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This refers to Rohana Soysa's clarification in Daily News of November
14. He seems to be unaware of the meaning 'on the spot'. Why visit the
post office, get photocopies, buy envelopes, stamps, register letters
keeping duplicates with us.
It is a sheer waste of money and time. Why can't the Police issue a
serial numbered sticker and collect the fine on the spot for traffic
offences. All police officers can leave police stations early morning
equipped with 50/100 stickers valued Rs. 500, 1000, 2000 etc. and issue
same according to the offence committed by the drivers, pedestrians,
pavement hawkers who invade roads, pavements, etc.
If these proposals are implemented (a) Government revenue will go up
by 100 per cent as drivers willingly buy the hassle free spot fine
sticker (b) Roads will be safer for other users (c) Drivers will be
disciplined (d) There will be less traffic cases in court houses (e)
worn out tyres, defective signal lights will be replaced by the vehicle
owners (f) Drivers will go through the road rules booklet again.
On the spot now means bribing the police officer and thereby robbing
the revenue due to the Government. I suggest to refund 10 per cent of
collection to police officers who issue stickers as an incentive
monthly. Police promotions may also linked to the number of detections/
sale of stickers by the officers.
KANCHANA PERERA
My wife who was having an E.N.T. problem went to the E.N.T. Clinic
last week and was refused attention without a letter from the doctor
concerned, failing which she was asked to first register herself and get
a later date to come to the clinic.
This means first she has to channel the relevant doctor and get his
recommendation to go to the clinic.
This is very unfair and inhuman on the poor patients, who cannot
afford to do so. Please take immediate action to prevent this type of
malpractices in the future.
M. K. Ariyadasa,
Kadawatha
This is to express concern that the Kolonnawa Urban Council has so
far failed to provide a storm water drainage system at Pirivena Road.
Whenever there is a heavy downpour, storm water overflows on to the
road and many houses go under water, and the road too is damaged.
As I see it, it is due to the failure of the technical officers of
the UC to provide a mechanism to arrest the copious flow of earth (top
soil) from the hillock beyond, into the large drain running alongside
the Youth Council Technical (Vocational) College.
From the College up to the Lankaloka Pirivena, the drain alongside is
always filled with earth and drain water overflows.
In addition, the drain opposite is shallow and should be deepened a
length of about hundred feet.
Will the Kolonnawa Urban Council give attention to this matter and
take appropriate action? I wonder!
DOUGLAS EDIRISINGHE,
Kolonnawa
As you are aware that an infringement of fundamental rights
guaranteed under Article 12(1) of the Constitution has been caused from
1984 against which my appeal to the President, Prime Minister, Minister
of Public Administration and the Minister of Health and their letters
numbering 33, 28, 14 and 4 respectively instructing you to look into the
matter and finalise the matter had not cause action yet, a violation of
the International Code of Conduct for public officials Resolution 52/59
of 12.12.1996 and the Protection of Elder's Rights Act No. 09 of 2000.
You may be aware of the Establishment Code Chapter XXVIII, Section
3:8 (1) any communication received from a member of the public or
another Government Department should be replied promptly, in cases where
it is not possible to send a formal and an accurate reply immediately,
an interim reply should be sent within one week of receipt of the
communication.
However, the final reply should be sent within four weeks. (iii)
where a policy decision is necessary before a reply can be sent to any
communication, it should be referred immediately to the Secretary of the
relevant Ministry for instruction.
Your attention is also drawn to Establishment Code Chapter XLVII,
Section 3:8 under courtesy to public.
You are also aware that the agreement reached between the Ombudsman
and you on 19.08.2002 had been dishonoured and also default in appearing
before the Human Rights Commission on all three times summoned.
Hope this open letter may cause action since the matter is dragging
on wrongfully from 1984.
M. CHANDRAN,
Kandy
Apropos the article that appeared in page seven of the Daily News on
October 25 on the above subject.
The writer concludes his article as follows: "the truth would be to
identify self as unconditioned, eternal and irreducible, for this is the
existence within which phenomena are realised."
According to early Buddhism there is only one element regarded as
unconditioned, that is Nibbana.
Regarding Anatta, the Buddha made a very clear explanation of it in
the Anatta lakkana sutta, the second sermon delivered by the Buddha.
The impact of this sermon was so profound that the five monks who
listened to it became Arhants. Anicca dukka and anatta -the three
signata , are the fundamentals on which the Buddha based his doctrine.
It would be of interest for readers to know what was said about
attavada by late Dr. G. P. Malalasekera, in his article on - Truth of
Anatta - (Wheel Publication No. 94 and Encyclopedia of Buddhism).
"All Buddhist schools without exception have rejected the attavada or
the doctrine which teaches the idea of a surviving personality ofsome
sort, a psycho-physical entity.
"What in the view of the Buddha's disciples, he did consider
permanent is stated in the Sarvasthivada version of the Anatta lakkana
sutta which begins: "Form has the nature of the destructible and with
its cessation is Nirvana which is of indestructible nature " and so on
with each of the five Skandas (Avadana Sataka. 248)".
Thinnasaro bhikku, whom the writer has referred to in his article ,
has the following observation to make regarding this subject in his book
-The Wings to Awakening- page 159.
"What then of the well known Buddhist teaching on not-self? However
it seems safe to assume that if one tries to draw inferences from his
statements to give either a categorical answer (no there is noself, or
Yes there is) or and analytical answer (it depends on how youdefine
self) to a question that the Buddha showed by example shouldnot be asked
or answered, one is drawing inferences where theyshould not be drawn".
MANTRIRATNA PANDITHA
You have let down your own schools - Mahinda and Ananda very badly.
You have also disgraced Mother Lanka in toto.
You are mature enough to know what you should speak, to whom you
should speak, and where you should speak.
You have toured Australia several times. Most of your maternal
relatives live there, and I suppose, do read newspapers.
You should have definitely known that Australian cricketers, and most
of the Australian spectators, are unfriendly to us. After Sri Lanka
thrashed the Australians in 1996, at the World Cup finals, this
situation was aggravated.
At any cost, Australians did not want Muralitharan to surpass Shane
Warne's world record of 708 wickets, especially before an Australian
audience. The Australian media had been looking for sensational cricket
news whenever possible.
You swallowed the bait. You started washing dirty linen in public.
You criticised Asantha de Mel - the Chairman of the Selectors.
You have let the Sri Lanka Board of Selectors down, and made them an
international laughing stock.
You are a reputed cricketer. Hence you are supposed to be a
sportsman.
You should have never called De Mel a 'Joker', and the Selection
Committee, 'Muppets'.
You should have taken your problems to a different forum back at
home, without airing them in a country like Australia.
You should thank your stars, for not being recalled home immediately.
You have dug your own grave.
ANANDA JAYASENA,
Boralesgamuwa
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