• Dual nationality

• The price of benevolence

• Expatriates returning to Sri Lanka

• Attitude to customers needs to change

• Dengue epidemic

• Pensioners and salary anomalies

Dual nationality

I appreciate and respect the view of Dr. Fernando (DN Oct. 11) and understand his concern which could also be the shared view of the majority Sri Lankans living abroad. However, I feel that I should express my personal opinion on that matter too.

I was in a similar situation few years ago and eventually decided to take my dual citizenship paying, at that time rate of Rs 125,000 for the primary applicant and Rs. 25,000 for each secondary applicant. It is true that the face value amounting Rs. 225,000, appears to be a large sum in numbers.

As regular visitors to our motherland, we are all probably aware that current figure of Rs. 225,000 and previous figure of Rs. 125,000 several years ago, bears a minimal difference due to drop in currency values.

From the day we were born, we all enjoyed our free education, free health system, subsidised school bus passess etc. and decided to leave our Motherland for the benefit of ourselves and our families in the end. Our country has been struggling to stand up straight for a number of decades. We all enjoyed all those free rides while the country was struggling even during that time.

Except for a few rotten apples as Dr. Fernando said, the majority of Sri Lankans make some kind of a donation, not once or twice, may be a number of times a year. Similarly, we make donations to other needy people around the globe, irrespective of where they are from.

When the Tsunami affected our country, all communities around the world gave millions by way of donations to help people and rebuild our country. Personally, I do not think that Rs 225,000 (current value) is an amount that we should make a big fuss about, compared to the amount of money that our Government had contributed to bring us up to this level. That contribution has benefitted not only us but also our families.

This is a once only payment and therefore I strongly believe that it is worthwhile contribution under the prevailing situation of the country, while the blood thirsty Tigers are destroying our Motherland and future generations (regardless of the race). President Mahinda Rajapaksa is genuinly striving hard to develop the nation. Let's help him.

YASAS BANDARANAYAKE, Australia, email.

The price of benevolence

It is heart breaking to read about the loss Mr. Godage had to endure. (Reference DN Oct. 11) I recollect as a child going into his humble bookstore located in Dematagoda and run through the green cover book of 'Amba Yahalluwo', after buying all the necessary books that we required for the new class, upon seeing me touching and reading through a few pages, Mr. Godage himself tucked the book into the loaded bag.

I as a child, just looked at him and did not have the courage to say anything.

As time passed by, when I saw his achievements and growth, I always wondered, how many little hearts he must have made happy in the humble years of his life.

I make it a point always to take my children to his emporium as they are book worms too.

As said by Rita Perera, it is the poor and the humble that he has always helped who will be deprived. Mr. Godage would not worry about the lost money and would always find a way to conitnue his good work.

NINA HARIM KAMAL, via email.

Expatriates returning to Sri Lanka

This is an excellent analysis of the issue (DN Oct. 11) that could be solved easily to bring back those Sri Lankans who are waiting to go back particularly, with their well earned foreign pensions.

It can be resolved as suggested by the writer and it would be a win win situation for the country as well as the individuals.

UPA, Australia, via email.

Attitude to customers needs to change

Reference the article about the upcoming 'modernization' of Hikkaduwa station (DN Oct 3).

I have been coming to Sri Lanka as a tourist for three years now. When I come to Sri Lanka I expect to see a Sri Lankan railway station with its own Sri Lankan style.

If I want to see a modernized station there are plenty around here in Australia. The Hikkaduwa station is a fine station, I like it the way it is. Add a few more seats and that's all.

The staff could open the ticket windows earlier and take appropriate measures when there is a good-sized queue, this does not require 'modernization' it just requires an attitude shift towards customers.

Fort station is another station that I love. To swing into the station masters office and see the three white attired staff in their Victorian setting lined up to help makes me feel like I am in a different era. To summarize: its not the surroundings that need to change, it's the attitude to customers that needs change. I will be back next year, dont change the tourist experience too much or visitors will go elsewhere.

LAGZDIN, Australia, via email.

Dengue epidemic

I am pleased that my letter of DN Oct. 4 has attracted a response from the Colombo Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) (DN Oct. 10).

I agree that the number of reported dengue cases in the Colombo district may not fit the book definition of an epidemic. The term epidemic was an assertion of the doctors of the hospital where my husband was treated based on their experience with the rise in dengue patients in recent times.

The CMOH has listed a number of awareness campaigns with school children and mop up operations undertaken recently in May and July. I am sure Colombo residents are appreciative of the Council's efforts.

In a time of increased incidents however, it is reasonable for the residents to have an expectation of a continuity of these efforts in particular the mop up operations as we did with the Malaria campaign.

The CMOH appears to shelve the impact of garbage dumps as breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito.

The CMOH however must be aware of the fact that the street garbage disposal system is the only process available to the large numbers of apartment/flat dwellers in the city.

It is incredible to believe that anyone not see the steady growth of garbage dumps with open cans and bottles in the streets due to the lack of a regular collection system.

The CMOH also appears to have resigned to the fact that dengue is endemic in Sri Lanka and a certain number of cases can be diagnosed with the disease.

Health authorities however need to be unyielding and maintain a zero tolerance policy to these kinds of diseases. After all our efforts were a great success with malaria.

I suppose the health policy is zero tolerance and the authorities are working towards it.

In fact, my concern of highlighting this issue was the inaction of the authorities to my repeated requests (four times) to inspect my environment. In addition the hospital too had been in contact with the health authorities regarding the diagnosis.

This insensitive attitude is deplorable and unacceptable for a caring society.

I am still awaiting a knock on the door to alert the health authorities of the garbage dumps and the overgrown flora in a Government land occupied by squatters in my environment.

In the meantime, whilst I will be taking action to contact the CMOH directly on my particular issue, I have no option but live as a helpless victim, as many of our residents, with the hope that this disease will be brought under control as soon as possible.

JANAKI WIJEGUNASEKERA, Colombo 5.

Pensioners and salary anomalies

It is with great pleasure that I wish to mention here that the circular with regard to the 'Removal of salary anomalies of the pensioners', taking the base as 01.01.1997, has been already sent out to the Divisional Secretaries in the island, for necessary action which had been categorically mentioned in the Budget speech of the President who is also the Minister of Finance.

All the pensioners in the island were agitating through their respective unions over a period of two decades for a reasonable and square deal in getting this burning problem solved by the Governments which were in power during the period, but all those requests fell in their deaf ears.

At last 'Mahinda Chintanaya' acted as an 'Alladin's Lamp' and came to our rescue to a certain extent though not in full. As pensioners we have the patience as Senior Citizens - so they call us.

We have to do so according to the situation of the country. We respect 'Mahinda Chintanaya' and wish to forgo certain things in the interest of the country. We will wait for sometime and if we are not taken to the promised land and not delivered the promised goods, we have nothing but to stage a 'fast unto-death' program as the last resort.

Amidst all these problems of the pensioners, the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs is requesting pensioners to open accounts in the State Banks, deviating from the former practice which was never a problem for them in drawing their pension from any convenient bank, post office or any other paying office.

At the same time the Government has stopped sending pension receipts to the pensioners creating another 'headache' which tends to swarm the offices of the Divisional Secretaries for details such as deductions and additions in their pensions.

Hence I wish to request the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs to restore the former system of sending pension receipts without putting the poor pensioners into inconvenience.

A. URALAGAMAGE, Baddegama.