Tuesday, 23 March 2004  
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Your country before party

Your readers may wish to reflect on a matter which, to my knowledge, has hardly been discussed in public before.

The JVP has come a long way from their horrendous past and into the democratic process and during this latter short period of time proven themselves as a responsible party that could be trusted.

However, instead of welcoming this change, the UNP keeps on pushing them back to the past with smear campaigns and weird posters.

If the UNP does not get a working majority of seats at the forthcoming General Elections, they may try to form a government with the help of the TNA (LTTE) ignoring the LTTE's brutal past and their present deceptive conduct.

Such an arrangement would mutually benefit both, the UNP to come to power and the LTTE to achieve its goal Eelam.

Apologists for the LTTE like Dr. Rajitha Senaratne would argue in mitigation that the LTTE was forced to take up arms due to the actions of Sinhala extremists but that now they are talking peace.

We know for certainty that the tiger has not changed its stripes and is continuing with child conscription, smuggling arms and strengthening its fighting capability, eliminating its political rivals, violating the MoU with impunity, etc. They cannot be trusted.

Loud and forceful talk by certain politicians, which we have been witnessing these days on TV, only help to alienate and love votes of their own party.

A.P. - Colombo 3.

Let us charter our destiny

I wish to write my thoughts on the forthcoming election: We are a nation that has been at crossroads since independence, confused, not knowing which road to take. In this state of confusion, we have been attempting to find a scapegoat to blame our predicament.

No quarter of Sri Lankan society has been spared in this witch hunt: The Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burgers and the religions they belong to have all been victims of misguided anger.

It is easy to solely blame politicians for our predicament, but we forget the fact that we have been using our franchise to elect them.

Therefore, we should remind ourselves, and those who will exercise their franchise for the first time, that our modern history has been scarred by many radicals who have acted in good faith to correct our nations' predicament. However, the end result has always led to more confusion and dereliction.

This election too, we see some groups who have taken advantage of our society's confusion and have vowed to put things right through radical means. However, nowhere in the modern world has radicalism benefited its society. In fact, radicalism has led to more confusion and caused such societies to regress economically, intellectually, and culturally.

One of the reasons for this is that radicals marginalize certain sections of society - races, religions, intellectuals etc. whose thinking differs from them. Bigotry and repression then becomes legitimate tools of governance. We have witnessed this almost every decade since our independence.

Although eventually these radicals are disposed of, it happens only after they have robbed the future of our country. Ironically, even today a large number of us Sri Lankans are living in a collective amnesia, trusting these radicals to sort out the present confusion.

This being the case, let our country then go through a fiery furnace that will either purify or incinerate its citizens.

May be it's an experience that the majority of us need to go through before sanity and good judgment dawns on us all. May be the painful lesson will wake us up from our collective amnesia and instill a progressive conscientiousness that is needed if Sri Lanka has to be a partner in the modern world.

May be then society will stop finding scapegoats, both locally and internationally, for the country's predicament and be responsible for our own development.

Therefore, let us not be victims of our own inability to charter our destiny. Let us in our homes, offices, villages, and towns remind each other not to be swayed by utopian promises or view the world in red, green or blue, but to use good judgment and elect leaders who can represent the best of what we can be. Let us take charge of our destiny on the second of April.

ROBERT REEVES - Wattala.

Whither Livestock Policy?

At a time when politicians are more interested in obtaining high preferential votes, the Director, Dept. of Census and Statistics has just provisionally released data pertaining to the latest Agriculture Census, 2002.

I wonder whether any politicians or those involved in developing party policies and manifestos ever considered this data when developing their respective party manifestos.

A study of the livestock population data reveals an alarming trend. Island's total cattle, buffalo and goat populations are drastically reduced.

Taking the livestock data of 1992, the 2002 Agriculture Census shows a drastic reduction of cattle, buffalo and goat populations by 30 per cent, 56 per cent and 32 per cent respectively.

This reduction is most prominent in cattle, buffalo and goat rearing areas like in Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts. Similarly, the milk production has decreased.

However, I notice that none of the political party manifestos have addressed this issue sufficiently, even though about half million people and 2 million dependants live thanks to livestock!

Apparently Sri Lankans have 'eaten into' cattle, buffalo and goat herds while the herd replacement rates have not been sufficient to stop the declining trend. In addition, certain diseases kill livestock while productivity is lowered through other diseases and substandard management conditions.

Milk production is no more a popular or a lucrative business. The cost of production of a litre of milk exceeds Rs. 20 while the government-controlled farm-gate price is much less, farmer receiving about Rs. 15 per litre.

Everybody knows that a similar volume of bottled water or other aerated sweetened products like Coca Cola, Fanta etc. are more expensive than milk.

Yet the Agriculture Ministry sends a message across the TV screen to the public that 'Japan children consume fresh milk so why not Sri Lankans'! If this situation is not arrested, very soon there will not be any locally produced fresh milk for Sri Lankans at all!

Low farm gate price for milk is one big factor that contributes to the current situation. Scientists who evaluate the economics of milk production has shown that if milk production is to be increased the cost of concentrate feed should be less than or preferably half the farm gate price of milk.

This is not so in Sri Lanka, where the concentrate feed is costlier than the farm gate price for milk. A bag of concentrate cattle feed costs over Rs. 1000.

Though land and fodder is a problem, farmers will overcome all these problems and adopt new technology to improve productivity similar to the situation in the poultry sector, if the farm gate price for milk is correct.

We are aware that every country in the world, except perhaps New Zealand subsidizes dairy farmers. In Sri Lanka, there is hardly any subsidy for dairy farmers.

Thus the number of dairy herds in the hill and mid-country are dwindling while the size of the 'Nomadic' herds in the dry zone too is reducing.

Besides, many dairy farmers are now giving up milk production and looking for alternative avenues to earn more money. Even a labour job today pays more than the daily income a farmer receives by keeping 5 milch cows!

Thus whither livestock production? I hope that this appeal will reach those deaf ears of politicians who are going round the country screaming that they will help the farmers!

DR. A.S. ABEYRATNE - Kandy.

Bala's jokes

Election time is full of wit and humour. Past deeds and statements of politicians are brought to the surface on various media and even on walls. A statement by Anton Balasingham is worth recalling.

He jestingly called his boss, "the President and Prime Minister of Tamil Eelam". In the present scenario, when there is a sharp geographical division, what would be his new appointments and to how many?

He evoked much fun when he called North and East a historical homeland. That is debatable if not for the humour. Certainly the North is a recent homeland of a community guarded by another community. The East is a historical homeland of one community and a recent second settlement and a third occupation.

The North is under the writ of the Sri Lanka government and the East too, is administered from Colombo. In between some rebels are hiding in the jungles.

How would Anton Balasingham describe such a situation by twisting some deceptive words, so that people could have a good laugh, the way he laughed at the famous press conference at Wanni in February 2002? Incidentally who will have the last laugh?

SUNIL J. PEIRIS - Moratuwa.

'Prosperity'

To achieve the above for our motherland, peace and unity are two vital components required ensuring lasting and permanent results.

Accordingly, I am certain it is the wish of most people that all major political parities should come together for the purpose of uniting the divided people under one umbrella, which I hope would materialize after April 2.

TOMMY WANIGASINGHE - Kurunegala.

Misuse of language

Nowadays it has become a common sight that the notice boards, banners, placards etc. give a sorry spectacle to people like us who are fond of our mother tongue. Surely a person with a basic literacy shall feel a sense of pain and humiliation when he come across such scenes.

We see inappropriate use of Tamil language even at government departments, boards and corporations. It is said that Tamil language has been given a due place in the constitution. In practise, the story is rather different. I feel it is due to gross ignorance and lack of concern of the people who handle the job.

There are more learned people among Tamils who could give a helping hand before such notice boards come to public display. Hence I pray these errors won't happen in the future.

S. JEGATHISWARAN - Nawalapitiya.

Postal Dept. and its obligations

I expect no favour but expect the postal Dept. to pay me the sum sent from UK by way of "Not negotiable" Postal Orders that have been encashed by someone, may be in collusion with postal employee. It is strange that the Dept. has not responded my registered letters.

"Not negotiable" postal order should go through account but deviating from the postal Dept. formulated rules and regulations, the postal orders have been encashed. May the Postal Dept. investigation section investigate whether I have taken the money.

Once it is clear that I have not taken the money by any means, the Postal Dept. should pay me the amount without delay.

This is the honourable way of dealing with the public. Subsequently they can investigate who and how these postal orders were encashed contradicting the Postal Dept. rules and punish the culprit.

That is the Department problem and I should not be agonized for the action of postal employee who has helped to encash 'Not Negotiable' postal orders. That is very astonishing.

I kindly expect the authorities to look into this matter very early.

THUNAALAI S. A. MASILAMANY - Colombo 10.

JP for whole island

Appointment of Justices of the Peace is given by the Ministry of Justice in terms of the power vested in him by the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978. The names of those appointed are gazetted and the appointment is valid after taking oath of office.

It has been the practice of the recipients to print letter heads and use them for official purposes. Some JPs print only "JP" and some print as "JP for Whole Island" and "JP All Island".

The Section in the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978, S. 45/2 states as follows": The Minister may from time to time by notice published in the Gazette, appoint such persons as shall be named in such notice to be Justices of the Peace for the Republic of Sri Lanka, or such zones, districts or divisions as to the Minister shall seem expedient."

The notice published in the Gazette does not define "Whole Island" which refers to the section in the Judicature Act. To continue to use the term "Whole Island" is ambiguous and misleading if there is no definition of the term "Whole Island". In my view the term should be J.P. for the Republic of Sri Lanka.

CECIL JAYASINGHE - Kandy.

Waste of funds

I was truly amazed to read the article on the uncontrolled squandering of funds by the BOI.

Is anyone held responsible for such staggering loss to the country, which is desperately seeking foreign aid? In the UK, the Chairman and the Board would have been asked to resign and the issue investigated.

In the US, they would be under investigation by Congress and would be held responsible in law.

What happens in Sri Lanka? Do they carry on as usual?

J.N.

www.eagle.com.lk

www.Pathmaconstruction.com

www.continentalresidencies.com

www.ppilk.com

www.singersl.com

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www.peaceinsrilanka.org

www.helpheroes.lk


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