• Globalisation and world tourism

• Private taxing - a burden to customers

• Feelings of a twin mother

• Issue of Identity Cards

Globalisation and world tourism

Due to the increase of trade around the world by multinational companies producing and trading goods in many different countries have created the concept of globalisation to gain more profits from other developing countries and at the same time such companies have established their dominion in some of the countries.

Notwithstanding having no political power, they handle the economies of such countries where tourism is the most profitable way of earning. Maldives is such a national whose tourism industry has been invaded by foreign investors tactfully by providing them infrastructure facilities.

So is the situation in Sri Lanka because due to lack of infrastructure facilities, human resources, modern equipment, etc. The local businessmen and the Government are unable to handle the tourism industry properly and therefore, the investors are invited to get involved in tourism. Once they come here in Sri Lanka, they use the maximum use of labour spending a few dollars or pounds. They do not consider the work that these innocents do.

Due to involvement of foreign investors, diseases that were alien to our society then has spread islandwide and the Government, therefore, has to spend thousands of millions rupees annually unnecessarily.

Some have become victims of sexual harassment. Parents sell off their children as beach boys to earn a little money to spend their day-to-day life. Actually, this is the reality behind the tourism industry worldwide.

Globalisation does not help developing countries to be linked with the world economy because the powerful multinational companies grasp everything precious and sell off their own leaving harmful diseases, behind poor nationals that are not in a position to go against such powerful companies.

Therefore, poor countries all should get rid of the concept of globalisation and their own local industries should be encouraged under the inspection of the Government respectively.

D. S. S.C. Aloysius, Anuradhapura

Private taxing - a burden to customers

In the modern banking, transactions through ATM is a new service introduced by both public and private banks. This makes the public to have their withdrawals, make whenever they need especially on public holidays with ease and leisure.

In most banks this remains to be a service, except one commercial private bank, that taxes their customers, reducing Rs. 5, on each payment. Even if one makes a withdrawal of Rs. 100 one has to forego a sum of Rs. 5 which is a burden for these customers. In addition to number of other compulsory tax reductions, the private taxing seemed to be unnoticed by the authorities concerned - the Central Bank who allows some financial institutions to have their procedures implemented.

We the members of the welfare society of Katugastota request the CB to intervene in this matter.

H. A. W. HEWAWASAM, Katugastota

Feelings of a twin mother

The very interesting and encouraging article on 'Twin Feelings' that appeared sometime back in the Sunday Observer July 31 prompted me to express my views and feelings as a twin mother. It is in deed a pleasure to recall the past and pen a few words for the benefit of the future mother to be. The birth of the twins was a memorable event not only to me and my husband but also to the members of my family.

My father being a twin was extremely happy way back in 1960s one point that my Gynaecologist emphatically stressed was the family history. To add to this my brother too has twins. I do agree wholeheartedly with all the views expressed by the doctor couple Prasadi and Prageeth who will soon be blessed with twins, regarding regular checkups, nutritious diet, the support of your husband and family which I received overwhelmingly.

Their view that being financially stable is very important, when having twins, did not arise for us, may be for their luck, we could do everything within our means. I was delighted that both were girls as I had a fancy in dressing them the same way in similar colours, designs and patterns. With little maturity they went in for different dresses. They are identical twins. The time difference of birth was six minutes.

There wasn't much astrological difference in the planetary position. They were a joy and a treasure to us.

There is some truth in Sharon Collorus' view that the twins get hungry at the same time, they start crying together. Let me add something more through experience. Very often they fall sick the same time. They eat together. Before eating anything they would ask each other 'Are you eating this?' Then if one eats the other follows. They study and play together. At the same time not to miss fighting too, over toys mostly, which will be over the next moment.

Art and creativity is something that has been in them from childhood. Cute little things they used to make were amazing. They had their primary education in Sri Lanka. They got the best advantage of being twins mostly in foreign schools.

They never experienced the fear of being new comers in alien schools, because they were together until they made friends with the others later. They lived a colourful and cheerful life, full of joy, love and adventure mostly due to the fact that they were twins. Right from the beginning friends, neighbours, teachers and relatives get confused not knowing who is who.

We being parents, at times, we too experience the same. There are many incidents of interest we have come across due to their being twins. Though not intellectually genius, they were equal in their performance where education was concerned.

Towards the end one took to medicine, the other ventured into a new area after obtaining her masters in Business Administration. She is doing her P.H.D. so that she will be on par with her sibling having the same prefix before their names back again showing their similarity as twins.

The realisation of our cherished dream became true when both were given in marriage. My thoughts flash back to the time when I was dreaming to have their weddings on the same day in one place. But their fate may have changed the dates. Hence they could wear the same bridal attire with no alteration what so ever - a little bit of economy to us due to their being twins.

RUPA BANDUWARDENA, Dehiwela

Issue of Identity Cards

A visit to the office of the Registration of Persons Dept. on business makes one realise what it is to work under pressure and in utter chaos. In the lost Identity Card section especially the staff are nearly smothered by the applicants who crowd round the tables with no order or turn.

It is amazing to see the staff assistants fishing out a particular application from bundles and bundles of documents lying in cupboards or filing cabinets or on tables like looking for a needle in haystack. But the plight of the exasperated applicants who have to waste their time and energy till their matter is attended to, is also unenviable.

It is time that this place is streamlined after doing a 'work study' for proper storing of documents and handling public enquiries with ease. The newly proposed accelerated project for issue of identity cards would also be facilitated, if a proper 'work study' is done and innovative methods are introduced.

C. R., Wattala