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It is good news to learn that Sri Lanka could boast about being one
of the few countries having relatively a low number of HIV/AIDS
patients. Nothing is impossible in this regard.
We could enact laws to bar foreigners who have HIV/AIDS entering our
country. I don't think anyone with an iota of brains would realise that
it is a measure to safeguard our people, and it is no way of an
indicative of human rights violations which a few of the Western
Governments and Ranil Wickremesinghe have been using in an attempt to
chastise our democratically elected Government in this context.
Further, as in the case of HIV/AIDS, no Government in the world could
boast of being free of human rights violations which are usually
committed by the various ruthless enemy agencies. Human rights
violations are driven by catalyst agencies within and outside of
Governments in the world to topple the Governments who are not
favourable to Western interests.
We need to learn a lot from our history, and not let the same
mistakes happen twice. A famous example from our history is the prince
Don Juan Dharmapala who betrayed the whole nation for power and ended up
being the most beloved house arrested prisoner by his own colonial
British admired rulers. For power, he changed his religion, name and he
damaged his own culture, religion and our heritage.
We do have the same Don Juan in the present context, who is adamant
about betraying our country even by going to the extreme of asking all
international banks, regulatory bodies of international banks to not to
lend money to continue with essential projects that have already been
started to benefit a vast majority of common people in the rural sector.
Ranil's Chinthana(vision) of 'power for me or else nothing for my
people' is unfortunately popular among his henchmen, juntas and like
minded selfish supporters who are already busy with, in doing so to get
the power or make a buck or two in Sri Lanka. They should not
underestimate that Sri Lanka is not the land of their own and this
country belongs to anyone who is a citizen.
The programmes for preventing the spread of the HIV/AIDS in Sri Lanka
are no exemptions to obstacles that can be placed by those who are in
the habit of tarnishing the good image of Sri Lanka.
Recently, the JHU has revealed such a threat designed to make
Buddhist clergy vulnerable to HIV/AIDS through blood transfusion or
otherwise by organisations that are against Buddhism.
There were also some news in the media that some of the poor nations
have been targeted for HIV/AIDS spreading rather than preventing it.
I would be very proud of my own country, regardless of it being poor
with respect to money, weapons, nuclear weapons or pollution rich
industrial environments, if it can implement strict measures to
safeguard the country of falling into an HIV/AIDS epidemic, and likewise
take measure to not let the Western Governments to take away our God
given rights to manage our own internal affairs in our own land.
One, and of course a good measure, is to make it illegal any
foreigner with HIV/AIDS to enter our country. There are already a few
countries that have this law.
With a number like 500 or so having AIDS/HIV in Sri Lanka should no
way be a factor to be satisfied totally. We should not be satisfied
unless there is no case of HIV/AIDS in Sri-Lanka.
JAY DESHABANDU
The normally alert law enforcing officers of the Wellawatte police
are turning a blind eye under their very nose at the fully encroached
pedestrian pavement by every vendor under the sun extending from Manning
Place to Rudra Mawatha, a stretch across the Galle Road from their well
fortified station is indeed shrouded in a baffling mystery most
confounded.
The downright deprival of the hurrying pedestrians of three fourth or
more of their pavement by cramped vegetable dealers, fruit vendors, fish
mongers and other part time salesmen tantamount to a breach of
legitimate right of free movement of human needs since there is hardly
any space left for anyone to pass by without rubbing shoulders literally
with one another.
Added to these hazardous inconveniences, there are two bus halting
sheds, one for distant destinations and the other for short distance
passengers within a space of fifty yards of one another, the structures
of which fully encompasses the entire breath of the pavement.
Confusion worst confounded are the two fruit stalls that had sprung
up right within the structure of one and a variety of vegetables spread
about behind that of the other leaving hardly any room for anyone even
to squeeze through.
It is more of a crowded market square than a pedestrian pavement or a
bus halt though many a bus do stop and when one does the melee that
follows daily, more so in the mornings and evenings is real pandemonium.
Are the prevention of these impediments and commotions do not fall
under the purview of these law enforcing officers who are at a stone
throw distance or is it to be streamlined by any other local bodies or
authorities is something that perplexes the ordinary layman.
Be that as it may, we have in addition a few elderly pensioners
making matters worse by stopping by the way side to inquire into the
health of one another very casually, blind to what is happening around
thus blocking the little space that could be made available.
So are the young tuition bound belles in eye-catching attires
giggling by and going round with their cell phones distracting the young
and not so young males to stop by and stare thus making matters worse.
However these additional confusions understandably are a daily feature
in any busy pavement but nevertheless go unnoticed when the entire
pavement belongs exclusively the right of the pedestrians alone.
As things are, one begins to wonder as to who has the right of way in
this highly overcrowded Wellawatte pavement, whether is it the hawkers
or the pedestrians or for that matter the bus commuters, since every one
who passes by seems to be suffering in silence.
A. R. S. MAHALINGAM,
Wellawatte
This refers letter in the Daily News of August 20 and reader U. C. H.
Mohideen's letter of August 25 under the caption 'CoL allowance of
pensioners'.
The following is an excerpt from the budget speech of the Minister of
Finance: "19. Pensioners - Correction of pension anomaly for those
retired prior to 1997, 10 per cent pension increase subject to a minimum
of Rs. 500 and a maximum of Rs. 1,250.
Cost of Living allowance of Rs. 500 from January 2006 adjustable for
every six months. Medical facilities to be provided at special wards for
pensioners in Government hospitals. With regard to the correction of
pension anomalies, the Accountant at the District Secretariat Pension
Office, informed me that there are no arrears to be paid to me. When I
asked for confirmation in writing, she remains silent with regard to the
bi-annual increase in the CoL allowance, the increase has been
completely stopped as I have informed earlier without giving any reason,
although the prices of things have gone up higher and higher.
With regard to medical facilities to pensioners, I asked a doctor
working in the National Hospital whether there are any special wards for
pensioners, he said 'no'. Why cannot the Pensioners' Associations take
up these matters? Though they have not the strike weapon, they have the
power of the pen.
Even with regard to the information about the pension particulars and
deductions on the receipt (voucher), it was an individual (Mr.
Nanayakkara) who had to fight tooth and nail to obtain the relevant
voucher by post from the Department every month while the Pensioners'
Associations were in slumber.
In other countries, for example in Australia, pensioners receive
immense benefits as senior citizens. But in Sri Lanka, I wish to quote
how one of the former Presidents described the pensioners: "Pensioners
are lazy owls - lotus eaters - who draw the highest rates of pension,
wine and dine without doing any work."
On the other hand, the Director of Pensions gets a promotion as
Director General of Pensions for harassing pensioners by changing off
and on the modus operandi of the work of his Department on the ground of
economy.
Fortunately, we have a President today, who is very sympathetic
towards pensioners. I suggest that he obtains from the High Commissioner
for Sri Lanka in Australia a list of the magnificent benefits that
pensioners receive in Australia and try to give at least half of them to
the hapless Sri Lankan pensioners.
A. P., Ratmalana
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