Monday, 12 January 2004  
The widest coverage in Sri Lanka.
Letters
News

Business

Features

Editorial

Security

Politics

World

Sports

Obituaries

Archives

Mihintalava - The Birthplace of Sri Lankan Buddhist Civilization

Government - Gazette

Silumina  on-line Edition

Sunday Observer

Budusarana On-line Edition




Please forward your letters to [email protected]  in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.


 

Strikes as a weapon

Strikes were the weapons of the down trodden uneducated masses who were utilized like slaves by the administrators without giving their due rights and wages.

They struck work, as they didn't know any other way to seek solace. But today it is the other way round. Those who administer seek solace through workers' weapons!

It is time the government did talk to and come to an understanding with the educated cream of the society who unashamedly go down to become strikers to win their rights.

It is also best for the educated lot to maintain their dignity and not to do anything unbecoming of their status to win their rights whether financial or otherwise. Be an example to others and let others emulate the educated lot.

This applies not only to those who administer medicine, but those who administer justice and those who administer the provinces as well.

Sri Lanka is the only country where employers induce their workers to go on strike against the government.

The private bus owners induced the drivers and conductors stop work till their demands were met. Of course demands were granted. The water workers went on strike and some volunteers and others did attend to their work in order to give an uninterrupted purified drinking water supply.

The water workers in turn demanded the withdrawal of other workers and announced that the drinking water should not be purified till they get their demands.

Not only that, the striking water workers demanded the government not to disrupt the work stoppage! Finally demands were granted and strike settled.

The highest seats of learning are no better. The lecturers go on hunger strike till the vice chancellor is removed. The vice chancellor is removed and the lecturers get back to the lecture halls. (to teach discipline?)

For fifty-five long years we have been playing ball with governance. Some countries in the region gained independence almost the same period as Sri Lanka, and have nuclear power and another country in the region is categorized in the first world of developed countries.

We the poor relative still wallow in the mud of dirty party politics. It is really unfortunate that those in the higher echelons of power cannot understand the pathetic situation we are in or it is nothing but sheer callous disregard shown to the poor masses.

SUBASH WICKRAMASINGHE, Mount Lavinia.

'Pacemaker Unit in Kandy Hospital'

I reply the recent letter regarding the Cardiology Unit at the Kandy General Hospital.

The letter was of particular interest to me because recently my Punchi Amma was admitted to the Cardiology Unit of the Kandy General Hospital. She had complications arising from an acute Angina, Renal failure, diabetes, hypertension, etc, etc.

I have worked at (and have been a patient at one) of the three major hospitals in the US. The treatment at the Cardiology Unit and Renal Unit of the Kandy General Hospital is at par with these hospitals.

The Cardiology Unit and Renal Unit of the Kandy General Hospital daily see many hundreds of patients. They are across the strata of social standing and the treatment is essentially free, unlike the thousands of dollars one would have to spend at a hospital in the US.

At these units in the Kandy General Hospital, the treatment is excellent, facilities are outstanding, patients are treated with courtesy and efficiency. At both units, the premises are kept immaculately clean.

The Cardiology Unit, led by Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Rohini Tennekoon, is exemplary.

The renal unit is all thanks to Consultant Physician Dr. Thilak Abeysekera, Dr. Gamini Weerakoon and Dr. Deepa Gunawardena are among the dedicated professionals who are kind hearted, knowledgeable, world class experts.

They (of course) have plenty of time for the patients; moreover, they are understanding, tolerant and compassionate in explaining the patient's diagnosis and treatment to the family members.

The support staff including the nurses, maintenance and security personnel at the Cardiology Unit and Renal Unit are always willing and able to help. Our sincere thanks to them.

With specific reference to the lack of Pacemaker maintenance at the Kandy General Hospital.... Yes, they do maintenance work on the pacemakers. This is contrary what was stated in the article that pacemaker maintenance was not available at the Kandy General Hospital.

The calibrations are dependent upon software modules and analyser data available to the hospital. These are obtained by the hospital from the pacemaker manufactures.

There are essentially three major manufactures of pacemakers, each having about twenty models of pacemakers. Some older pacemaker's data is not available, through no fault of Kandy General Hospital.

Furthermore the Cardiology Unit at Kandy General Hospital is most fortunate to have on staff a consultant cardiologist who has specialised in pacemakers; she is a cardiac electro-physician.

She obtained her two year post graduate qualifications in Australia, with a sub specialisation in pacemakers. Yes, the cardiology and the Renal Units at Kandy General Hospital can be improved.

They need your assistance. Please contact the most able Dr. Gamini Samarasingha, Director of the Kandy General Hospital. There are philanthropic units that will accept donations. The funds and or equipment will be given to the recipient intended.

PROFESSOR (EMERITUS) GAMINI WEERASEKERA, Kandy.

Unethical conversions

Recently the President has ordered the Police to crack down on people who attack Christian Fundamentalists who by virtue of their wealth force poor Buddhists, Hindus and even Muslims to become Christians.

No one in his proper senses would want a flare up of religious violence now or ever.

There is one side of the picture that, the President and the Presidential spokesmen have conveniently forgotten or refused to take into consideration.

It is obvious that there would be no violence if there are no provocateurs and this the President has ignored and put the blame on the Buddhists for the violence like the stupid statement of JR in 1983.

Buddhists, the majority of whom are Sinhalese are generally a peaceful community (even though at times there are murders!) They have been watching without any opposition the unethical conversion of Buddhists in such places at Mihintale and Anuradhapura which are the cradle of Sri Lankan civilization, over a period of time.

However this conversion has taken a turn for the worse with visitors on tourist visas setting up places of proselytization in every nook and corner of the country especially where Buddhists and Hindus are in the majority.

Several appeals were made by Buddhist priests, Hindu Affairs Minister and other responsible people to stop this dirty campaign of buying over poor Buddhists and Hindus without any response by the government or the President.

Unfortunately President's House has been converted to an Evangelists' head office with a known evangelist as a spokesman so that the persecuted Buddhists have been made the persecutors. The President and the Prime Minister must not turn a blind eye to the correct position.

It is their responsibility to look after Buddhism guaranteed in the constitution.

Probably due to the influence of Bush and Blair who have set on a course of evangelizing the whole world the President and Government have warned those who have set fire to structures without holding the evangelists who provoke the people responsible.

It was the stupidity of the J.R. Jayewardene which caused the flare up in 1983. Likewise the present President and the Government seem to ignore the evangelist provocateurs.

It would be advisable for them to sit up and take steps to ban unethical conversions which even the silent majority view will alarm.

To my mind the on-going wars in the Middle East are a continuation of the wars between the Knights of the Round Table and the Saracens.

The given reason to bomb Iraq was to remove Saddam Hussein and his unfound weapons of mass destruction. The actual reason is to evangelize the Middle East and spread Christianity in the Middle East. Even now evangelists under the protection of B & B are in Iraq.

The wave of Christian influence which commenced with the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch and British ceased with the arrival of Col. Steele Olcott an American in the latter part of the 19th century.

After the famous Panadura Vadaya or debate of Panadura, Buddhism began to flourish. Buddhists were able to reclaim their rightful place. Now again Buddhism is under attack and some one at Presidents House seems to be at the head of this.

It is time that a Commission of Inquiry be set up to find out the extent of unethical conversions; but in the meantime President and the Government must take immediate steps to repatriate the evangelists who have come on tourist visas before there is bloodshed again in the country.

If that happens, people will hold the President and the Prime Minister responsible. Unethical conversions must be banned before that happens.

DR. NEVILLE FERNANDO, Nawala.

Whither announced price deductions?

Every time that Consumer Affairs Minister Karunanayake publicly announces that the "prevailing price of some utility, 'kitchen' item such as the consumer family's gas, milk, vegetables or washing soap will be available from tomorrow at a reduced price", the unscrupulous traders have blatantly increased that very same price on the following day itself.

When the battered housewife tells the trader about announced price reductions, he has the audacity to retort; 'why don't you try the CWE outlet, where the price of this consumer item is only five per cent higher than here?' Middle-class families like mine at least have a monthly income by way of our husband's pay packet.

But that has never been a full packet, because the boss, whether in the public or private sector, strictly ensures the deduction of EPF, ETF, medical fund and other loan instalments.

The lattermost which were taken in order to meet essential domestic needs, including sometimes uncalled for 'contributions' which the school principal or the class teacher orally 'instructs' school-goers to bring 'tomorrow'.

If we do not provide it somehow from somewhere-begging or borrowing they refuse to go to school.

In summing up our housewives' plight as against the rich revelry indulged in last night by the affluent high and mighty socialists, elite and affluent wives and their spouses, I came across a very timely piece of fitting prose, written by Fr. Siri Oscar of the Kithu Dana Pubuduwa Movement, which is a damning indictment on the earthly affluent high society who care nought for CoL burdens.

"When the festive chimes are rung and the joyous ovations heard, and in the super-star hotels and the night clubs-all packed to capacity, with the bustling of dancing and merry making, boozing and gambling by the affluent, and all set in motion to break the gloom of the dying night paving way for the dawn, with utter disregard for the calamity that the poorer sections of society are faced with, there is only one solace they can rejoice in the Spiritual Hope in Him for a better Year 2004.

Until that Spiritual Power comforts the lowly housewife with the sublime Truth; "The arrogant rich will soon face the ignominy of poverty and the humble-Poor will benefit from the affluent's downfall".

Could we hopeful housewives see that multi-coloured rainbow at twilight tonight? Or, a dark cloud of false promises from the scheming Governing to the gullible Governed throughout this New Year also? "If we do not think about our future, we sure cannot have one".

ROSE DE LIMA GUNASEKERA, Moratuwa.

Stop political bickering

It is time for all including the President and the Prime Minister to think about the whole country. Political bickering and religious fanaticism won't take us anywhere.

The Sinhalese and Tamils or any other race which has chosen to live here needs peace at any cost. If infighting for political power is continued the whole world will laugh and scorn at us.

Now wisdom must prevail to every political leader and his or her aspiration must be welfare of the people. The masses won't like discord, conflict and war at any cost.

They will act well and judiciously. so both the President and the Prime Minister should find ways and means to arrive at a consensus to usher peace for 2004 is our sincere prayer.

SWAMI CHIDRUPANANDA, Point Pedro.

Prevention of theft of gold jewellery

I propose to the law enforcement authorities and the Minister of Finance to enact legislation to compel jewellers and Pawn Brokers to maintain records of all gold jewellery bought by them from customers who come to sell gold jewellery or pawn jewellery.

They should have full details of the customers for identification. A photocopy of the National Identity Card or Passport must be obtained and a list recording all items of jewellery bought or pawned must be maintained. Jewellers should be prohibited from melting the Jewellary bought for a period of at least six months.

Every month they should submit a list of all customers who sold or pawned jewellery to the local police so that police could have a check on criminals and snatch thieves.

Police should have a co-ordinating system by which information could be exchanged as usually stolen jewellery is sold in a far away place from where the theft occurred.

Melting of jewellery should not be allowed as it was found that gold recovered from jewellers in cases of theft was melted and adulterated by the jewellers to minimise their losses in case the police seize such jewellery.

What was produced in the courts and returned to the claimants after conclusion of the cases was found to be adulterated. In villages too we find small time operators of pawn broking, who should also be covered by such legislation.

U. RAJAPAKSA, Nugegoda.

www.ceylincoproperties.com

www.trc.gov.lk

www.srilankaapartments.com

www.ppilk.com

Call all Sri Lanka

www.singersl.com

www.crescat.com

www.peaceinsrilanka.org

www.helpheroes.lk


News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries


Produced by Lake House
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager


Hosted by Lanka Com Services