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| Thursday, 7 February 2002 |
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Letters | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Sports Obituaries
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Power crisis and energy conservation The New Government of Sri Lanka is contemplating several plans to save the country from the power crisis. I am a member of the Private Tea Factory Owners Association. I am appealing to all my counterparts in the other private tea factories to join hands with a concerted effort to save our country from this very acute power crisis. All of us have generators in our factories. Let us use our generators for half the time i.e. Six hours a day in the evenings and do a great service to the nation at a time of immense need. We, in Ancoombra Group consume electricity to the tune of Rs. 400,000 each month. We use the Machinery for twelve hours each day. If we can curtail this to six hours and use the generators for the other six hours our electricity bill will be slashed down by 50%, that is about Rs. 200,000. So imagine if all the factories could adopt to this procedure and together with all the other Government & Mercantile Factories following suit, certainly the power from the National Grid will never be bankrupt as now. ZIA MOHIDEEN MEEZAN
Road to the Cardiology Unit - Kandy General Hospital After seeking admission to the General Hospital, heart patients have to be taken to the Cardiology Unit in a stretcher from the OPD. The road leading to the Unit is not well-maintained, and a heart patient experiences a great strain due to this factor. Considering the ailment of the patient, it is essential that this stretch of road be well-metalled and tarred without any potholes, thereby ensuring a smooth passage. The Cardiology Unit is in a superb condition and if this factor is remedied promptly then it is a noteworthy feature. EBERT PERERA - Kandy
Research sans Development, an ethical dimension Reference letter by me in your columns (DN -19/12/00) under the caption "Utility in Research". In essence, the letter emphasised the dire need for use of research findings. In an intriguing article by Prof. C.S. Weeraratne of the Rajarata University on "Science and Technology for Development" (DN - 21/1/2002) he, corroborates the same views and points the gross neglect in the application of research findings. He further quotes that the National Science Foundation, over the last 30-year period has spent Rs 60 million in scientific research. However, the pay offs have been marginal or even zero while the publications gather dust in libraries. This illuminating article should rekindle the thoughts of the researchers, the policy-makers and the funding bodies before they embark upon research to ensure that research results in the betterment of lives of our people. Once a research is completed, it ends up in a report, which is what the end product expected of by the funding agency. This process, in effect, should ideally result in Change, which I perceive, fundamentally has an ethical base where those responsible to take decisions and implement the findings of research works how, a reluctance to do so perhaps due to negative attitudes, the inertia or more importantly the resistance to execute the innovations, that they believe would, impinge upon their "status quo". Unless and until this attitudinal change does occur, the time and energy expended would not achieve the objectives of research even it "problem based" research is given pride of place, as suggested by Prof, Weeraratne. A.K. SENEVIRATNE- Narammala
It is surprising that nobody seems to be bothered to realise the damage caused to the young minds by importing these films that are shown almost all the Colombo leading cinemas and many in outstations. I have seen many occasions grown up students standing in queues to see these films with the books in their hands. I appeal to the newly elected authorities to restrict imports of these films and to advise film importers to import more classics, comedy, science fictions and good detective films like the good old days. Govt. can impose lesser import tax to the benefit of importers who are willing to get down more of "family movies" as encouragement. L. FERNANDO - Mt. Lavinia
This refers to the letter by T.A.N. Sally of Wattala (DN, Jan. 17) on domestic gas prices. Liquid Petroleum (LP) gas has become an indispensable source of fuel for cooking and heating and other domestic purposes, in most homes and hotels. Housewives, who prefer to do a clean job, insist using gas as the best fuel. Even motor cars have been converted to gas firing instead of petrol. So, there is an unprecedented demand for LP gas in Sri Lanka. The Shell Gas entered into the local market, without competition or rivalry, and created a monopoly of their own, making capital out of the situation. They increased the price of Shell Gas arbitrarily, on the pretext of a clause in the Agreement entered into between the company and the previous government, and the public were totally unaware how the matter ended. People had only to pay the price and buy gas, irrespective of quality or quantity. Now Laughs Gas (another liquid petroleum product) has entered the market, and the new company has reduced the price of their gas substantially, and thus breaking the monopoly exercised by Shell Gas. The Shell Gas, on the other hand, retained its usual price. The best way to overcome this competition is to (i) flood the market with Laughs Gas, (ii) open outlets, as much as possible, for the convenience of the customers, and (iii) provide transport to homes, within a reasonable distance, free of charge. This will automatically compel Shell Gas to reduce their prices too in order to enter the competitive market. I cannot understand the reason for selling the same petroleum product at two different prices, where the content is the same, i.e., 12.5 kg. each. ARYADASA RATNASINGHE - Mattegoda
This government has relaxed the stringent measures imposed by the previous government by opening public roads which were closed to the citizens for the last several years, and the public has expressed their gratitude. The Postal Department still appear to be sticking to the old rules. I went to the Bandaragama Post Office on Monday the 1st to send a Diary to a friend by post. The counter clerk flatly refused to accept it unless the parcel is packed in his presence. Even the production of my National Identity Card which has to be accepted by any institution was not acceptable to him. Instead he bluntly told me to read the notice at the counter. The old relic of the notice was hanging near the counter. I requested him to open the parcel if he is insistent but to no avail. It is time that the Government issue a directive to all Post Offices to accept parcels on production of the National Identity Card of the sender unless there is strong suspicion in which case the Post Master and Not the counter clerk should intervene and get the parcel opened in his presence. In most post offices there are counter clerks who seem to think that he is the sole authority once he sits at the counter. A. N. DE SILVA - Bandaragama
Sri Lankans - let's contribute our mite With the Prime Minister requesting his Ministers and MPs to tighten their belts at this time of economic crisis in our country, it is my humble opinion that we Sri Lankans too should contribute our mite - in any small way - to help rebuild our nation at this time of dire need. I must confess that my idea started to grow after listening to the speech made by the Gangaramaya Priest, who called upon whoever who could to sacrifice a meal and donate the money to the Government and my mind going back to a day in 1968 when I was in Singapore. There was one particular day called "The Taxi Drivers Day" where they contributed their day's earnings to the government (of course under the great Lee Kuan Yew) to help rebuild Singapore. Those were the days when you could bargain for your fare from one destination to another and that particular day, taxi drivers were even more unyielding than on other days. When we questioned as to why they were haggling so much about the price, when at the end of the day, it was all going to the government, their proud reply was "Today is our day to help our country. So we want to give the maximum possible." No wonder Singapore became what it is today. Thus, what I would like to suggest to the Prime Minister is that he gives all of us Sri Lankans an opportunity to contribute a day's wages or earnings towards the building of our precious motherland, and I would like to appeal to all Sri Lankans - as at the moment nearly every one of us is yelling for a National Government to forget party politics, race, religion and any other differences and to act as Sri Lankans. If this idea of mine is feasible and workable, let there be a day for every Sri Lankan, say within the next 365 days, starting from the biggest businessman and the richest in the land to the poorest like even the labourer and the garbage collector who would like to chip in with whatever he could. Let there be a Businessman's Day Medical Profession Day, Legal Profession Day, Government Servants' Day, Bankers Day, Taxi Drivers and Bajaj Drivers Day, Bus Operators Day, - even Drivers and Conductors - going on to Labourers Day etc. etc. Let the Government decide which day is for each one of us and let us send our contributions by way of cheque, money order, postal order or direct payment to whatever institution selected for collecting these contributions for Nation Building. I must appeal that each and every contribution must be carefully acknowledged in the form of a small Certificate with the Government seal where that person can display it proudly, even in his small house or little hut, that he contributed towards building our nation. D. C. S. - Kotte
I was happy to read in your paper that the new minister Tilak Marapona is keen on having an open sky policy in Sri Lanka. By allowing planes from other countries to land in Katunayake. SL can make a bigger income than allowing a loss making SriLankan airlines to hold a monopoly. I requested several ministers in the earlier governments but they were not receptive because they are mislead by the bureaucrats. I am sure that the ailing tourist industry would be given a strong booster. The new Government in the short period of its existence has done well to kick start the economy. DR. NEVILLE FERNANDO - Former Member of Parliament
There is a striking similarity between some categories of medics and politicians. When patients are not satisfied with the treatment meted out to them they seek the services of another to cure their ills. The second doctor has the ethical and not so ethical way of tackling the patients problem. The gentlemanly medic scrutinises the records of the patient including those of the previous professional advises and prescribes the remedy. Never a word of criticism of the previous doctor and the management. He may even agree with the treatment and mention it to the patient. The not so ethical professional may act differently. He may tell the patient thus." You came to me in the nick of time otherwise your condition would have become adverse". In addition he may criticise the management and treatment schedule of the previous doctor. This is an exercise in one-upmanship. The majority of politicians behave in manner similar to the not so ethical medical practitioner. They indulge in criticism of their opponents their favourite pastime scoring points displaying one-upmanship and brinkmanship as part of their game plan, a habit which may be hard to eradicate. ARAVINDA GAUTAMADASA - Nawala
The disabled in this country are silent sufferers of humanity. Nearly 10% of the citizens are disabled and though some authorities lull them with a term 'differently abled' persons, the change of a nomenclature does not serve any purpose to the individual person concerned. Little has been done by the Ministry and the Department of Social Services but still more and more has to be done. The cry of the disabled goes on continually as the predominant feature that is lacking is that; the disabled themselves are not given their legitimate rights of 'handling their own affairs' as the line of action should be the by the disabled of the disabled and for the disabled and them to handle their own welfare methods administratively and pragmatically than any able-bodied person or a group of persons as 'only the wearer of the shoe knows where it pinches'. There is a National Secretariat for persons with disabilities which comes under the agies of the Ministry of Social Welfare and it is headed by a person who has no knowledge or experience at all on matters for the welfare and rehabilition services for the disabled. It should be headed by a disabled himself or herself who will know exactly the pains and sufferings of the disabled as among the disabled we have professionals who can manage their own affairs more efficiently, if only they are put on the driving seat as a non-disabled persons will be a thorough misfit and a square-peg in a round hole. This has been fully realised by several countries in the Asian and Pacific region and there are disabled veterans who manage their own affairs with excellence and a classic example is the case David Blunkett (a blind) who is a Minister in the House of Commons and many more similar examples can be quoted how disabled themselves are pioneers in their fields. Give the disabled themselves to manage their own affairs, if at all any significant service is to be meted out to this segment of silent sufferers of humanity. PATRICK DE SILVA - Katana
The commuters of the Coast line trains find it extremely difficult to travel as most of the compartments are loaded with furnitures. This happens during peak hours in the morning. If the Railway authorities arrange separate compartments for the transportation of furnitures, the commuters as well as the innocent furniture vendors will be very happy in this happy new year. We hope Railway Department will provide 'inconvenience free' railway service to the frustrated coastline commuters. M. M. LIYAFF - Dehiwela
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