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| Tuesday, 29 January 2002 |
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Letters | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Sports Obituaries
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There is a prayer network set up on the Internet to pray for peace to reign in Sri Lanka. People from different parts of the world are praying for Sri Lanka. Objective of this mission is to get a million people to pray for peace to reign in Sri Lanka.During this time of changes that are being taking place in Sri Lanka, it is very vital to use every resources we have to bring peace in to our nation. Please pass this message to any one who would be interested in taking part in this prayer mission.The E-mail address to write is as
Undelivered letters, cards dumped I refer to an article in a Sunday newspaper that a resident in Mt. Lavinia found a heap of undelivered letters/Greetings Cards and foreign mail thrown into her premises. The Moratuwa Post Office is no exception, as such mail has been found dumped on the roadside and complaints regarding non-receipt of mail have fallen on deaf ears.In the same article, it was stated that when the Postmaster-General was asked for his comments on the above, he had said that his Department was understaffed and most of the Post Offices did not have trained staff and delivery peons to handle letters, especially during the festive season. If this is the situation, then it is the Postmaster-General’s duty to put up notices before hand requesting the public to refrain from sending Greeting Cards. This will enable the general public to save money on greeting cards and postage stamps! L. DE SILVA-Moratuwa.
I am an Engineer by profession, on my visit to Sri Lanka after a lapse of 2 years. I was amazed to see many innovative changes in the City of Colombo regarding traffic flow and traffic management. There was a time before I left Sri Lanka invariably almost everyday we were caught up in traffic snarls or blocks and been held up sometimes for over an hour. At that time going to my office at Fort was very cumbersome and time consuming as the surface of some of the roads was in poor state. Today I see within this short period many changes such as reduced sized roundabouts, traffic signals extended roadway for flow of traffic and one way streets, while almost all the roads have now received an asphalt overlay like in European roads. I wish the Mayor and his team my good wishes. RAMESH RAMALINGAM-Colombo 6.
An injustice to Kelaniya science undergrads Our children are undergraduates who have finished two years of academic studies n science stream in the University of Kelaniya. They offered Biochemistry as a subject in the second year and were intending to follow the rest of the course in third year. (They could not study Biochemistry in the first year, as they were not allowed to do so, according to the guidebook which was distributed among students). According to the aforesaid book, they were allowed to do Biochemistry in both first and second semesters in the third year each providing 4 credits aggregating to 8 credits.However, a notice has been put up in the main notice board of the science faculty dated 30th October 2001 signed by the Dean of the Science Faculty informing that the students are allowed to follow the Biochemistry course units (with 8 credits) only in the second semester of the third year.What our children saw appearing on the time table given by the Dean’s Office of the Science Faculty was none of the above. They were allowed to do Biochemistry only n the second semester of third year and for only four credits rather than 8 credits. We think that this type of changes will lead to student frustration.Therefore, we as parents, kindly request the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Vocational Training to take up this matter and to give a reasonable solution. Thilak PereraKelaniya.
Although barriers in the other parts of the city have been removed, the end of Norris Canal Road opposite the Accident Service of the General Hospital still remain barricaded causing considerable congestion and inconvenience to pedestrians, vehicles and all users of the road. This end is used by hospital patients, visitors to the hospital, doctors, nurses, medical students and it also serves a girls school, church and other establishments. There is absolute chaos during the morning hours and hospital visiting hours.One wonders why this remains closed as it serves no purpose. D. M. BALASURIYA-Colombo 10.
The decision taken by the Minister of Agriculture, S.B. Dissanayake, to stop the import of flowers, is commendable. This step will not only boost the local cultivation of flowers, but also it will, even in a small way, help save valuable foreign exchange. The lead given by the Minister of Agriculture is worthy of emulation by other ministers of the Government. If a proper and searching inquiry is made it would be found that there are many items whose imports could be forthwith stopped, without any apparent ill-effects to the public.Such a ban would give a much needed impetus to the local industries and as stated above, save scarce foreign exchange which we can ill-afford to expend, especially in the present context where our country is in the throes of an economic crisis. The sum saved may not amount to much but nevertheless it will be a saving. It is said that little drops of water make the mighty ocean. We as a nation have a tendency to live beyond our means. So a few restrictions here and there would have a salutary effect on our society. Somebody, sometime back, said that we are a nation with champagne tastes on toddy incomes. This feeling must be banished if we are to live as equals in the comity of nations.F.C.B. MARAPANE-Menikhinna.
We have been saved from the blunt knife of the slaughterer, when it was poised to strike and round about us lay the stricken bodies of our friends, necks severed, limbs broken into pieces, skin stripped off the bleeding, pulsating flesh, with the breath still shuddering to escape from the horror. What was it that the Buddha, whom you seem to worship say? “All beings fear punishment. All beings fear death. Comparing oneself to others, one should neither kill, nor cause to kill.” And how about his classic command? “May all living beings be happy!”Even before the abattoir, it was no bed or roses for us. We were breeding machines with no respite. Our milk, meant for our own sweet kids, was drained off to feed their own. And our little ones, with the taste of milk yet in their mouths, were dragged away from us, to be turned into veal for their dinner plates. Our brothers were tied to heavy carts to pull loads that well-nigh broke their ill-nourished backs. Resistance to the cruel toil was subdued with beatings, kicks, assault with weapons, chillie rubbed into eyes, noses and up groins. Our bodies, minds feelings were exploited to the full, until shattered. Then we were driven to the slaughterhouse to extract the last morsel - life.But for a few of us a miracle happened - compassion yanked us out of the death hole. Now we are looking for a sanctuary. Do you know of any? A little plot of land where the grass grows and a trickle of water to quench our thirst. If anyone or two of us can be taken with a promise that you will remain responsible, please drop a postcard to: The President, Gal Gawa Mithuro, 180, Deans Road., Maradana. (Telephone 692336)This request is open for response now, next week, next month, next year. We shall always be there - lost with no place to go.If you look into our eyes, you will know how we feel - same as you. We cannot speak. PREMA RANAWAKA DAS-Moratuwa. |
 
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