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The authorities should take steps to minimise the number of
three-wheeler parking places and allow other normal road users to park
their vehicles without any objections of the three-wheeler owners. A
genuine citizen who comes to the city has to go round to find a parking
place for their vehicle as three-wheelers are parked everywhere.
Recently I had no place to park my motorbike at the Co-op Hospital,
Galle for an urgent matter.
A three-wheeler driver asked me not to stop there, as three-wheelers
have to be parked there. Hiring three-wheelers is their job. But others
have their rights to use common roadsides in the city. Most private
vehicle owners have to face this problem in the city, as there is
limited space for them to park their vehicles.
The authorities should take steps to allow private vehicle owners to
use the city roads spaces to park their vehicles without hindrance a
from three-wheeler drivers.
Parking vehicles in a distant place and walking a long way to go for
their business is unfair.
SPL - Galle
Kanchana Perera reading the column IMPRINT (Artscope, Daily News on
February 17), writing to us by e-mail refers it as a letter.
However, she informs that Emeritus Prof. S. Thillainathan is no more
with NIPU (National Integration Program Unit of the Ministry of National
Integration) as it has wound up last year. But ST is a member of the
Official Language Commission (OLC) at present. The gist of her letter is
as follows:
“He prepared some books and cassettes for the NIPU. One of the
cassettes were based in a book titled ‘Written Thamil’ published by the
OLC. Three people wrote this book. The cassette was meant to be of some
assistance to Sinhala public officers.
But the officers showed no interest in buying it as it cost Rs.400
per copy. The 1,000 copies made of the cassette remain unsold lying in
the stores of the Ministry (NIPU).”
K. S. SIVAKUMARAN
Dharmacharya Nelundeniya in his letter (DN Sep. 19) has hit the nail
on the head, when he states that the Director of Pensions is under the
impression that pensioners do not have any responsibility other than
taking rest at Nuwara Eliya. He has in simple words voiced what every
pensioner will fully endorse.
It is certain that all most all pensioners will undoubtedly agree
what he has mentioned in the context of the unauthorized deduction of Rs.
50 from the poor pensioner.
To a poor pensioner every red cent counts. In fact I can recall an
instance at the Wattala post office, where an elderly pensioner had come
in a three-wheeler to draw his pension, requesting the driver to wait a
while until he returns with his pension to pay him his hire. This then
is the reality, faced by a destitute pensioner, similar cases to whom Rs.
50 can be a big sum, can well be imagined.
Most pensioners depend heavily on medication, while some are even at
deaths door with the present high Cost of Living the increase in medical
bills is alarming but has to be borne never the less.
Gone are the happy-go-lucky days of yester year when aged parents
were cared for most thoughtfully by their children
Today such instances are an exception. Admittedly there are a few who
look after their aged parents, they are indeed a splendid example, to
those who regard their helpless parents a burden or as counterfeit coins
to be discarded as of no value.
It must be said that what a retired public servant receivers as his
pension is not a bonus by a benevolent government but his just dues as
he or she has contributed a certain sum deducted from his monthly salary
towards the pension scheme, over a period of time ranging from 10-35 or
40 years.
Finally, it must be understood that any deduction from one’s pension
has to be made only with the full and free consent of the pensioners.
Any deduction done otherwise is quite illegal and abhorrent.
P. Ben. Corea - Wattala
Everyone must obey the State authorities, because no authority exists
without God’s permission and the existing authorities have been put
there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God
has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgement on himself.
- Romans 13.1, 2
The will of the Lord Alone is always carried out.
- Lamentations 3.37
Upatissa Attygalle - Colombo 7
A guy lies on the highway or pathway, victimized by some unfortunate
incident, unconscious or unable to move himself apparently needing
medical attention. A crowd gather, watch the victim for themselves on
his serious condition and murmur something.
Yet, nobody ventures to save him by dispatching him to the nearest
State hospital. (Private hospital will never admit such cases as they
will be forced to involve with the relevant or different departments
unnecessary).
Person who sympathetically attends to save a precious life will be
interrogated by the law enforcing authorities in such a way that he
would feel that he took a passing snake into his possession.
Sometimes he has to attend the courts too while he is having his own
problems to solve. Employers will show no mercy to their employees in
attending to other’s matters by granting leave for them.
Owing to this pathetical reason such victims have succumbed as they
were not immediately rushed to the hospital.
As the existing law relevant to this sad situation averts a citizen
to help his fellow citizen at the time of the latter’s battle with his
life, it is time that the Justice Ministry nullifies this ludicrous law
- a law that penalizes a person who volunteers to assist a victim
struggling with his life.
Like in Sri Lanka, in India too such laws exist and as such nobody
lends a helping hand to those who are dying on the roadsides. This has
been a great concerned to the people there. People have died on public
roads without being taken to hospital by anybody for gear of the law
that compels the do-gooder to confront various problems.
While watching an Indian news I learnt about their Supreme Court
annulling such laws thereby anyone to take any victim to the nearest
hospital and thereafter relieved of his responsibility and the State
authorities to make their own investigations.
Though late, a welcome decision to save future lives. I strongly feel
our Government will consider what has been stated here and give the
opportunity to the people to save the life of a human being struggling
for his life.
Nazly Cassim - Colombo 13
A friend of mine, old age pensioner (89) who is unable to move about
freely, telephoned the Colombo Pensions Department to find out what
action he should take to obtain a Life Certificate as he is unable to
visit and meet the GS officer. A lady officer at the Department said in
no uncertain terms that there is no way to get a life certificate
without meeting the GS officer and cut the line off abruptly.
There must be hundreds of bed-ridden pensioners who are unable to
move from their homes without the services of a costly ambulance
service. Under such circumstances getting a life certificate signed by
the GSO is a big question.
Earlier, a medical officer (attending to pensioners) was authorized
to sign such certificates, but according to the lady officer at the
Pensions Department, only the GSO could sign such certificates now. Some
urgent advice is required from the Director, through the newspapers, to
help these poor souls, who are unable to visit/meet the GSOs.
I also think more helpful officers should be deployed in the
Department to answer such queries without annoying the senior citizens.
ARIYA S. GODAGE - Piliyandala
It is a usual sight of leisurely walk along the railway track by
young and old. The worst part of it is that they walk completely
oblivious of the train, chatting over the mobile phone so deeply that
they cannot hear anything else. As a result, they are subjected to train
accidents at any time because they are not vigilant about the coming of
trains.
Newspapers have reported many train mishaps suffered by these
needless walkers on the railway track. Such news of warning seems to be
unbelievable to such careless people. The school boys and girls have
failed to realize the impending danger by walking on the railway track.
They should be advised and instructed by school principals and class
teachers on a voiding the dangerous situation outside the school. They
should be repeatedly reminded of such prohibitive activities at school
assemblies.
As far as the elderly people are concerned, they should take
precautions against the mishaps due to train coming suddenly forwards
them without giving them chance to escape. Some elderly women walk on
the railway track holding hands of very young children. If the train
suddenly comes they can hardly go out of the track to escape from the
speedy train.
Therefore, let all those walkers on the railway track stop doing so
in future.
M. Y. M. Meeadh - Kandy
Social exclusion can be defined in many forms but to say simple it is
detaching groups and individuals from social relations and institutions
and preventing them from full participation in the normal activities of
the society they live.
These unfortunate incident’s often connected to a person’s social
class, educational status, relationships in childhood and living
standards that ultimately open gates to opportunities.
Unemployment is a key cause or at least indirectly correlates to
social exclusion. In today’s society the majority of the people are paid
workers and their occupation is the main factor that determines a
person’s wealth and the social network. This has adversely created
extreme social exclusion such as poverty and homelessness.
In Sri Lanka primary level education plays a vital role in this
context mainly due to a limited number of schools having good
facilities. Having few such schools indicate that only a selected group
of students could get enrolled out of the total student population.
These schools will definitely provide more exposure to society and open
up many avenues to tread.
Recent surveys show that there are only 6.7 percent (659) Government
schools in Sri Lanka with all advance stream classes out of a total of
Government schools (9,714). This will contribute towards social
exclusion.
We see that there is an increase in the number of undergraduates that
are unemployed for over many years and desperate to find jobs.
Eventually these groups will become depressed and their education and
expertise automatically goes to waste. The word ‘waste’ is a harsh word.
The world has become more competitive and the demand in the job
market is ever changing. This will only create more distance from
achieving social inclusion (as opposed to social exclusion) if we do not
act fast and treat this as a national issue rather than individual one.
It is important to articulate a proper planned vision towards the
education system of this country where it will create equal opportunity
employment, which will contribute towards achieving social inclusion.
Education that does not plan to achieve social inclusion is a burden
to a country.
Rajitha Rajapakse - Rathnasiri Rajapakse Sarana
Foundation
Senior citizens’ and transport
I wish to suggest that State and other private transport agencies
display notices in prominent places inside buses and train compartments,
making a polite request, that senior citizens be offered seats in public
vehicles.
By experience, it is one in a hundred, who would offer a seat to a
senior citizen in a public vehicle.
L. LEKAMWASAM LEANAGE - Ambalangoda
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