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| Friday, 2 May 2003 |
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Often we hear of robberies of cash from offices and factories. In most cases they are cash brought for payment of salaries and wages. In some cases they are large amounts meant for purchases of goods. Many of these robberies are accompanied by violence and loss of life. In a world where the banking system has advanced as it is today, continuing the practice of withdrawing large sums from banks, transporting same to offices and factories, paying salaries, advances and loans to employees in cash is untenable. Today all commercial banks have facilities for account holders to draw out funds through teller machines either from Current Accounts or Savings Accounts. The Government and the Banks should take an interest and give publicity to the benefits, convenience and safety for everybody concerned if each employee, be in the Government service or Private sector are paid the salaries and wages by crediting their salaries and wages through banks. The major benefit and convenience to an employee is that the whole salary packet does not come to the hand at once. Cash may be withdrawn as and when required up to four times a month. Any amount lying to the credit will draw interest on daily balances and at the end of the month a fair amount is accumulated as interest without any effort. The employer will benefit by saving on time spent by cashiers engaged in cashing of bulk pay cheques, counting, transporting, packeting and paying out disturbing the work schedules of employees. As for safety, the employees will be safeguarded from pick-pockets and the employer and staff of Cash Departments being robbed and killed. In the case of payment for purchases and services too the system of online transfers and interbank transfers should be encouraged. All efforts should be to eliminate the physical transfer of bulk cash
to safeguard life and limb and minimise robbery. Derailment on Batticaloa track Reference the article under the above caption (DN, Apr. 17) The 5th para of this article says that it was revealed that this track is deficient of sleepers, that there is insufficient or no ballast and in some parts have laid on sand. It also alleges that the track was built under the supervision of the General Manager of Railways and that the Engineers of the way and Works Department have not certified this track as safe for travel. The 7th Para of this article talks about a double railing line from Wadduwa to Kalutara North. By the said article the writer attempts to make the readers understand that the GMR is responsible for these. It is not so, GMR is not the supervising or certifying authority of these matters. This is a matter solely vested upon the Chief Engineer way and Works Department or any other of his subordinate officers on whom he has delegated such authority or by any Committee appointed for such Certification. Since the time of a certain politician and his Secretary who introduced corrupt practice to the Railway, certain officials too had to oblige them (otherwise being shifted from the position) and thus they too became corrupt as time went on. With the development of this set up, certain high officials started to publicly exhibit their allegiance to politics and now you find a serious deterioration of all good practices. The appointment of Priyal de Silva as GMR was made by the then Minister
of Transport and I believe the selection of the Minister was purely based
on his high qualifications, honesty and integrity. In China judicial executions are carried out for the following 7 crimes:- 1. Murder 2. Rape 3. Arson 4. Bank robberies 5. Embezzlement of State funds 6. Drug-addicts and drug-peddlers 7. Plotting against the State The executions are carried out by a firing squad in public within 7 days of the death sentence being passed, whatever the social or political status of the convicted person. Senior political party leaders and high-ranking government officials have thus been executed. Because of the wisdom of philanthropic, humanitarian Chinese rulers, China has made vast strides in social, economic and spiritual development during a short period of 20 years. In spite of her huge population of 1.2 billion people, crime is minimal in China, and there is general contentment among the people. Technological advancement of China is comparable with any country of N. America or Western Europe. China is able to offer financial and technical assistance to other developing countries. The wise Chinese rulers who are born and bred in China, know the ground-situation best and are not influenced by ground-situations in other countries which vary from country to country and time to time. Chinese rulers know what is best for the development of China, and do not seek advise given by Amnesty International (AI) and other international NGOs with vested interests and not qualified to advise the Chinese Government. All these NGOs hail from the affluent peaceful countries which have controlled population explosion and crime by discarding, without bias, the antique abortion laws enacted by the colonial rulers in 1861. They have all enacted liberal laws on early abortion (Menstrual Regulation MR) in family planning in 1969. Crime is minimal in these countries and judicial executions are not required. Criminals convicted for murder are sentenced for 'life-imprisonment' which is luxury-living in comfortable prison rooms, with all facilities of 5-star hotels. Studies conducted by FHI/USA in 51 developing countries across the world, including China and Sri Lanka during the period 1965-75 have proved that MR is indispensable for the control of population explosion and the eradication of poverty, crime, turmoil and war by the prevention of the births of yahoos, megalo-maniacs, terrorists and suicide bombers. The UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Activists and NGOs in the
population field, if they are really interested in global peace and
harmony must urge all developing and developed nations, which are now at
war, to follow the Chinese example as a matter of priority to prevent a
global disaster. There has been a very alarming trend recently to pre-judge and criticise the current "fashion" of women in this country even to the extent of suggesting the imposition of a "Dress Code" possibly the saree as suitable attire. However, before we race off to forcibly "cover up" our women, let us take a look at what is happening in our society today as it relates to the media and the manner in which it uses the female form to exploit womanhood to sell various products and services. Visual media (TV, Movies, Newspapers, Magazines, the "web", Internet, etc. has a moral, social and psychological impact on human beings. In fact all media is directed at people to influence their decisions - what to eat, drink, watch and do when and where. Of course, if such media has a positive impact on people, it cannot be criticised. e.g. if a certain product has a special offer like a price discount, or a free gift, provided that the product is good. However, as a woman I have been distressed at the current disturbing trend aimed at degrading and exploiting women. For instance the advertisement of a Jam. Small girls dressed in midriff-baring clothes, little innocent faces slathered with make-up, gyrating to music. There are small boys as well, well-clothed! The camera focuses for a few seconds on one girl's gyrating midriff (midriff only). What has this midriff got to do with Jam-selection? Violence towards women is definitely on the rise. Unfortunately it is the vulnerable majority who suffer not the privileged few who live protected lives behind 10 foot high walls and travel in cars. It is the 16-year-old village damsel, collecting firewood who is abducted by a group of men who gang rape and kill her. It is the factory worker travelling in bus who gets fondled by perverts. It is the little daughter of a housemaid in the Middle East who gets molested by her father, brother or uncle. In trying to copy western fashion, lifestyles, food drink, etc., we
have fallen into a quagmire. It is time to take stock. It will not be a
bad idea if we voluntarily, return to traditional values of modesty,
frugality, good neighbourliness and respect for all living things - man,
woman, child, animals, fish and birds. |
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