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| Thursday, 28 March 2002 |
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Now it is official. It was announced in the Budget speech that, "electricity tariffs will be revised". The U.N.P. administration not by theory but practical terms have shown that Aggrekko has to be paid only Rs. 7.50 as against Rs. 12.30 paid by the S.L.F.P. administration. This fact was known to the U.N.P. during and before the Election campaign. Those concerned also knew of higher authorities forcing the CATB to accept offers off tender procedure where investments were in Sri Lankan rupees whereas the payment was by way of Dollars. Newspapers have highlighted how other projects were buckled and reservoirs emptied to import and sell generators. What the U.N.P. administration has to do first is to find out where that extra Rs. 5 paid to Aggrekko went. Is it to one pocket or to several? Now the question is when the Government is very well aware that billions of rupees were palmed off by officials, Ministers and others involved in the previous administration, whether the present authorities has a moral right to recover the losses from the consumer? The public believe that legislation should be brought to investigate the malpractices, frauds and misappropriation during the post 1994 period and confiscate the amassed wealth of whoever the person is. METTHANANDA WIJEKULASURIYA - Polgasowita
Elections to several local bodies has concluded with few others to be held in the near future. Voters have indelibly signified their will for peace and relegated into oblivion agendas of politicos who openly some cowardly campaigned against peace. On the grounds it as a despicable attempt to divide our motherland Sri Lanka and shamefully engaged in appealing to our brave armed forces and police to revolt. The Executive President for the first time, since 1994 earlier having travelled in a helicopter at public expense to cast her vote or ordered election officials to her official palace to cast her vote on 20th March 2002, accompanied by her brother with PSD officers in attendance, travelled by car to the polling booths and toured all the booths in Attanagalla proving the success of peace efforts. Further her disclosure on the eve of the said elections that as Commander-in-Chief. She has lost faith in the police, inordinate delay in appointing her nominee for the Constitutional Council are reasons for the ignominious defeat of the PA. The Leader of the Opposition too along with his former cabinet colleagues too could not use their magic to avoid defeat in their respective domains. Power cuts and rise in cost of living were of no avail because the intelligence of our voters has proved that it remains supreme, and they were not fools. Since the seven year rule of the PA was full of deception, corruption, victimisation, above all continuance of greed that led our people to live facing bitter experience of a senseless bloody war. "Peace" has triumphed over communal hatred and violence. M. HASSEN EL FASSY SHERIFF- Dehiwela.
Senior planter on tea industry I read with interest the above news item. Though I had nothing to do with the tea industry I had worked close to tea estates and always enjoyed a good cup of tea. In your story you mention "turbines and paltans". It should read "turbines and peltons". The pelton wheel is the one on which the water hits with high velocity and this in turn triggers the turbine to rotate. Then by coupling the generators produce the electric power! The good tea is now a pipe dream. Here we do not get good tea. Even the ones friends bring from Sri Lanka are not as good as those days. I wish some one will produce a film in Sinhalese as a rejoinder to the one "Adata vediya heta hondai" the new film should be "adhata vediya eeyeh hondai". "Tomorrow is better than today" to "Yesterday was better than today"!! THOMAS-USA.
As a parent of a candidate who sat the last foreign service examination, I too agree with the letter (DN Mar 11) I feel that there are some more irregularities in their conduct of this exam, apart from the unscrupulous way of conducting the interviews. Now I understand that the Hon. Minister has requested the ministry to hold fresh interview, after taking into consideration all the facts pointed out in their protest letters. When this is done, I suggest it is quite fair and reasonable to re-scrutinise the answer scripts too of the candidates, who sat the exam, both in Sinhala and English mediums, as there is a serious doubt that some candidates are overlooked at the last interviews held, even though they have fared in the written test. A.P. - Battaramulla
The first step towards peace has been taken by our Prime Minister. That one small step for him is one giant leap for all those Sri Lankans who have been yearning for peace. No doubt there will be detractors for the peace move. As it is the JVP has called it an 'agreement to surrender'. The President herself is said to be unhappy and seems to view it as detrimental to the national interests. Communal elements like Sihala Urumaya, Singhala Jathika Sangamaya etc. would joint the band wagon to scuttle the peace process. As Herman Hesse said "a decent man cannot take a single step without making enemies'. But the P.M. shouldn't lose heart. He aptly quoted Newman, "I do not ask to see the distance scene, one step enough for me" while ending the press conference. Surely, Providence will lead him from the encircling gloom to take the nation to peace C.R. - Wattala
I am concerned about the authorities' decision to impose additional taxes on imported milk powder with the view to supporting the local milk industry. Generally, people may believe that imported milk powder is favoured with Duty exemption but it is not so. Imported milk powder is liable for 10% Duty, 1% Stamp Duty in addition to 6.5% NSL on selling price. I give below the cost structure: CIF price - Rs. 100.00 Duty - Rs. 10.00 Stamp Duty - Rs. 1.00 Bank & Clearing charges - Rs. 4.00 Packing charges - Rs. 5.00 Cost - Rs. 120.00 NSL (6.5% on Selling Price) - Rs. 9.34 Margin (10% on S/Price) - Rs. 14.37 Selling Price - Rs. 143.71
Milk Powder is exempted from GST Milk is considered as an essential food item and it is accepted that every citizen of this country should be in a position to consume at least one cup of milk per day. However we should remember that in November 2001 it was stated that in Urban areas people were purchasing milk powder in spoonful quantities as it was too expensive to purchase a full packet. If additional taxes are imposed their purchases may reduce to pinches. All ready there are complaints that cost of other essential items have shot up due to imposition of levies on imported rice, potatoes, onions etc. People cannot bear the additional burden of a price increase on another essential item. Milk is not only consumed direct but also in the form of "Milk rice" Curd, Butter Milk, etc. Milk tea is consumed regularly by an average person. Now, Sri Lankans have also begun to use milk in the preparation of their daily curries, instead of the coconut milk which is still believed to increase the blood cholesterol. I admit that support should be given to our local industry to improve production and make our country self sufficient in milk. However, imposing additional duties on imported milk powder is not going to solve the problem. The Honourable Minister has stated that the 80% self sufficiency in 1978 has dropped to a mere 20% now. We must scrutinize this situation and trace the causes. One of the main reasons for this drastic decline is the war which has hindered production and smooth activity of the dairy farmers, transport etc. In order to become self sufficient in milk, the following measures also have to be considered. (1) Allocation of adequate land for the dairy farmers (2) Import of cows, goats and buffaloes which would give higher yield of milk (3) Duty free concession on imported cattle feed (4) Tax concessions to the entrepreneurs We must admit that a fundamental mistake has been made by us in not caring for our dairy products since gaining independence. I understand that the British had very tactfully kept the business secrets away from us by assuring milk imports on concessionary rates. Later we saw that milk prices had increased tremendously due to world market prices. Support should be given not only to the local dairy industry, but also to poultry farming, fishing etc. It is interesting to note that we are the only country who is importing fish while being surrounded by the rich sea. It may be argued that to promote the local industry it would be best to increase Duty rates on imported milk powder or even ban the imports itself. But, it should be noted that the world is moving towards Free Trade and imposition of excess duties etc. may result in other countries imposing similar taxes on our exports. We should remember that stimulation of exports is important without hindering same. Milk powder could be categorized as follows: (a) Infant Milk Powder (b) Non-fat Milk Powder (c) Normal Milk Powder Fat free Milk powder has become important for health conscious people such as elders, patients, sportsmen etc. However I am at a loss to understand as to why infant milk powder is given Duty free concession whereas our Government is encouraging breast-milk. Breast milk is considered as the best for infants for up to about 8 months and is strongly recommended by doctors. Therefore, I appeal to the authorities not to impose any additional taxes on imported milk powder. It would be better to have a fair discussion with intellectuals, trade chambers, importers and other concerned authorities before taking a final decision on this matter. Kanorji Angare -Colombo - 6
Schoolchildren find a holy well in an unholy place The History Society of St. Peter's College Colombo, have made a remarkable finding of a holy well covered by shrubs and vegetation unknown to the hundreds who would be interested to have the experience of good divine water in a well situated by deserted shrine in the Jawatte Cemetery, Colombo. These smart excavators from St. Peter's College have gone on the written records of this shrine and the famous holy well by the church historian non other than Rev. Dr. Don Peter who spends his retirement at Piyasevana Ragama. It is his direction and guidance that have helped these small historians from St. Peter's to find this well and make it a monument for the faithful of this country. The well has a history of around 400 years going back to the Portugese era in Sri Lanka. The well is located in the Catholic Section of the Jawatte Cemetery and according to records, this area was once known as Marahenpita which is now known as Narahenpita. This exercise of unearthening the well has been done in presence of experts of the Dept. of Archaeology. These findings are similar to what is available in the text. According to the writing of the Church there has been a shrine by the name as the church of Our Lady of Deliverance. This well belongs to this shrine. This shrine is in ruins today. In the past many have sought refuge from using the water from this well in the event of pregnancies and disperse sickness and evil. Holy Wells have been a part of human history. There have been baths belonging to the Harappa civilization of abut 3,000 B.C. in the same form as it was in the beginning. We have the hot wells of Trincomalee where Buddhists, and Hindus have significance. It is indeed a pride for the faithful of the Church to review the goodness of these historical baths who seeks deliverance from sickness, evil and sorrow. It has to be mentioned that these young ones from St. Peter's have been able to accomplish this project by all the encouragement and assistance given by their rector Rev. Pelician Perera and Mrs. Nonis on the staff. It is now decided that the site is to be reserved for St. Peter's College as one of their archaeological projects. BANDULA NONIS - Colombo
I have read various news items especially during the last few months about powerful and wealthy businessmen who have obtained millions and millions of rupees as well as foreign currency as loans from State Banks and who have defaulted repayments and the lethargic attitude of the Banks in recovering these loans. My experience in this regard is quite different. Allow me valuable space in your journal to explain my experience with a State Bank on the recovery of a loan. This loan does not run into millions, but just Rs. 1,000. When I was serving in Jaffna in 1964 or 1965, I stood surety to a friend who was working in Jaffna for a loan of Rs. 1,000 he obtained from a State Bank in Jaffna. With my transfer from Jaffna in 1966 I had completely forgotten about this matter. I have maintained an unblemished account with this Bank since nineteen sixties if my memory is correct. This account which was transferred to various branches of this Bank with my transfer to various stations is still being maintained by me. Of course, the account was virtually confined to 3 - 4 figure balances and went up to 5 figures on a very rare occasion. But I am proud to state that no cheque issued by me has ever bounced during the last 3 - 4 decades. In the year of 1985 or so, when I applied for a loan of Rs. 50,000 from this Bank, I was informed that the loan cannot be granted as I was considered a defaulter due to the fact that my friend had defaulted on the repayment of the loan of Rs. 1,000. Finally, after several discussions with the Bank authorities, I volunteered to deposit a sum of Rs. 1,000 to be set off against the outstanding balance of the loan for which I had stood as one of the sureties. I am not aware whether the Bank made any attempt to recover the loan from the principal debtor, or the second surety of the loan. During the last 14 - 15 years I have written to the Bank on and off about releasing this fixed deposit after deducting their dues. The Bank at times sent me vague replies and at times completely ignored my letters. However after more than 35 years in November 2001, the Bank informed me that they have decided to recover a sum of Rs. 1,250 from my fixed deposit against the settlement of the defaulted loan which was granted in 1964 or 1965. The Bank was generous enough to refund me about Rs. 4,000 by way of accumulated interest on my fixed deposit held by them for over 15 years. However, I am extremely happy that this Bank managed to keep track of me for more than 35 years and was able to recover the balance due on this loan. The Bank is also lucky that I managed to survive till they recovered the loan. They must be extremely happy and content over this settlement which should be recorded not in the dilapidated ledgers of the Bank but in the Guiness Book of World Records. If the Bank could keep track of me and recover this princely sum of Rs. 1,000 plus interest from me after a lapse of more than 35 years, I wonder why the Bank is unable to chase the defaulters who have borrowed, or should I say robbed millions and millions from the Bank and recover these colossal loans, without treating them as grants. Or, is the Bank only interested in chasing the sprats and teaching them a lesson not to play about with them as the Bank is confined to sharks and whales, who can manipulate it to serve them exclusively. I also would like to give details of this transaction and copies of letters exchanged between the Bank and myself to any reader who is interested in this record deal, and especially to any Minister who wishes to probe into this excellent job of recovery of a loan, and make this an example to follow in recovering the outstanding millions to this Bank. Who dares to say that States Banks are not efficient? A. T. K. CHANDRADASA
It is said that the Oslo Peace Research Organisation (OPRO), has expressed the view that if the attempt to bring peace, between the LTTE and the Sri Lanka government, were to prove successful, there is the likelihood of awarding a Nobel Prize for Peace for the year 2002. Among those eligible to receive the Award have been cited as the government of Sri Lanka, the Norway government and the LTTE, conjointly or to one party. If the Sri Lanka government were to receive it wholesale, it is of historic significance, as the country had never been fortunate in receiving such a distinguished Award of international recognition. The value of a Nobel Prize is said to be around Rs. 67 million in local currency. In 2001, the Peace Prize was awarded to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan from the sub-Saharan Africa. Nobel Prizes are awarded annually from the income of a trust fund established by the Last Will of Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833-1896) who invented the merchandise of death (dynamite), to those who, in the opinion of the judges, have contributed most in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The first Prize was awarded to Henri Jean Dunant (1828-1910), the founder of the Red Cross Movement. A sixth Prize for economics was established by the Swedish National Bank in 1968, and it was awarded, for the first time, in 1969. The LTTE and the Sri Lanka government have agreed to a ceasefire for the good of both parties and the civilians involved, and a Treaty for peace is the final solution, to end the war that has killed thousands of our youngmen who would have been of useful service to the country as a whole. Aryadasa Ratnasighe - Mattegoda
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