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So far much attention is being paid to destruction of mosquito
breeding places. Another area that needs close attention is the Dengue
patient. Mosquito carries the virus from the dengue patient to the
healthy person. If mosquito biting the Dengue patient is prevented, then
the disease will not spread. Dengue infectious period is less than one
week. To isolate the patient from mosquito for one week is fairly easy.
There is only about ten thousand such patients in whole island.
Patients should be protected with mosquito nets and mosquito repellents,
should have adequate clothes to cover the body surface exposed to bites.
Houses they live could be provided with mosquito nets in the windows
openings and the doors kept closed, so that the mosquitoes coming into
the house is controlled. Inside the house should be sprayed with
suitable insecticides.
The patient should not go out of the house. All these have to be done
only for one week without leaving any chance for mosquito to bite.
Another aspect is the early identification of the disease. Any one
who is having symptoms similar to dengue should have a blood test
immediately. Facilities should be provided for this in the closest
hospital.
If the blood test identify the disease as the virulent type that is
the Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, intensive care is necessary for the
patient. Careful nursing and disease management is necessary.
Protection against mosquito bites has to be enhanced to prevent
spread. Till the epidemic subsides people may move about with adequate
clothing to cover the body surface to minimize mosquito attack.
Repellents such as Citronella oil can also be applied should minimize
mosquito entry to their houses by having nets and repellents. At the
same time destruction of mosquito breeding places should be done.
L. Jayasundera - Peradeniya
Certain relief measures introduced by the Government for the ultimate
benefit of the masses do not sometimes percolate down.
The fuel subsidy for the three-wheelers announced in the last budget
with the objective of offering some relief to the travelling public who
tend to use three-wheelers for getting about, is one such instance.
I hope the said subsidy is now in operation; if so it does not appear
to have had any effect on the exorbitant fares charged by the
three-wheeler operators.
They continue to fleece the travelling public with the same
exorbitant fares or even higher. When questioned they have all kinds of
excuses; one of the main arguments being that the fuel subsidy goes to
the owner or the Mudalali so to say.
It is too much to expect fair play by the three-wheeler fraternity
most of whom plying these vehicles are not the owners but drivers who
have hired the vehicles on the basis of a daily rental.
As such, the argument that the subsidy benefits the owner may be
correct but it could be resolved by the owner by adjusting the rental a
little downward to balance with the fuel subsidy.
This fuel subsidy scheme will not benefit the travelling public at
all unless fare meters are made compulsory in all three-wheelers plying
for hire. If it cannot be enforced it would be much better to
discontinue the scheme and allocate that money also to the CTB, CGR or
private bus operators to improve their services.
The CTB, CGR and PB operators normally reduce fares whenever ordered
to do so by the Government or the Transport Commission under whose
direction and supervision they operate, where as the three-wheelers do
not come under any body’s authority.
As such it is fruitless to introduce any relief measures which cannot
be effectively enforced.
This fuel subsidy scheme was in anyway a little premature since the
public were already beginning to resist high fares by avoiding
three-wheeler travel as far as possible.
P. G. A. Henry - Matara
Indians say that the national flag is their symbol of national
solidarity. It consists of three stripes of three different colours. At
the top the saffron colour stands for sacrifice, the white colour in the
centre denotes truth and purity. The bottom green colour represents
prosperity. Then a wheel of a dark blue colour in the centre signifies
continuous movement and progress.
It tells us that movement is life and stagnation is death. It is
further said that their national flag is their pride and pleasure. It is
said that every Indian is prepared to shed every drop of his or her
blood to save the honour of the national flag of their country.
How have we designed our national flag after gaining our political
independence in 1948, one year after India?
D.E. Abeyweera - Kelaniya
As the Prime Minister very correctly stated in Parliament on June 9,
there are still embers of terrorism which might flare up in future. Here
is one such ember which is an extract from a news item which appeared in
the website of the Asian Tribune on June 10, 2009 written by Gopal Ethir.
“Sri Lanka Tamil Rehabilitation conference organized by Tamil Centre
on Monday - Dr. Boyle, Professor of International Law at University of
Illinois College of Law said he was sure the Government of Sri Lanka
committed genocide of Tamils from January 2009 to May 2009. He said that
this genocide eclipsed that committed by Serbia between April 1992 and
August 2005. The genocide of over 50,000 Hindu, Christian Tamils by the
Sinhala Buddhist regime should be taken up before the International
Court of Justice”, he said.
The only way to counter this malicious propaganda is to compile a
book explaining in detail, the massacres, bombing, attacking of places
of religious interest, killing of nearly 700 innocent policemen who
surrendered, during the last 30 years.
Some of these incidents are now being published on daily basis in
some newspapers. All such details should be incorporated into a book,
with photographs wherever possible. Such books should be made available
all our High Commissions/Embassies abroad, for distribution among all
individuals/organizations who are making statements similar to those
quoted above.
Then Western countries will be surprised at the tremendous restraint
and patience exercised by the majority community in the midst sudden and
grave provocations, unparalleled in the history of the entire world.
Of course, reference should be made to the July ’83 incidents as
well; but not in the way some critics rush to the press in July each
year, none of whom, for reasons best known to themselves, care to state
what caused the July ‘83, riots.
Put it very simply, there would not have been a July ’83, if not for
the cold-blooded murder of 13 innocent soldiers in Jaffna who were not
on any combat duty were travelling peacefully from one point to another.
So, the blame for the July ‘83 incidents should be laid fairly and
squarely on those who murdered the 13 innocent soldiers.
A book of the proposed nature is absolutely necessary, not only for
the enlightenment of those who are groping in the dark, but also for the
benefit of our future generations who should know what exactly took
place in this country during the last 30 years.
Such book should, in fact, be an extension of the Mahavamsa.
In conclusion it is very pertinent to mention that in spite of the
presence of a plethora of professors, organizations, individuals, NGO’s,
who rush to the press at the drop of a hat, writing on any subject under
the sun, none of them could muster sufficient courage to accept a
challenge made a few years ago by Ven. Ellawala Medhananda, MP for an
open debate with anybody, on the concept of traditional homelands in Sri
Lanka.
The absence of such a response speaks volumes for the sincerity of
purpose of those who dream about the existence of traditional homelands
in Sri Lanka.
D. Siriratna
The foundation stone for construction of a Flyover Bridge at Panadura
on the Colombo-Galle Road was laid by late Minister of Highways and Road
Development Jeyaraj Fernandopulle on March 31, 2008, just a few days
before his tragic death.
The work commenced but abandoned after some time, the reasons for
which are unknown. As a mark of respect to the late Minister and in
order to ease the traffic congestion on the particular stretch of the
main road, I wish to request the Ministry concerned and other relevant
authorities that work re-commence early without confining it to a
foundation stone.
H. W. Goonesekera – Panadura
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