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| Monday, 04 March 2002 |
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Letters | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Sports Obituaries
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Strictest implementation of traffic laws This concerns that state of the road traffic, mainly in Colombo and the outskirts. This has discourages tourism, much more than the civil strife in the North and East. People seemed to accept this as part of the inevitable, saying that the traffic congestion is due to increased traffic in recent years. But this alone does not contribute to the congestion and anarchy, and the increased risk of accidents, pollution and the manifold wear and tear on vehicle transmission and brakes, not forgetting the effect on the human nervous system, which leads to high blood pressure. The answer cannot be in anything other than by the strictest implementation of the traffic laws, which will also yield the revenue via penalties, that will pay for traffic administration and policing. Taking into consideration that traffic in London and New York, Tokyo also increased 1000 % in 50 years, has not led Londoners to complain of traffic hazards or potential danger to human lives at crossings, because they are still orderly, despite the 1000 % increase in traffic and perils are minimized, and blood pressure seldom rises in users. If I may be allowed to repeat the uncomplimentary comments of overseas visitors and travel commentators on Sri Lanka is mostly confined to the traffic. It is called a living nightmare and a circus, par excellence. Sri Lanka does not have to invest much to create order on the streets. All what is needed are cameras for recording offences, traffic lights, and the return of policemen/women to the streets. Congested areas must be divided in the middle as being done in some areas to prevent 'jay walking'. Tooting of horns must be restricted. The revenue from penalties will fund the effort. The infrastructure can be improved in time. Suggest that Sri Lanka starts by policing the pedestrian crossings. The tourists will return, without fears of injury especially with the peace that is dawning in Sri Lanka the beautiful. Will come again in December for another holiday. R. BANNON - Australia
Depositors who had fixed deposits at House and Property Trade Ltd in 1990, were paid only 50% of their deposits in 1997. For the last 5 years no further refunds have been made. In July 2000 in response to a news item in the press, depositors made their claims to the Joint Liquidators. One and a half years have elapsed and depositors have not been notified when refund would be made.It is heartening to note that the new Government has thought it essential to appoint a Finance Minister and Deputy Finance Minister answerable to Parliament. It is hoped that the Finance Ministry would look into this matter and cause action to be taken to pay the balance sum due to the depositors. The depositors are seeking only the refund of their meagre savings. A.D. - Nugegoda.
Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) have facilitated speedy withdrawal of cash from many locations 24 hours a day. But currently a person can use only ATMs of his/her own bank for withdrawals. In some instances ATMs of a particular bank may not be located in some place where another bank may have an ATM.In many countries cash can be withdrawn from an ATM of another bank for a small additional surcharge. For this the banks should have a common ATM switch to enable interbank ATM transactions. It is time that local banks also got together and made this type of facility available in our country as well. By this all ATMs will be connected to one network and will be utilised to maximum efficiency and people will be able to withdraw money from an ATM of any bank. K.G.E- Nugegoda.
It is quite obvious that the present energy crisis could not be solved in a hurry unless additional generators are imported with the complementary fossil fuel needed to run them. This would mean an extra burden in the form of enhanced tariff imposed on the consumer. Or else the electricity costs would have to be subsidized at least till the Local Government Elections are over. It was in the recent past be with euphoria and pomposity hailed the commissioning of our Hydro Power Projects under the Mahaweli. These Hydro Schemes were rush jobs and done more with political expediency rather than with proper evaluation and analysis. Our island being in the tropics have to depend entirely on the monsoons for its seasonal rains and if the monsoons fail the country has to face a drought. This pattern has been common for the last so many years and with the incidence of the El Nino factor, droughts have been more the rule than the exception. This being the situation our dependence on Hydro Power is limited only for a few months of the year and that also not with any consistency or reliability. Our pursuance with another Macro Hydro Power Project, at Upper Kotmale by blocking about five waterfalls specially Devon and St. Clairs, is absurd as we will be creating a half a white elephant at the expense of natural splendour. Instead we should prevail on a Cool Power Project because it is cheap, at least by a third over fuel and coal is available in ample in India, China for a few more centuries. Coal is not the best source of obtaining power by any means but for a poor country like ours is the only and best option. Maybe, with the improvement in science and technology we could obtain some other better and cheaper source in the future. As stated coal is not the best and measures should be taken to eliminate impurities. Most of the developed and developing countries are changing over to coal to avoid the ever rising fuel cost and they are taking enough precautions to protect the environment from toxic emissions and impurities. With our annual power demand rising by almost 6 to 7 per cent we should now think of at least two or three such plants of 200 to 300 Mw to be constructed by 2010 A.D. We should have commissioned, by now, our first coal plant if not for the stupidity of the last government who succumbed to the Catholic Church on a flimsy objection. As stated in the media the Minister is again to take up the matter of a Coal Power Plant but at some other site: which would take at least another six or seven years.Any way we would have to undergo power cuts and black outs in the years to come till we get the coal power plant commissioned. G. S. HEMARATNE - Nugegoda
The post September 11 world attitude need not conform to social development and politics but need to extend to disciplines such as architecture. Most cities around the developed world have suffered due to lack of architectural planning and the deterioration of buildings resulting in unplanned construction. Planners have to understand the local conditions, culture, climate and peoples' occupational possibilities in their projects undertaken for construction. What happened to World Trade Centre Towers in N.Y. is an eye opener to modern Architects on the aspect of damage done to property and life unprecedented in history. It is a lesson on how much we can go up or down in building construction. The disaster happened to the cities of US should not flow to other cities of the world in time to come, never. The professional lead in the area of research of this kind is very negative in our times and it is necessary that the Architects should address their minds in the kind of built-environment professionalism. Much attention has to be given when people occupy the constructions to meet exigencies when basic human utilities - water, air and light are withdrawn to the required measurements they are expected to be. It is up to the chambers of the construction industry to take note of the management to minimise human disaster. BANDULA NONIS - Moratuwa.
Protecting our wildlife and heritage In 1974 I had an opportunity to visit Sri Lanka with my family for the first time in my life. I was then working for UNESCO at Katubedda campus. We travelled all over the island visiting ancient ruins, temples and monuments and most of all wonderful wildlife parks. The original, almost eternal-like feeling of nature at its best, the sights, the smells, the sounds at night were (and are) an experience that cannot be described in words; at least I can't. It has to be felt and sensed. In silence, without tv, radio, electric lights, air-condition, five-star hotels. Since then we have been to Sri Lanka with my wife close to twenty (20) times to visit our Sri Lankan friends who share our love and enthusiasm for the wildlife and nature. We've been able to visit almost every nook and corner of the island; most of the famous ancient sights and majority of the wildlife areas; for example: Wilpattu - when it still was possible - Uda Walawe, Horton Plains (no longer anywhere close to what it used to be), Sigiriya, Giritale, Ritigala, Wasgomuwa and our number one favourite Yala several times. During every visit we have marvelled at and blessed the people in Sri Lanka who have had and continue to have the understanding, foresight and patience to protect their unique wildlife in all its various forms. We have had some excellent trackers and other park personnel who clearly understand what it is all about; leave it the way it is! There is nothing human beings can do to improve on nature and wildlife! People can only act to prevent exploitation and destruction of it. This story has been seen all over the world several times over. One can only wonder what if anything has been learned from all that? During our several visits we have learned that Sri Lankans are ecology-conscious and certainly do not need the expertise of foreigners to look after their heritage! I have been ale to rad and learn from various sources some of these much-advertised ADB-projects have turned out to be rather disastrous creating poverty and destroying environment; for example: Masinloc coal-fired power station in Philippines (1995) Batang Ai hydro power project in Sarawak, Malaysia (1981) Lingjintan hydro dam in Hunan province in China (1994) The thoughts above and many more came to my mind when I saw, read and heard reports about the Asian Development Bank concerning Protected Area and Wildlife Conservation Project and what it supposed to do and achieve. "Development" is a nice catchword when human beings and especially industrial enterprises and banks are dealing with nature and wildlife. And more so when these enterprises are working somewhere outside their own countries; it is almost like a free-for-all then! They only see a price tag on every tree, plant, butterfly and mammal. I'm sure Sri Lankans know enough of this aspect and I'm not trying to underestimate the intelligence and know-how of the personnel concerned in this respect; I know better. But you can take this letter as a humble but stern advice of one western individual and nature and wildlife enthusiast. Do not sell out your protected areas and wildlife parks because if you do, they'll be gone forever. Matti Forss - Finland
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