Mere words will not get votes Mr. President

Our President seems to have taken for granted that the Sri Lankan voters are buffalos, cows, goats, and asses. I can remember during my school days when we wanted to bring the calf back to the garden what we did was to take a bundle of grass, show it to the calf and dropped a little of it on the ground to entice the calf. When it came close we repeated the process until the calf came into the garden and then closed the gate.

Similarly President Mahinda Rajapakse does the same trick. He keeps shouting at the top of his voice from inside a bullet proof cubicle "Do you want me to save Kilinochchi? Do you want one undivided country? Then vote for the government."

He is hoodwinking the masses. For the President, Kilinochchi was 4 km. away during the last provincial council elections, and for the PM "it could be seen by the forces," and for the Army Commander "every inch of the area was surrounded by the forces."

Now when the chief of the defectors left the camp after holding on for two years, the President has thought of another ploy to deceive the masses to win the other two provincial elections.  It is the ordinary man's sons and daughters that sacrifice their lives for the motherland while his son who is attached to the navy is on a 'scholarship' about which people know very little. People are under the impression that the young son of the President is undergoing training in 'warfare' in the north to save the country.

Is there anything for the President to boast of the 'services' he has rendered to the country? He and his jumbo cabinet have ruined the country. The President has utilised  EPF funds without cabinet approval to fund an airline which for all intents and purposes is bankrupt. He wants to pump some more funds into it to be managed by his brother.

His projects such as Mihin Lanka, Weerawila Airport, the southern harbour, the oil refinery and finally the CPC hedging have all crash landed.

The chief of the 17 defectors has left the party knowing that in another two or three months the people would be on the streets demanding the dismantling of the 'Company.' I will not be surprised if the other 16 come crawling back to Ranil's feet.

The electronic media recently showed a group of expectant mothers from a remote village hanging on to a van to get to the maternity clinic - the reason, there were no proper roads and vehicles for them to get to the clinic. But in Colombo the top heavy cabinet of ministers enjoy luxury vehicles, and whenever they travel the common man is made to stand in the hot sun or rain and grin and bear. What a shame Mr. President! Come the next election, mere words will not do.

Disgusted Citizen

Beruwala

The polythene menace

MANY assurances have been given by the government that the ruinous influence of the non-biodegradable polythene is under control. There was a big lull on the issue for some time following the Supreme Court order, and now polythene bags are in free circulation again.

Uncontrolled use of polythene would result in our handing over to the next generation, the interminably and harmfully blocked obnoxious drainage systems and lands made infertile by toxic waste. This would be a crime against society.

Sri Lanka with such a limited land space has to forego even the little available land due to bad planning by local authorities and other agencies in charge of the environment.

It is unfortunate that solutions like recycling polythene to make plastic items such as buckets, basins, soap dishes etc. and soluble macadam surfacing for our roads have not been thought of by the authorities concerned. Even recycling waste paper to meet Sri Lanka's need for paper would save our trees and forests from destruction which would otherwise reflect badly on our climate.

The Weligama Municipal Council gave the lead in this respect over three years ago by organising the planned collection of garbage and recycling same to produce compost, thereby solving their problem of garbage disposal and converting worthless and harmful rubbish into good cash!

Why cannot the other local authorities too follow the example set by the Weligama Municipal Council and resolve their garbage problem and also earn money by undertaking ventures of this nature'?

W. Meadows, Dehiwela

Trishaws and their fares

.IT was amusing to read that trishaw drivers have turned down the request for a fare reduction by the Transport Minister on the pretext that "the small reduction in fuel prices" has not brought any relief to them. This is really farcical.

When the prices of petrol and diesel were raised by a small amount, the three wheeler operators jacked up their fares for short trips from Rs. 40 to Rs. 50. The fares of longer trips were jacked up by almost Rs. 50. But when the price of petrol and diesel were reduced by Rs. 15 and Rs. 30 respectively they should have reduced the fares relating to shorter trips by at least Rs.5 which they didn't.

If the three wheeler operators are to be tamed, the government should seriously consider the installation of taxi meters. Legislation for this purpose should be framed to make it compulsory for all trishaw drivers to install taxi meters. Then it would be an offence for them to operate a trishaw without a taxi meter - an offence under the Motor Traffic Law.

The taxi meters should be certified and sealed by the Motor Traffic Department and random checks should also be made by Traffic Police to ensure that the meters are not tampered with.

The trishaw drivers would not have any cause for complaint as almost 95% of three wheelers are owned by mudalalis who lease their vehicles to drivers who in return have to pay Rs. 250 to the mudalali at the end of the day. It is therefore the three wheeler mudalali who will have to pay for the installation of the taxi meter.

Most of the three wheeler drivers drive their vehicles with utter callousness, breaking every traffic rule, abusing other law abiding road users, and they also drive at high speeds over-taking all other vehicles resulting in accidents, death and despair to passengers.

The traffic police should teach them the traffic laws, check whether they possess a licence to drive a three wheeler and whether they are under the influence of liquor etc.

It is only if these measures are taken that the three wheeler operators could be tamed and the trishaw service made a disciplined service.

It also has to be mentioned that there are also honest and decent drivers among the three wheeler fraternity and unfortunately their numbers are few. Over to you for action Minister of Transport Mr. Alahapperuma.

Vernie

Dehiwala

The wisdom of King Solomon of Israel

King Solomon who was the greatest ruler of Israel was the son of David, a shepherd in Palestine around 1000 B.C. David was good at the harp and he played it to overcome his loneliness. King Saul of Israel became aware of David's beautiful singing and ordered him to come to his court to entertain him. David was so charming that Saul made him his sword bearer in battle.

When the Hebrews were fighting the neighbouring Philistines the enemy dared them to send a warrior to fight single handed a giant soldier named Goliath.  David came forth carrying only a sling with which he hurled a rock that struck Goliath on the forehead killing him instantaneously.

David became so popular that Saul grew jealous and tried to have him murdered. David became aware of the plot and fled to the wilderness where he lived as an outlaw. When King Saul died David was crowned king. He ruled for four decades and made his kingdom wealthy, prosperous and secure from its enemies.

David in his youth fell in love with a wife of one of his army officials - a beauty named Bathsheba. David wondered as to how to win over Bathsheba. He had a plan and ordered Bathsheba's husband Uriah to lead his men to battle for he knew that Uriah would be killed. After Uriah's death David married Bathsheba. That made Bathsheba David's wife and Solomon's Mother.

Solomon became king shortly before the death of his father around 950 BC. Under his rule Israel became very wealthy and a powerful nation. Ships from all parts of the civilised world traded at its ports. Jewish merchants and ship owners prospered and Jerusalem, the capital became a Cultural centre.

King Solomon owned many ships, farms, mines and workshops and was one of the wealthiest men in the world. Shortly after he became king, Solomon had a very strange dream. He dreamed that the voice of God sounded in his ears requesting him to make a choice of a gift that would be given to him.

The youthful king who by now felt how difficult it was to govern a whole nation asked for only one thing - wisdom. Soon the whole kingdom was overjoyed and very pleased over the decision of the king. They applauded his wisdom and praised his cunningness.

The reputation that Solomon had marvelous wisdom and was cunning came about in the following manner. In one famous case brought before him to judge of two women each claimed to be the mother of an infant. The king was told that the two women lived in one house and that during the night one of the women in her sleep had crushed her baby to death and on discovery of the baby's death hastily took the dead baby to the other mother's bed, and returned with the other's infant. The true mother declared the story to be true. The false mother vehemently denied it. Who could decide which was the rightful mother?

As Solomon could not decide which one was telling the truth he proposed that the child's body be cut into two and that each mother could have a half. The woman who was lying showed no grief and agreed; but the real mother burst into tears saying that the baby be given to the false mother in order to save its life.  Solomon then judged who the real mother was.

The popularity of Solomon spread among the people and he applied himself with diligence and grasped the wise proverbs of the ancients. He soon became renowned for his sayings and his wise judgments.

Solomon built a great temple in Jerusalem and in close proximity to this he put up a magnificent palace. He adorned it with gold, silver, ivory, bronze and marble. The beauty and grandeur of Solomon's temple drew other rulers to see the temple. Among the visitors to Jerusalem was the Queen of Sheba who ruled over a kingdom south of Israel and who was supposed to be one of the most beautiful women of the time.

Solomon was shrewd and later in life developed the characteristics of a tyrant. His reverence to God faded and his lavish expenditure was a heavy burden on his subjects. When he died the kingdom of Israel split into two. The northern section retained the name of Israel while the southern part was called the kingdom of Judah.

Professor R.N. de Fonseka

University of Colombo

The delays at Osu-Sala

I visit the Osu-Sala at Dharmapala Mawatha very often to purchase medicine for my wife and me. Generally I have to spend more than an hour every time I visit the place.

I think the time wasted is mostly for writing the bills by the pharmacists. This delay may be avoided if the system is computerised. In supermarkets customers are served without delay because everything is computerised.

 Another cause for the delay is calling numbers of customers to collect their medicine. Most of the people do not hear their names being called. This too could be avoided by installing a simple electronic display board.

Osu-Sala has to be kept much tidier than what it is now. Repairs to the ceiling that are in progress have been dragging on for more than three weeks.

I strongly feel Osu-Sala can serve the people better if it has a loyal and devoted staff.

A Citizen

Colombo

some time during 1997 the distinguished and controversial author, Carl Muller, told me that he wished to introduce me to an extraordinary man.   He took me to a shop in Trincomalee Street, Kandy and there, in a tiny, cluttered office at the back of the shop sat Saheed.

I have never been aware that he had any other names.   For me this meeting had the sort of significant effect on my life which one rarely experiences.   Saheed was a man of much thinking but few words and when he did speak you had better listen because his words were so well worth listening to.   Through the years I considered him to be immortal so, when he died on  November 30, I was totally shocked and deeply saddened.

During the past week my mind has been trawling through the many delightful meetings which I had with this articulate, wise, and perceptive man;   my recollections would take pages of print so I will confine my thoughts to a few observations.

His personal standards were impeccable, he was slow to accuse and very quick to forgive - he was without malice.   I once asked him what he considered to be the most admirable trait and his response was immediate - humility.   I don't know why I was surprised because his humility was demonstrable.  

Saheed was intellectually sharp and well read, from the Greek classics, through comparative religion (he was more educated in Christianity than I) to current affairs and politics.   During any conversation he would dive into his 'archive' and pull out a yellowed document, a faded letter, or an old photograph of some long dead eminent person to reinforce some point or opinion which he had expressed.

This might suggest that Saheed was too academic and unapproachable. But it was not so.   He was a 'people person' who cared very much for his fellow men, particularly those who were less fortunate in life than he.   His sense of humour was slightly mischievous but never at another's expense;   it was understated and delivered with a twinkle in his eyes.   Some of his anecdotes even had him laughing out loud.

Saheed's Islam was intensely private to him and extremely important.   He resented anyone who used it as a power base and felt that those who constantly paraded the religion to enhance their egos, was irritating and rather foolish.   He was convinced that the main ethic of Islam, as demonstrated by The Prophet, is tolerance.

Physically he was wiry and lean, but a strong man whose ears fascinated me. They always seemed disproportionately large to the rest of his body.   Perhaps they were a compensation for his myopia! The latter was responsible for a compliment which he paid to me, he entrusted me with writing occasional mails for him (under his strict supervision).

Saheed had a voracious appetite for both knowledge and food and this was appropriately apparent during our last meeting.   He wished to discuss an important letter which he wished me to draft and we did so at the Kandy Club.   I was somewhat in a hurry. So, when we had finished talking about the details of what he wished me to write, I asked him whether he would like a soft drink.   "No thank you," he replied, "I would rather have lunch!"

  I abandoned my thoughts of leaving quickly, ordered rice and curry which he devoured with a relish - something that  had to be seen to be believed.   "My turn next time" he said.   God bless you, Saheed.   There won't be a next time but it was an absolute pleasure and a memory which I will treasure.

M.P. Saheed was a man of the highest quality and integrity whom I loved and respected.   He was a gentleman, there can be no stronger compliment.