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| Monday,18 March 2002 |
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Letters | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Sports Obituaries
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As the son of a former Station Superintendent, Ceylon Govt. Railways, I read with interest the article by Arosha Fernando on the Sri Lanka Railway System (DN, Mar. 5). Having been closely associated, as a Consultant, with the London Undergrad Railways & British Rail and having travelled extensively on most foreign railways including Australia, may I suggest that an organisation such as the one represented by Arosha Fernando be utilised in order to implement a BOT (Build, Operate & Transfer) scheme whereby countries with very good track records such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Australia be invited to take over our "dilapidated" railway system for a period say 25 years. At the end of this period Sri Lanka will inherit a modern, efficient and profitable railway system benefitting everyone. It is time we had a completely new rethink on how best to improve our beloved railways. Not just piece meal action such as repairing a few bridges, new railway halts, purchasing rolling stock ad hoc or making "express trains" stop at signals. In my opinion Sri Lankan Railways sadly lack the experience and funds to bring the system up to modern International standards. Good luck Sri Lanka Railways. Capt. Godfrey Goonetilleke
New system of numbering motor vehicles I write with reference to a letter from a reader recently decrying the present system of numbering motor vehicle registrations. I hope that the CMT would make a suitable response in due course. Reading through his letter one cannot fail to see that the objections are more on the fee of Rs. 1,500 charged on the number plate than anything else. One cannot see what difference can it make to a person who acquires a motor vehicle for his personal use after paying several lakhs of rupees. After all this charge on the number plate is, I believe, a once and for all payment. So why grudge this small payment? The writer argues that the present system of numbering is confusing and doesn't serve any useful purpose. The confusion was really under the earlier system when we had several series being assigned concurrently for different classes of motor vehicles. We had a plethora of registration series and at the rate new vehicles are being imported and new classes of vehicles being introduced, I am sure the CMT would soon have run out of imagination to think of new prefixes for registration numbers. For the average man on the street it matters nothing whether a vehicle is run on petrol or diesel, or if it is a double cab, single cab, motor coach or dual purpose vehicle. All this information is available in the certificate of registration. In the case of an accident or other incident involving a vehicle what is most crucial to remember is the registration number. Under the present series it is very easy to remember. Any literate person can read it and even commit it to memory without much difficulty. At most it is two prefixes and four numerals where as under the previous system a number could go up to seven numerals and a dash. It was also alleged that the English lettering in two different sizes on the number plate tends to confuse. Not so Sir. The small lettering merely indicate the province where the vehicle is usually kept; it has no bearing on the registration number which consists of only the prefix in bold lettering and the numerals. The police or other authority can easily trace the owner of a vehicle by reference to this number irrespective of the prefix indicative of the province. Still it may be a deterrent against the use of a vehicle for any illegal activity outside its province. When a vehicle from a distant province is seen somewhere the people naturally tend to look at it more intently and make a note of it for what it may be worth. This is also a practice widely in use in other countries. Another point made by the writer of the letter under reference was that due to the present number plates being supplied through a foreign source, valuable foreign exchange is being wasted on a thing that could be easily made here. It is useless to argue on saving foreign exchange while using a motor vehicle. We do not manufacture motor vehicles or any accessories or parts in Sri Lanka except a few tyres. Everything else is imported spending hard foreign exchange. From the moment a vehicle is imported (including imports costs) it is a question of spending foreign exchange for fuel, accessories, and spares up to the very last nuts and bolts. So there is no way whatever of saving foreign exchange while using a motor vehicle. P. G. A. HENRY - Matara
1st Muharram of Islamic New Year 1423 is on March 16, 2002. Muslims throughout the world calculate the 12 Arabic lunar months beginning from the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram. This month is observed with solemn remembrances in the Muslim World. In the absence of an Islamic Calendar the important documents, letters etc. had to be undated. In order to avoid this situation, Caliph Umar summoned the "Sahabakals" (followers) to establish an Islamic Calendar. Some present suggested to begin the date with the "Nubuwath" (Prophethood) Ali (Rali) suggested that it should commence with the Hijrah. This was accepted and the preparation of the Calendar commenced. The Islamic era was introduced to signify in particular the Hijrah, the most important landmark in the history of Islam. This records the flight of Holy Prophet Muhammed from Mecca to Medina as he was unable to withstand the extreme form of oppression he was subjected to by the idol worshippers. The actual Hijrah occurred on the night of June 20, 622 C.E. The Islamic year is, as prescribed by Holy Prophet Muhammed a lunar year of 354 days, which begins roughly 11 days earlier each solar year. Therefore any given Islamic month may obviously fall in any season. The day is reckoned from sunset to sunset which complicates accurate conversion to the Christian Calendar. ALHAJ M. C. A. CADER - Colombo 9
Where the peace process is concerned the UNF has accredited itself very well. The LTTE too has responded favourably. That no major incidents have been reported augers well for the country. Certain elements have organised protests meetings against peace moves. But the fact remains that the vast majority of the people yearn for peace. The war that ravaged the North and the East for twenty long years has come to an end with the first phase in the peace process that has just been concluded. The billions of rupees hitherto spent on a senseless war could now be used to rehabilitate the North and the East. This would no doubt take many years to complete, but it has to be done. The LTTE would accept the setting up of an 'Interim Council' for the North and the East if they are allowed to run it. The thousands of youth who sacrificed their lives for a solution to the ethnic problem were all LTTE. Some are of the view that the LTTE would opt for a federal form of government. Whether the people in the South would accept this is the question. In the meantime the UNF has a big task ahead, to convince the people in the South that there would be no separation. At the same time the UNF has to specifically tell the LTTE to what extent they are prepared to go to satisfy the aspirations of the Tamils. It is of paramount importance that the UNF should speed up the process of peace so that fanatics and ultra nationalists would have no time to indulge in anti-peace demonstrations. The UNF should also be pleased and satisfied that in the President and the PA they have solid support for the peace process. The ship of peace has so far sailed very smoothly. Whether a storm awaits her is left to be seen. Nevertheless let us hope and pray that the golden dream of peace and harmony would soon be a reality. J. T. MIRANDO-Negombo.
The Municipal Council of Dehiwela is the most disgraceful, filthy part of the Galle Road. Ratepayers must be wondering where the money is going. Nothing is done for the rate-payers. Garbage is stacked on the roadside, drains are filthy and rat infested. No road sweeping is visible anywhere. The chief public health inspector does not even carry out orders even if the Mayor has requested, health inspectors are never seen. All the pavements are littered with vehicles and the pavements itself are in such a sad state that you could hardly walk on these pavements. The traffic chaos is the worst in Dehiwela and there are hardly any Police to check on the lunatic drivers who break all the rules of driving. Pedestrian crossings are a nightmare and still nothing is being done by the Council, road repair department, health and pest control department, but very soon they will be thick skinned enough to solicit votes from the rate-payers. It is time, even belatedly, that his Lordship the Mayor took a cool walk from his palatial office building towards Mount Lavinia and examine for himself the disgraceful filth that he is presiding over and work out the degree of work that his officers have done to make the area an enchanting city. People would like to know where the ratepayers rupees are at work. The people will decide very soon, unless the Mayor performs some miracles to clean up his kingdom. LISA.B,B.S. SILVA-Dehiwela.
This formed in 1995 to cater to the students those who were not selected to the National Universities of Sri Lanka (SLIATE). Till last December SLIATE was functioning under the Ministry of Higher Education. Unfortunately under the present Cabinet it is not assigned to any ministry yet. Just because the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Training came forward to provide the necessary grants, the SLIATE is surviving up to date. According to the recent audit reports the majority posts of the present SLIATE staff were appointed on contract basis, without the cadre provisions and without the approval of the governing council of SLIATE or the treasury. The acts of those officers such as mishandling of government funds, as well as issuing circulars against the SLIATE act, ruin, not only the SLIATE, but also the motivations of the duty conscious permanent officers. For example at present the institutes of which the hundreds of students are studying are suffering without funds to meet even the day to day expenses. But the academic staff members who were absorbed on contract basis for the academic programs for which a single student could not be admitted yet were assigned to arrange seminars for the industrial sector. Although the conducting of such seminars are not coming under the goals of the SLIATE act SLIATE is investing a big capital for same. The real purpose of such seminars is to engage these contract basis staff and delay the termination of them due to not having any work. The governing council of SLIATE is the only body who can interfere to stop this destructions of the institute. This also cannot be energized until the SLIATE is assigning to a ministry. It is because the chariman of the governing council must be the Secretary of the Ministry according to the SLIATE act. Hence the assigning an SLIATE to a ministry immediately is a must for the betterment of the Institute, the students as well as for the staff. S.S.M. - Colombo 10
Our vote - No to posters and polythene The periodical national curse is once again upon us - another cursed election. As with every election, the plague has set in the poster and polythene menace. Our family and many of our friends and relations have decided that we will not cast our vote to any party or candidate who has defaced our walls and that of the neighbourhood with their 'devil' faced posters. We will also not vote for those who have 'polluted' our neighbourhood with polythene decorations. Regarding posters, the main culprits are politicians, tuition "mudalalis" and cinema owners. All local bodies a) Should erect many public notice boards in convenient places. b) Should allow private notice boards at prescribed places for an annual fee. c) Should encourage local welfare associations to erect notice boards in their areas without a fee. d) Indecent pictures on cinema Bill Boards should be taboo. There are many volunteers to put up street decorations for any function, but at the end, it is "Mother Nature" that is saddled with the task of removing them and that too, to the drains. The pasting of posters other than on Public Notice Boards should be banned. The use of polythene should also be banned. Those found guilty should be fined or prosecuted. Let us make Sri Lanka a poster free, polythene free country. M. V. N. DE SILVA - Moratuwa
I write with reference to an idea conveyed to the Sri Lanka Railway authorities by Kirithi Abeywickreme of Kandy with regard to the slowing of the speed of Intercity Train and would like to point out my idea with regard to speed limit. Accident that took place on that fateful day was not due to the fault of the speed but due to the failure of brakes. However, as suggested by Mr. Siriwardana the authorities are in a position to reduce the speed limit but are they capable of attending to a sudden failure of brakes and even if the downward speed is limited will it serve any purpose if the brakes fail. If the Intercity keeps its normal speed on the upward journey and if the breaks fail when it reaches the summit of Kadugannwa the passengers will have a very rare experience in travelling backward at an unprecedented speed. I am not a train traveller but I feel that the authorities should repair the Track and the brakes and not limit the speed because the good idea of Intercity is lost if the speed is limited. R.C.S. LENORA - Ratmalana
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