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| Friday, 25 June 2004 |
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Letters | |
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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.
Dangers posed by advertising hoarding boards In the past few months Colombo has been invaded with a large number of Advertising Hoard Boards erected in vantage points with the approval of the Colombo Municipal Council. Haphazard erection of boards destroys the beauty of the city and distract the motorists. Earlier Boards were permitted after careful scrutiny by a panel of officers from among the Police, C.M.C., UDA and other institutions. It is a known fact that Advertising Board attracts lakhs of rupees from would-be advertisers, because of the publicity it gives for its products. The citizens of Colombo are surprised that a Planning Officer who heads the CMC as Mayor has given his approval to this unauthorised erections, which does not have the approval of the Panel of Officers. There have been allegations that large amounts of funds have exchanged hands between Advertising Agents and representatives of the CMC. In the past, we witnessed a number of Boards indicating 'Municipal TAX Rupees at Work'. Unfortunately during the present administration the city has not seen any improvement although large amounts of funds were being expended annually. Recently in the newspapers, we have read Municipal lands being given out to individuals and large amount of Roofing Sheets being distributed through Municipal Councillors. The tax paying citizens of the city expects a programme of work in respect of road rehabilitation, improvements of parks and other services as witnessed during the previous administration. It is time that people in positions of power such as the Local Government Ministry and the higher ups, who control the city council take appropriate steps before a complete breakdown of the administration. J. M. GUNASEKERA, With the growing tension in the health sector, it is noted that there are many organisations on the lookout to see how the government and the health authorities will react to the threats made by the HSTUA, GMOA and other health sector workers. We as the newly formed Association Protecting Patients' Rights in Sri Lanka (APPRISL) are aware of the situations faced by the health sector workers as well as the government. We do not support any move made by the health sector workers to go in for strike action at the cost of the suffering patients who do not have a say here. Currently the whole country is aware of the inconvenience faced by the thousands of patients who are depending on the doctors and the health workers to save their lives. There are over hundred thousand patients who call over at hospitals everyday wanting immediate attention. Yes APPRISL is keeping a close eye on the developments and are ready to take action against the workers who will violate the fundamental rights of the patients. If the government pays any type of salary, then it is the duty of the employee to perform his duties. Should they need any increase or if there are anomalies, then they are welcome to discuss this matter with the relevant authorities until such time they come to a settlement. Rome was not built in a day they should know and understand this. If they need to strike they can do it at their own cost taking leave or resigning from work. As an employee, no matter what trade or profession, they are there to perform a duty while accepting a payment. APPRISL is currently arranging meetings with the necessary authorities such as the Health Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government taking into consideration the reports submitted by the BC Perera Commission and Tissa Devendra and to call the relevant representatives of all Health Sector Trade Unions to discuss on how this matter could be resolved without holding the patients at ransom. At this meeting which will be represented by the respective officials, we hope to inform all authorities to set up a new committee who could really study the anomalies and bring about a settlement for all the workers. This committee will and should comprise representatives of all sectors, so that there would be no chance for any group to point fingers once decisions are made. If the health workers strike, the patients (or their representatives) who's rights are violated can contact us and we will provide you with the necessary guidance and legal aid, to proceed taking action against the very same officials who violated their fundamental rights. I believe that most of these people do not understand what they read in the Hippocratic Oath while promising to safeguard the rights of the patients. DAVID R. S. MULLER, President, Association Protecting Patients' Human hawks kill the doves of peace A four-man Military Police team investigated the death of a dove, which was placed in the hands of a former Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, to be set free by him as a symbol of peace at the opening ceremony of the Peace Support Training Operations Institute at Kukule Ganga. The investigation has found that the dove's death was not engineered but the bird had died due to excessive heat it was subjected to by being held by two soldiers for about 50 minutes until the arrival of the Deputy Minister. This conclusion is expected to diffuse the hot air that was gathering over the mystery death of the dove, with insinuations and allegations flying to and from opposition and government politicians. Opposition politicians insinuating that the death of the dove was an ill omen indicating the failure of the Government's efforts at peace, while angry Government politicians alleged their rivals had played a part in manipulating the bird's death, in order to embarrass the Deputy Minister and the Government. Politics remains at such a low in this country, it was seen how politicians lost no time in making political capital even out of the death of a bird. What is sadly significant in all this folly is that not a word has been uttered by anyone, even in passing, not by the Army Commander or a High Military Official on his behalf, politicians of both sides and the Deputy Defence Minister himself who is also the Minister for Buddhist Affairs, expressing concern over the death of the innocent bird that had to sacrifice its life because of the senseless practice in our society, alien to our culture, of using living creatures to symbolise human aspirations at state and other ceremonies. Particularly significant, is the silence on the part of the MP monks who have pledged to restore Buddhist values to governance and public life. Perhaps too engrossed in their own affairs they have failed to condemn this unwanted death of a living creature and call an end to this senseless practice contrary to the Buddhist principle of respect for all living beings. Minister Wickremanayake is not the only political leader who is associated with the death of a dove released in the name of peace. Ironically, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also released a dove at a much-publicised ceremony for peace. This dove flew too low over the blazing ceremonial lamps nearby lit for the occasion, and the helpless bird was burnt to death by the heat. Of course, it was not the fault of the then PM just as much as it was not the fault of today's Deputy Defence Minister that the birds released by them should have died. But we were surprised even then, that Mr. Wickremesinghe, said to be an animal lover, failed to express concern over the sad fate of the dove and ask that such a thing should not be allowed to happen again. There are lessons to learn from the plight of the dove at Kukule Ganga ceremony. Birds are frail creatures that cannot stand too much heat and pressure. Even being held in human hands for a long time could end up in death for a bird, as it did in the case of this dove. It must also be remembered that among the reasons doves are caught and kept captive by traders is that they are sold as symbols of peace at State and other ceremonies. The doves used at this ceremony too had been purchased for the occasion by the Army. Trained doves and pigeons are known to return to their captors, only to be caged and sold again. Untrained birds, if released a great distance away, find it difficult to survive in a new environment and are likely to fall a prey to hawks and other predators. So in truth these hapless creatures are not symbols of peace but symbolise the callousness of humans knowingly or unknowingly, to other living creatures. We appeal to the new Minister for the Environment, who has already taken some courageous steps towards the protection of animals and the environment, to act to discourage the symbolic use of birds and other living creatures in state and other ceremonies, and in time to ban the practice altogether, thereby taking a big step towards reviving Sri Lanka's own tradition of compassion and respect to all living creatures. SAGARICA RAJAKARUNANAYAKE, There has been a great effort recently both by the news media and the relevant Government departments to focus the attention of the nation on environmental pollution and dengue control. This is a highly commendable step to educate the general public and such awareness programs are a necessity, if we are to effectively control and eradicate mosquito borne diseases. But equally important is the contribution of the public health departments in the central and local government services in enforcing the regulatory procedures to keep public areas clean and pollution free. For instance, the stretch of highway between Kohuwala junction and Werahera is an example where heaps of filth and refuse continue to be piled up with impunity. Both the local council and the public health authority appear to keep a blind eye to this nauseating eyesore. It is a similar experience when one passes through the Dehiwala junction along Galle Road and also the Dematagoda area where open air markets operate. Should not our Ministry of the Environment and Health make a concerted effort to have our cities and countryside areas cleansed free of filth and enforce the law to prevent dumping of refuse on public areas? We have many lessons to learn from Singapore, Malaysia and the Cayman Islands on how to keep our environment clean and how to succeed in this regard by educating the public and enforcing necessary regulations to impose severe penalties on violators of public health regulations. It is only after ensuring that our own doorstep and neighbourhood are kept pollution free that we are qualified and ready to contribute our knowledge towards the control of global pollution. Dr. H. Weerasekera, It was earlier punned by some analysts that the promise of 4.5 billion dollars by the international donor community was a carrot dangled before the LTTE, to make it negotiate peace with the Government. But looking at the latest proposals put forward by the Norwegians vis-a-vis restarting of peace talks, the carrot seems to be before the Government to agree to the setting up of the ISGA as a delivery mechanism for donor funds for development activities in the North-East. When that happens, the GOSL will only have pending peace talks, and the responsibility of repayment, whereas the LTTE will have the ISGA and the money too without the Government's control/supervision. So the decision is deadlocked. The question therefore arises - why cannot the elected representatives of the LTTE and the Tamil people (TNA MPs) act as the mechanism, either as a committee or a board, until a final solution is arrived at? Such will look more feasible and democratic. P. WASALABANDARA, |
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