Thursday, 9 January 2003  
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Veiled tactics of the Electricity Board

Meter readers are expected to visit homes, take a reading of the meter and render a bill for the immediately preceding month. They, however, seldom or never come on the due date; it is always days later than the date of their last visit, sometimes even running into more than a week.

Charges are levied for the current consumed on a Graduated Unit-Based Scale comprising five stages, viz:- first thirty units at Rs. 3.00 per unit; second from thirty one to sixty units at Rs. 4.00 per unit; third from sixty one to ninety units at Rs. 4.60 per unit; fourth from ninety one to one hundred and eighty units at Rs. 10.50 per unit and the fifth from one hundred and eighty one upward at Rs. 15.50 per unit.

When there is a delay in taking a reading of meters and rendering of bills, consumption in most homes is bound to rise and reach the maximum of each stage and slide onto the next higher stage, thus compelling the consumer to pay for the units so consumed at the rate applicable to each such stage. The answer received when questioned about the delay is:- "It cannot be helped, we cannot always come on time." True enough, but the fact is they are always late!

Some Readers are most impolite, too. Questions cannot be asked of them, and when done, they turn out to be rude and critical of the government for introducing the V.A.T. which, according to them, is the cause for high bills. They even decline to provide a breakdown of the various charges reflected on the bill when asked for, or divulge the details of the charge made on account of V.A.T. saying that the Board has issued strict instructions precluding them from doing so.

When such an assertion as this is made, whether true or false, coupled with the delay in meter readings and rendering of bills, justifies one to wonder whether the Board itself could be resorting to insidious means of raking in money, particularly when income falls due to consumer resistance.

It is also a matter for concern that though a meter is sometimes removed and replaced with another when too frequent complaints are being made by a consumer that bills are yet high in spite of the fact that consumption is drastically reduced, the position either remains the same or becomes worse than before. With a view to overcoming, or at least reducing the incidence of, defective meters being installed to the minimum, the Board must be compelled by statute to impress on every meter the time it takes to complete a full revolution on a 40 or 60 watt bulb so that consumers can check their meter from time to time and also cross-check it with those of their neighbours or others.

It is hoped that the Board will address its mind to these matters and take early action to put them right. It is imperative of the Government also to be more vigilant and issue stern directives, as and when necessary, against unscrupulous and unconscionable actions of some privatised and semi-privatised institutions, and also appoint Independent Commissions to enquire into complaints made by the public in general and the clients they serve in particular.

A.C., Kandana

 

Time to unite

Time is certainly running out fast, and an intelligent and lasting solution has to be and must be found now if Sri Lanka is to pick up the pieces of what little is left of her paradise isle.

We have had enough and more discussions, debates and so much relentless sabre-rattling within the corridors of power meanwhile hundreds of Sri Lankan youth on both sides were butchered.

It is sad and very unfortunate that the nation has yet to see a silver lining on the dark horizon.

Spending millions a day on defence and sacrificing so many youth in my opinion are not going to solve this situation. We have to resort to peaceful means and to achieve this we must as one nation, lay down our arms. It is in doing so that we can stop the vivisection of our beautiful country and live in peace and harmony as brothers and sisters of one progressive nation.

V. GNANESAMPANTHEN- Trincomalee

 

University administration and indiscipline

Regarding university violence at present the University administration and the Vice-Chancellors are turning a blind eye to these problems.

I read an article in the Readers' Digest regarding University disorder and lawlessness during the trouble days of unrest in the American Universities in the late 1960s.

A College President who took effective action to curb violence and bring order in the university says this problem existed in all universities in the world at that time.

Youth has much to offer idealism, generosity, dedication and service. But the last thing a society needs is indiscipline. Society recognises the validity of protest regarding current burning issues.

If the protests are of such a nature that the normal operations of the university were in any way impeded or if the rights of the community or any member of its community were abrogated peacefully or violently, such actions are deplored as a violation of everything that the University Community stands for.

A University he says, should keep all lines of communication open, even dissent but not at the expense of the institutions' general functions.

There must be no violation of others' rights on obstructing of the life of the University. Such actions must be OUTLAWED as illegitimate means of dissent.

There seems to be a current myth that University students are not answerable to the law of the land. But it is not so, for, all members are subject to the duly constituted laws of the university community and all the laws of the land.

Without law and order the university is a sitting duck for any small group from outside or inside that wishes to destroy it or to terrorise it at whim.

If you invoke the law you will lose the university itself and the larger society that supports it.

When the law is enforced they will speak of police brutality, foul language and physical abuse.

They call for amnesty, the head of the institution on a platter and complete submission to all demands, is what is sought.

Must it be so? Must universities be subjected to such intimidation?

It is high time that a stand is taken. When the stand is made necessary by those who would destroy the community.

Let them take the blame and the penalty. No one wants the enforcement of the law on any campus, but if some necessitate it, as a last resort and responsive to mob tyranny, let them shoulder the blame instead of the sympathy of the community that they would hold at bay.

When lawlessness is afoot, all authority flouted, then we either invoke the normal forces of law or we allow the university to die beneath our helpless and hopeless gaze.

Action cannot be just piecemeal but should be concrete and lasting for the interest of the future generations of our children, society and university community itself.

V. K. B. Ramanayake- Maharagama

 

Australians - Convicts & Cricket : Australians harass & humiliate Sri Lankan cricketers

I feel it is my duty to allay the grief and anger of fellow Sri Lankans at the sickening attitude of the Australians. In my research on environmental influence related to human behaviour, one has to study the cultural background and pedigree of these Australians. Here are some astonishing facts which may help our people of Asia, who have a fine and distinguished heritage of great Kings and Kingdoms, understand the pathetic ignominious past of Australians.

When I read Sa'adi Thawfeeq's report where he concluded - "We don't deserve this type of humiliation to play cricket in a nation ruled by convicts", he was not far from the truth. Let me give readers some facts of popular names in Australia:

A list of Convicts (just a handful for the moment), who arrived in Australia after the Boer war and those sent by ship from England, Ireland and elsewhere are shown in the box.

Two other Convicts were John Emerson sentenced for 14 years in 1821 from Dublin and arrived in Australia in 1822.

Edward Egar was another Convict who arrived on the ship 'Providence' in 1809 and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Then there was Thomas Harper and George Harper who were dispatched from England in 1835 to Sydney and jailed.

The lists include hundreds of thousands of convicts who arrived in Australia and formed the nucleus of that society from which these abominable characters we see today, have sprouted out.

So one can now understand the behaviour and the conduct of Australians on the whole. Apart from the cricketers, we find the Umpires, the 3rd Umpire, the whole Australian Media and their spectators displaying these traits. It is nothing new and can only change with inter-marriage of Australians to those of other origins.

According to the Mathellus Code of Change, it would take 90 years more for a complete turn-around to decent and more sober attitudes.

So, Sri Lankans, be aware of this phenomenon. One must credit Australia for producing talented cricketers like Damien Martyn, Steve McGrath, Michael Slater, Taylor, Thompson, Michael Bevan and Brett Lee, MacGill, Warne, Simpson and Ponting not forgetting Chappell, Healy and Gillespie. Among the Umpires stand out Emerson, Egar and Harper. Hair will soon have his pedigree revealed.

For more information use the Internet and type 'Australian Convicts' on your search machine.

PROF. E. C. KALPAGE (retd.)- Kandy

 

www.peaceinsrilanka.org

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