The President invited the Leader of the Opposition for a chat with him at Temple Trees a few weeks ago. At the very outset, the President, pretending to be under the impression that the UNP was against the 13th Amendment inquired from the Leader of the Opposition whether he could depend on the UNP for support to implement the 13th Amendment in full.

The Opposition Leader had made it clear to him that it was the UNP that fathered the 13th Amendment in 1987, at a time when parties like the SLFP, MEP and JVP violently opposed it saying it would lead to the division of the country. He said the UNP always stood by its decision to make law the 13th Amendment and would support, as it is now law anyway.

The President is then said to have told the Leader of the Opposition that he opposed the 13th Amendment when it was being made law and opposed it even now, but was forced to accept it, as it was a proposal presented by the APRC.

This statement of the President is an absolute falsehood. How can he say such a thing when it was he who handed over the document to the chairman of the APRC and wanted it to be forwarded as an APRC proposal?

The President’s contradictory statements are such that when he was interviewed by an Indian journalist a few weeks ago at Temple Trees on the Walk The Talk programme, he categorically stated that he was prepared to implement not just the 13th Amendment in full but was prepared to go beyond it and implement 13th Amendment + 1.

The man who stands opposed to the 13th Amendment is also talking of establishing the controversial Interim Administrative Council for the North and has offered the post of governor to Anandasangaree. He also says he hopes to hold provincial council elections in the east by May this year and implement the 13th Amendment in full to bring peace and democracy to the people of the east.

If it is possible to bring peace and democracy to the people of this country through the full implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution what more does one expect from it, and why oppose it?

Moratuwa

It is time for this government to go

A recent news item reported the President as saying the government cannot take responsibility for attacks against media personnel. It is a sickening reminder that his governance is the nadir of all of Lanka’s irresponsible regimes, and the people know that they cannot, and are not, responsible for any of their actions! For what purpose then such governance and governments?

They must go sooner than later, or Lanka may not have much left to redeem.

May all good forces rise to tell this government to go, and leave governance to those capable of it. Capability must be judged by performance and what people have demonstrated in their political conduct.

The Rajapakse types have demonstrated the lowest of the lowest, like the JVP and the JHU have, and Rajapakse’s very election is besmirched by allegations of a short-lived connivance with the LTTE itself!

And what of his conduct since election?

MR has proved one thing and one thing very clearly: it is always good to vie for something higher all the time. But that higher thing must motivate one to gain the capacity, skills and ability to gather the requisite knowledge from those knowledgeable, in order to perform well in the higher seat. Example becomes everything, in any context of leadership!

If one does not have the vision and ability to do this, one must leave the higher seats to those capable. But this requires humility and intelligence to know one’s limitations.

When motivated only by raw ambition, the vision gets blurred and only ignorance prevails.

MR has proved this very well, but at what cost to Lanka!

Rise children of Lanka, and tell this MR regime, with the murderous JVP and the monks and laity of the JHU to go, and leave governance to those who can, and who genuinely respect the pluralist nature of Lanka and the principles of a modern democracy.

May all beings be safe and well.

Panduka Dassanayake

Make use of local invention to tackle mosquitoes

Apropos the news item titled "Beware of dengue say health officials," in an English newspaper of January 27, where health officials were quoted as having warned the public that if proper precautions are not taken there would be a dengue epidemic this year, even though belated, I feel it pertinent to quote the article under the caption "Death to a menace" that appeared in another English newspaper. It was about the exhilarating news that one Charles de Silva, in response to an invitation by the Sri Lanka Inventors’ Commission, had invented an environment friendly mosquito repellant which according to him prevents biological growth of mosquitoes with the bona fide intention of eliminating the mosquito scourge that has been plaguing the country for far too long now.

In his extensive exposition of his invention for which he has used the tentative name "formula Zx," Silva articulates inter alia that his mosquito repellant made of neem oil and soy lecithin, when mixed with water (one part of formula Zx with 20 parts of water) and sprayed over mosquito breeding places will not only disrupt and retard the life of larvae, but also repel new mosquitoes coming to lay eggs.

He has said that repeated spraying every two weeks will give the best results. This manifestly implies that this process invariably would whittle down the proliferation gradually and culminate in the total extermination of mosquitoes once and for all.

However Silva has reportedly stated that he looked to the state or the private sector to take over his invention and use it to get rid of mosquitoes since he is running his own business in herbal cosmetics and did not expect any monetary benefits through this venture.

Unfortunately, there seems to have been no response from any quarter. What is most intriguing is that the Sri Lanka Inventors’ Commission, the prime mover behind the initiative to entice Silva to embark on this invention, remains blissfully oblivious to this issue without taking follow up action.

The upshot is that the ambitious invention is in limbo at its very inception, thus leaving the scourge of mosquitoes to flourish unabated and assume alarming proportions, with its concomitant dreaded diseases such as dengue and chikungunya taking a heavy toll on valuable human lives.

In view of the seriousness of the problem it is incumbent on the government to intervene and cause action to be taken to pursue the invention now languishing in limbo for some inconceivable reason and utilise it on an experimental basis and explore its potential.

We Buddhists who voted the JHU into power have a simple question with regard to the crackdown on Buddhists in Tibet.

It is understandable that being a poor Third World country depending so much on Chinese development projects, the Sri Lankan government is helpless.

But as a party representing mostly Buddhists, what kind of protest action has the JHU taken against the suppression and killing of Buddhists in Tibet? So far we haven’t even seen a statement issued by the party condemning the killings.

Tibetan exiles in Dharmasala, India have said the Chinese government’s crackdown has left over 100 dead so far. In a later interview with the BBC, the Dalai Lama has said he fears the situation could easily worsen.

 Brindley Jayatunga

Nawala

CEB, give us a break!

An English Sunday newspaper of March 2, in its banner headline said, "Government grants massive relief to 2.7mn consumers" — but this ‘relief’ is for those who use less than 90 units.

To use only 90 units a month, one can use only one fan and three lights a night. How can a consumer who uses a small fridge, two fans, a small TV and may be four or five lights — all these are not luxuries — keep to less than 90 units?

Shops that sell electronic appliances are bending over backwards with aggressive advertising and all manner of gimmicks to sell their stuff.

The authorities don’t seem concerned about ‘conserving’ energy. On March 4, on Stafford Avenue, Kirulapone, five big street lights were still on at 7.45 a.m.

Come on Mr. Chairman, CEB, give the poor consumer a break. Give us some proper relief please.

The March 2 issue of The Sunday Leader carried an article on Samitha Samanmali, a student of the Colombo Medical Faculty, who suffered a severe spinal injury following an accident.

Being a leading newspaper, The Sunday Leader has brought to the attention of its wide readership the plight Samitha is in, and the touching nature of the article has motivated the public to contribute financially and in various other ways.

Since this article was published we have been receiving messages, useful info for her management, and financial aid from all around the country. We express our sincere gratitude for your contribution in making our endeavour a success.

A Dear Friend