The President has directed that all adult movie web sites should be blocked at the service providers’ distribution point and if anyone needs such adult fare, providers should charge an extra fee.

This is not a national issue, as only a handful of people have access to the internet in their homes. But every school child has access to ‘kudu’ or ‘babul’ at the school gate. Which of these has got the highest priority of the lawmakers? Is it the kudu menace or the adult movies, which have effective controls at the hands of the package owners, the parents?

Only a few middle class and rich families have internet facilities at home. They have paid for this facility. Just because you have a computer you cannot surf the internet. The password is known only to the legal owner of the internet package.

There is a password to get the computer to work. So two passwords are necessary to access the internet, and this access is well controlled by the parents.

Earlier public internet cafés were doing a roaring business because there were closed cubicles where school children could get about their work unnoticed. But there are no cubicles in internet cafés now, and those who access the internet are closely supervised by the café managers. Downloading of adult fare is also blocked.

 People have obtained internet connections to their homes with full knowledge of what it has to offer; namely, education, world affairs, quick communication, news, entertainment and movies including adult movies.  So why cannot the parents control their children when they have the controlling tools — two passwords to protect the computer from unauthorised use?

A mobile telephone operator offers a special package for kids with parental control.  Similarly, when a school child obtains an internet connection, the providers could block adult fare without taxing all the people with another levy.

 Why should the President leaving aside his many duties such as attending the Olympic games, seeking the help of the gods to control his ministerial thug etc. go into such minute problems which are well handled by others?

Is it due to the misguided advice given by his advisers or to make more money by imposing another tax for adult movies like the newly imposed Environmental Tax, to make-up for money lost during SAARC?

Mr. President, we as educated parents can control our children from having access to unauthorised material.  But please ensure their safety in public places such roads, bus stands, railway stations, railway compartments, buses, cinemas, amusement parks etc. I would like to remind you that there is sex and kudu related activities taking place within the four walls of schools under the very nose of the administrators and the police. So please take action to stop these and don’t worry yourself about adult movies on the internet.

Media reports and letters indicate that the problem of graduate unemployment in Sri Lanka has caught the attention of the government as well as the business leaders.

This, however, is not a new development. Events such as the insurgent uprisings in the early 1970s and late 1980s are still blamed on the frustrations of unemployed university graduates who are rejected by employers for lack of employable skills and proficiency in English.

On the one hand, in Sri Lanka we have a culture of elevating English proficiency above that of a common global medium to one of differential treatment, a vestige of our colonial subservience, whereas in many newly industrialised countries their own language is given pride of place. Examples are too numerous to mention here.

On the other hand, commercial, industrial and government enterprises are not about to change the existing status-quo, as they derive — often undeserving — respect and power in projecting the symbols of British colonial rule, something that has been abandoned in place of new nationalist identities elsewhere. Therefore, young graduates do have to be bi-lingual for success within these realities.

An often-neglected aspect of tertiary training is the lack of vocational competencies that accompany academic qualifications. For example, a ‘General Arts’ graduate may not have suitable work skills that an Accountancy graduate may have, or the extent of clinical experience that a medical graduate may have.

Industrial organisations and commercial enterprises must seriously engage in joining forces with government agencies — say the University Grants Commission — in sponsoring more vocational-oriented courses that prepare students for employable skills rather than offer a certificate that says nothing about employability. This has been successful in countries like Australia, where the hierarchical barriers between professions have been dissolved to some extent.

Australia

Delay in realisation of foreign currency personal cheques

All commercial banks in Sri Lanka, whether state or otherwise, coordinate with other banks scattered throughout the globe to help in the realisation of any type of foreign bank draft or personal cheque to assist their clients to obtain the equivalent value in Sri Lankan rupees when foreign drafts or personal cheques are deposited.

All banks purchase international money orders and foreign drafts and give immediate credit equivalent in Sri Lankan rupees to the account holder even if the beneficiary is not a customer of the bank. The commission charged is a very nominal, and is undoubtedly worth the service.

In the case of personal cheques drawn in foreign currency the cheques are accepted to be credited on realisation. The normal time taken for this exercise in almost all banks is approximately one calendar month.

The beneficiary has no other option but to wait for this stipulated period to obtain the proceeds in Sri Lankan rupees. It is pertinent to mention that in all instances the personal cheque drawn in foreign currency is debited to the drawer’s account in an overseas country within five working days.

The cheque in question is sent on a collection basis to the corresponding bank of the client’s bank in Sri Lanka via courier service. It is difficult to understand why banks whether state owned or otherwise, with the modern technology now available, keep the client over here waiting for three more weeks after the personal cheque in question has already been debited to obtain the proceeds equivalent in Sri Lankan rupees.

It is time that the Central Bank takes the initiative and advises the banks to cut down the inordinate delay and grant redress to those who deposit personal cheques drawn in foreign currencies.

It should be noted that these cheques are generally sent to the kith and kin of the drawer to meet urgent expenses.

Mount Lavinia

Ajantha is better than Bedsar

I have compared the performances of the Great Alec Bedsar of England with our own Ajanta Mendis in their respective initial three match test series.’ I remember as a schoolboy listening to radio commentaries and reading newspaper reports of Bedsar’s many feats and undoubtedly he was a great fast bowler.

1. Let us consider the strength of the Indian cricket team against which he performed his feat. In the 1940s and 1950s the two strong teams were Australia and England. South Africa and the West Indies were below them. India and New Zealand were even lower. India was I think even weaker than New Zealand. So it is against such a team that Bedsar in his inaugural series in 1946 performed to get 24 test wickets.

The Indian team against which Ajanta performed his feat is a very strong one having world class batsman like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Sewag, Gambir and Laxman. So in comparison Ajanta had a more difficult task, and definitely stands out as the better performer not only in the number of wickets but in all criteria.

2. Bedsar got his wickets in English conditions which were very different to those in most parts of India. Sri Lankan conditions are definitely very much more close to that of India. We must not forget that Shewag got a double century in Galle. Ajanta got his wickets in such conditions which were more favourable for the Indians. In this too Ajanta’s feat is exemplary not only on the higher number of wickets than Bedsar but also on the ability to bowl on wickets more familiar to opposing batsmen.

3. Although I cannot remember the others who bowled along with Bedsar in the series for England against India in 1946, I am sure that there was no record breaking bowler like Muralitharan or any other bowler who had the habit of getting 8 to 10 wickets in a match in the then English team. Ajanta bowled and got his wickets while Murali was also bowling almost throughout with him. Some may say that the pressure of Murali’s bowling at the other end created sufficient pressure and helped Ajanta.

On the other hand one could also say pressure of Ajanta’s bowling at the other end created pressure for Murali to get wickets. Murali was trying his best to bowl out the batsman and claim his usual 8 to 10 wickets, which he did in the first test. So getting those wickets in spite of a world-class bowler also competing with him is also a feather in Ajanta’s cap. Here I must hasten to add that Murali was very helpful and did in no way try to thwart Ajanta but always assisted him.

4. Any opening bowler has the first opportunity to get the batsman out and run through a team. Fast bowler Bedsar had that opportunity in every match, whereas Ajanta came in when either the opening bowlers had dismissed some batsmen or were unable to dismiss the batsman in the number of overs given to them. Here too one could place Ajanta’s feat above that of Bedsar not only on the number of wickets but on all-round ability. Of course one could say a fast bowler is restricted in the number of overs he could bowl in an innings.

So my happy conclusion is that Ajanta Mendis not only broke a very long lasting record, but did it under more adverse conditions than Bedsar. Sri Lankans must be proud that we have found a genius and look after this precious asset and allow him to attain his full potential. Congratulations Ajanta, you have a great future.

Boralesgamuwa

Cops bigger than courts?

The Supreme Court ruled in December 2007 that the ‘No Parking’ signs put up by the police was illegal as it was only the municipality that could demarcate ‘no parking’ areas. The court ruled that motorists should be permitted to park on different sides of the road on alternate days. This was done for a few months.

For SAARC the ‘no parking’ signs came up again without stating who was putting up the signs. These signs are illegal.

SAARC is over but the signs remain, clearly in contempt of court. Isn’t it time a top cop is jailed for contempt of court?