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In the past, it was a very common site to see goods trains plying on
our railroads day in and day out. The situation has changed drastically
now as most of the goods are transported by road in lorries and
container carriers.
If one calculates the enormous amount of money spent on fuel for this
purpose, it would come to billions of rupees.
If only the Transport Ministry can buy container carrier open deck
wagons to transport containers from and to container terminals in
harbours, it will solve the fuel waste and road congestion we are
experiencing now.
My suggestion is that the Colombo Port Container terminal should be
used for container trans shipment only and the Galle and proposed
harbour at Hambantota to be used to unload and transport to containers
different parts of the country by rail.
You may just imagine a goods train with one single diesel locomotive
engine pulling the load carried by fifty container carriers on the road.
The same could be applied to lorries that transport goods by introducing
goods wagons as in the past.
Also the present canal system should be rehabilitated and dredged, so
that one small tug could carry several barges full of goods along the
canals.
This would save much needed foreign exchange used on fuel; and this
money could be used for future infrastructure development such as
railway and road networks.
SUNIL FERNANDO - Kalutara North
We thank the media for helping Rizana Nafeek, the Sri Lankan maid’s
desperate plea heard by the public, from her death row.
She is there for the last two years, since the alleged crime was
committed.
Then she was only 17 years of age. We also thank the Asian Human
Rights Commission for its sincere efforts to rescue poor helpless Rizana.
The AHRC has deposited an initial sum of SR. 50,000 to begin the
appeal process. We also learned through the Lankan media that President
Mahinda Rajapaksa has offered SR. 600,000 for the parents of the infant,
if they are prepared to pardon young Rizana.
The same media has reported that the Sri Lankan Deputy Foreign
Minister was on his way to negotiate the deal.
We appeal to all those who want to help to save Rizana’s life, to
avoid blaming each other, at this critical situation, about delayed
action or inaction and unite to work out a common strategy.
We appeal to them to cooperate and co-ordinate their action with the
Sri Lankan Embassy.
We once again thank the media for creating overnight international
awareness for Rizana’s case.
We have utmost confidence in the kingdom’s justice system and hope
Rizana will be freed to go back to her anxious parents to help whom she
sacrificed her youth.
S. H. MOULANA – Riyadh
With reference to the article ‘Bhaila off on mercy mission to save
Lankan girl’ (DN July 11) it is a very good gesture by the Sri Lankan
authorities to come forward and help the Sri Lankan teenage girl Rizana
Nazik at this time of need.
The President’s instructions to Foreign Employment Promotion and
Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to ban the foreign employment
agency who sent the teenager to Saudi Arabia is a debatable decision.
Banning an employment agency will not solve the problem of harassment to
thousands who live in the Gulf.
This problem has to be solved at the root level. All housemaids must
be given proper training in their selected area of work, or a well
organised programme has to be developed to educate these maids to handle
any situation and work with confidence.
English has to be taught to enhance their communication skills. If
spoken Arabic can be taught, it will be a great help for them.
Employment agencies can be held responsible to send correct people to
correct jobs. How can a teenager take care of an infant? Childcare has
to be taken by a motherly figure. If job agents fail to select the
correct people for the correct jobs, then they must be penalised.
PADMINE M. KAMALAGODA – Dubai
It was a few months back that all the newspapers gave a lot of
publicity to the much awaited changes in the Banking Ownership
regulations, specified by the monetary authorities led by the Central
Bank.
A very welcome move, commendable in the light of business magnates
involved in liquor businesses and betting houses moving to take control
of banks thereby undue control of the country’s economy.
It was also said that the banks have been given two months to report
any excess share holdings in their respective banks and within a
specified period, the Central Bank would give its directives to divest
the excess holdings, again within reasonable time frames specified by
them.
It is interesting for the public to know how many Banks have made the
required declarations and what the outcome is.
It is quite justifiable for the Central Bank to publicise such
information.
Also, since these banks are Public Quoted Companies on one hand and
institutions collecting public deposits on the other, shouldn’t the
respective banks themselves, publish such information?
This type of direction to divest part of the shares of a major
shareholder in a bank does fall with the ambit of price sensitive
information in respect of such bank’s shares. Hence the public ought to
be given due notice and such information, I trust in accordance with
Securities Exchange requirements as well as an ethical issue.
Also, if any of the banks had not divulged the information, what
punitive action would be available against such banks/its responsible
officers?
On the other hand, when a bank reports the holdings of individuals or
companies and their connected parties, is not the Central Bank obliged
or duty bound to recognise such holdings and issue their directions for
divesture, to fall in line with the ceilings specified by their own
directives.
This is food for thought, in view of certain reports in some of the
daily papers regarding double standards in reporting of the holdings by
the banks as well as directions from the Central Bank for divesting.
D. S. P. De SILVA - Dehiwela |
