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The other day a bus running in front of my car stopped without
warning making me to step on the brake suddenly, and it was to
accommodate a policeman getting on to the bus right in the middle of the
road.
At a traffic light junction when the red lights were on, a Police
Inspector on a bike took a U turn right against the on-coming traffic;
another ordinary citizen waiting for the lights followed his example.
We see men in uniform crossing the roads ad-hoc where the pedestrian
crossing is only ten to fifteen feet away.
The police on bikes take turns in the road where right/left turns are
prohibited. Once opposite the Apollo hospital while the red lights were
on, a troupe of a politician’s vehicles arrived, a man got out from the
first vehicle and stopped all the vehicles until the politician’s
vehicles passed against the red light.
Then we see the politician’s vehicles and his golayas run through the
city roads as if they are going to save mankind from disaster. We are
yet to see a disaster being prevented by these politicians ever so in a
hurry to reach their destination. Road rules and the speed limits are
not applicable to them.
We, the poor law abiding citizens get copped for comparatively minor
offences. It is time the law officers set an example to the common man
and stopped behaving as if they are above the law.
It is true that there may be situations that may warrant the law
officers doing something against the law in the way of their duty, but
that should be far and infrequent, not an everyday practice.
This sort of behaviour gives the impression to the common man that
might is right and sets an example for the thugs and the powerful to get
to override the rules of the country with impunity.
DR. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI –
Dehiwela
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I refer to a letter published in a recent newspaper by a reader who
says that consumption of alcohol does not increase violence and the rate
of crimes among all those who drink.
I am sure that most of the readers will agree that consumption of
alcohol does not influence rash behaviour against others in case of all
those who drink.
The writer of the same letter states that ‘a visit to a descent club
will prove that many people who drink are well behaved.’ As I am a
teetotaller, I am not a member of any club where the members consume
alcohol.
In 1965, I happened to visit a club in Uva Province with a doctor
friend of mine, when I was working in Badulla General Hospital and this
club was supposed to be having most of the educated, rich and descent
people in the Uva Province as members.
After observing the disorderly behaviour of some of the members of
the above club after consuming alcohol, I decided never to join any club
where people consume alcohol. There may be exceptions to above rule.
I fully agree with the writer when he says that ‘prohibition by the
State is a thing that cannot be forced down on men, as there are some
men who take an occasional drink without causing any problems to others
and there are also, some people who have alcohol dependence
(addiction).’
The above writer when he refers to religious institutions and
cultural organisations where members take alcohol, I am sure he is
referring to Christian and other organisations and not to Buddhist,
Hindu or Muslim religious institutions and organisations like Buddhism,
Hinduism and Islam discourage consumption of alcohol.
Less than 7.6 per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians (Roman
Catholics, Protestants and other Christian traditions). It is noteworthy
that a majority of the 7.6 per cent of Christians don’t drink, as far as
I am aware.
According to a WHO survey done in Sri Lanka by Siri Hettige and
Dharmadasa Paranagama:
“An overwhelming majority of Sri Lankans (95 per cent of population)
was of the opinion that the Government should take a policy decision on
reducing alcohol production, sale and drinking.”
“A strong majority (93 per cent) of the females who were concerned
about the well-being of the family and 76 per cent of the males pointed
out that drinking affects peace in the family. More than half of Sri
Lankans was of the opinion that alcohol affects family income and also
create problems.
“More males than females were of the opinion that alcohol increases
violence and rate of crimes in the country.”
I urge that the manufacture and sale of alcohol should be restricted
by the Government as Sri Lanka is mainly a Buddhist country, where
majority of the people follow religions which discourage the consumption
of alcohol.
The Government should enforce a total ban on alcohol during all
festive seasons considering the salutary results of the last April
Sinhala and Hindu New Year season.
D. P. ATUKORALE -
Colombo 7
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The Leader of the Opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has once again,
‘put his foot in the mouth’ so to say, when he said that our Armed
Forces captured a forest by the Thoppigala battle victory - an attempt
to belittle the victory over the LTTE.
Everyone, except Wickemesinghe, knows that Thoppigala was the LTTE’s
stronghold in the East from where the LTTE launched attacks in the East
and on border villages, killing innocents and spreading mayhem.
Hence, dislodging the LTTE from Thoppigala was a major victory and is
of strategic importance in the fight against terrorism, leading to the
weakening of the LTTE and forcing them to come to the negotiating table.
It is unfortunate that we have a political party leader in the
Opposition who cannot understand national interests, strengths and
weaknesses and who is not national minded and bent only on political
power which has eluded him due to wrong approaches and failure to
understand the signs of the times.
His statement on the Thoppigala victory will certainly result in more
people shunning him. He should do well, if he withdraws his statement
and tenders an apology.
The Government, on the other hand, should go ahead with development
programmes that will help the people in the East to live in peace,
tranquillity, happiness and trouble free whilst safeguarding the South
from the LTTE atrocities.
UPALI S. JAYASEKERA -
Colombo 4
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I underwent a cataract surgery done by a well-known eye surgeon
recently, at a leading nursing home in Colpetty. The cataract lens had
to be bought from a particular place, the prices varying. Most patients
go in for the lens priced at Rs. 17,000.
The total cost of the surgery was Rs. 36,118 (inclusive of the lens)
the balance being professional charges, the anaesthetists fee, and
nursing home charges.
This nursing home charges a big amount for as stated in the bill,
‘Consumables and procedures’. We patients got OPD treatment, the surgery
lasts a few minutes, and after the bill is paid, you could go home.
The eye surgeon wants you to come for a ‘review’, the following day
at a given time, to his consultation chambers upstairs - a floor
specially for him.
On this day, there was a lift to go up, but after the consultation,
there was a board displayed ‘Lift out of order’, near the lift for
patients to come down. Meeting the doctor took 1 1/2 hours after the
given time.
A number of patients operated the previous day for cataract,
including myself, had to climb down three flights of steps, with our
eye-guards on and with difficulty.
The same situation had been there, when a neighbour had taken her
aged father, a month later.
This doctor operates on over forty cataract patients each day. It is
nothing to him, I believe.
but what about his poor patients who come to him with the hope that
their vision would be better?
Let patients have essential services from the Nursing Home, on the
request of the doctor at least for good money paid. It may not be a
surprise, if in the near future, the bill states a fee for ‘lift
charges’, too.
I hired a car, and travelled all the way from Pannipitiya, and was
shocked when I had no other way, but to climb down the steps; in spite
of having arthritis.
Shouldn’t the Nursing Home and the surgeon be more concerned about
the patients, since they have paid so much?
W. ALWIS -
Pannipitiya
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