Having read through Tissa Jayaweera’s letter to the editor appearing
in the Daily News of August 29, I feel he has very descriptively
highlighted an often overlooked fact.
Often if not always the ‘Wrong’ decision down plays the ‘Correct’ one
causing many hardships, all because the majority take the easy way out.
This is prevalent in all spectrums of living and at a noticeable
level in offices. Due to peer pressure and being under obligation to
someone, people are prone to call a wrong, right.
Deep down one knows the truth, but fear of being ridiculed makes him
or her join the crowd. This not only leads to confusion but also ends up
in the cause or the root never being got rid of.
On a wider plane even in society at large, this same attitude causes
hardship to a few, all because no one dares to be different and call a
spade a spade.
It’s up to each individual to take that one chance that sometimes
comes our way to use our wisdom and make a decision instead of being
dragged with the crowd.
SOUNTHI THAVAM - Colombo 3
It is horrifying to watch the wedding dresses designed by the so
called ‘successful, fashionable, trendy etc etc.’ designers today and it
is really sad to watch the young brides and grooms fall for their
despicable designs.
The latest ‘models’ expose their legs from hip downwards, the breast
upto the cleavage and there are even huge holes in the back of the
dress.
Is the bride getting ready for a sacred matrimony - or inviting all
men to taste her flesh with their eyes? What sort of a shameless groom
would allow his wife-to-be to be gaped at by strange men attending the
wedding? It baffles me what the parents of these couples are thinking.
Girls, please remember your body is your precious possession. It is
not for the eyes of vultures, nor for exhibition for the outsiders. It
is for you to protect and nurture, it is for your husband’s eyes alone.
Exhibition of your body on your wedding day makes a mockery of your vows
of matrimony.
Brides and grooms to be! Ask yourselves - if only women attended
would the bride dress in this fashion? Certainly not.
Do not fall prey to the commercial snare of the so called designers.
You should have dignity, decorum and respectability and your married
life must start with decency.
After all, you don’t’ want your children to look at your wedding
photos and feel horrified, do you?
Dr. MAREENA THAHA REFFAI – Dehiwela
Your story outlining the decision by the Ministry of Human Rights
that all future registrations of household members with the Police will
exclude reference to such aspects as nationality, ethnic origin,
religion or language etc., is saddening.
As a country wrecked by a long drawn out conflict based on
allegations of discrimination of minority communities by the State, Sri
Lanka needs to have at its disposal all information necessary to ensure
that all communities are safeguarded from discrimination.
I wonder how the authorities would ensure that there is no
discrimination on the grounds of nationality, ethnic origin, religion or
language if such information is not gathered.
Would the Government, organisations including the Police refuse to
accept complaints of discrimination on such grounds because they have
received orders not to acquire such information?
It is in fact the duty of the State to have at its disposal all the
information necessary to safeguard and protect all its citizens.
Only then could the vulnerability of communities at risk be assessed.
C. R. J. PERERA
It is found that the official residence telephone numbers of the
postal officials who have been provided with residence telephones at
State expense and the telephone bills are being paid from State funds,
have not been listed in the telephone directory when other Government
Departments have done so.
Official residence telephones have been provided at State expense
whilst paying telephone bills from Departmental funds, to enable the
officials to be contacted after working hours in case of necessity by
the public as well. The non-listing adversely affects the public. It is
understood that the non-listing has been decided upon to cut down
expenses as Sri Lanka Telecom is charging for such publication.
If the telephone numbers are not to be listed, then the provision of
residence telephones should be done away with, so that expenditure in
providing residence telephones and paying the bills could be avoided
thus saving further expenditure.
This is a policy matter. The Government should decide either to list
or not to list residence telephone numbers of the public servants and
also look into the necessity of residence telephones and decide to
provide official residence telephones only in case of necessity,
depending on the post held, if saving expenditure is the only criteria.
UPALI S. JAYASEKERA - Colombo
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