• Sinhala/Hindu New Year with a difference - for the less fortunate

• Toothpaste stunt-men

• Colombo city to turn to Garden City of Region

• Respect for the elders

• Create Ombudsman for local administration

Sinhala/Hindu New Year with a difference - for the less fortunate

Come April, and everyone is preparing to celebrate the Sinhala and Hindu New Year in the usual manner with festivity and pomp. Shops are displaying 'Sale' signs to attract as many buyers as possible to sell their food, toys and clothing items. Roads are getting congested with vehicles and pedestrians doing last minute shopping.

Even those who do not celebrate the New Year like the Sinhala Christians (who misunderstand this as a Buddhist festival) and Muslims, will make the maximum opportunity of discounted purchases. Both at village level and at urban level, through the month of April various competitions, cycle races, 'Avurudu Kumari' etc. are organised to enjoy and celebrate the harvesting festival of the farmers in Sri Lanka.

At all levels, politicians try to gain points by patronising such community activities and encourage Pradeshiya Sabhas to spend money to sponsor activities. The police are mobilised to make way for the sweating cyclists to travel without traffic blocks through major roadways while inconveniencing everyone else. This is considered to be 'celebration'.

Unlike previous years, 2005 has a special meaning to the Sinhala/Hindu New Year. December 26, 2004 saw the tsunami devastate the coastal belt in the country and leave hundreds of thousands homeless, dead, disabled and traumatised. Those innocent victims will be spending the Sinhala/hindu New Year in deplorable, hot and uncomfortable tents in relief centers in the affected areas. For those families, there will be no auspicious times to prepare their first meal or partake of it, no new clothes for them to feel they are celebrating a new year.

These helpless citizens of our country have lost all or most of their worldly possessions now. They are dependent on kind-hearted people even for their daily needs let alone celebrate New Year. Even though the majority of those affected are not Sinhala Buddhists or Hindus (to whom supposedly this festive season is important) the general atmosphere of the whole country changes to one of celebrations during this time. This will naturally make the tsunami victims feel neglected and sad. Their feelings are all too natural and to be understood by those of us who are fortunate enough to have avoided disaster.

The writer would appreciate that all politicians and leaders at all levels will be extra considerate and sensitive enough to ensure that no national festivities are organised in any form, to celebrate Sinhala and Hindu New Year in 2005. It is time for all of us to think of helping those affected by the tsunami, it is time for us as a nation to put aside our petty political agendas and for once think of 'others' - those who are extremely unfortunate not to be able to enjoy the environment of 'their own homes' with family to sit together and partake of the first auspicious meal dressed in brand new clothes. Instead, would it be possible for the leaders to make a sacrifice of their own celebrations for once and spend time amidst the suffering tsunami victims?

Please stop all lavish celebrations until the government has been able to provide decent housing for all the victims. This is the least that we can do, to show our concern.

DHARMITHA -
Kotte

Toothpaste stunt-men

The electronic media advertisement introducing a new brand of toothpaste to the market by a well-known multi-national company targeting children, needs strong condemnation.

As pointed out by V.B.K.R. by his letter (DN March 30) children of impressionable age are bound to emulate the tug-o'-war as shown on TV while playing with their friends. Needless to say the results to the mouth and teeth would be painfully disastrous.

The firm which designed this ad appears to be running out of ideas - otherwise why try making stunt-men out of children. The client company too must take the blame for approving such a thoughtless ad which misleads children.

The toothpaste advertised may be of good quality. However one doubts as suggested in the ad whether it would test the strength of the teeth of a child.

One wonders what the Association of Dental Surgeons would have to say to this incredible claim.

D. C. NUGAWELA -
Malabe

Colombo city to turn to Garden City of Region

Having returned from a rather prolonged stay abroad, I was most delighted to read the news item wherein the President had declared her intention of ensuring that the City of Colombo would become the Garden City of this region.

I am sure that all genuine law abiding citizens of Sri Lanka will applaud this statement of the President and wish her every success in achieving her objective.

I am, however, rather concerned that the activities of the Colombo Municipal Council may damage this plan of the President. Recently I took a foreign friend on a tour of Colombo and we were both quite taken aback and disappointed at what we saw.

The CMC appears to be granting approvals most haphazardly and gradually converting the city into a slum with traffic clogged roads.

I understand that there are several rules and regulations regarding the establishment of business enterprises in the City, but the CMC for reasons of its own appears to be ignoring these. The President should take effective steps to ensure that the CMC acts in keeping with her 'Grand Vision.'

In other developed cities one cannot even replace a window of a house with a 'picture window' without obtaining the approval of the relevant Municipality.

Such approval is only granted after extensive inquiry and consultation with all persons who are likely to be affected, and only if the proposal is in keeping with all the relevant laws.

RANJIT SAHABANDU -
Pita Kotte

Respect for the elders

I salute the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen's Association for having taken the initiative of establishing a centre to care for and looking after the welfare of the elderly members of the Armed Forces in their hour of great need.

The Veteran's Home, managed and maintained by the Association at Bolagala, Katana, is a worthy example that should definitely be emulated by others, such as the Sri Lanka Police, Banks, Corporations, business establishments, trade unions and other such organisations to open up Elders' Home to provide care and security for those who served with loyalty and dedication in the prime of their youth enabling their respective institutions to reach heights of prosperity and success.

They should not be neglected and let down at any cost, and forced to lead miserable lives in the evening of their existences.

Either individually or collectively such centres or homes should be established as a mark of respect and gratitude to care for those who served them to become what they are today.

Thus, it will be of great merit to them and be of immense benefit to the senior citizens of our country, of whom all of us should indeed be proud of.

Let us grant them the opportunity of living with a sense of great satisfaction, pride and above all, dignity, which they richly deserve.

A. B. WIMALASURIYA -
Katana

Create Ombudsman for local administration

Active people's participation is vital to curb bribery and corruption particularly in local authorities. People have a closer contact with the officials at the local level than with their counterparts at the centre.

However, inaction and lethargy and the indifference exhibited to public complains by most of the local authorities have discouraged public spirited citizens from providing the much needed cooperation to such local bodies in discharging their statutory duties. I am constrained to write this letter to expose the deep rooted indifference on the part of the Colombo Municipal Council to public complaints.

I have made a complaint to the municipal authorities against an obstruction to and the pollution of a common drain that runs across my garden. For the last two years I have written a series of letters to the authorities including the CEO of the Municipality, but yet I have failed to arouse them from their deep slumber. The minimum courtesy of replying to letters is deplorably absent in this premier local body and that makes any complainant dispirited.

Only an ombudsman for local administration could provide the answer in such helpless situations.

U. D. J. JINADASA -
Colombo 6