Daham Pasal play major role in creating just and fair society - Minister Prof. Peiris

The Daham Pasala had to play a major role in creating a fair, just and compassionate society and to reduce the number of killings, brutalities, rapes and other acts of corruption prevalent in society, bringing back the death sentence or the passing of draconian laws alone wouldn’t be helpful, said Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris at a meeting held recently, at Malabe Divisional Secretariat.

He said it would be too simplistic solution for such a convoluted situation as it existed in Sri Lanka today. Inculcation of human values and other norms that had been very much a part of our culture had to be embarked upon the Daham Pasalas could be an ideal vehicle for such an exercise, said Prof. Peiris.

At this meeting, items and financial grants worth Rs. 2.7 million from the Decentralised Budget allocation of Prof. G.L. Peiris was distributed among Daham Pasalas, preschool, sport clubs and for the promotion of self-employment opportunities in the Kaduwela electorate.

Prof. Peiris stressed the need for moral uplift of society to proceed parallel to progress made in economic and material spheres.

While a huge social break down could be witnessed in the Sri Lankan society today, it would be important to understand it within its proper context and thus consider appropriate measures to check the decline. On a long term basis, the Daham Pasalas could be the starting point to mould a more understanding, compassionate and cultured child who in time to come, would fill the ranks of its citizenry.

He also said that due to the competitive nature that prevailed in our modern society, acquiring of wealth played the major role to the detriment of ethical behaviour or the observance of social and cultural norms.

Parents were more interested in sending the child to a Sunday tuition class rather than to a Daham Pasala, so that he or she could fit in more effectively into the rat race.

This balance between the spiritual and social advancement on the one hand and economic progress on the other, had to be brought back to society.

Admitting that the Government was spending a colossal amount of money on the present war effort, Prof. Peiris said that still various development projects such as Uma Oya, Kerawalapitiya, Norochcholai, Upper Kotmale, Sapugaskanda, Moragahakande continued to be funded.

Even in the field of education a lot of funds had been allocated to prioritize the teaching on information technology, computer science and English in the country.

From the sum of Rs. 2.7 million allocated for the Kaduwela electorate by Prof. Peiris, Rs. 1 million would be spent on a project to grow mushrooms by 25 families in the Talahena area while desks and plastic chairs were donated to Daham Pasalas in the area. Furthermore steel cupboards and sport equipment were also donated to pre-schools and sports clubs respectively.

The whole programme had been organised under the direction of Tharanga Nalin Gamlath Co-ordinating Secretary to Prof. Peiris.

Ven. Kandugoda Gnanawimala Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Sankapitti Raja Maha Viharaya Kaduwela, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, Western Provincial Council Minister Hector Bethmage, Councillor Western Provincial Council Raja Balasuriya, Divisional Secretary Malabe U.K.S. Mindukulasuriya, Jagath Kumara, Vice Chairman, Kaduwela Pradeshiya Sabha and Manoj Bethmage also spoke.