P-TOMS to be followed by peace
The President should be admired for the bold action taken in the
above connection, in spite of all the opposition group of people. Hence,
the above to be implemented immediately to achieve the above duel
purposes.
Accordingly, she should now make use of this given opportunity to
secure peace which is extremely important and essential for the entire
country.
This could be achieved by winning the confidence of the rebels in the
North, who should be persuaded to shun violence and work together for
the common good of all the people and the entire country.
I have no doubt this could be achieved provided wise and correct
decisions are taken at the correct time, also appreciating at the same
time what they could do for the benefit of the entire country, if given
the opportunity, which would definitely achieve peace and prosperity for
the entire country. For this purpose, all including her lieutenants
should give her the full backing and the cooperation she needs in
achieving this endeavour.
If provided, the above action of hers should convince others that she
will steer the caravan in spite of dogs barking and jackals howling
reaching the destiny of peace. Her quality of calling a spade a spade
should qualify her in achieving the above.
TOMMY WANIGESINGHE - Kurunegala
Can someone explain what is going on?
It has been in the news that the flour prices have been reduced and
that the price of bread will also be reduced subsequently. The news and
media announced that flour was to be imported from Turkey and that the
consumers will benefit soon because the monopoly by Prima was destroyed.
An English daily recently carried two articles on the same page
saying 'Breads and buns for fish' and 'Low quality flour'.
Anyone reading it will understand that it could be a specially
concocted news item because it was confusing and did not make any sense
and was simply undermining the efforts of the Government to solve this
never-ending problem.Can we consumers, voters and innocent citizens of
this island have the real facts regarding the wheat flour which is
consumed by us.
SEETHA RANAWAKA - Moratuwa
Disregard for the philatelists
It is disappointing to note that the Philatelic Bureau is still
showing its inefficiency and disregard for the Young Philatelists of Sri
Lanka.
It has been brought to the notice of the relevant ignorant staff at
the bureau that 'Commemorative issues' should be well within the reach
of collectors, (Rs. 50-stamp for vesak why?) and to overcome this
ignorance/ arrogance, I understand that the Senior Philatelists have had
made representation to the authorities and started issuing a set of 'Definitives'.
It is most disappointing to note that they are unable to even reprint
the un-available definitives (e.g., 50 cts stamp not available in the
Post Office for the past six months) and make available to the public
the necessary stamps.
What is the so-called 'Pilatelic Advisory Committee up to?
N. V. H. - Ratmalana
How some attendees behave at Company AGMs
Often it is observed that some persons who attend the Annual General
Meetings of listed companies behave like beasts when they come to the
reception tables for short-eats and tea.
The meetings generally start on schedule and proceed well according
to the agenda almost till the end. However, before the chairman could
declare the meeting is concluded, number of attendees start leaving in a
mighty hurry and do a bee line to the reception table, grab as many
short-eats as possible, pack them into their hand bags and get away as
fast as possible.
Generally it is the matured and elderly persons who come well
prepared with old hand bags/black poly bags resort to this shameful
activity. At the meetings they often fire some questions and jump up at
every turn to propose and second motions put to the house, may be to
impress upon the Chairman and Directors that they are keen participants.
At the recent DFCC AGM they run to the reception desks was so intense
that even ladies got pushed around and some plates fell on the ground.
One accountancy student who had come to the meeting on a proxy to
observe the company meeting procedures commented that there was better
discipline and procedures even at school meetings.
Being in competitive business, the listed companies are obliged to
follow the Codes of best practices in corporate governance, accounting
and management etc. Apart from presenting the Annual Reports and
Accounts printed at heavy costs, a great deal of effort, meticulous
arrangements and costs are involved in conducting AGMs at star-class
venues.
Hence it is imperative that some effective steps be taken to ensure
that the reception and tea, which form the final episode of the meeting,
is not marred by a handful of disgraceful and opportunist attendees.
Prevention of bringing handbags to the meeting may help to some extent.
The Commercial Bank avoids this problem by issuing a token to each
attendee at the end of the meeting to collect a box of short-eats, which
could be consumed or taken away.
GAMSB - Bambalapitiya
State Bank of India pensioners
State Bank of India, Colombo Branch, successors to the Imperial Bank
of India, will be completing 50 years of service to this nation in July
2005.
In the teeth of severe competition in the Banking industry, the past
and present employees of this Branch made it possible to render an
invaluable service to its constituents during this period.
However, sadly the past employees who were responsible for building
up a prestigious image of the Bank, have been neglected. Their paltry
pensions have not been revised at all, over the past 30 years.
The Commercial Banks' Association which represented the Commercial
Banks in Sri Lanka met annually to grant a ten per cent increase to the
Banks' pensioners, to cushion against the rising cost of living.
However, with the winding up of the Commercial Banks' Association in
2002, State Bank of India unilaterally decided to discontinue the grant
of the annual increase from 2003, whereas the other Banks are continuing
the practice when the pensioners are really in need of it at a time when
the cost of living is rising like the Jack's Bean Stalk.
Although the Bank proudly advertises a continuity of 140 years
service to the nation, the past employees who were responsible for its
present standing are completely disregarded. The W and O.P. scheme so
commonly accepted and operative in the Banking Industry both in India
and Sri Lanka is not operative at this Colombo Branch. Moreover, they
are not even prepared to extend the pension facilities enjoyed by our
counterparts in India.
In the midst of the severe heartburns and imprecations of the past
and present employees of the bank, State Bank of India, Colombo, is
hopeful of moving towards the next 50 years progressively.
J. A. Gomez - Colombo 6
Human-elephant problem in Galgamuwa area
The attention of the Wildlife Department should be drawn to the
problem of human-elephant conflict that has arisen in the Galgamuwa area
of the Kurunegala district.
A news item published in a newspaper dated recently says that a woman
who lived all by herself in her house in a village of Galgamuwa area
died from the attack of a wild elephant. This is not the first time that
such unfortunate deaths have taken place in this area where wild
elephants are abundant. But, not all these elephants enter the villages
and only one or two of them come and cause devastation.
According to villagers, there is also a single murderous elephant
that roams at night along the roads killing people.
So, the residents, especially in the areas Pothanegama, Giribawa,
Thambuththa and Warawewa have to live in fear of their lives because of
this problem and they often have to be on the alert for the wild
elephant that kills people. The lives of people are in fact, in jeopardy
if this dangerous situation continues.
What is needed to be done is to capture the roaming jumbos and send
them to a far-away wilderness.
It's a sad fact that the Wildlife Department is dilatory in remedying
the situation.
If the relevant authorities don't take immediate action in this
regard more and more deaths are likely to occur.
L. W. GAMINI C. KUMARA - Colombo
This is with regard to the letter in the Daily News of 04.04.05 on
the above subject.
It seems to be another attempt to mislead the authorities and the
public by presenting distorted facts about this matter. We wish to point
out that these houses are not built by the Municipality and by obtaining
a bank loan.
The land on which these houses are built did not belong to the
Municipality but purchased later from the National Housing Authority.
Payments have been made but the deeds have not been furnished yet.
These were originally staff quarters given to the then occupants of
these houses in 1983.
The writer contends that it is only the Kandy Municipality that sells
officers' quarters to the staff. This is not so. There are many
instances where other. Municipalities have granted houses, lands, stalls
to various people by selling or leasing their property.
The oldest case in point in Kandy is the staff quarters of Katukelle,
Deiyannewela, Mahaiyawa model tenements.
In any case, Kandy Municipality by resolutions on two occasions had
decided to sell these houses to the occupants (vide resolution No. 09
(57) of 23.02.96 and No. 09 (55) of 30.10.98). Furthermore, a certain
trade union filed a case in the Kandy High Court to obtain a 'Certiorari
Order' against the sale of these houses. The case was dismissed.
We hope this letter would suffice to put an end to the interest taken
by some party in this regard.
P. A. W. KAHAPOLA - (Representing the Occupants), Kandy
Reference the above news item by Sarath Malalasekera (4/7/2005). I
would like to bring to your notice that I was a little scared to read
the above news item as I have already introduced 4 cards of similar type
2 years back by the name Pyra Card.
As the news item mentions, mechanism is the same. Pyra Card has a
magical sq. pyramid grid, 9 copper pyramids, beneficial cosmic colours,
a gold pre programmed disc and a Fa Maa activator. 4 cards in 4 colours
for 4 specific purposes, a crystal placed on the card, space for a
photograph.
According to the Pyra Network, when a Pyramid Yantra is programmed
and used the Yantra becomes a part of this huge revolution and starts
getting results due to the power of huge network.
Prof. Jiten Bhatt is the concept originator who has done a tremendous
research work for more than 25 years on this subject.
QUINTIN DEWANARAYANA - Moratuwa
A look at the past few days' newspapers reveal details of murders
most gruesome; and most non-elite, so given perhaps just an inch, if
that, of space on an inside Page. And the justice finally meted to
wrongdoers, even the elite among them, evidently, never merits the same
reader interest. Shrugging off accountability is the name of the game.
What is, in fact, the measure of accountability:
* Is it ok to fudge 'family' accounts?
* can a condominium committee violate the rules applicable to other
owners?
* is not the inclusion of charges for a non-functioning
video-surveillance system an act of criminal fraudulence?
* is it unnecessary/not possible to reinforce the moral/ethical
teachings of a school system?
Dives in the Biblical parable goes to Hell not because he is rich,
but because he lives a life of indiscipline and self-indulgent luxury,
not showing active mercy to the poor.
NIMAL BRECKENRIDGE - Colombo 7 |