Citizens’ Mail
This is to highlight the plight of small investors who have been
deprived of their dues.
The small investors who have opened accounts, more than one, with
Golden Key establishments have deposited small amounts in each account,
expecting returns that they promised so. But, disappointedly, the small
amounts have been taken into one account and the investors have neither
received the benefits of deposits nor the refunds, instead they have
been victimised.
Most depositors have been summoned by the Inland Revenue Department
and queried about their deposits. It is very embarrassing to lose the
entire deposits. Could not the Central Bank think of the sad plight of
the affected investors, reduce a certain amount by way of taxation and
pay them the balance deposits due, so that depositors will not have to
go and waste their valuable time at the Department of Inland Revenue.
S Jayaratn Kohuwela
It was reported in the Daily news of May 7, that the National
languages and Social Integration Ministry intends to issue applications
in Sinhala and Tamil. No mention has been made about Marriage
Certificates which are equally important.
Mention was also made that in the future it would be made compulsory
for public servants to perform their duties in both Sinhala and Tamil
and that dual language proficiency will be a special qualification in
granting promotions and salary increments. Such a policy will not only
complicate the public service, but will further embitter the
relationships between the Sinhala and Tamil speaking people.
It is sad to see that the universal language English has once again
been relegated to the limbo and that lessons have not been learnt by
monumental blunders made in the past.
Isn’t it better that applications be printed with all three languages
in one with the option available to applicants to request translation in
more than one language on the payment of a fee?
Such a procedure will minimize difficulties encountered by those
having to procure travel, visas and other documents which will have to
be furnished with translations in English, for which people have to pay
exorbitantly per each word translated.
Meriil T MDe Silva Moratuwa
Blocking traffic flow on Marine Drive
I am a regular user of the Marine Drive. around 10.30 am daily near
the Bambalapitiya Flats, on the Marine Drive, a garbage collection van
is found backed to a garbage dump, loading garbage blocking the land
side of the Marine Drive. That is a hindrance to the motorists.
K M Fernando
May I share my inspiration drawn from Malaysian road construction
during my visit to Malaysia and stay there for four days ( May 19-23,
2011) attending an International Islamic Tamil Literary Conference.
All roads in Kuala Lumpur are well planned and constructed with
sufficient width allowing transportation to be comfortable both for
motorists and travellers. Most roads have one way system to facilitate
accident free vehicle movement. The best part of the Malaysian road
network allows the free undisturbed railway lines run by electric power
without any need to pass the highway.
As a result, there is no possibility of occurrence of train and bus
accident at railway crossings. If this safe system is adopted in Sri
Lanka, thousands of accidents can be easily prevented at least in the
future. It is pertinent to mention here that I could observe none
walking along the railway tracks just as we Sri Lankans carelessly walk
on the unsafe railway tracks.
Another lesson to be learnt from the Malaysian road system is its
proper maintenance. Every vehicle passing a network of check points on
the well constructed highway has to pay a certain amount of cash as tax
to be solely utilized for updating the roads. Will our government too
adopt this measure to maintain our road system?
A vital lesson to learn from the Malaysian approach to the
maintenance of the roads is to keep the roads clean and neat without
being polluted by debris thrown by residents living along the highway
and railway lines.
Like our habits of dumping garbage on either side of the road, there
is no such habit among Malaysian residents.
I was surprised to find that not a single stray dog was running along
the road and that not a single crow was flying hither and thither
dirtying the roads.
I think the Malaysian government would have taken away all the dogs
from the towns to a place where they will be kept under control. As a
result of this action, the Malaysian city is a safe place for tourists.
Such an action can be gradually taken by our Sri Lankan government to
attract more tourists to our island.
M Y M Meeadh Dumbuluwawa, Hemmathagama
The Water Board official who came to read the meter on June 04, 2011
issued me with a bill for Rs 100/21 for May 04, 2011 to June 4, 2011 as
indicated on the bill for consumption of nine units. It was a surprise
to me. I asked the officer to read the meter again for accuracy since my
previous month’s bill was Rs 2531/20 for consumption of 44 units. On
examination of my previous month’s bill the period has been indicated as
from March 30, 2011 to May 04, 2011. That is more than a month.
Water Board officials do not come regularly for meter reading and
thereby causing severe hardships to the consumers at a time when people
are facing untold hardships financially.
D E Abeyweera Kelaniya
|
