It is with abiding interest that I read the excellent article under
the caption ‘Dilemma facing state pensioners’ authored by Upali S
Jayasekera, which appeared in the Daily News on September 8, 2011. With
compelling arguments he has stressed the urgent necessity to update the
pensions of those who retired prior to 2006.
I wish to add my grievances of pensioners whom I associate with
inclusive of myself. All pensioners do not possess the wherewithal and
the ability to indulge in representations of this nature. I doff my hat
and bow my head to this ardent and vibrant personality who has
represented matters in a most convincing manner on behalf of poor and
decrepit pensioner community spread all over the island. Almost 99
percent of the oldies thrive on a daily doze of life saving medication,
the price of which has reached high.
I hope and pray that the people’s president will “synchronize the
pensions of the government servants who have retired prior to 2006 with
respective salary structures of 2006 and make the necessary provision
from the next budget,” as promised.
Nanda Nanayakkara, Matara.
It is sad and very foolish for Sri Lankans particularly the Sinhalese
and Tamil migrants to join the demonstrations in Sydney and Melbourne
where large number of Burghers, Sinhalese, Tamils and others live in
peace in harmony. During the last three decades, many of the
demonstrators may have not been born in Sri Lanka nor they have gone to
Sri Lanka in the last 25 years.
what made you to come to Australia, is it due to the prevailing
ethnic conflict or for a better life for their families? The answer is
definitely for a better life for their families, and particularly for
their children’s education.
If that is the case we should not join in these demonstrations, and
repeat the hatred between the Sinhalese and Tamil people who are
presently living in peace and harmony in Australia.
I appeal to my countrymen from Sri Lanka to refrain from open clashes
between the Sinhalese and Tamils.
Let us all promote peace and harmony.
The War has been won and all political parties should even now join
hands with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and reach an agreement with
dignity and as President Barack Obama stated “the God given promise that
all are equal, and free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full
measure of happiness.”
Fred Rodrigo- Sathianathen
Melbourne, Australia.
I have recently purchased a tube of toothpaste – ‘for strong teeth’
from a popular supermarket. This tube has the date of manufacture on
June 4, 2010 and the expiry date as June 4, 2012.
Neither the tube nor its package carries the following consumer
information, which are legal requirements for such a product.
1. The SLS certificate
2. The fluoride content in ppm
3. The names of the herbal product (or products) if any, and their
quantities.
4. The ‘name of the product as a toothpaste’ as required by SLS
criteria.
Roland Fernando and Kalyani Mendis, Moratuwa.
I am a 67 year old depositor of a finance company that was seized due
to the fear of a crash. I had deposited all my EPF money. Though I
didn’t have much faith in getting the money back I have got almost 50
percent. If the payment plan was not a good one, I would not have got
even 50 percent. Periodically they had meetings with us and kept us
informed about the future payment plans of paying the balance.
However, now we hear that indictments have been served countrywide
even on the people who efficiently worked on the payment plan. We are
worried that this might hinder getting our balance money back because
they will be embroiled in their cases and thus will not have time to
concentrate and work on paying us back.
We do not have anyone to tell our worries. Hope this will catch the
eye of higher authorities.
Lal de Soysa
Panadura
The foundation stone for the construction of a flyover bridge at
Panadura on the Colombo-Galle Road was laid by Jeyaraj Fernandopulle,
just a few days before his tragic death.
The work commenced but abandoned after some time. At a time when much
development work is in progress the action of the RDA is most
surprising. As a gratitude and as a respect to the Minister and in order
to ease the traffic congestion I hope the work on the bridge will
recommence soon.
H W Goonesekera
Panadura
Whilst it’s a pleasure to drive on Marine Drive, the residents of the
by roads/lanes connecting to Galle Road and Marine Drive are very much
inconvenienced whilst driving to and from their residences to Marine
Drive. This is because the by roads have not been properly levelled, pot
holes have not been filled and not merged smoothly. This is much more
pronounced at the end of Rheinland Place. Hope the Road Development
Authority/CMC will carpet these areas. Otherwise even vehicles may get
affected long run.
Mohamed Zahran Colombo 3
Selling meat in super markets on Poya Days is banned, but fish is
allowed. In super markets both meat and fish are displayed in the same
“serve over” trays and only meat produces (beef, pork, chicken etc) are
removed.
As Buddhists we should respect all animals. Terrestrial animals are
slaughtered cutting their neck or hammering their forehead and die in a
comparatively short period of time. In the case of sea animals once
taken out of water, they struggle, jump here and there and suffer hours
before they die.
In the case of liquor the ban applies to all liquor soft or hard,
imported or locally made.
However this act shows clearly the discrimination between two types
of animals which is against the Buddhist teaching. I hope one day the
ban of selling fish in these markets will come to effect.
C Nanayakkara
Kuliyapitiya
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