Mr. President!

As a citizen of Sri Lanka, I am appalled by the verbal abuse on Ms. Frederica Jansz by the Defence Secretary. He is in serious need of an anger management course. As a public servant holding high office, he should resign immediately and you should accept his resignation.
I have never got involved in politics nor have I ever voiced my opinion about the situation in Sri Lanka but I will do so now. While appreciating the leadership you gave us all during the battle to eliminate the LTTE, the situation now is deteriorating. Politicians of your ruling party are running amok. What are you going to do about the Kelaniya chandiya? What disciplinary action have you taken against him? Any decent citizen of our beautiful country will expect him to be stripped of any tittles and portfolios. Yet he continues unabated. Duminda Silva, an alleged rapist, is provided medical and monetary assistance.
The Education Minister says one can live on Rs. 2,500 a month. Wimal Weerawansa says we should boycott US products while he continues to use an Iphone. He, sir, is a hypocrite. Why do you surround yourself with people such as these?

Champaka Premaratne,kandy

Let Them Suffer!

• Forget Captial Punishment: Advocate life imprisonment

Many a people including me had been advocating capital punishment as deterrent punishment to criminals who deserved same as a lesson to others. Gone were the days when knowledge was limited, the thought a life for a life was a true lesson. But now with the latest techniques people think otherwise and believe one should suffer all one’s life for the crimes one has committed.
Death by hanging, beheading, poison injection, electric chair, firing squad, etc brings a person’s life to an end in a few minutes and although psychologically it has an impact on the society, the criminal does not suffer. One should be made to realize the good values of a moral life. If one is made to suffer all his life in prison, in solitary confinement barred from good food, liquor, sex, etc. all for the wrongs one has done.
Man’s life is short in this world and if one cannot make the best use of this life and enjoy his life on earth, living the right way, believe in religious teachings, take a lesson from heroes and legends, then one must forgo these good earthly gifts if one chooses the wrong path. Then he will have to pay for his misdeeds and made to suffer all the remaining years in the death row over the wrongs he had done. His remaining years in the death row should make him mentally deranged. So let one be made to experience this than ending one’s life in seconds.
So let’s forget this Capital Punishment and advocate the life imprisonment without reprieve for the wrongs one has committed in the gifted peaceful, civilized society in real life.
Kingsley Durairaj,
Ethulkotte.
Rein In The Violent Congress
Politicians In Kalmunai
As I am senior citizen of this island and I am highly ashamed of what I witnessed on Friday May 25 at Ashraff Memorial Hospital Just after the Friday’s congregational Jumma prayer.
It has been a tradition here that people living in Kalmunai distribute various types of leaflets on advertisements, religious matters and opinion on political issues after the Friday congregational prayer.
This has been a mode of communication and airing of opinion of people based on the freedom of expression. It has been an accepted norm here.
But on that fateful day, the 25th May, after the prayer, while some persons were engaged in distributing pamphlets, a group of political hooligans with the local Muslim Congress political leader swooped on hospital worker and unleashed an attack on him while he was reading a leaflet handed over to him.
No one at the scene came forward to safeguard him since the local politician was involved with his team in the attack on the hospital worker. Later the victim was dragged into a jeep by them and taken away in broad day light while the astonished people around were looking at the scene with their eyebrows raised without knowing as to what was happening.
No one could understand why the hospital worker was attacked by the local politician.
But everyone at the scene muttered that it was the fate of being born as a citizen of this nation. Politicians in Sri Lanka have high immunity against punishment by law. For many hours people were unable to know the whereabouts of the staff member who was abducted by the gangsters under the helm of the local politician.
All the attempts taken by the fellow members of the hospital staff to locate the victim turned futile. Then the people at the scene started to disperse in desperation with many questions on their faces. Some whispered that we had harvested what we had sown in the last general election.
Kalmunai is the place that gave birth to many decent and eminent politicians with statesmanship. They all brought name and fame to their hometown by contributing to their constituencies and nation at large.
Late leader Ashraff who had illuminated the sky of politics had never deemed that people of Kalmunai would suffer a fate of shepherd-less sheep. People here had never witnessed a politician creating a calamitous scene with violent behavior.
Most of the past political leaders of Kalmunai had the hallmark of political etiquettes and professionalism in their dealings.
But nowadays it is very much rare to see a political leader with those characters.
Muslims in Kalmunai are highly unfortunate in this regard. Muslims in Kalmunai have to rethink on the state of affairs, how they could free themselves from the sway of violence by politicians.
Muslim Congress Leader is duty bound to gauge the current trend of using violence by local Congress politicians to achieve their goals.
If this is left unchecked it will lead to a disastrous situation and lawlessness in this area. It is alleged that the law enforcement authority has turned a blind eye in fear of political reprisal. People have lost their trust in law enforcement authorities.
While the government has been taking all measures to establish justice and fairness to all citizens of Sri Lanka irrespective of their race, religion and creed, it is sad to witness that a local politician of Kalmunai is using violent methods in achieving his targets aided by the law enforcement authority.
If it continues without proper action by concerned authorities it will lead to a chaotic situation where violence will hold sway in Kalmunai area as witnessed during the period of LTTE terror reign.
I believe that this letter would enlighten the authorities concerned to initiate action immediately to contain this situation in Kalmunai region in the interest of innocent people here.

M. C. Kalantharshahib,
Retired Teacher,
Sainthamaruthu
EPF Should Make
A Full Disclosure
A newspaper reported on 14th February “Market Crashes; EPF plays St. Valentine. Right? Wrong. EPF is the Santa Clause for the stock market throughout the year.
It is very clear that some high net worth individuals have influence over those who are managing EPF funds. It was reported that one such individual “Made a killing on two deals” on the purchase and sale of Laugh’s stocks. It is comical that the officials managing the EPF funds don’t mind being the laughing stock in the eyes of the public. Well there ought to be some reason for these officials to conduct themselves in this manner.
Will the EPF care to disclose to its member the value of investments in the stock market and the market value of these investments at present. I don’t think even the minister in charge is aware of the extent of the massive loss. If the investments were made wisely why hesitate to disclose the figures? Let the stakeholders of EPF decide. The irony of it is some who are responsible for these dubious investments have never contributed to the EPF.
It was also reported that EPF would have earned a much higher income had these funds been invested in Treasury Bills. What right do these officials have to deprive what the poor members are rightfully entitled to? All EPF members are indebted to the JVP for taking legal action to prevent EPF funds being invested in the stock market.

Concerned EPF member
Auditors Of TFC
The Finance Company (TFC) was once the largest finance companies in Sri Lanka. Consequent to the Golden Key debacle it was apparent that the auditors of some Ceylinco companies including TFC were not fit to be auditors.
I wonder whether CA Sri Lanka has withdrawn the practicing certificates issued to former auditors of TFC.
All the leading quoted companies have recognized auditors. But who are the auditors of TFC.
A very small audit practice. Considering the volume of transactions involving several branches, do these auditors have the facilities and staff to carry out an audit of a company as big as TFC.
How many other quoted companies are audited by this firm? Not a single?
The Directors of TFC owe it to the depositors who continue to have faith in the company, to appoint a reputed auditor. For a fee of Rs 1.5 million any leading audit firm will offer themselves as auditors.
But the billion rupee question is, will the Board of Directors expose the affairs of the company to an independent auditor.
The directors are confident that TFC will again be the largest finance company in the near future.
In fact the Chairman of the company is on record that if he had the money he would have bought TFC shares trading at present at a low price!
Were related party transactions involving directors properly disclosed in the 2010/11 audited accounts? One non executive director was compelled to resign.
The executive directors should realize that an appointment of an independent audit firm with a good reputation is in their interest as well as all the deposit holders.
As a shareholder I wish to raise this issue at the forthcoming annual general meeting of TFC.
An auditor who can be influenced by the TFC Chairman due to his past connections is not the best choice.

TFC Shareholder

.