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This is the current topic today and the ‘pet word’ of Opposition
politicians. They planned to topple the Government by organising an
island-wide general strike but invain.
In a democratic system like ours, Trade Unions representing various
spheres of trade, business, services affiliated to various political
entities, have all the right to fight for their just and reasonable
rights and dues.
This does not in any way mean that workers must resort to strikes at
every turn - even the very trivial or minor issue like a disciplinary
action or transfer of a colleague.
Taking the country’s Trade Union leadership today - none appear to be
from the working class, but from the elite society.
One wonders if they are actually representing the masses or their own
selfish gains? It appears that in Sri Lanka, the so-called Trade Union
leaders are all living ultra modern supra-luxury lives at the cost of
poor workers’ monthly subscriptions.
Though our Trade Union leaders are very capable of making a flimsy
issue, a massive task and to instigate the poor worker to strike, all
their off-spring are either studying or living abroad in capitalist
countries like the States, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Australia etc.
They are - needless to say - spendthrifts when it comes to
entertainment, night clubs, dances and other types of bashes, while
their fathers here pretend to be the saviours of the poor masses
shedding crocodile tears and pretending to fight for the poor workers’
rights.
There was the recent hullabaloo that the CEB engineers were to go on
strike putting the country into a ‘total blackout’ demanding two main
claims, viz. (i), the Chairman of the CEB removed from office forthwith
and (ii), the CEB engineers should be given Duty Free Car permits. What
happened? Hilarious......
The President summoned a meeting of leaders of the CEB Engineering
Trade Union with top public sector officials in attendance and after
long deliberations both these demands were dropped, but they agreed on
some other trivial issues.
Earlier and most unfortunately for us, two of the most sacred and
venerated services - i.e. Health and Education sectors struck work on
several occasions demanding certain claims at the risk of the life of
poor patients and the future of our children.
The word ‘Strike’ was taboo in these two sectors during our times and
it is with deep and profound veneration that we even today remember and
respect our doctors and teachers.
On a very negligible issue when doctors and nurses of the Ratnapura
Hospital struck work recently, it resulted in at least three deaths.
These Trade Unionists think no end of themselves. They are a law unto
themselves. They forget that it was the general masses and the taxpayer
of the country who financed their education for them to occupy top seats
such as Governors, Ministers, Deputies, MPs etc. and the poor worker has
to regularly subscribe and this money is deducted off their pay-sheet
towards the upkeep of the posh trade union offices and for the sojourns
of their office-bearers on the pretext of conferences, seminars,
workshops etc.
The JVP whose hands are thickly stained in blood and mud (take the
two insurrections in April 1971 and 1989 when well over a hundred
thousand youth, Armed Forces personnel and civilians had to pay with
their dear lives) are now showing themselves as saints and saviours of
the suffering masses.
The leader of the Trade Union Federation who is a JVP MP who used to
shed crocodile tears for the poor worker is himself living in a
superluxury up-stair house at Sinhapura, Battaramulla overlooking the
Parliamentary complex.
He has several ultra-modern super-luxury vehicles for his travel and
that of his wife and family - all at taxpayers’ cost. And these are the
bankrupt politicians who try to instigate the innocent poor worker to
strike whilst the MR Government is going on a full scale strategic war
to finish off 28 years of carnage despite many adversaries and our brave
Armed Forces are gaining victory after victory in the Northern front.
Both the UNP and the JVP know pretty too well that if MR can finish
off this cancer of LTTE terrorism for good, their chances of winning
back the masses and coming to power is very remote.
That is why they are conniving with some sections of the
International Community with vested interests, several INGOs and NGOs
together with our own Peace Mongers by the likes of Vasudeva Nanayakkara,
Wickremabahu Karunaratne, Kumar Rupesinghe, Ajit Rupesinghe, Pakyasorthy
Saravanamutthu, Jayasuriya etc. and the UNP - JVP combine who are
forever crying that we are on an ‘un-winnable war’ and ‘Sri Lanka is a
failed State’.
People of Sri Lanka are no fools and that is why recent general
strike was a total failure.
RANJIT C. DISSANAYAKE
– Battaramulla
The hometown famous for sportsmen, furniture and music has always
been producing the best. Bishan Bedi the world famous Indian spinner
mentioned recently that young Ajantha Mendis is a very rare find, as
each delivery of his is completely different from the other and his
actions are clean.
This great spinner who is only 23 years old has a great way to go, as
he has already topsy-tervied the international cricket arena with his
scintillating deliveries.
The land of the kangaroos must be having sleepless nights after the
Asia Cup final, as they simply cannot stomach a good bowler being
produced from the sub-continent.
They will be gunning for his actions in order to cut short and
destroy his career. I have very good reasons for this as Abdul Qadir,
Shoaib Akthar, Muttiah Muralitharan, Harbajan Singh and Anil Kumble were
all subjected to harassment when their performances was good.
Their media and Hair who doesn’t even know the exact number of hairs
in his scalp, must be plotting and scheming as to what step they should
next take.
The President of the Cricket Board and our media should get ready
with all their ammunition in the event they come out against Ajantha
Mendis’ bowling actions.
If they are unable to find fault with his action they would like to
know whether his fingers are short or whether his arm is bent, and if
that is also not a possibility of gunning him, they would like to know
whether he was a still born child?
Bishan Bedi says Mendis is a freak and that is why he is so good. He
also mentions that you can watch computers all you want, but he doesn’t
know English. So how will get him to talk.
I personally feel this is a great blessing in disguise, as no one
should mess around with his natural talent.
He should be left as he is, because once he gets the ability to talk
to everyone coaches all over the world who seem obsessed with
correctness will definitely spoil his natural and inborn talents? Over
to you Arjuna Ranatunge, cricket is in your safe hands, and it is your
bounden duty to safeguard this rare national asset.
LI KUANG SHU
– Kandy
A rapist and murderer of a 12-year village girl was not apprehended
by the police in spite of his hiding place known by the police of the
area. Why was it not done? Could it be obviously due to ‘something’
either by an influential ‘mudalali’ of the area or ‘pressure’ of a
politician of any party.
Imagine the suffering and anguish of that ‘tender flower’ that was
crushed by that brute. The girl is no more. If one pictures the grief of
the parents and the kith and kin of the victim, one will feel to peel
the skin of that tormentor. Yet, no police officer was valiant enough to
venture for justice. May be none of them, a father of a girl. Is the
life of a poor so cheap?
Let merits be showered to the ‘Action TV’ by which the Top Cops swung
into action and the murderer was arrested promptly. I would not mind
even if the murderer is freed sans a case being filed but to impose
deterrent damnation (without the normal punishment of a transfer) to
those police officers who willfully neglected their duties in this case.
Above all, it is imperative to investigate the motive behind this case
for not arresting the wanted man by the area police officers.
While the citizens depend on the Government for their survival, they
also rely upon the police to live with security for their life
anticipating Law and Order to be maintained without favouring anyone.
While most of the police officers are honest and duty conscious, some
await for bribes, aid and abet the criminals, act wickedly against the
innocent who go to the station, visit illicit liquor booths, lick the
boots of politicians and ‘mudalalis’ and the like. In many instances the
people have found that they are in the wrong shop in regard to their
area police stations.
The Ministry of Defence should deodorise the odour that emanates from
the Police Department because of some bad eggs before it turns putrid
completely.
NAZLY CASSIM
- Colombo 13
The Daily News report indicated that Bernard Gunatilake, Sri Lanka
Ambassador to the USA and S.B. Atugoda, Sri Lanka Ambassador to Qatar
are returning home. Of course both were redeployed after official
retirement.
Both of them have served in many countries and Ambassador Gunatilake
served at critical times as head of the Peace Secretariat while holding
Ambassadorship in China. Ambassador Atugoda had the reputation for his
committed services to Sri Lankans at a time of crisis, when the Kuwait
war broke out.
As a citizen who had been serving abroad for over 20 years, I know
both of them well and wish to indicate that they are excellent
ambassadors. Both were very helpful to Sri Lankans living abroad.
They are truly knowledgeable and dignified ambassadors who could
represent Sri Lanka at the highest level where Sri Lankans could always
depend on the outcome of any negotiation.
It is difficult to find diplomats of such high calibre and the
Foreign Minister is wise, if their experience is further utilised.
Both are in good health and fit to go for another round. I wish them
well and salute both of them for their excellent services to our nation.
DR. UPALI M. SEDERE
For about 1 1/2 months, I have gone to the Colombo South Teaching
Hospital Physiotherapy clinic at Kalubowila for physiotherapy in the
mornings. The staff of the clinic look after their patients in a very
kind and humane manner as if they were their own brothers and sisters,
or patients as their parents. The attitude adopted by the staff enables
the patients to get well sooner than expected.
Most of the patients who come to the clinic are elderly people. The
only drawback is that only two benches are available for seating
purposes. Most of the patients are packed in the corridor and have to
scramble to get inside. Others find it very difficult to walk through
this corridor.
After this hectic struggle is over, when patients go to the
dispensary to obtain their medicines, it is one big struggle again.
Although there is one queue for elders, they have to wait for over an
hour to obtain their drugs.
It would be great if the required facilities could be provided to
enable these employees discharge their duties happily and
enthusiastically.
CLINTON MENDIS
– Moratuwa
Although I am an elderly person, I, along with my wife, watch the
‘Sirasa Dancing Star’ programme which is telecast on Saturdays and
Sundays at 9 p.m. since I am a great lover of all fine arts which
include music and dancing.
This programme and also the ‘Sirasa Super Star’ programmes
(forgetting the commercial side of it) give an enormous impetus and a
helping hand to the young talented people to come to the limelight to
show their colours in their respective fields.
But I noticed a very unfortunate thing in the programme telecast on
Sunday 29.06.2008 in that, a contestant was eliminated for the second
time. The Sirasa authorities, may be with the best of intentions, gave
an unprecedented second chance to a few eliminated contestants to show
their colours and for one of them to get selected to enter the fray once
again.
Very unfortunately it was that versatile and very talented young
contestant - Nehara who became the victim. I strongly feel that it is
not fair by her to get eliminated when in fact she deserved to go ahead.
But one can argue and say that it was the verdict of the general
public who voted through SMS. Voting in this manner can be biased
depending on attachment and not solely on the performance of the
contestants and their suitability in all respects.
Quite frankly, I have never seen Nehara except on TV. I do not know
her personally nor do I know even anyone connected to her. I am only a
complete outsider who views this popular programme regularly and admires
young talent in action.
I do not know the yard stick actually used by those who voted through
SMS but I can frankly say without any bias whatsoever, that she is
suitable in every respect to go ahead in the programme.
Nehara is highly talented for her age, very pleasant and attractive.
Its a treat to the eye and ear to see her perform and hear her speak.
Without mincing her words she answers all the questions posed to her,
very intelligently. She looks very kind and gentle and anger, animosity
and crest fallenness are far away from her, I noted.
She took up both victory and defeat equally well in god spirit with a
very genuine smile which was always there right through and I personally
feel that she is the uncrowned queen of the whole programme. This letter
is written with best of intentions to encourage young talent and to
offer praise where it richly deserves.
R.S.
– Ratmalana
On Friday June 30 at about 1.20 p.m. I was watching a TV programme by
Dr. Harischandra, the honoured psychiatrist.
It was a ‘real life’ drama of inexpressible value as it displayed a
rare incident, gave a rare experience to the viewers as a whole.
It exposed the ‘taming of a spirit’ who disrupted the normal life of
a young girl. It was really fascinating and entrancing.
No words can tell the worth of such ‘real life’ drama, to modern
society, running after myths, through ignorance of the truth.
Dear sir, you revealed the shortest correct path, to those who are
straying in the jungle. You are really a God! These ‘real life’ dramas
bring great consolation to the worried minds.
What we see today in most tele-dramas, are immoral behaviour and
family disputes ending in crime and murder. Of course such dramas are
very popular, but they only disrupt the healthy mental state of the
young and lead them along the wrong path.
Dear sir, may you live longer and longer to teach these priceless
lessons and cure these miserable mental patients.
A.N.
- Galle
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