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I refer to the lucidly written article by Dr. D.P. Athukorale under
the above caption. Quite rightly he considers it the duty of members of
his profession to help the sick and injured.
Dr. Athukorale refers to several cases of terrorism outside this
country, engineered by members of that noble profession. Dear doctor why
go that far, for our GMOA all of a sudden takes the decision to go on an
all island strike. Their behaviour in a way is very close to that of a
terrorist organisation.
True, they do not use fire arms but by their despicable behaviour,
they kill so many, particularly the old and the feeble and little
children. The poorest of the poor are put to terrible inconvenience.
Among doctors, there is a pernicious erosion of good habits and a
gradual lack of confidence of our people against them.
These young doctors follow the consultants who often lecture in the
medical schools and the bad habits of the consultants are trickling
down.
C.P. Mendis writing on doctors’ dress refers to a consultant in a
private hospital demanding a fee of Rs. 5000. Apparently the hospital
had finished the issuing of numbers for that day. It is a stark fact
that it is a form of terrorism for the anxious and critically ill
patient had no other alternative but to pay. The young doctors are only
following their peers.
The clinical aptitude tests use in the UK and referred to by Dr.
Athukorale to identify who may not be fit to join the medical profession
will never work in this country as we are reeling with bribery and
corruption.
The consultants today except for a very small minority are very
different from Dr. Athukorale. Sometime back I had to take my father to
him.
He not only explained to me in detail as to what is wrong with him
but at the end of it gave several tablets which he probably got as
samples. Most of the present day consultants are only interested in
gathering and avalanche of money.
Today the consultants have no time to explain to a patient what
exactly is wrong with him. In fact quite recently, a consultant told me
not to ask questions as he had a long waiting list to clear.
In case I wanted clarification he suggested that I come on some other
day. Immediately in front of him I was opprobrious and decided to tare
the prescription and vanish from the consultant’s room. Both he and the
nurse assisting him were shocked.
Finally let me frankly bring to the notice of the Minister of Health
and Nutrition that there is a steady erosion of good habits among the
doctors which appear to be on the increase.
For instance, is he going to allow the consultants to charge a fee of
Rs. 15,000 or Rs. 25,000 for a consultation while at the same time
drawing the Government salary and having a ward in a hospital. The day
is not very far when the intelligent patients will organise themselves
into a powerful group to revolt at the present set up.
P. S. FERNANDO
Over four days our neighbourhood and many others have been subject to
constant noise from fire crackers disturbing the infants and the elderly
and creating misery among the household pets.
Ear splitting bangs seem to bring joy to some, especially the
adolescents who are growing up to be selfish and self-centered citizens.
Is it not possible to apply the recent legislation on noise pollution
to this menace? Since bans and Police interventions seem to have little
or no effect on our society, an awareness programme on the subject may
be more sensible.
Maybe the media takes a lead on this subject.
MALSIRI DIAS – Colombo
Residents of Regent Flats are ever grateful and would like to record
our thanks to the Sri Lanka Airforce Fire Brigade.
The Colombo Fire Brigade and police for the prompt and efficient
service rendered at the time the fire broke out in the building’s meter
room.
Due to their efficiency and kindness our homes and lives were saved
and we cannot thank them adequately. A big thank you too to passerby M.
Mohamed who contacted the Airforce on his mobile phone and to others who
assisted in every way possible.
REGENT FLAT RESIDENTS – Colombo
According to a letter dated December 7, sent by the Kandy Divisional
Secretary to all pensioners in Kandy, pensioners have been strictly
warned that the payment of their monthly pensions from January 2008 will
be stopped immediately if they fail to submit a Life Certificate issued
by the Grama Sevaka to the effect that a particular pensioner is among
the living.
All pensioners are very agitated as this rule seems to be utterly
unwarranted because at the point of the payment of the monthly pension
the paying officer, in whatever capacity he is functioning, has to
satisfy himself that the pensioner himself places his or her signature
to testify to the receipt of the pension.
It is common sense that nowhere in the world can a pensioner who has
ceased to be alive, place his signature before any paying officer.
Meanwhile whenever a pension is paid through his or her bank account,
all banks will not pay the pension unless they are satisfied that a
particular pensioner is among the living.
In the same letter, all pensioners who require the monthly pension
voucher are called upon to make a payment (unknown) to the Kandy
Divisional Secretary’s office. Isn’t it a real harassment of the poor
pensioners to force them to pay the Government merely to know what one’s
monthly pension is.
With the high Cost of Living, making them to pay for such a simple
official thing as the issue of a pension voucher once a month amounts to
fleecing the pensioners.
Upto now the payment of pensions and the issue of the monthly pension
vouchers have been carried out smoothly for which we are ever grateful
to the Government and its good officers.
However, due to the haphasard implementation of the above decisions
by the Kandy District Secretary and the Director of Pensions, all
pensioners are put to a great stress and inconvenience.
On the other hand specially at a time when the present Government is
trying its best to bring some relief and solace to the country’s
pensioners’, the above ill-considered decisions directly contribute to
putting the Government and all those in power into great unpopularity
and scorn.
We hope and pray that the Minister of Public Administration and the
President would intervene early to bring a better sense to the
Divisional Secretary, Kandy and the Director of Pensions.
CONCERNED PENSIONER – Kandy
The Ambassador designate to Saudi Arabia A.A.M. Marleen’s proposal to
establish a migrant workers registry of the 500,000 expatriate workers
in Saudi Arabia will be a stupendous task involving a heavy financial
burden.
Further, it will be a time consuming exercise, what benefit does he
expect from this project? Has he given due consideration to the cost
benefit analysis of this brain-child of his.
Further, it will be a superfluous exercise as much of the information
will be available with the Foreign Employment Bureau Sri Lanka. Problems
are bound to occur and some especially house-maids may be the most
vulnerable.
In any case, such problems have to be brought to the notice of the
Embassy to enable it to act. Hence, is there a need for such a data base
which entails such heavy cost and man-hours.
It is not unusual for the Ambassadors designate to announce grandiose
ideas and schemes which they promise to execute on assuming duties.
It will be in the best interest of the country, if they refrain from
seeking publicity by proposing ill conceived and impracticable projects
without adequate study and research and consultation with those
knowledgeable and experienced in these fields.
MOHAMMED UDUMAN LEBBE
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