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Stop smoking

I started smoking as a schoolboy when still in my teens, without my parents and teachers knowledge. Then in the Army during the 2nd World War, I continued smoking heavily. After the war as a station master in the CGR and in spite of my wife's request I continued this bad habit. After attending to the crossing of trains and other duties it was a great relief to enjoy a cup of tea and a smoke.

After retirement I was afflicted with a urinary ailment and from 1987 onwards till 9 months ago I was in and out of the Urino-Genito Ward of the National Hospital, Colombo, every 3 months or so. Once when I attended the clinic after a smoke the lady doctor having smelled my breath asked me whether I smoke and on my replying in the affirmative asked me whether I knew that I had a cancer. In spite of her advice I continued this bad habit till 9 months ago.

Nine months ago on my own I stopped smoking and I am glad that I did so as I have had no illness for the last nine months and my purse is full. It is difficult to stop smoking all of a sudden but that is how it should be done. Trying to stop it gradually will not work. Once it is stopped the craving for a smoke is strong but one should not succumb to it and after about a month the urge to smoke would be gone. I am writing this so that other smokers may benefit from my experience and refrain from indulging in this unhealthy habit and enjoy good health and happiness.

P.M. GUNASEKERA-Matara.


Schedular Taxes On Interest

The tax proposals in the UNF's first budget marks a significant departure from the present "global" tax system by introducing a "schedular" system with respect to income from interest and dividends.

So we now have a mix of the global and schedular in our tax system. The Global tax System lumps together income from all sources, and after deducting allowances, taxes it at progressive rates. The Schedular System taxes specified sources of income at a special flat rate without a deduction for allowances. The two are not incompatible, and in many countries like the U.K. both systems operate together.

The introduction of a schedular system, albeit as regards only two sources of income should be welcomed as a process towards simplification (much talked about but never implemented so far). Since the ten per cent tax is a final withholding tax those persons who have only interest and dividend income do not have to undergo the hassle of filling up a tax return. Since they are different kinds of taxes the question at issue is therefore not whether taxes are now being imposed on persons whose total income from dividends and interest is less than the threshold of Rs. 240,000 operating in the global system.

The issue is whether the taxes are too harsh on those persons who would now have to pay a small tax under the schedular systems whereas they would be exempt under the global system. In order to give this category of people some relief the Government decided to exempt from the tax, interest less than Rs. 6,000 per deposit per annum.

Though this goes against the basic principle of the schedular system it provided some relief to less affluent taxpayers. However due to public pressure the Government has now decided to exempt from the 10% tax all those whose total interest income is less than Rs. 72.000 per annum. If this decision is implemented the objective of the new tax will be negated and we will be back to square one.

The reasons for the Government's decision to subject interest income to a schedular tax was, I believe, (1) to simplify the system and (2), to bring into the tax net the large number of persons who were dodging tax by making false declarations that they were not liable to tax, to financial institutions. This particular loophole was closed by the original proposal as financial institutions no longer had to depend on declarations by depositors.

If the new proposal is implemented then the flood gates will be opened once again as financial institutions cannot decide on a depositors total interest income and will once again have to depend on declarations by depositors. If it is the Government's intention to simplify the tax system and bring tax dodgers to book, the solution lies in raising the exempted amount not in total, but for each deposit per annum as originally stipulated. If done in this way the main principle of the new tax is maintained and its objective fulfilled.

Whatever the inequities and anomalies inherent in withholding taxes (and every tax system has them) they have proved to be one of the most effective ways of tackling evasion in developing countries.

NALIN MENDIS - Colombo 6

 

Ward 64, NHSL

My nephew Gihan who had a brain tumor underwent an operation a year ago at the Apollo Hospital in India. As the tumor was rather big the doctors who attended on him had to remove a part of it to save his life.

After a couple of months later his condition started to deteriorate. By this time the parents morality decreased and in the meantime heard about a consultant neuro surgeon who had just returned to the island from the United Kingdom. My sister was reluctant to take her son to him as the operation was not done in Sri Lanka. But later came to know that he is a doctor who posseses humane qualities.

When my nephew was taken to him all the fears vanished in seconds from this learned doctor's fortitude words.

On March 13 my nephew underwent the brain operation which took almost 6-7 hours without any hindrance.Now he is recovering and recuperating.

I must also thank the former consultant neuro surgeon who was in charge of the ward 64 earlier and now attached to the Kandy General Hospital.

On behalf of my sister's family I thank especially both of them for the care and affection given to my nephew.

NIRMALA DUSHANTHI KANNANGARA - Homagama

 

If Angulimala was reformed, why not Prabhakran?

If Angulimala, a radical insurgent who ruthlessly killed masses of men and women to collect a thousand thumbs (fingers) was reformed and become an Arhath (Angulimala Rahathan Wahanse), why not Prabhakaran? We almost forget the ruthlessness and cruelty of Angulimala, when we listen to Angulimala piritha, but with all due respects to that great Arhath, I must point out that the wild Angulimala not only killed thousand, even went to the extent of killing his own mother.

Further his cause of mass killings was to satisfy his wicked teacher who misled the young student, Ahinsaka (then Angulimala). In comparison, Prabhakaran has been fighting for a common cause, as he believed it so, but not to achieve a personal target like Angulimala. Iam not arguing here for or against what Prabhakaran was aiming at, or for a moment is trying to justify the ruthless mass killings that his organisation was responsible for. My main trust is that we cannot rule out the fact that individuals or groups who may have taken up arms to achieve a certain target, can be brought back to the mainstream at a later stage.

The classic example of recent JVP insurrections and related ruthless killings, and the fact that they are now accepted as honourable political party in our own Sri Lankan Parliament proves my point further. As our Prime Minister has reiterated many a times, and we all have fully realised that the North-East problem cannot be won by means of war, as Buddhists we must not forget the fact that ruthless Angulimala was tamed and became an Arhath. Therefore the peace path resorted to by the Government with full international backing must be viewed in a positive note and must not be disrupted, if we are looking forward to a bright future.

THEEKSHANA SURAWEERA- New Zealand

 

Win or lose - they always win

Last weekend an English newspaper carried the interesting news item that the Government has decided to appoint twelve of its defeated candidates at the last elections as advisors to various Ministers with an allowance of Rs. 22,000, a vehicle and of course a fuel allowance. This news item has not been contradicted at the time of writing this. So we can safely assume it is correct. What follows from this?

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's Cabinet was sworn with the announcement that Ministers will receive only the salary that ordinary MPs receive for the next two years. We have been told over and over again that the former government had left empty coffers and so the Government is unable to give relief to the people although they would love to do it. It was also announced that no new hands were to be given employment in the State and State Corporation sectors as an economic measure.

Perhaps all these things may have been in the much publicised Hundred Days Program of the Government. May be now that they have survived the first hundred days they assume that there is nothing like going back to the good old days. After all what is the use of having a government if you cannot look after your own people, people who sacrificed so much to offer their services to the country. If the people rejected them and their services at last election the Government must teach the voters that they cannot have their way all the time.

All this in a situation where the ordinary people have to pay more for their water, electricity, telephones, diesel, petrol, kerosene and also milk food and all other essentials. All these days we were told that it is the war that prevented the Government from giving relief to the people. Perhaps with peace it is far more difficult! We may do well not to grumble too much about these things. For didn't some guy say that we get (or elect) the governments we deserve!

PERCY WICKREMESEKERE - Colombo 6


Green certificates or red points for drivers?

The "Daily News' of 3.4.02 had a news item on ' Green certificates for drivers'. No doubt a good proposal to safeguard the environment from air pollution through Vehicular emissions. Before implementing this costly proposal the authorities should implement no horning to protect the environment from sound pollution. This could be done by a red debit points system to the Driving Licence and Spot fines.

There was a time when the Colombo Fort area was a strictly observed silent zone. And also near hospitals. Today the motorist does not observe no horning even in the Colombo General Hospital area as a silent zone. Today with many highrise buildings near major roads the noise from horning has become a major problem for those working in these buildings, and particularly if they are not sealed and air-conditioned. There are many drivers - specially the bus drivers who drive on the horn expecting the other road users to clear the road for them so that they may bulldoze their way on the roads.

The Police should be directed to introduce spot fines and debit points on the Driving Licence of such errant drivers. All horns on vehicles should also be toned down to a tolerant degree of decibels.

DEEPTHI DE MEL - Colombo 3.

 

Indonesian hospital goes vegetarian

I append parts of an article that appeared in the Jakarta Post of April 7 under the caption "Hospital puts vegetarian meals on the menu".

"In our meat-focused world it was a brave step to take.

In 1998, Medika Griya Hospital (RSMG) in Sunter North, Jakarta became the first hospital in Jakarta to embrace a vegetarian diet, both for its patients and staff in an effort to incorporate holistic health principles in the treatment of disease.

Hospital founder and president of the Indonesian Vegetarian Association (KVMI) Bambang Sumantri, sees it as his dharma to promote vegetarianism. A picture of radiant health with a complexion that would be the envy of most women Bambang also shuns alcohol and cigarettes. Six years ago he and his family became vegetarian and he set out to introduce others to a meatless lifestyle. Employees at his Nirwana Sunter Asri real estate office 300 hospital staff and his 15 household staff are provided free vegetarian meals.

At the hospital, not only patients are encouraged to go vegetarian; doctors, nurses and all non-medical staff, including security guards, are provided two free vegetarian meals per shift. In this way, Bambang reasons two-thirds of their diet is vegetarian and "the rest is up to them".

"Although our doctors treated patients with a lot of love I realized that an incorrect diet could become a source of illness. 'You are what you eat' ... So I eliminated meat. Medika Griya became a vegetarian hospital where doctors not only treat the effects of illness but also remove the cause itself" Bambang said.

He acknowledged the switch to vegetarianism at the hospital established in 1991, was a process they all went through together. The move took six months - three months training through seminars and discussions, and then a three-month trial period before introducing it to the patients.

Some people were resistant to giving up their traditional staples.

"Before I introduced a vegetarian diet to the patients, I started with the staff and doctors first, in particular the heads of each section. Initially I was bombarded with tough questions by my medical staff but later I found the doctors more receptive to the idea than the laymen".

Hospital caterer Anna Retno Widiasih explained that the hospital offers three choices of menu for lunch and dinner. An example of two typical lunch menus is spinach and sweetcorn soup, sauteed bean sprouts and carrots and spicy gluten stewed in coconut milk, followed by fruit, (or carrot and vermicelli soup) sauteed mushroom snow peas and carrot, tofu in vegetarian oyster sauce, soya balls Bali-spiced tempeh and fruit.

Helda Mailoa, a nutritionist of 12 years and a consultant dietician at the hospital, says that a vegetarian diet is strongly endorsed by the American Cancer Association, which recommends four steps for cancer prevention: reduce saturated fat intake by 30 per cent; increase fiber content in diet; maintain an ideal body weight and eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

Likewise, she said, the American Heart Association and the European Arteriosclerosis Society recommended in 1988 the following to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest: avoid animal fat; avoid snacking between meals; eat lots of fruit and vegetables and quit smoking".

PROF. MAHINDA PALIHAWADANA - (Sri Lanka Vegetarian Society)

 

Teaching history

I read Ms. Lorna Devaraja's view on the teaching of history. She is absolutely right. Though I was born in the '40s and studied all over Ceylon, I had to obtain my knowledge of history through my own reading including a book on Kandyan history by Ms. Devarajah. Most of the foolish decisions of successive political rulers can be laid squarely on their ignorance of history, ably assisted by selfish henchmen. E.g.: Complete abandoning of farmers in 1970-77. Farmers survived due to the inability of the Government to find money for imports.

Can Sri Lanka find an intelligent way to rectify this mess?

A.R.- via e-mail.

 

Crescat Development Ltd.

www.priu.gov.lk

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