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Detection of speeding motorists

Having unwittingly disturbed a hornets’ nest through my letter under the caption ‘Traffic Police up to highway robbery’ (DN Sep. 18) and subsequently after reading through several letters from readers on the subject in Daily News columns, I have to point out that a very important question still remains unanswered.

We have to thank the Police for responding to my letter by their letter (Sep. 25), pointing out that ‘paying gratification to a fine is an offence’ and for their letter (Oct. 20) to the effect that the eight months old complaint from W.P.H. Kollupitiya (DN Sept. 27) would be investigated into.

However, it is regretted that the all important contents of Shaik Anwar Ahamath’s letter (DN Oct. 06) have so far been overlooked by the Police.

The writer, therein, referred to his experience in the U.K., where hand held detectors were found to be notoriously unreliable and that all speed offences recorded by hand held detectors were thrown out from courts.

He also says that police in U.K. are now relying only on fixed detectors detecting speeding. As such, a clarification from the Police is required as to whether the existing practice of using hand held detectors for detecting speeding motorists will be dispensed with and instead, the fixed camera system would be introduced.

It has to be stressed that lots of motorists who have fallen victim to the erroneous recordings on hand held detectors, are anxiously awaiting the Police viewpoint on this subject, which is of utmost importance to them. Our position, through past experience, is that, visual detection is far more reliable than the hard held camera.

G.G.J –
Kotte


Reduction in SLT charges?

All Sri Lanka Telecom customers were eagerly waiting for November 1, 2007 to see a reduction in their telephone tariff. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka issued a public notice in the newspapers of October 5, 2007 detailing the new revised tariffs. The question is will the new tariffs really reduce the final telephone bill?

Let us take a detailed look and compare the present and proposed tariffs;

Time durations

* Proposed peak period has been increased from 10hrs to 11hrs on weekdays and from 6hrs to 7 hrs on Saturday. - Charges will increase!

* Proposed economy period has been reduced from 6 hrs to 5 hrs on weekdays and from 10 hrs to 9 hrs on Saturday. - Charges will increase!

* No change in the hours during discount period.

Billing discount

* Reduced from Rs. 600 to Rs. 400, this will obviously increase the charges by Rs. 200 for all customers who were enjoying 200 units worth of free calls.

Call charges

* A new start-up fee of Rs. 1/50 has been introduced with no clear explanation. Assuming that it is for every new call taken, this will add a large amount to the customers’ bill. (Please correct me if my assumption is incorrect.)

* SLT to SLT has been reduced from Rs. 3 to Rs. 2/80. Considering the proposed per second billing any significant advantage to the customer is unlikely.

* Economy period billing rate at present is 180 seconds which means that a call during this period can last up to three times for the cost of one unit. Under the proposed charges, a call during this period can last only up to 2 times the cost of one unit. - Charges will increase!

* Discount period billing rate at present is 540 seconds which means that a call during this period can last up to 9 times for the cost of one unit. Under the proposed charges, a call during this period can last only up to 5, 6 times the cost of one unit.

- Charges will increase!

* Cost of long distance calls during peak period has been reduced, but increased during economy and discount periods. Most people make these calls after 6 p.m. except during an emergency.

- Charges will increase!

* New higher chares have been introduced for calls from SLT to mobile phones. - Charges will increase!

* New higher charges have been introduced for calls from SLT to other fixed line phones.

- Charges will increase!

Considering all the above increases in the new proposed tariffs, it is certain that the final bill of the customer will see a substantial increase leading to complaints and recriminations.

It is my opinion that this proposed revision of tariffs is put on hold until a detailed study is made and a simple uncomplicated solution is derived to reduce the tariffs. In the interim. The SLT could apply the 8.72 per cent discount for each bill.

SLT CONSUMER


Poor roads in Panadura town

This is with reference to the letter written by Lionel Leanage of Ambalangoda relating to 7th Cross Road, Panadura which appeared in the Daily News of September 26 under the ‘People’s Voices’ column.

A person has to pass 7th Cross Road to get to Fonseka Road, Panadura where I reside. The stretch of road from the turn off from 7th Cross Road towards Fonseka Road up to Dias Place Junction is in the same position as 7th Cross Road with full of pot-holes and filled muddy water, after a heavy shower. The drains on the sides are not cut so as to enable the waste water to flow evenly.

Moreover, there is garbage collected by the road side near the entrance to the compound of a former Chairman of the Panadura Urban Council with a collection of stagnant water.

These have become the ideal breeding places for dengue and filaria mosquitoes. There is a Montessori School and Day Care Centre situated close to the heap of garbage.

The Home for the Elders is also situated on this road and inmates who go to the hospital for treatment has to pass the above stretch of road at much risk to their lives. Corrective measures should be taken by the Panadura Urban Council immediately to avoid a dengue epidemic among the residents living in this area and the children attending the school and those in the Day Care Centre as they are already faced with a health hazard.

In this connection, I wish to recall that I wrote under the above column which appeared in the Daily News of July 14 about the ‘Poor roads in Panadura town’ and that there is no proper surface drainage system.

While drawing the attention of the Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council he was requested to intervene and ensure that the repairs to the damaged roads are attended to, by the Urban Council without delay or in the alternative that steps be taken to have them repaired by the Provincial Road Development Authority but it is a matter for regret that no action has been so far taken in this regard. I reiterate the request already made and also that the repair work be expedited.

H.W. GOONESEKERA –
Panadura


Sirasa Superstar winner

The unjustified comments by Jennifer Van Twest over the ‘Sirasa Superstar selection’ published in your journal of November 3rd is irrational. Two singers out of the 12 finalists were selected/ voted by the people to vie for the Superstar title.

Both singers were talented and popular. But, Pradeep Rangana emerged as the winner and there is no doubt he was the right choice due to many reasons. Pradeep could sing classical songs as well as other songs expressively and well. For example, the classical song he had selected to sing, has become very popular after he sang it doing a great justice to the song sung by versatile singer Sunil Edirisinghe.

Surendra Perera is also a talented singer, but here religion didn’t come in to play. Most of the Buddhists voted for him.

Therefore, it’s unjustifiable to drag religion into the issue.

PADMA COLONNE -
Colombo 9

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