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From the very inception of the idea to hold Local Government
elections in the Batticaloa District up to the day it was held, vicious
campaigns, may be LTTE-driven, may be NGO driven, may be politically
driven, were planned, organised and carried out prophesying dire
consequences on the run to this election.
The President came to the conclusion to hold the elections after
getting a thorough analysis done and having installed the necessary
strategies to face any critical situation.
His unshaken, steadfast and brave role-play in holding the Batticaloa
elections against all fearful possibilities, reminds us of one other
great international Statesman who played a similar brave role towards
the end of the last millennium.
He was none other than the late President De Gaulle of France.
It was the time when Algiers was under French rule and the people of
Algiers were uprising to get independence.
In the midst of this furore, after careful deliberation, he decided
to give independence to Algiers.
At that crucial time, a large number of French nationals had vested
interests in Algiers and they were pressurising the Government to
continue the Colony.
When they came to know about De Gaulle’s diehard decision to give
independence, they were up in arms.
They threatened De Gaulle not to grant independence and dare not come
to Algiers to give independence. De Gaulle said no.
“After very careful consideration, I have made a firm decision to
give independence to Algiers and I shall go to Algiers to give
independence”.
Against all deadly threats, he went to Algiers, grant independence
and came back to France unscathed. This was because De Gaulle, too, had
a fine team of dependable advisors and protectors.
President Rajapaksa’s current team of advisors is equally comparable.
It is an eminent team, strengthened by the brotherhood of his team of
brothers, often mocked and laughed at by his political adversaries.
This admixture enhances the integrity and dedication of the team both
infield and outfield.
R. DODAMPEGAMA -
Ratmalana
The Cost of Living has reached dizzy heights and continues to rise.
The most affected are those living in urban areas.
The opposition political parties are launching protests demanding
that prices be brought down. To stress their concern they are smashing
pots and breaking coconuts.
Such protests, as others before, will wither away in a short time
whilst the Cost of Living will continue to go up. Protests of that
nature will not bring relief to those affected. The Cost of Living went
up even during the previous Governments.
No Government will willingly allow the Cost of Living to rise knowing
that it makes the Government unpopular and historically we have been
defeating Governments and electing Governments to eat well.
Ours is an open economy. A Free Market is in operation.
It is not the Government that increases the prices but the corporate
sector mostly - the Free Market. Of course the taxes introduced by the
Government too have an impact.
The main opposition parties should therefore, in all responsibility,
propose ways and means to stem escalating prices. Should we not deviate
from the Free Market Economy and enforce price controls? Should we not
curb imports and help local products as India did at the start.
Will the Government decide to do so? Will the UNP, JVP and other
political parties support the Government towards that end?
Protests don’t bring down prices. Solutions only will.
UPALI S. JAYASEKERA -
Colombo 4
Minister of Health Nimal Siripala de Silva has requested the private
health sector to procure the medical specialists, medical officers and
paramedics from any source other than the public sector as he seems
genuinely interested in providing better healthcare to the public in the
process of upgrading medical services on the lines of Mahinda
Chinthanaya.
The Minister further advises the private health sector to increase
the bed strength to 60,000 to be on par with the public sector, so that
in the event of ‘Killing strikes’ by the GMOA, the patients could be
transferred from the Government hospitals.
However, the Minister could not find a way how these private
hospitals could find full time resident medical specialists and medical
officers to work at these hospitals. In this regard my proposals:
1. All foreign qualified doctors from recognised institutes to do
their post graduate degrees from the universities of their choice -
local or abroad and to choose the field of such specialised studies and
training. They should also be allowed to work at all corporate hospitals
before their PG programmes in order to give clinical experience.
2. The Sri Lanka Medical Council and the Post Graduate Institute of
Medicine should not be regulating, controlling or degree awarding for
such selected courses by foreign qualified Sri Lankan doctors.
Many of the foreign universities and medical colleges are more modern
and with the latest and advanced facilities and therefore it is
ridiculous for the local institutes which are academically and
technically backward, outdated to be the controlling bodies for the
private health sector.
3. Colleges for Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technology, Radiology,
Physiotherapy must be established in all provinces to produce the number
of such paramedics required for local needs and also for foreign
markets.
Private hospitals are generally expected to provide prompt and total
healthcare (without transferring back to Government hospital) by the
paying patients, but in Sri Lanka most of these private hospitals are
activated only after 4.30 p.m. with the arrival of the ‘transiting
specialists’ who offer ‘channelled consultations’ in a rush and their
show is mostly over by 9.30 or 10.30 p.m.
Most of the emergencies could not be attended by these specialists as
they are busy at the ‘channelled centres’ and they are not organised to
offer concerted, co-ordinated, interacted medical care at the shortest
time. Such delays are daily sweeping the precious lives of many and in
some instances irreparable disabilities to the patients.
Laws have been enacted through the unsuspecting Parliamentarians by
the medical sector to safeguard their monopoly, so that they could act
like mafia not in the best interests of the poor patients.
Now is the time for again the Parliamentarians to revoke and
introduce new laws wherever necessary to protect the interests of the
patients and for the private sector to develop without any interferences
by this mafia and only to be regulated and controlled by a specially
formulated group of experts in the medical field.
P. GEMUNU RAJAPAKSE -
Kitulgala
I refer to the recent letters which appeared in the Citizens’ Mail
sent by V.K. Wijeratne and H.W. Goonesekera.
As a one time Councillor and Chairman, I am personally very sorry
about the misfortune that has come to this once beautiful town. There
are reasons and very salient ones at that.
All local authorities have limited sources of revenue and in view of
this, the Government reimburses 70 per cent of the salaries of the
approved cadre in employment at the time and also pays the stamp fees
collected by the Land Registry on the deeds registered of the land
transfers of lands within the local authority area.
If any appointment is given and a salary paid outside the cadre
provisions, such salaries will not be eligible to receive the 70 per
cent reimbursement.
If cadre vacancies are not filled and temporary people employed
instead the 70 per cent reimbursement of such salary will also not be
given.
In the case of stamp fees, the Revenue Officer must direct a
responsible person to visit the Land Registry and obtain all relevant
details to make the claim for stamp fees due. If this is not properly
done, it is possible that the Council could receive less than what they
should actually get.
It is rumoured that well over Rs. 1 million is paid as salaries to
temporary staff who are given employment outside the cadre (not eligible
for salary re-imbursement). This has resulted in the council not having
funds to attend to even the day to day maintenance, leave aside
repairing roads and drains.
These temporary employees may or may not be entitled to be absorbed
as permanent cadre thus preventing the Council from receiving the salary
reimbursement.
Therefore, even the Divisional Secretary who now functions as the
special commissioner can do very little to rectify this present pathetic
situation in the Panadura UC.
ROHANA SOYSA -
Panadura
It is wonderful and natural instincts that birds and animals possess.
On the day of the Eqinox, March 22/23, the Sun is just over the
Equater and it travels towards the Nothern Hemisphere.
The present season gets hotter and hotter day by day.
During every change of weather or season, it is clearly noticed that
not only human beings, but birds and animals behave differently.
For example, a speciality among the Aluth Avurudhu(Cuckoos) is that
it begins to sound its sweet voice ‘Coo-Coo’, starting in the early
mornings and during the course of the day.
It may be so, till almost the last week of the month of May. Not only
do the birds behave curiously, even animals could predict any change in
the environment.
The way animals behave peculiarly before any earth tremor or volcanic
eruption is a case in point.
They run helter-skelter indicating the imminent dangers. Because of
pollution of the environment and air even tiny birds like house sparrows
are gradually decreasing in number, prematuraly disappeared or are
migrating to safer places.
It is sad that they are not seen in cities, towns and suburbs. As for
humans, we should all try to minimise pollution of the natural
atmosphere.
J. E. VETHANAYAGAM -
Moratuwa
When the next SAARC session was expected to be held in Kandy, we were
happy that at least some roads around Kandy would be repaired and
thereby the difficulties faced by the commuters be eased. Unfortunately,
the venue was shifted to Colombo.
Sangaraja Mawatha along the Kandy Lake by the side of Malwatta
Chapter temple, had been laid with a rubber carpet aggravating the
normal congestion for a few days. The traffic jam along this lake round
road in the mornings and evenings remains the same.
We wish the authorities concerned be kind enough to construct a
Flyover like the one already constructed at Kelaniya above the Kandy
Lake.
The Most Ven. Theras of Malwatta and Asgiriya would certainly endorse
this suggestion, I hope.
The local engineers may respond in advising the authorities concerned
in constructing the Flyover without hindering the scenic beauty and
historical surrounding of the Kandy Lake.
We are happy to have a Defence Spokesman like Minister Keheliya
Rambukwella from Kandy. As pointed out by another writer, are we bereft
of hope from the present day authorities in Kandy. Minister Rambukwella,
it is high time for you to spare a few days on matters involving your
constituents from Kandy.
TIKIRI BANDARA EKANAYAKE -
Ampitiya
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