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Citizen's mail
"English for life skills" is a very useful, attractive, novel and
practical English Speech Program launched by President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, with the co-operation of the program co-ordinator Sunimal
Fernando at the Presidential Secretariat.
Since the program was introduced and conducted by the Hyderabad
University, India at the very beginning, it's going on smoothy at every
Teacher Centre and Regional English Language Support Centre islandwide.
The English teachers who followed this popular program are thankful
to the President who felt the need of empowering all English teachers in
English speech. I am very glad and satisfied to mention that the program
at the Panadura Teacher Centre is being conducted very successfully to
the satisfaction of all participants.
This program covers relevant schools and a few pirivenas.
I wish the Education Ministry combined with the Presidential
Secretariat will launch more such useful English Speech Training
Programs for all the State school English teachers and non-English
teachers.
H L Sunil Shantha
Kalutara
The Opposition arties, UNP and the JVP are making a big fuss over the
sale of a 10 acre block of land near the Galle Face Green to the
international hotel chain Shangri-La, for the construction of a five
star hotel. Their argument being that the sale price of US dollar 125
million is an under-valuation and that the land is worth much more (CDN
- 12.02.2011).
This is equivalent to Sri Lanka rupees 13.75 billion at current
exchange rate. It would work out to about SLR 8.6 million a perch. One
wonders whether this is not a reasonable price when compared to
facilities Colombo offers.
Colombo is yet a backward city in comparison to other modern cities
in Asia like Singapore, Dubai, Bangkok or Mumbai.
The metropolitan road network of Colombo is in a very bad shape,
subject to flooding after the slightest downpour.
Traffic jams on city roads are a regular feature contributing to long
delays in transport. The public transport system within the city leaves
much to be desired.
We still depend on diesel buses and trains to some extent. There is
no metro system or other mass rapid transport system to move the ever
increasing numbers of commuters fast and quick.
Traffic congestions on city roads are legendary. There is no
likelihood of their easing until the commissioning of the southern
expressway and the Colombo Outer Circular Road which would serve as a
ring road to divert the north, south bound vehicular traffic away from
the city. There is also not much shopping malls to attract visitors.
Under the conditions referred to above, I cannot imagine what more
can anybody expect for the sale of the land mentioned above, unless of
course one is assured of striking gold under its top soil. Until we
improve the facilities in Colombo, we should not expect to command
higher prices for land in Colombo city.
The critics of this transaction have also failed to take into
consideration, the prestige value that would accrue to Colombo by the
presence of a renowned international hotel chain like Shangri-La. It
would definitely add value to our capital city as an attractive
tourists' destination.
At the moment we have only two international hotel chains operating
in Colombo - the Hilton and Holiday Inn. The latter I believe, is a
franchise operation. Others like Ceylon Continental, Cinnamon Grand,
Meridien and Rennaisance pulled out during the troubled times from 1983
- 2006.
As such we must go out of our way to attract international names not
only in hoteliering but also departmental stores like Marks and Spencer,
Woolworth, Lafayette etc, even their franchise shops so that we could
convert Colombo into a shoppers' paradise in addition to a tourist
destination.
We might have to offer them concessions by way of cheap land, tax
concessions etc. It would be worth its while because as the saying goes,
what we lose in the swings could be made up in the round-abouts.
Polwatte Gallage Aran Henry
Matara
We were final year medical students in 1959. The then Professor of
Medicine was P B Fernando, a much revered, soft spoken gentleman par
excellence.
He was very keen that detailed history of the patient's diet should
be taken by the student and one day he was patiently listening to the
history of the illness of the patient (including the diet) being read
over to him by an "average" medical student.
Professor "PB" was seated in his favourite low chair with arm rests
in the ward.
As history was becoming long and monotonous he was closing his eyes
and appeared to be falling asleep. The student went on reading until he
came to the diet history - "Sir, the patient for his diet eats brinjals,
cabbage, leaks, rice and sometime "fenceboy" and where is the hole!
Professor P B almost jumped out of his easy chair, and shouted "stop,
stop, young man, what are you reading - is it filthy stuff?" "No sir,
that is wetakolu and kohila, replied the bemused student.
The botanical term for wetakolu is loofa Acutangula - ridged gourd.
Until today I am unaware of the botanical term or English equivalent for
kohila.
Dr W B Wijekoon
Nawala
Kalutara district is also one of the landslide prone areas in our
country.
In fact there are more risky places in Matugama, Agalawatte,
Bulathsinhala and Beruwala electorate in the district. Hence the
National Building Research Organization should identify those specific
areas and warn the public as early as possible to avoid calamities.
There are ranges of high hills with tea plantations in the above
areas which are on bad conditions due to soil erosion caused by
continuous heavy rain.
There are also a few hilly areas which could be prone to landslide in
the Beruwala electorate, such as Magalkanda and Diyalagoda villages.
Once these people were battered by the tsunami and again they are facing
a ferocious threat!
C M Kamburawala
The Daily News dated January 28, 2011 published on page 15 an article
titled "We will take care of you in sickness and in health" by the
KACPAW Secretary, Champa Fernando. It was all about a Doberman named
Minky that was brought for treatment and later callously abandoned
thereafter by her owner. Reading it I was deeply moved and pondered as
to how one could be so cruel to a faithful hound, when it needed most
care in distress.
Amongst all the domesticated animals the dog can be considered the
most noble, as it is the only animal that displays openly its genuine
feelings of affection and gratitude to its master, by wagging its tail
and by hopping to and fro until it is petted. No wonder Lord Byron
declared "The poor dog, man's best friend, the first to welcome the
foremost to defend." Unremitting honour indeed.
Many are the instances recorded of courage and bravery shown by them
often at the risk of their own life. A classic true example was
published in the Daily News, April 23, 2010 on page 15. It was an
amazing story of a Golden Retriever that stood by the side of its
deceased master for seven long days, its owner Parley Nichos 81, of
Hartville Ohio was a victim of dementia. The faithful hound has guarded
its dead master, sans any food, drinking only water from a nearby creek,
for its survival.
The picture of the dog and its owner was also published side by side.
Incidentally this heroic Golden Retriever bore the name "Lady." No
better accolade will suit her. In contrast I am quite happy to sate that
there are persons who care and cherish their doggie with exceptional
fondness.
For instance, the Sunday Observer dated January 16, 2011 published on
page 42 Montage Section, a heart rending poem by Gwen Heart of Marawila,
the poem is a peerless rending of 41 lines of fond memories shared by
her companion dog of a decade, to quote just a few lines "It became the
decade that you and I only knew, Built on pillars of human strength..
(and again) "Scampi" you are still my world, Where memories abide, now
this will suffice.
Finally it must be stated that the good Lord made them all, big and
small, and we can oray sue recognition to the best of them all - the
true companion to one and all.
Ben Corea
Wattala
The purpose of this letter is to spotlight the awful conditions
prevailing in private nursing homes in Kandy.
The names of the nursing homes are high sounding but unfortunately
the services rendered to patients who come to these nursing homes are
far from good.
I entered one of the nursing homes at Kandy for medical attention in
respect of certain ailment recently. As my blood sugar level had risen,
the visiting physician ordered the administration of insulin injections
with specific instructions to the nurse to ensure that the insulin
injection was given before meals. But to my consternation, the nurse
administered the insulin injection after meals and the explanation given
by the nurse was that she forgot to give the injection before meals.
The rooms provided are not to the liking of the patients. At times
the toilets are defective. The cleanliness of the rooms are not upto
expected standard. The minimum rent for a small room with one single bed
is Rs 3,000. If a patient requires a room with a fan he has to pay an
extra sum. Otherwise he has to be satisfied with an air conditioned
room.
The linen charges are too high. During my short stay at this nursing
home I had to be satisfied with the linen that was provided on the day
of admission. No new linen was supplied upto the date of discharge.
The food supplied to the patients is not at all satisfactory,
quantity and variety wise. The same variety of vegetables is provided
day in and out. The supply of food is not in keeping with the high rates
charged. Facilities are not provided to get down a newspaper or some
such thing that is not available at the nursing home as there is no one
appointed by the Authorities to do such work. There is no person in the
nursing home to whom one could complain about such shortcomings either.
People come to the nursing homes seeking treatment for various
ailments and they should be given better treatment considering the high
rates charged by these so-called nursing homes.
It is high time the Government stepped into lay down rules and
regulations for the guidance of the so-called nursing homes to give the
patients a better deal instead of allowing them to fleece the patients
as they do now.
I am sure the Health Minister who is aware of these shortcomings will
deal with them suitably.
R M L Ratnayake
Matale
It is heartening to note that the authorities are taking steps to
alleviate the sufferings of the masses due to natural disasters facing
the country.
It is hoped that religious observances are conducted by all faiths,
particularly by we Buddhists, to invoke the sympathy of gods, to bring
back normality to the soil.
Kingsley Dias, Wellawatta
When a supermarket outlet is opened in Colombo is there town
planning?
In the context of one way traffic to allow the speedy flow of traffic
on Duplication Road, recently it happened that by the presence of a
Supermarket and hence vehicles turning into at the car park and thereby
slowing the flow of traffic.
Therefore should not the supermarket employ persons who will make
sure that the traffic seeking parking space should be looked after by
the staff employed by the supermarket so that the traffic is not slowed
down.
Sydney Knight
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