• The killer syringes

• Gratitude to man's best friend

• Lowly standards of TV 'news'

• Where have all the letters gone?

The killer syringes

Several precious lives were lost due to contaminated syringes being used at Government nursing homes. The GMOA and certain medical specialists have blamed the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry over the medical disaster and tragic deaths caused by the use of syringes containing virulent fungi and bacteria, as reported by the medical Research Institute and highlighted in the media. The President has appointed a committee to investigate into the syringes related deaths.

It is salutary that the following aspects should also be probed into:

(i) Were open or closed tenders called by the Health Ministry Tender Board for the supply of the syringes and was correct tender procedure followed? If not, why not?

(ii) Did the Health Ministry Tender Board go by the recommendations of the Technical Committee appointed for the purpose?

(iii) Was the institution to which the tender was awarded, an approved institution for the supply of syringes or medical items?

(iv) Was it the institution to which the tender was awarded, that supplied the syringes or had the tender been sub-let by the successful tenderer and if so had the Director General of Health Services approved such sub-letting?

(v) Was the stock of syringes supplied examined before acceptance to ensure that the supplier had met the specifications and standards required in respect of the syringes?

The feet dragging attitude of the Health Ministry officials is surprising. Is there an attempt to sweep the issue under the carpet, so to say? That should not be permitted. The public has the right to know the truth, and as to who engineered the disaster. Swift punishment should be mated out to those responsible.

UPALI S. JAYASEKERA
Colombo 4

Gratitude to man's best friend

Dogs cannot talk. But man can. Praise be to Minister, Siripala de Silva. You have spoken to the papers. So we all know you have a plan to make life a little more safer to our dumb friends. You said in no uncertain terms, that legislation henceforth shall be enacted to ban the destruction of dogs on the excuse of controlling rabies.

As for what you have done: you have brought together the need, the kindness, of heart, a little imagination and the wherewithal into a single embodiment to save the canine species from the peril of being rounded up and killed in the most torturous manner, sometimes at the point of noosing that throttles life out, though rare, or as often the case - inside a van equipped for gassing the poor creatures.

What wrong have they done? Except, of course, to have the potential to be diseased with rabies and pass the contamination to humans; deadly alright that warrants earnest attention, no doubt. But why kill them? When a more humane methods is available as an alternative to this brutish one - that is the vaccination against rabies would make the population immune and hence the humans safe.

In the meantime, it is necessary to focus on the usefulness of the street dog. He still renders unto the humankind the same that he rendered when the humankind was cave dwelling. He stood at the entrance and warmed, in fair advance to him, of any impending danger.

His services are dispensable to the rich and those living in the condominium luxury of stories habitation with security for protection, but to those who live in crowded tenements and slums, the dog gives them the protection from nightfall to daybreak - he would sound alarm of any unfamiliar presence of person in the vicinity. In this manner, many a danger to community has been averted, and mind you at no cost. This is the best bio-alarm system that has invented itself to serve man.

Since the dog is still in the services to man, should we not stretch a little of our resources, as it is sensible and charitable enough, for saving him from peril?

Yes, of course, and you have done it! Thank you Mr. Minister. And more! My heart is now filled with joy. I am relived that the cord in a loop - That's terrible - would no longer menace this loyal friend of humanity, and that he still would be permitted to continue in his evolutionary role, confirmed, he is man's the most loyal friend; he outdoes man here, granted.

So the need of the hour is to safeguard this symbiotic association between man and dog; or rather foster and strengthen it. So you are going to grant him the right to live. How wonderful!

SHELTON WIJESINGHE
Rajagiriya

Lowly standards of TV 'news'

One does not expect a private sector T.V. Channel to go down to low levels. Either it is Ranil 1st or LTTE 1st.

Recently watching this Channel 1 was shocked to see the main item taking ten minutes. It was about some unknown journalist. For several days it was Mervyn Silva. Does this Channel have no other news?

Does BBC or CNN go down to this level? This Channel is worse than any Channel that I knew.

DTN
Colombo 5

Where have all the letters gone?

Yes, this sad story was related to me the other day and I felt I have to write about it, for the sake of the general public.

Here is what my dear dear friend told me, "I have been faced with this problem for a long long time and pondering over my plight. I have not been receiving some letters, cards etc. from abroad, and on a few occasions I have noticed that my letters have been ripped and really torn in places. How and why? I have a secure letter box. I have close friends and relatives abroad who write to me often but its heart breaking when they do not reach me. What could be done?"

So this was her story, now I say please do something surely higher ups could do the needful. I have even been told that some postmen take letters home when they feel lazy, and they deliver them at their own convenience. True or not!

Your guess is as good as mine. However, this type of thing has to be looked into as it could happen to any of us. So sooner or later not with cuts and bruises. Our letters are not meant to be tampered with. How dare they do so?

Yvonne. F. Keerthisingha
Rajagiriya