• Living Allowance to Persons with Disabilities

• Is light emission from Buddha statues a superstition?

• Reply Rt. Rev. Dulip Chikera

• Traffic lights in Colombo city
  
  
  Living Allowance to Persons with Disabilities

Hats off to 'the Cabinet of Ministers' for setting in motion the process of providing a living allowance to persons with disabilities, as envisaged in the 'Mahinda Chintanaya'.

However, the fact that only 8599 disabled persons out of a total population of such persons - ranging from 275000, as per the census of July 2002, and 2 million i.e. 10 per cent of the total population of the country as estimated by various organisations for the disabled and the W.H.O. - had applied is cause for dismay and concern.

This is further compounded by, perhaps, the ad-hoc and non-transparent manner in which 5000 families had been selected for this state's largesse.

The reasons for this low level of applications for State assistance may be due to:

(1) The low literacy rate prevalent among the target group; on

(2) Inadequate publicity about the scheme in the print and electronic media.

As the majority of the disabled persons - other than the physically disabled custodial cases, the Mentally Retarded or the Mentally Demented - is adequately literate i.e. could read, write, count and are from low income families/households, it can be safely assumed that inadequate publicity is the main reason for this low level of applicants.

This justifies many a Sri Lankan's looking askance about the transparency and accountability of this 'Welfare Scheme' for the benefit of the disabled.

As lack of transparency and accountability are the handmaidens of political chicanery, nepotism, bribery and corruption; the bane of this country since independence, and as the Mahinda Chinthanaya envisages the purging of these evils form Sri Lankan society to end the chaotic state of affairs in the country, the time is opportune in the interest of justice and fair play to gazette the:

(1) scheme and guidelines to apply for assistance;

(2) names and addresses of applicants

(3) names and addresses of recipients

This will ensure that assistance is given to the most deserving of the disabled.

Incidentally, information has reached through the grape-vine that the panjandrums of the Ministry of Social Welfare have decided, disregarding the letter and spirit of the Mahinda Chintanaya, to restrict the recipient of the allowance to families/households where the head of the family or bread winner is disabled.

This convoluted interpretation of the M.C. policies regarding disabled persons - by the omnipotent Bureaucracy, perhaps, in connivance with the National Council for the protection of the rights of the disabled - may deprive about 2 lakhs of disabled persons (physically disabled custodial cases and mentally retarded persons) on the basis of the July 2002 census as such persons because of their physical and mental conditions can never aspire to be heads of households or bread winner.

Hence, initially, measures should be taken by persons conscious of their social responsibility to strive to give an allowance - based on the financial resources available as per budgetary provisions - to low income households/families that are in receipt of Samurdhi grants and in which one or more members of the family is/are disabled (physically disabled custodial cases or mentally retarded persons who are by large custodial, who, as per July 2002, census amount to 75,000 persons or as per W.H.O. estimates amount to 3 1/2 - 4 lakhs i.e. 2 - 2 1/2 percent of the total population).

E. M. G. TILLEKERATNE, President - CAMR

Is light emission from Buddha statues a superstition?

The mysterious light emission from the Buddha statues at several locations were reported in many places in the country recently. One expressed opinion completely denied that no such emission could take place at all.

But those who denied the mystery were not at any site where the baffling event took place. Many others were of the view that it is easy to gainsay anything without seeing it happen.

I do not confirm or deny the unusual glow or radiance hundreds of people are said to have noticed on the statues but like to shed some light on natural miracles generally known.

We see very often a mirage of water at a distant roadway when driving along particularly macadamized roads. Desert travellers get deceived by an optical mirage. The study of atmospheric optics scientifically explains how it occurs to the observer. Similarly it tells us how the rainbow forms and why the sky is blue and so on.

'St Elmo's fire is just another atmospheric phenomenon seen in many parts on aircraft flying under certain atmospheric conditions, high pointed objects, mast heads on the ships, church towers etc. St Elmo is an Italian derivative from St Erasmus who was the Saint of sailors.

St Elmo's Fire is regarded by sailors as a sign of the Saint's guardianship over them. We cannot rule out this phenomena or any other miracle - atmospheric or spiritual, emitting light rays on pinnacles atop Dagobas, temple statues and similar objects.

On Full Moon days, a ring of light (sometimes two rings - inner and outer) could be seen when a slight drizzle prevails. It may, according to the scientists, occur around any luminous body like moon under certain (natural) atmospheric conditions.

The scientists have accepted that certain spiritual events and incidents cannot be explained or understood in terms of present scientific knowledge. Science has not denied the presence of paranormal forces emanating from objects or some persons and such events being discernible especially to people of extraordinary psychic sensitivity.

Similarly what the existing knowledge cannot explain is not unscientific, false, deceptive or superstitious. Further, an aspirant or persons temperamentally connected to mind concentration at higher levels may gain phenomenal experiences though modern science is yet undeveloped to explain them.

Those engaged successfully in higher meditation will not talk about such occurrences which are beyond worldly life.

The laymen enthralled in sensual life in the material world may not promptly understand them either. In such instances instead of reason and logic, ones emotional state of mind too might play a role at times.

LIONEL GULAWITA - Kalutara

Reply Rt. Rev. Dulip Chikera

Reading through the lines I happen to observe a dagger protruding out of your cloak.

Quote: A calculated murder of aid workers in Muttur and one of the dead one of them happened to be a brother of one of the murdered (05) in Trincomalee, sometime ago.

This word calculated must be synonimous with the Church of England who did a calculated breakaway from my Church for her own gains.

You mean to say, calculated here for gains? If so for whose gains? Is it your theory or speculation or do you have inside information? When men of god thread with politics, there is bound to be an explosion and you have for reasons best known to you have lighted a fuse.

So, you have dared to thread where the angels don't dare? May I too speculate? Royal factor or appeasement?

In addition to the war, there is a serious law and order factor that is threatening the country and this predicament is further aggravated due to democratic politics introduced to Sri Lanka by the British and by way of deserters of the armed forces.

But the pressing problem and stumbling block has been the separatists war whose support comes by part from the European Christian world and including England.

In this context, there is no one party unilaterally ceasing and giving into the other. The terrorist camp have amply demonstrated ruthless, which incidents have been gloated on in the Western dominated media.

Do you ever think the terrorists will reciprocate such a ceasefire gesture by the GOSL?

If so, it will have to be a miracle. Whom does the terrorist represent? Certainly not the Late Kethesh Loganathan and the kind.

You look towards Europe, the West and their crony countries, you will find the answers.

Dear Reverend, please keep ear to your ministry and pray that sense will prevail among the democracies of the West to bring the terrorists to heal.

God bless you in your ministirial work. Out there the people need you and not the tongue in cheek proxy NGOs.

AJITH SAMARASEKARA - via email

Traffic lights in Colombo city

The recent claymore attack on the Pakistan High Commissioner was helped by the Liberty Plaza Traffic lights as the perpetrators had time to accurately target the victim, because his car was momentarily delayed by the traffic lights at the round-about.

I would suggest that, for the time being, all traffic lights in the city be stopped and only the blinking amber light be kept flashing, warning all road users to be careful. At the moment traffic has reduced due to closure of schools, the petrol hike and the security situation.

The other disadvantages of being stuck at traffic lights are: 1. Increased fuel consumption by all motorised vehicles.

2. Inordinate delays because motorists tend to take their time starting off, particularly the three-wheelers.

3. Breaking through a red-light can often result in a more serious accident than the accidents that occur at junctions not manned by traffic lights or when the traffic lights are turned off.

Over to you Chief of Traffic Police, Colombo Division for your earnest and urgent consideration.

DR. LALITH PERERA - via email