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The results of the Southern Provincial Council elections indicate
that Mahinda Chinthana has surpassed all other utterings by providing a
2/3rd majority to the United People’s Freedom Alliance.
If not for the proportional representation scheme, the entire 55
seats would have been won by the UPFA, thus making a clean sweep, wiping
out the grand old party and the People’s Liberation Front.
These latest results clearly demonstrate that the right-thinking
people are rightly behind the President in his efforts to develop Sri
Lanka as a trouble-free unitary state, where each and everyone can live
happily forever.
D. W. NANDISENA - Colombo 3
I am a resident of Nuwara Eliya, frequently having to travel in my
car to different plantation towns on business.
The highway from Ramboda to Nuwara Eliya that was renovated only
about a year ago is noticeably disintegrating at several points with
both edges crumbling, posing the threat of deterioration in the very
near future.
This stretch from Ramboda to Nuwara Eliya is part of the highway
widely used by local and foreign tourists visiting Nuwara Eliya and the
public.
I strongly feel that the authorities concerned should take immediate
measures to have their men inspect the highway in order to find out the
reasons for such a fast deteriorating condition and to institute
remedial measures.
I have also noticed that the highway between Nuwara Eliya and Hatton
too is in a similar condition. Who is to be held responsible for such a
state of affairs?
Surprisingly and laudably the highway from Colombo to Hatton
renovated about six years ago is still intact without any noticeable
defects.
I believe that immediate steps would be taken by the authorities
concerned to attend to the repairs/renovation of the highways between
Ramboda and Nuwara Eliya and the highway between Nuwara Eliya and
Hatton.
W. A. SOMADASA - Nuwara Eliya
I strongly believe that the health is the best wealth and quote below
the following for the benefit of the public at large.
Traditional food
People do not realize the importance of having a balanced meal and
are moving away from our healthy traditional foods (red rice, fish,
green gram, vegetables, mallum etc.) Our younger generation is
interested in consumption of fast food, instant food, fried fatty salty
food and tin food without realizing that they are harmful. This results
in blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack and even cancer. Foods which
are rich in anti-oxidant prevent cancer. It is better for a medical
professional to publish a list of food items which are rich in
anti-oxidant. I understand even cabbage prevents cancer.
Water
It is very important to drink adequate water every day. Regrettably
people are interested in consuming artificially sweetened drinks,
aerated water etc. Plain water, king coconut, buttermilk, fresh fruit
juice etc. are good for health and should be selected according to your
health. Intake of carbon dioxide through drinks bad for health and
artificially sweetened drinks remove enamel of the teeth. Even iced
water is bad for health instead you should take pot cool water.
TV
Watching TV continuously is not advisable. Children become lazy also
consume fatty fried foods while watching with no exercise. It had been
discovered that continuous watching TV, Internet etc. brings blood
pressure even in young ages.
Mobile phones
Continuous usage of mobile phone is bad for the brains. It has been
discovered that keeping mobile phone in the trouser pocket results in
sterility.
Allergic
Some people are allergic towards:
a. Food (tomato, prawn, crab etc.)
b. Colour
c. Dust
d. Dress
e. Medicine (Penicillin)
It is better to identify the item which are allergic to you and avoid
them permanently. In England, I understand that they carry a notebook
which gives details of items especially medicine which are allergic to
them to assist the doctors at the time of emergency.
Air-condition
If a person faces continuous flow of cool air from air-condition, it
may result in paralysis. This is called facial paralysis. Even people
who are travelling long distances by a bus or train faces the same
danger if he sleeps at the window side facing the cool air. This facial
paralysis must be treated within 24 hours.
Lungs
In accordance to Chinese medicine a person who possesses healthy
lungs is always healthy. You must inhale clean air as much as you can
and avoid polluted air. In Hong Kong it has been proved that several
people got lung cancer due to smoky air pollution. Cigarettes must be
avoided completely and it should be noted even the first cigarette you
smoke forces you to face cancer. There are several breathing exercises
which are good to keep the lungs clean. According to yoga exercise it is
called Pranayamam and in Chinese it is called Chi-wung.
Walking
Heavy bodybuilding, weight lifting, weight-training exercises had to
be stopped after particular age. It should be noted a man who possesses
a well-built body need not be a healthy man and Russia do not have
competition like Mr. Russia. Walking is good for persons of all ages.
Regular walk for about 45 minutes followed with rest (both body and
mind) keeps you fit.
Balanced life
People should try to avoid tension, worries etc and try to lead a
balanced life. Adequate exercise, rest, meditation, good food, proper
sleep, good sense of humour etc helps you to be healthy forever.
Important principles
Please say no to smoke, drink, narcotics, animal fatty food and
unsafe sex.
S. R. BALACHANDRAN
Council Member
The National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka
The practice of sending pension vouchers monthly to the pensioners
was done away with by the Pension’s Department as an economy measure,
much to the inconvenience of the pensioners. Now, the Divisional
Secretariat sends a pension voucher at the beginning of the year only.
Most of the pensioners are continuing Membership in the P.S.M.P.A.,
G.O.B.A., Education Co-op. Society and other Associations though on
retirement.
After retirement, a large number of pensioners have joined the Public
Service Pensioners’ Trust Fund and are contributing Rs. 20 monthly from
their pensions.
A good number of the pensioners who are members of the above
Associations, obtain loans and recoveries are done monthly from their
pensions. Some are contributing monthly to the Savings Account of the
Public Service Pensioners’ Trust Fund. Pensioners who borrow from the
above Funds/Trusts used to keep a close check on their monthly
recoveries, to see that their recoveries are done properly, so that no
ovaries are made.
Arbitrary deductions beyond due amounts by lending institutions are
not uncommon. Now, these categories of pensioners have to call over at
the Divisional Offices monthly, incurring additional expenses, to check
whether their Abatements have been advised correctly. All pensioners do
not have facilities to have their pension data through the Pension
Department Website - www.pensions.gov.lk. At least these vouchers should
be issued twice a year, in January and July.
LIONEL L. LEANGAGE - Ambalangoda
Page 4 of your journal of October 14, carried the above in bold
letter, and I was pleased to note that Vidura Wickramanayake, M.P.C. has
taken a wise step as a solution to the closure of rural school (primary)
which now exists even in towns like Moratuwa.
In the 1970’s as M.P. for Moratuwa, with the guidance of those at the
helm in the education sector, like the late W.M.W. Warnasuriya, the late
W.D. Fernando, the late A.D.J. Gunawardena and George Mendis (all
directors of education) a ‘feeder - school system’ was successfully
implemented at Moratuwa and almost all primary and junior schools in
Moratuwa gained recognition of parents.
The parents were made aware of the school to which their children
would enter after Grade 5, and this paved the way to the development of
the Primary Schools as well as the so-called ‘Popular Schools’ in the
area. I even suggested to parents, the change of names of Primary
Schools to go along with parallel popular schools to which the Primary
School ‘feeds’ its children.
The feeder - school system only annoyed some past pupils of certain
‘popular schools’. Infact a past pupil of a popular school had the
audacity too remark that the M.P. by his new system deprives the large
sums of money they collect at admission to Grade 1 of the popular
school. He went further to say that a parent of a student at admission
to Grade 6 of a popular school from a primary school will never
volunteer to make a donation.
The feeder-school system worked so well that at the prize-giving of
the then ‘Veera Puran Appu Primary School’ my successor the late Tyronne
Fernando while appreciating the feeder-school system publicly declared
that much pressure is brought on him to change the system, but assured
that he shall not succumb to such pressure.
However the situation changed, and although the then Education
Minister in the W.P. Provincial Council Suranimala Rajapakse consented
at a discussion with representatives of past pupils’ associations of
three ‘Popular Schools’ to grant the commencement of one Grade One class
in each such school, this expanded to a much higher number of classes
operating in such schools and thereby nearly seven primary schools have
been closed with more to follow soon, in Moratuwa alone.
The ‘feeder-school system’ should be implemented even at this late
stage and as a former Education Minister W.P. Reginald Cooray once
remarked, let the primary schools be administered by the Provincial
Councils and other schools by the ‘Line Ministry’.
If a co-ordinated plan is implemented by the authorities, the rat
race after so-called ‘Popular schools’ shall disappear and the
much-advertised ‘Question of Grade One admissions’ shall also diminish.
If parents are properly addressed on the above change with the proper
set-up of primary, junior and Maha Vidyalayas that exist, a systematic
system shall prevail without any political and other interference in
school admissions.
Whilst congratulating the M.P.C. Wickramanayake, I would suggest to
him to take a decision within the W.P. Provincial Council and make every
endeavour to implement the scheme in the Western Province, since
‘education’ comes within the subjects of the Provincial Council.
Wimalasiri De Mel - Ex M.P., Moratuwa
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