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I notice the Daily News very often carry advertisements with a hot
line for the public to report child abuse to a child protection
authority.
This is highly appreciated. But I wish to inform any interested
authority that as a result of this advert, I tried to report such a case
but miserably failed in my efforts because of the indifference shown by
the officers at the receiving desk of this Child Protection Authority.
A few weeks ago while I was travelling, I noticed a beggar woman
seated by the edge of the road sending a small child of about four years
to the cars to beg. (The cars that were lined up at the signal lights).
This happened on the road by the side of Kanatte which begins from
Barney Raymonds undertakers connecting to the Castle Street Colombo 8. I
called the hot line at this Center (as I had it saved in my mobile) but
the officer at the other end with his rude ‘Not caring’ attitude first
kept me on hold and then with a tone which conveyed ‘you are a nuisance’
wanted my details and then wanted details of the woman including her
address.
I tried to explain the whereabouts but he didn’t even appear to know
the roads and was not interested in the information at all. To my
annoyance and disappointment, he hung up whilst I was trying to report
this case of child abuse.
Later I called one of the the heads of the Child Protection Authority
to inform him of the failure I had in trying to make a complaint and I
wanted to suggest that they have a courteous person who is concerned
about child protection at the desk to take down complaints from the
concerned public.
My whole purpose in this exercise was to cooperate with the
objectives of the authority, and ask them to be more caller friendly and
interested in the complaints which they daily seek from the public,
which will help them function more meaningfully and effectively.
But it was another sad experience. He got annoyed with my complaint
and hung up.
I have seen enough of beggars carrying children (mostly others’) to
gain sympathy while begging. If this so-called authority is really
interested in child protection, they have only to send some officers to
move about in the city to note this.
I have also heard of beggars adding Kerosene to milk to make the
children to fall asleep so they can do their begging uninterrupted. Is
this not child abuse? After this treatment from the Child Protection
Authority I got as an enthusiastic civic minded member of the public, I
will not make any further calls to that no. again. Wonder how many more
have gone through the same experience as myself?
BRIAN DE SILVA – Kelaniya
Old entrants in the public service may remember the Blue Book
introduced in the 1960s which was used for maintaining records from the
date of appointment up to the stage of retirement of officers.
This book contained the details of the officer’s salary steps placed
from time to time specially after salary conversions, transfers made
with dates and new place of work, details of promotions, releases on
secondment and on full time basis, punishments imposed etc.
All entries in this book were authenticated by the respective Head of
Institution or by officers authorised to act on his behalf.
The purpose of introducing the Blue Book was to utilise it in the
absence of personal files and history sheets as all vital information
was available in this book in addition to the entries and documents
available in the personal file.
From the 1950s up to about the 1970s officers in the clerical and
allied services were subjected to frequent transfers which were mostly
to outstations like Moneragala, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna etc. and their
personal files too had to be dispatched to such places and in this
process, these files were found to be misplaced as they were not
properly handled.
There were serious difficulties faced by Government employees when
they reached the stage of retirement owing to the difficulty in tracing
their personal files. Introduction of this book was immensely helpful
specially in the preparation of pension papers in such instances.
The Blue Book is not known to the present generation in public
service and they may gladly welcome, if it is re-introduced. As this is
not a confidential document like the personal file, it could be kept
safely by the officer himself.
This book will be immensely helpful for the Government as well as for
the officer concerned and after retirement, it could be used by the
officer as a service record.
U.G. RODRIGO – Panadura
As a bus commuter plying up and down from Thimbirigasya to Eye
Hospital and back for work, for several years, I got the surprise of my
life, when a young boy offered me his seat for the first time in several
years on this route.
After coming back to my normal senses out of this shock, I profusely
thanked him for his noble act and gave due credit to his parents for
inculcating such good manners.
I am a retired engineer of 69-years-old, having aches, pains and
other usual discomforts associated with this age.
However till today, out of so many young people who travelled in
these buses, comfortably seated and enjoying their rides happily did not
care to look at this old man’s face and offer the seat while he was
precariously balancing himself hanging on to the bar, and trying to
prevent the contents of his bag spilling over to some other’s lap at the
slightest jerk of the bus when negotiating each corner and bump on the
road.
I can remember when I was young and energetic, while travelling to
Tissa, Kantale or Trincomalee, I volunteered to offer my seat to any
elderly person, lady, pregnant or otherwise.
It was this upbringing and manners which we cannot see in today’s
society.
Our parents and teachers taught us to respect the elderly when we
were young.
We were really happy to offer the seat and travel the whole distance
standing, if there were no vacant seats. But today the new generation is
entirely different.
They do not care for the comfort of the other.
Some people blame this for the Open Economic Policy for destroying
all values.
I do not blame the young people for this tragedy.
It is the fault of the either the parents or the teachers who are
responsible for this pathetic state of affairs. Good morals of old days
are gone.
There is heavy competition in all aspects of life.
Children are trained to outsmart the other at any cost.
Unless we take a serious view of this situation and take immediate
action to reverse the order at the highest level, social norms that
existed in the past will deteriorate beyond recovery leading our country
and society to disaster.
I appeal to all sensible politicians, legislators, administrators,
educationists and religious dignitaries to accept this challenge and act
immediately to save our generation from its lethargy and selfishness.
P. MUTUKUMARANA – Thimbirigasyaya
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