Over to you Chairmen, CEB and National Water Supply and Drainage Board

The proposal of the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs to introduce and implement a Citizens Charter in order to uplift the prevailing deteriorated corrupt public service and to prevent the bureaucrats to work and discharge duties according to their wishes is definitely a wonderful move in order to offer the suffering masses' redress.

The Citizens Charter is a document where the employees' role to the public, particularly the manner in which to offer the services is clearly defined. However, to achieve this objective which is a long felt need, the latest modern technology should be implemented.

In this country, similar to the usage of a mobile phone by the majority, credit cards which are world renowned issued by banks and reputed institutions are also used by many as a mode of payment for bills/purchases etc. With the introduction of credit cards over two decades ago, most people do their money transactions through them, which is very convenient rather than carrying physical cash along with them.

There is absolutely no doubt that the highest number of bills paid to a single Government institution by individuals, institutions, companies is to the Ceylon Electricity Board. The clients who are compelled to pay the electricity bill on a monthly basis and as the amount of the bill varies, one cannot place a standing order with the bank.

Hence, a personal visit has to be made by each subscriber to a payment centre of the Ceylon Electricity Board. Of course, now many banks and post offices do accept payments for bills. The payments however have to be made by cash and there too, payments are not accepted by credit cards.

These payments take a considerable length of time to be credited to the respective accounts of the millions of subscribers. Those amounts paid do not reflect in the following month's bill and invariably the amount paid is added on as arrears making the subscriber worried.

Although credit cards are not accepted, the bills of the Ceylon Electricity Board and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board could be paid by personal or official cheques drawn in favour of the respective statutory institutions.

A certain percentage of such cheques are bound to get dishonoured for lack of funds or for technical reasons such as, 'cheque post dated', 'drawers signature differs from the specimen in our possession', 'account not stated', etc.

There is definitely a risk factor involved in recovery of the payments due to these Statutory Institutions. The members of the staff handling the work of dishonoured cheques and follow up will have to devote valuable time to resolve these matters.

But on the other hand, if the payments are accepted via credit cards, it is just like paying physical cash. The bank charges for obtaining immediate credit for the credit card payment vouchers could easily be exempted in consultation with the respective credit card dealers, banks or credit card institutions.

So, why not the authorities of the Ceylon Electricity Board and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board commence the exercise of accepting the subscribers' credit cards which would benefit them as well as millions of subscribers scattered islandwide.

The credit card holders would benefit by this exercise mainly for the sake of convenience and the respective cards they use would have more transactions, thereby the approved credit limits would automatically enhanced through a system certain multinational banks adopt.

It is surprising why these two institutions do not accept the world renowned credit cards for settlement of bills of the subscribers.

At Sri Lanka Telecom this facility is available not only at Regional Telecommunication Centres, but also at the Tele shops.

It is time that this globally accepted norm of accepting credit cards at the Ceylon Electricity Board and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board commence this exercise immediately for the benefit of the respective statutory bodies and the millions of subscribers who are holders of prestigious credit cards.

SUNIL THENABADU, Mount Lavinia

Over to you Chairman, Panadura UC

I happened to visit a house along 7th Cross Road in Panadura recently.

This road which is maintained by the Panadura Urban Council is full of pot-holes and is filled with muddy water, after a heavy shower.

Pedestrians have to undergo great difficulty in going along this road, as muddy water gets splashed on to their clothes when vehicles pass them, without any concern.

The most surprising and disgusting thing along this road are the stagnant drains.

The residents living along this road have to bear up the pungent smell emanating from the side drains.

I observed that the drain on one side is not cut properly, so that waste water could flow evenly.

These drains are ideal breeding grounds for dengue and filaria mosquitoes.

The local authority PHI should visit this place immediately and get the UC works branch staff to clean this drain, so that the stagnant waste water could flow evenly to the main drain and avoid a dengue epidemic among residents living along this road. Also there is a girls' school adjoining this road.

LIONEL LEANAGE, Ambalangoda