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| Wednesday, 10 December 2003 |
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Letters | |
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Please forward your letters to editor@dailynews.lk in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
CSE indices are no indicator of corporate well-being With reference to your reporting on the CSE (Colombo Stock Exchange) it must be borne in mind by analysts (and writers) that the up and down movements on the Stock Exchange are NEVER an indicator of the financial health of the corporate sector itself in the (current) typically local circumstances. These movements indicate that the economy is in disarray due to the political uncertainty and nothing else. The criteria are the Indices. (This is different overseas). There have been political sneezes in the past too, but the same companies as well as the CSE were always available before and after those passing sneezes! The facts are that all corporate entities which are efficient are also business-wise diversified. Consequently, they have several plans and options, all of them long-term ones with advance financial planning and Bank support. If the circus of the political firmament does "hiccup", it can scarcely affect these processes internally. The only negative factor might be the outbreak of riots and civil commotion locally but that also goes away quietly; while the export orders will be effected albeit with adjustments as necessary about deadlines. The bottom-line is that corporate practice cannot ever become a set of solo ventures for individuals except in some unquoted private entities. Hence they are well-organised (with financial reserves, etc.) to survive in the long-term. On the other hand, politics in Sri Lanka is never that! Investors must remember that. ROHAN JAYAWARDANE A solution to the ethnic problem should be found within a united Sri Lanka. The country should never be divided. Any solution that is not agreeable to all communities will never open the door to lasting peace. The President's proposal for a Government for nation building is praiseworthy. LTTE proposal for Interim self Government authority is said to be a sharp instrument for the dividing of the country which nation people reject. This danger has been averted by the prompt action taken by the President whom all sections of people praise. Only now people have realised the benefits of the executive power vested with the President. These observation were made by Moulavi Rafiyodeen Jamali, Secretary General of Council of Sri Lanka Islamic Dahwa. The statement by Moulavi Rafiyodeen further states that the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka is not a problem for the Tamils alone. It has become a problem affecting all three communities particularly in the North and East. Loss of life and property of the Muslim Community is beyond estimation although the Muslims are not involved in the armed conflict. Muslims are a separate community with their own identity whose political rights should not be usurped by anyone. Tamils are a majority in the North while Muslims are in the East. Problems confronting these two communities must be settled reasonably. Each of nine provinces of the country must have its unit of political authority whether regional, federal or self governing as proposed by the LTTE. Altogether, there would be nine such units for the nine provinces. No other settlement would be reasonable. If the Tamil community under any pretext, seeks to evade or thwart the aspirations of the Muslims, there will not be durable peace. In that context, the struggle of the Tamil community would become meaningless. The Prime Minister and his Government has resolved to continue the peace process for which the President has assured her fullest support and guidance befitting the head of a Government. A. G. A. GAFFOOR Attack the agents of diseases caused by insects On reading Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya's article - 'Towards a better managed health service' it came to my mind that most of the money spent by the Government in a attempt to cure dire ills that plague our people can be reduced to a minimum, if the agents of the illnesses malaria, Elephantiasis etc., can be eliminated. The agents of those diseases are the smallest insects that are seen all over the place. They, the mosquitoes and the house flies can be eliminated by the Government, if they make a concerted effort to do the needful. The effort taken by the Government is highly inadequate when we consider the amount of money spent on obtaining the necessary drugs to cure the patients affected by the diseases caused by the mosquitoes and the house flies. If the Government launches a really widespread attack on these dangerous insects, the savings that would accrue by not purchasing expensive drugs for those diseases will be so great that the Government will be happy to use the money on more important necessities. EUGENE M. DE SILVA I wish to say a big thank you to our Minister of Finance and his deputy for giving me, a poor pensioner a 10 per cent increase in my pension which is little less than Rs. 400 per month. When the Deputy Finance Minister was aiming at the moon I knew I will at least see stars. Now the consumer goods are very cheap and most of the racks at Sathosa sales depots are empty as customers have garbed the items. Now I am sure Minister of Consumer goods will raid the black marketers, so that everywhere goods will be in plenty and cheaper. When the voluntary retirements scheme comes into operation the Government servants can draw their salary from home, so that any transport sector strikes will not affect them. Health sector strikes will not affect because even now with a shortage of drugs attaints will be at home seeking home remedies which they will continue to do till they go to the cemetery. When the sales are high there will be competition and the prices of coffins will also come down. Now who says Budget is Bad? Not at all Sir. I think this is the Best Budget up to date for the century. Three cheers for our Finance Minister, May God have mercy on him to live forever to aim at the moon and show stars to the fools in paradise please. K. WIJESINGHA The Philatelic Bureau will be creating an all time record this year in the issue of stamps. Mainly because there is no permanent Director. As a result, the clerks are making full use of the ignorance of the acting Director to issue stamps. The Bureau has issued a sheet lot of 25 stamps of Birds to fly to the Thailand exhibition. Then why only one stamp for the Sri Lanka exhibition, that too a Rs. 16.50 stamp and only 300 covers for a joint issue? Why this step-motherly treatment for the Sri Lanka exhibition? 1. Who authoritizes the issue of stamps in Sri Lanka? 2. Is there no stamp issuing policy? 3. What is the so called Philatelic Advisory Committee up to? Are they also trying to make a fast buck at the Thailand exhibition? 4. What is the purpose of having a definitive set if commemorative stamps are issued at high values? Now that the Philatelic Bureau has put out five first day covers for the 25 stamps sheet lot which is already unpopular among stamp collectors and pilling up in the cupboards of the Bureau they will have to buy some more cupboards to stock the F.D.Cs. As the hobby of collecting F.D.C. will be beyond the reach of adult collectors, what will the plight of a young collector be? N.V.H. Fraud by employees of the Postal Department by theft and encashment of 'Not negotiable' foreign postal orders seems to be a regular occurance. 'Not negotiable' UK postal orders sent in my name have been encashed, may be with the collusion between the person who presented the orders for encashment and the Postal Department officer who made the payment. I have informed this matter by registered post to controller (investigations) post office Havelock Town and to the Postmaster General, Colombo 1. So far I have not received a reply. I am a poor pensioner badly in need of money and I appeal to the authorities for early payment of the money due to me. A. MASILAMANY |
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