A laudable move

THE Security Forces and Police render a yeoman service to the country and the people. They are the guardians who protect the country from enemy forces threatening its territorial integrity. Not only the Government, but also the ordinary masses laud their selfless commitment to safeguarding the Nation.

It is the bounden duty of the State and also the people to ensure that their welfare is given priority. The Government, under the Mahinda Chintana, has already implemented several measures to uplift Security Forces personnel.

Now President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a special directive to the Finance Ministry has ordered the immediate cancellation of deduction of housing rent from the salaries of all Security Forces personnel.

This is yet another Mahinda Chintana pledge that is being implemented for the welfare of Security Forces personnel.

While this will benefit all Security Forces personnel regardless of rank, it is no secret that most lower rankers of the Security Forces come from low income families in rural areas.

This measure will benefit them greatly, as rent payments used to comprise a significant portion of their salaries despite the provision of a housing allowance. They can thus channel the money that would otherwise have been deducted to their families.

This complements another similar decision taken recently by the Government to grant land to Security Forces personnel, including families of those who had made the supreme sacrifice.

This is also timely, considering the fact most Security Forces and Police personnel, especially those in the lower ranks, have no land or houses of their own.

The Ranaviru Villages Concept in Mahinda Chintana envisages the constriction of 50,000 housing units for Security Forces personnel. These are far reaching proposals designed with the welfare of Forces personnel in mind.

As the 'Together for All' campaign in newspapers and on television depict, the Security Forces are dedicated to protect all communities and religious groups. The authorities and the masses must do everything possible to provide them with all facilities to go ahead with the noble endeavour of protecting the Nation.

Road discipline

The mowing down of pedestrians on the zebra crossing itself is not uncommon in this country, where road rules are observed more in the breach. But Thursday's tragic incident in Borella, in which a pedestrian was killed on a crossing, is all the more shocking because a police vehicle was involved.

It was not just an ordinary police vehicle either - it belonged to the traffic police, which is supposed to uphold traffic laws to the letter.

We call upon the Police to ensure that an impartial investigation is conducted into this tragedy, in which three others were also injured. It would be prudent to appoint a disinterested group of police officers and civilian transport safety experts to probe the accident.

After a through investigation, they should be able to pinpoint as to whether the crash was caused by human error or a mechanical fault. Whatever it could be, the time has come for the Police to put its own house in order when it comes to road discipline.

We have seen many instances where policemen, including traffic policemen, openly violate the very rules they are supposed to uphold and impose.

These include taking illegal U-turns, engaging in mobile phone conversations while driving, speeding, dangerous overtaking and crossing red lights. If an ordinary motorist is nabbed doing any of these, fines are quickly imposed and court summons issued.

We also see policemen at traffic lights urging motorists to go when the lights turn red and vice versa. This is totally superfluous and worse, dangerous.

Police vehicles accompanying politicians' vehicles break every rule in the book and then some, endangering the lives of other road users. We realise the need for security in today's context, but moronic driving on public roads cannot be condoned.

That said, road discipline should be improved overall. Private bus drivers and three wheeler drivers create mayhem on the roads. Unprofessional, reckless driving is the cause of most accidents. More strict enforcement of the laws as well as preventive educational measures are called for.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party and its new leadership

THE Sri Lanka Freedom Party celebrated its 55th anniversary recently. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, as one of the formidable political organistions of the country, has completed more than half a century, within which period the party, as one of the successful political parties in an emergent State, was able to fulfil many a task for which it was created in 1951.

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A.C.S Hameed's seventh death anniversary falls today:

Skills of negotiation

My association with the late Dr. A. C. S. Hameed goes back a long time. It goes back to a period prior to my entry into active politics. When I served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Dr. A. C. S. Hameed, as Minister of Higher Education, was in charge of the entire university system of the country.

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