14th September, 2003 Volume 10, Issue 9 |
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Home Letters |
Bus,
lorry, three-wheeler 'creepers'
I am sure that if
such a survey is carried out, it will prove conclusively that the number of
accidents per year caused by drivers over 60 is a negligible fraction of the
total number of road accidents, and if the study is narrowed down to
accidents causing death or serious injury, the figure for drivers over 60
will probably be zero. The fact is that most elderly drivers are very
careful, and belonging to an older and far more cultured generation, are
much more conscious of the rights of other road users and have respect and
regard for the law. Instead of introducing costly, time consuming and
meaningless regulations such as these, our lawmakers should face reality and
try to address the real causes behind the high rate of road accidents. Of
the reasons for the increasing number of road accidents, first and foremost
is lethargy, inefficiency and of course, rampant corruption in the police.
It is not unusual to see policemen standing by doing nothing when reckless
drivers, bus and lorry drivers in particular, go through red lights, turn
without signaling, drive excessively fast, stop suddenly in the middle of
the road and so on. It is not unusual to see vehicles parked on the pavement
within a few feet of junctions and parked on busy roads and so on. It
is not unusual to see three-wheelers going all over the road, suddenly
making u-turns in the face of oncoming traffic, and creeping in and out of
small gaps in long lines of vehicles. It is also not unusual to hear buses
and lorries blowing long, ear shattering and totally unnecessary blasts on
their powerful air horns in the middle of city traffic, and three-wheelers
using electronic horns to make all kinds of odd shrieks, whistles and animal
noises. All this happens in full view of traffic policemen standing by,
notebooks in hand, doing absolutely nothing. The
next reason is rampant corruption in the department of the Registrar of
Motor Vehicles. It is common knowledge that not even the best driver will
pass the driving test unless the examiner receives his bribe, and even
someone who cannot drive at all will get his licence, if he pays. The result
is that the roads are full of dangerously incompetent drivers, often at the
wheel of large, powerful vehicles. The
third reason is that private bus drivers, for some strange reason, appear to
think they have an exclusive right to use the roads anyway they like, and
nobody seems to be doing anything about it. The
fourth reason is that some drivers seem to be above the law. Even the few
policemen who do a reasonable job where lesser vehicles are concerned,
appear to suddenly become completely blind, deaf and dumb when an armed
forces vehicle or a luxury vehicle breaks the law. The
fifth reason is that fines for traffic offences are ridiculously low. A
private bus driver will go through a red light with complete unconcern
because even if he is accused of this offence which is something that
happens very rarely, he will have to pay only Rs. 150. If the fine happened
to be Rs. 1000, he might think twice about it. I
can think of many other causes of accidents, but what I have mentioned
should be adequate. What is definitely not a cause of accidents is the
presence of a few drivers over 60 on the road. Methuselah Public
must be alerted to JVP's evil designs The
government and the general public must be on high alert to take note of the
evil designs of the JVP opposing every good move of the government, to make
Sri Lanka a massive concentration camp acting only in conformity with their
vicious, diabolical faith. This
government and the people must be told that through the Marxism-Leninist
concept of making evil triumph over good, these JVPers make grand approaches
to deceive the general public - they intend misleading to rely on numerical
strength. For instance, they believe that Marxism-Leninism which started
with just 17 men in 1917 converted two thirds of the world population to
become their followers within half a century - a numerical strength the
Christians have still failed to reach despite 2000 years of Christianity. The
JVPers are now truly intoxicated with the head counts seen at their protest
rallies and marches, all because the gullible people keep following them
without realising they are being manipulated. It is time the free thinkers
who know the resultant effects of following the Reds - as has been proved
beyond doubt in the communist states of Eastern Europe - be alerted to this
grave catastrophe that will follow a JVP triumph in Sri Lanka. They
once wanted a "remote control" but the people misled have given
them more to further mislead the masses at a time even the old guard Reds
are seeing reason and hailing the good governance of the UNF that has drawn
the country out of the abysmal economic depths the PA government
put our people through seven years of misrule. Why
don't you use your valuable columns to initiate a public poll to make a
survey of public opinion in the country today to get the people's views on
the peace initiatives of the government or cause a referendum to determine
genuine answers to questions such as:- (1)
Can you trust the JVPers? (2)
Would you support the JVP war cries or accept the UNF peace
initiatives? H.R.
William International
school or tutory? With
the intention of giving a good education to my daughter I removed her from a
government school and admitted her to the London AL Commerce Class of a
so-called international school in Colombo. I now realise that I have been
duped like so many others by a spate of advertisements. I had to spend a
total of Rs. 56,000 + VAT (Registration fees Rs. 25,000 + Tuition fees Rs.
22,000 + Library fees Rs. 1,500 + Extra curricular fees Rs. 1,500 + Deposit
Rs. 1,500). The
management is so greedy that they are enrolling students even three months
after the course commenced. Today, this class has over 80 students. This is
a world record for a school. This institute is worse than a tutory. The
students can't hear what the teacher is speaking. There is so much noise and
the students are restless. My
daughter says she is sure to fail in all four subjects. If I remove her now
they will not refund the money I have paid. I am helpless. Will some king
person in authority please advise me through this esteemed journal what
relief I can get. This institute, like other international schools is
registered as a company and does not come under the Ministry of Education. Worried
Mother Replace
unqualified school heads promptly By
a sheer stroke of luck the Education Minister has discovered the spine
chilling details of a large number of quacks manning some educational
institutions in the island. I just read the startling news in the print
media that some 3000 odd are engaged in this blasphemous act. This
information has emanated from the All Ceylon Principals' Union and should
therefore be treated as authentic. A
particular public service should have an approved scheme of recruitment as
well as promotion. Recognition of merit insulated from any form of outside
interference and a fixed age of retirement are also attendant requisites.
Contractual appointments may be permitted when no suitable replacements are
hard to find. Under whatever circumstances, politicisation affecting
educational institutions is a disturbing trend and its adverse impact would
be disastrous in the long run. How
can a less qualified person with scant knowledge of administrative and
establishment procedure monitor the activities of his assistants? Will the
subordinate staff listen to him? Authorities, in the first instance, should
never have created this unwarranted situation. Such politicisation accounts
considerably for the collapse of discipline among such schools. In fact, the
public are distressingly aware of the legendary lethargy of the teaching
tribe. Very many of them are tuition barons whose cult is the worship of
currency notes and indulge in this brazenly and openly without the slightest
shame or fear. The ubiquitous private tutories are only notorious money
spinners. If proper coaching is done in schools, there is no necessity for
tuition. Obviously something has gone wrong some where. The question that
begs answer is who is responsible for this despicable state of affairs? The
authorities must ensure that only those well qualified, suitable and have
unimpeachable credentials are given the responsibility of heading
educational institutions in the island. Nanda
Nanayakkara How
plantations can survive Workers
are a component most essential for the proper maintenance of plantations, a
vital factor the management of plantations should give due consideration to,
for without adequate skilled labour, management would come to a standstill. Unlike
in the case of coconut, labour is vital on a daily basis for harvesting
crops of tea and rubber, without which revenue for the maintenance of these
plantations would decline. Accordingly, immediate action should be taken to
make the lives of these workers more attractive by enhancing their income,
which would encourage them, including their younger generations to continue
living and working on plantations, which is absolutely essential if this
trade is to survive. Migration of workers from plantations is solely
attributed to poor conditions available for them at present, attracting them
to greener pastures elsewhere. This is inevitable. Tommy
Wanigesinghe What
a way to remember a top scribe! A
recent news release mentioned that a postage stamp honouring the late Dr.
Anandatissa De Alwis was to be issued at a simple ceremony in parliament. Everyone,
particularly those in the media is familiar with Dr. De Alwis's achievements
as a media man. In fact, it is said that he had a soft spot for journalists
possibly due to his own background as a journalist. Sadly, all that has been
written of Dr. De Alwis and the postage stamp issue is a little quip in
which a journalist laments that the lunch that had been served on the
occasion was consumed by those invited for the ceremony leaving only the
'odds and ends' for the media people. What
a way to honour an illustrious former member of their scribe! It speaks
volumes for the type of journalists around today. R.
Gunaratne Concessions
to tax evaders while I
retired from mercantile service having been closely associated with the
export trade for over 45 years, earning substantial foreign exchange for the
country. After retirement I had to depend on income from interest on fixed
deposits and savings. Until recently it was possible to exist on that
income, but since the very sharp reduction to near zero on fixed deposits
and savings interest rates. I and other retired persons are being driven to
the wall. With the cost of living going skywards, we continue to be choked
and very soon will be completely and effectively suffocated. I
believe many others also now retired have paid taxes diligently for many
years but the rewards and extraordinary concessions have been granted to tax
evaders and/or wilful cheats. If every citizen is treated equally and has
equal rights then would the Finance Minister kindly enact a bill to exempt,
for say 10 years, all those who have paid taxes diligently and regularly for
over 25/30 years? In
the twilight of our lives we deserve some consideration; at least the right
to live above the poverty live. K.
Gamage Slap
in the face for govt. stenographers The
recent gazette notification calling for applications for posts of English
stenographers in Sri Lankan missions abroad a slap in the face for
government stenographers. This
is a grave injustice the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is doing to the
government stenographers by making it possible for stenographers from
outside the government Stenographers' Service, to apply. By opening this
examination to each and every sector, the government stenographers who
discharge their duties in good faith and dedication getting a small salary
are deprived of the opportunity to serve in our embassies abroad. They will
become frustrated. I
need not tell about the salaries and other benefits which the outsiders get
when compared with the government stenographers. A Class I government
stenographer after about 10 years service gets about Rs. 8000 while a Bank
of Ceylon stenographer's initial salary is about Rs. 18,000. Another notable
feature is the Ministry is paying the private sector stenographers a fixed
salary of Rs. 7,800, while a government stenographer has to serve about 25
years to reach that salary scale. When
stenographers from the private sector are selected, they only come to the
ministry to get their travel arrangements finalised and after serving in our
embassies they do not continue to serve the government and in most instances
they settled down abroad. The government stenographers return and serve in
various government departments. The ministry is selecting outsiders only to
send them abroad. Due
to the above reasons and to serve the best interests of our country only
stenographers from the Government Stenographers Service should be posted to
our embassies abroad. I hope Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando will
personally look into this and revert to the earlier scheme of selection. In
the meantime, if the government wants to continue this scheme of selection
(which we do not want), why don't the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of
Public Administration evolve a scheme to allow government stenographers to
work in semi-government sectors like Bank of Ceylon, Central Bank, etc. for
about three years on secondment so that they will enjoy the same benefits
enjoyed by those employees? C.M.
de Silva
Thaththi, As
another year dawns We
find it difficult to believe That
we lived three years Without
you, to guide us We
remember with aching hearts Your
sensitive ways The
caring person you were And
the gentle way you kept us close Our
hearts ache with a dull and throbbing pain Each
time we come home And
you are not there to hug us We
weep for that we shall never feel again, "Your
loving arms around us" We
are immensely grateful For
the time God gave us with you Our
lives enriched Having
had 'you' for our father And
today when we kneel at your grave Look
down on us And
whisper "I love and miss you both" With
undying love and gratitude, Harshini
and Nalaka
White
Requiem God
plucked our fragile flower And
took her home to sleep He
gave her to her mother A
loving gift to keep She
put her with the angels To
teach her how to pray Where
all the little cherubs Play
along the Milky Way Yes
we know that she is safe In
God's protecting care He
loves all little children So
he took our baby there O
Mother of our Saviour Be
kind to our dear child Make
her like your Jesus So
meek, so kind and mild Hold
our darling baby close In
your sweet loving arms So
she'll know that she is safe From
all the earthly harms Tell
her that her parents Held
her such a precious while Softly
whisper that we love her And
teach her how to smile Dearest,
tiny little saint At
the feet of our dear Lord Oh,
praise and thank him for us Our
Saviour, Christ adored Plead
for all the helpless sinners For
your Daddy and for me Ask
God to kindly bless us And
from sin keep us free In
our journey through this life Be
our bright shining star Guide
us to our heavenly Father Where
the saints and angels are. Jenny
Liyanage
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