industrial Relations' be updated, Sriyan's response was to produce a series of monographs on some of the connected subjects such as the contract of employment, dismissal, superannuation benefits and collective bargaining, all of which provided updates on the relevant topics. Due to pressure of day to day duties, he was unable to devote time to bringing out a book on the conceptual changes to industrial relations, although he was active in the area at the international level and was producing research papers on the subject, which have been highly acclaimed. I am happy to be able to write this review as I had something to do with finally persuading Sriyan to use the enormous research he has done and the experience he has gathered in the last thirty five years in the field of industrial relations, to not only review his original thinking which is contained in 'The Legal Framework of Industrial Relations,' but also add some new topics and new material which makes the present work one which will be invaluable to all those who are interested in the subject and the developments which have taken place. His writings have been the inspiration for many who have been practitioners, teachers or writers on this subject, including myself, and form the foundation for the training of managers, trade union leaders, labour officials, bureaucrats and judges. The present book is divided into nine parts and is current terms of its coverage, as it takes account of changes in industrial relations brought about by globalisation and other recent phenomena which have caused major changes even in the attitudes of governments towards industrial relations. The first part covers industrial relations and its elements. Mr. de Silva, deals with the nature of IR and the impact of the environment on IR. the second chapter covers the elements of an IR system. He discusses the importance of the role of the law, the freedom of association, collective bargaining, tripartism, labour policy formulation, dispute settlement and labour relations and these are referred to as the elements of the system. Part two of the book is entitled 'The Transformation of IR', and is perhaps a section which is indispensable for students who wish to chart the changes which have taken place over the years and to grasp the significance of labour market conditions on the shaping of IR and IR systems. This part consists of five chapters which cover the influence of gloablisation and the movement of the action, as it were, from the national to the workplace level, to accommodate the new emphasis on productivity and quality. This section also covers the responses of management to the challenge of competitiveness, referring to strategies such as worker involvement and human resources development. The adjustments which have taken place at the national level through modifications in the law and major policy changes are analytically dealt with. The third part is an interesting coverage of the combination of HR policies and IR strategies in order to bring about a new culture which is more suited to the current needs of management. He deals thoroughly with the critical issue of configuring HR policies on rewards and compensation, to motivate employees to collaborate with management in achieving competitive advantage. Reference made to practices in high performing organisations and strategies which make individuals raise their performance levels, provide the reader with an insight into behaviour related approaches to optimizing performance. This part which consists of seven chapters, concludes with a discussion on how to harmonise IR with HR and the future of HRM. The fourth part entitled 'The Role of the Law and the State' covers the historical aspects and the limits of legal intervention. Future directions of the involvement of the State and regulatory approaches to IR are also discussed. This part which comprises two chapters, also discusses the question of employment and its legal basis, and whether it should be related to a status or to contractual ties. Part five covers current issues in IR. The first chapter is devoted to global governance and refers to international initiatives, whether they be in the form of International Labour Standards or other elements such as NGOs, MNEs, State or Regional norms (such as the US and EU rules for exporters). The pressures from international trade unions and government groupings are discussed. Some emphasis is placed on the ILO Declaration on the Principles and Rights at Work, an instrument adopted after discussion by the tripartite constituents of the ILO in 1998, which represents the principles in the core labour standards which would be pursued without exception by all nations. Chapter 11 deals with Labour Market Flexibility and problems in relation to social justice. The various forms of flexibility are given careful attention. The issues arising within the workforce in adopting flexible arrangements are dealt with in chapter 12. Pay flexibility is extensively covered in chapter 13. The different types of pay schemes which are possible, and the problems and issues which arise in relation to them, are discussed in a manner which is valuable to practitioners who wish to make an assessment of what schemes would best suit particular work cultures. In chapter 14 the ILO and the Freedom of Association are discussed with an insight which only the author could have in the light of his unique experience as a representative of an employers' organisation, a member of the employers' bureau within the ILO and lastly as a policy adviser in the International Organisation of Employers. The vast knowledge of the author in relation to the subject, makes this section invaluable to those who wish to understand how the ILO formulated its standards in relation to the Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining (see chapter 15), and how it attempts to ensure compliance through its machinery. Chapter 16 focuses on tripartism, social dialogue and social development in a market economy. Part six is devoted to an employment policy and how it could be linked to sustainable development. This part would be most valuable to planners and ministry officials for whom chapter 17 is a 'must read' recommendation. Part seven with labour management relations policy formulation and economic and social data. This section too is important to officials, but is equally useful for trade unions and employers/trade organisations who need to understand the issues which are vital to proper planning and policy formulation. The collection of data for this purpose is also covered. Part eight introduces regional perspectives and is entitled 'The Development of Asian IR'. The historical context and the changes which have been witnessed are discussed excellently by the author, who for many years covered the whole of Asia as the Employers' Specialist for the ILO. He also poses the question whether there is a western and eastern approach to IR and deals with the arguments in this connection. The final part is a prognosis of the future and what it could hold for us in relation to IR. The book is as comprehensive as a practitioner or student would desire it to be, and therefore runs into a volume of 800 pages, each page of which is indispensable reading. ######### Guide to the Consumer Affairs Authority Act by Dr. Dayanath Jayasuriya, Reviewed by G. P. S. de Silva Asian Pathfinder Publisher, 2004, pp. 204. Reasonable prices, good quality and easy accessibility are three considerations of primary importance to any consumer of goods or services. The new Consumer Affairs Authority Act, which came into operation last year, seeks to make use of legal provisions to ensure that the Sri Lankan consumer gets a fair deal. Dr. Dayanath Jayasuriya's latest book is a detailed analysis of this new piece of legislation. He is ideally suited to have undertaken this task. As the detailed Bibliography reflects, during the past three decades he has made a significant contribution to the international and national literature on the subject of consumer protection. His work for the United Nations in many countries in health and related issues has provided him with a hands-on experience in dealing with issues of regulation and price control. The 204 page Guide to the Consumer Affairs Authority Act is divided into 10 chapters and has three annexures. Chapter 1 is a fascinating account of the evolution of consumer protection legislation in Sri Lanka and Dr. Jayasuriya begins the story with a Proclamation of 1798. Chapters 2 to 9 look at different aspects of the new legislation, drawing comparisons with the laws that existed prior to the new law. He has analysed about 125 judgments - mainly Sri Lankan but also England and Indian - dealing with price control and related aspects. Chapter 10 discusses various "Problems and Prospects." The author has demystified the concepts and has analysed each provision in very simple terms. The text is thus simple and readable while being authoritative at the sametime. One annexure deals with the History of Price Regulation of Drugs. Another annexure deals with the Articles and Services (Regulation of Maintenance) Temporary Provisions Act No. 14 of 2003. The final annexure is a selected bibliography of the author's previous publications on consumer issues and it list some 50 publications published in the UK, Malaysia, the Netherlands, USA, Switzerland etc. This bibliography will be particularly useful to policymakers and researchers as they could benefit by reading the publications of someone such as the author with his wide experience. There was an urgent need for a new law that consolidated the legal provisions applicable to goods and services. The author has pointed out that the new Act is an important beginning but it requires many amendments. Consumer laws need to be effectively implemented and this calls for a serious attempt at educating and sensitizing manufacturers, traders, dealers and last but not least, consumers. The cooperation of all these parties is vital if the Sri Lankan consumer is to reap the real benefits of the law. Dr. Dayanath Jayasuriya's Guide to the Consumer Affairs Authority Act is a well-considered analysis of the new legislation and contains very useful and practical guidance on what more needs to be done. He deserves to be warmly congratulated for this scholarly publication. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
