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It was very unfortunate that the country has to face a very sad
situation with bomb explosions everywhere by the LTTE. These explosions
were in existence even before the Ceasefire Agreement was abrogated by
the present Government.
During this period many leaders, innocent civilians, many in the
Government Forces and Police were killed by the LTTE terrorists.
The death toll of innocent civilians by the LTTE was very much higher
than the Government Forces and Police during this period are trying to
protect innocent civilians in those areas.
Successive Governments who ruled this country over the years took
various measures by negotiations and also with the Ceasefire Agreement
to solve this problem, but the LTTE violated everything since their main
agenda was for a separate State for the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
All peace loving citizens belong to all ethnic groups and religions
will not agree to a divided country.
At this juncture we need to decide whether it is necessary to
eradicate terrorism completely or allow this problem to continue for the
future generation as happened all these years.
Therefore all Sri Lankans irrespective of ethnicity or religion
should realise the fact that terrorism should be eradicated completely
to establish one sovereign country enabling all peace loving Sri Lankans,
especially for those who live in the Northern and Eastern provinces of
the country.
It is the responsibility of all those who love this country to extend
their fullest co-operation at a time when the present Government is
going all out to capture Northern Province after liberating Eastern
Province.
In considering this, I would like to focus the attention of everyone
as patriotic citizens of this country to extend their fullest
co-operation to the Forces and Police not to bring down their morale by
criticising the process of eradicating terrorism and also to be very
vigilant to prevent bomb explosions in the South.
ASOKA NAVARATNE -
USA
The Colombo University charges very high course fees for almost all
the professional and non-professional level English courses conducted
each year. English teachers serving at State schools were earlier
offered a free English course and many teachers were well benefited by
this opportunity.
But today everything and everybody has changed depriving the teachers
of such valuable opportunities.
Three years back I got selected for one of the ELT courses (Dip. in
ELT) at the Colombo University, but I could not get any opportunity to
follow any of these courses at all, as I did not have the money to
follow such courses.
I wonder how many others are facing the same plight and may have lost
the same opportunity due to financial difficulties.
I therefore request the Minister of Higher Education and the Colombo
University Authority to look into this grave problem in the ELT Unit and
make the necessary arrangements for the Government English language
teachers to learn or undergo the ELT programmes under some sort of
‘consolatory fees/charge policy’.
So that the Government schools are benefited in serving the community
in a more fruitful and result-oriented way.
H. L. SUNIL SHANTHA -
Kalutara
It is already late that we have not honoured him by naming either the
stretch of road between the Digarolla bridge Moratuwa and the Panadura
new bridge or the ‘New Galle Road’ from Moratuwa to Panadura as Pandit
W.D. Amaradeva Mawatha.
Koralawella is his hometown and naming a major road in this area in
his name will bring joy to him and to his hometown people.
Amaradeva is a living legend, so why not bestow this honour too.
JAYANTHA SAMARASINGHE –
Kotte
Global warming is fast taking its toll on the world and dark clouds
are gathering on the horizon. We should take measures to minimise an
impending disaster.
Man has only got to blame himself as his unending quest for more
comforts and luxuries will ultimately end in dire consequences for the
world. We should not wait till the Governments take precautionary
actions.
As individuals, we too can contribute something to minimise dangers
of global warming in a small way.
We should grow trees in our gardens which should be done in a
meaningful manner just growing trees is not enough. We should be
selective. It’s better to grow jak, mango, tamarind and other trees
which bear edible fruits. They serve several purposes.
I suppose we must start today to face the threat of global warming.
Concerned citizen
A spate of letters appeared in the English dailies requesting the
Ministry of Transport to improve bus route no. 167 from Thotalanga/Dehiwela
during the last few years.
But no action was taken to improve the services and finally not a
single bus for this commercially well developed stretch of road.
What makes us feel very sad to mention here is that when the service
was deteriorating before the scrapping of this service, two new State
buses were added to route no. 176 (Hettiyawatte Karagampitiya) which has
a bus every five minutes.
Among the suggestions made about the totally unsatisfactory service
of the no 167 bus route were as follows:
1. To shorten the journey from Thotalanga to Town Hall or
Bambalapitiya so that those who suffer without a bus along the
Bloemendhal Road could reach some point and get a bus to reach whatever
their destination.
2. To start a new route using Rosa buses from Thotalanga and ply via
Bloemendhal Road, Indoor Stadium, then to Prince of Wales Avenue, Armour
Street Junction, Mahavidyala Mawatha (Barber Street) Abdul Jabbar
Mawatha, Aluthkade, Hulftsdorf area, Pettah and to reach Fort.
Since the buses plying along the Hulftsdorf area too were stopped for
unknown reasons, this will serve a lot of commuters to reach their
required destinations.
For the information of the Minister of Transport, I wish to state
that one of the important byroads of Armour Street is Bloemendhal Road.
It has so many commercial establishments, Government institutions,
schools, stadiums and a considerable human population.
This subject will be new to the incumbent Minister as no letter has
appeared in regard to the non-existence of this no. 167 bus as most
probably the relevant writers would have got fed-up seeing no positive
results in the past.
I hope this letter would draw the attention of the Minister concerned
and that immediate action would be taken to solve this problem.
NAZLY CASSIM -
Colombo 13
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