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| Friday, 30 July 2004 |
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Letters | |
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There is the public outcry from decent citizens that our television network, to a great extent, has become a bane than a boon in telecasting demoralising scenes, not in consistence with our social customs and valued traditions. It is a pity that the officials responsible for authorising the telecast of such programs are blind to what is shown on the small screen, mostly to be viewed by the younger generation, who receive a high dose of 'poison' to their minds, actuating emotions given to lust and even criminal behaviour. Some scenes are so vulgar that parents cannot see them in the company of their children, mostly teenagers, as they feel consciously guilty to be together. Sometimes, the dialogues are of inferior quality, unsuitable for the mannered class. For example, schoolchildren falling in love, a young wife developing a clandestine affair with another man and vice versa, rifts between in laws, a boss falling in love with his secretary, a husband blatantly upbraiding his wife in the presence of their children, drunkards playing havoc at home to the annoyance of their children, and many other scenes that poison the minds on the on-lookers. Most teledramas have been produced to serve the gallery, which are highly emotional and based on love. The 'Kopi Kade' is exceptional, because it is more humourous than lustful. Why not our teledrama producers give their minds to produce films such as the Mulgudy, which can be viewed as a decent film with no filth. Western films only encourage our younger generation to become morally corrupt. When these films are shown in cinema halls, there is the tag 'For adults only'. But, when transmitted through the TV, there is no such prohibition. Let us, therefore, hope that the TV is free from showing what should not be shown to demoralise the public. ARYADASA RATNASINGHE, Donor countries take over the projects There is lot of speculations about the expenditure on the projects incurred by the authorities concerned. Ministers and Members of the Provincial Councils are eternally found fault with, as they according to papers, have failed to execute their job properly and honestly and are unable to vouch for the expenditure already incurred. Perhaps, resources are deviated for work not connected with the project undertaken. There is no smoke without fire. This is pathetic. I would refer to the Poverty Alleviation Project which was an utter failure. The particular department had residential workshops in Kandalama Hotel filling lengthy questionnaires. Did any officer make an effort to live with those people or spend a day, eating their food and studying their living standards? Cutting down the Red Tape action should have been initiated to assist them to thatch their leaking roofs and motivate them to engage in self-employment. This is only in brief, may sound 'lunatic' but this is hard and solid work. The brochure submitted to the World Bank in 2001 was thrown to the dustbin. This shows how the particular department had dealt with poverty alleviation. The papers also highlighted the misappropriation of funds allocated for Gemi Diriya recently. The uplift of the rural population being the main objective of the Gemi Diriya Community Development Project, the officials do not try to do slip-shod work or delegate it to the party supporters who will definitely look after them and the people who have voted to the party thus neglecting the other helpless rural folk who should be the beneficiaries. Colossal amount of funds were received from other countries to be allocated to the flood victims to get their dwelling places renovated and clothing materials for distribution. If one could assess the activities the authorities have carried out it would be seen that 90 per cent of the beneficiaries are their own party supporters and these benefits never reach the people who deserve them, perhaps may be about 3 per cent would have received. It has been revealed that the position of most of the projects undertaken is pathetic, either defunct, resources spent on other purposes, or cannot account for. The donor countries may not assess the progress of these projects on receipt of their periodical reports as they are all stereotyped. Close personal scrutiny of the activities carried out and the progress made may be done by the officials of the donor countries if a true picture is to be ascertained. This is of paramount importance. Hence the most appropriate step would be for the donor countries to undertake the proposed projects with a Sri Lankan staff to ensure proper and honest administration of funds, if the donor countries have any sympathy and love to the rural folk in Sri Lanka as the citizens cannot place any reliance or confidence on the authorities concerned. HERBERT SILVA, For most fun loving people here, some entrepreneur should organise a matter of great entertainment - a Circus of circuses as this resplendent island has a host of talented men to provide fun and frolic to the people. I believe, some international jokers here have the dazzling skill to perform heart-pounding jostling, pushing, squeezing and soforth which would provide rib-trickling fun to the onlookers. The jumping and tumbling felines and acrobatic chimps are tailored and readily obtainable. A classy circus with a cluster of high flying trapeze stars, which would keep the spectators and camera men spellbound and scare for the next dramatic performance, are also available. Even light weight lifters and shifters who know the game could be found. But, there is one shortcoming here to get a husky Apache to slimmer down the puny roaring felines in the event they are lose in the corridor. But, we must be happy to have the best of an unforgettable spectacles of top class clowns who can nose on anything to entertain people. Those school boys, who usually take a great delight in variety entertainment, could arrange to bring in fellow friends to watch this scariest and funniest show of shows of best selected and exemplary stars rather than trek to watch the chimps at the National Zoological Garden. H. L. D. E. Perera, Sunil Santha is a livewire in our social fabric Tissa Abeysekera addressing a distinguished gathering at the Borella YMBA on the celebration of the 23rd anniversary of late artist Sunil Santha said that there is no average house party that ends up in the dead night without a song by either by Sunil Santha or CT. As much as Kumarodhaya and Kumara Rachanaya still holds ground on Sinhala grammar for kids with all the reforms on primary education, the melodies of Sunil Santha remains alive all throughout the times. Sunil Santha mellodied the nation during the most critical times of our history. We were almost fanning nationalism and patriotism during the threshold of independence and the music provided the vigor to move the people in that direction. Sunil Santha was our Thagore during this period. Sunil Santha could do all this wonders because he underwent extensive exposure in Indian music at several institutions in India. He mastered the Eastern traditions in music and evolved music for our own to our people. The language of Sunil Santha is so powerful with rich idioms and native phrases. It is the power of our language we encounter in the music of Sunil Santha. My mother Beatrice was also a Sunil Santha fan. It is just two months after her demise and I dreamt her with me as a child listening to a song by Sunil Santha in the radio which he monopolised at that time. The song went on in my dream with his clear voice. Kurulu para deesaye Translation: Oh, the land of the birds It seems as if souls are at rest when Sunil Santha recite his old melodies. Sunil santha was a lover of nature. He remains up to now our nature poet as much as Wordsworth to the Englishmen. BANDULA NONIS, |
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