Over to you Mr. President and Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare

The Government has declared 2007 as the 'Year of Access' for everyone, Gazetted regulations make it mandatory to build environments that are 'accessible and useable by all'. These regulations also received overwhelming Parliamentary approval.

Sri Lanka standards in building construction provide the design guidelines. In March, Sri Lanka signed in Washington the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and thereby agreed actively to promote the fundamental principle that all people must be provided with the opportunities to live life to their fullest potential.

This is not a new right or a new entitlement, but one that has sadly been neglected for many years in Sri Lanka. Here, we now have the opportunity to make a real change.

In this Convention, 'Accessibility' is a high priority as it is the most essential prerequisite for equalisation of opportunities in daily life. Accessibility is the freedom of choice to make use of whatever facility is available and in whatever situation.

It minimises unwanted dependencies and reduces poverty. It has the potential to make everyone truly productive and fully-fledged citizens. For many of the pledges given in 'Mahinda Chintana' to become a reality, accessibility is paramount.

We are a rapidly ageing population. Even the younger generation is hit by accidents and debilitating medical conditions. We also have increasing numbers of war-heroes.

Together with the pregnant, elders with small children and with less apparent debilitating medical conditions such as arthritis, back and hip problems, diabetes, diminishing eye-sight, weak heart and convalescing, over 30 per cent of our population experience difficulties to walk or climb even few steps in attending to daily living activities.

They silently fight an uphill battle for access. Designing environments to include all, hence is crucial and beneficial to our country.

Already five months of the 'Year of Accessibility' have gone and hardly any existing or new public building or place has been made accessible. 'Enabling Environments for All' should be the moral duty of all Ministers and Ministries, if we are ever to make any meaningful progress and thereby prevent waste of precious human potential.

For example, for Banks it's the Ministry of Finance, for Markets and Shops its the Ministry of Trade, for Sports Stadia - Ministry of Sports, for Court Houses - Ministry of Justice, for Houses - Ministry of Housing, for Hotels, (their sub-standard toilet and washing facilities being crucial problem even to our senior citizens), the Ministry of Tourism.

We sincerely feel that only an initiative taken soon by the President, can and will make the right things happen here rightly, first time. We urge him, please, to take such an initiative.

Dr. Ajith C. S. Perera,
Dehiwala

Over to you Minister of Labour

I served in the Sri Lanka Army as a Commisioned Officer and went on premature retirement on May 1, 2006 and I entitled to gratuity for my service rendered to the country.

My documents have been sent to the Pensions Department from the Panagoda camp in January 2007.

I received my reference number as 09-1120465. I inquired about the progress of my work several times from the Pension's Department.

I still haven't got my gratuity. If you could expedite my matter, it will help me to sort out my financial hardships.

S. A. C. K.

Over to you Minister of Telecommunications

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has started a new method to harass the electricity consumers by disconnecting electricity supplies without sending a red notice.

This is a high handed act of the CEB. The consumers have faced numerous difficulties and in some cases the consumers have been receiving invoices above the normal usage of electricity and the invoices are higher for a single month.

The consumers although brought to the notice in writing, but without checking or verifying the statement of the consumers, the CEB keeps on disconnecting the supplies even without any intimation to the consumers for the letters sent to the area engineers by registered post.

It is felt that the CEB is trying to collect money to the CEB by sending incorrect invoices to set off the losses incurred by the CEB.

Electricity pirating is going on in the city without any action taken by the CEB. But the innocent consumers are harassed by sending wrongful invoices.

The CEB should refund all invoices collected as reconnection changes, other surcharges and fines imposed.

The CEB can save a substantial amount of current and more money collected, if action is taken by the CEB flying squad to detect the electricity pirates.

Electricity consumers,
Colombo 12

Thank you Daily News

May I very sincerely congratulate you for that long awaited and essentially needed opportunity for sharing our main grievances on crucial issues that badly affect the public, through your column 'People's Voices: To Whom It May Concern.'

That's wonderful. Make it more prominent, please. Well done!

Dr. Ajith. C. S. Perera