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| Thursday, 4 March 2004 |
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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. Looking at the way the country is managed at present I am reminded of a story I heard at a staff meeting in 1970 at the Hingurana Sugar Industry. If the teller of the story lived to witness the current state of affairs he would have found out, perhaps to his surprise, the appropriateness of the story to the present context. Prior to telling the story I wish to focus the attention of the readers briefly to the chaotic situation in the public and private sectors causing inconvenience to the general public. The health sector is acutely sick and hardly a day passes without a work stoppage in the system. Those who use public transport, road or rail, are very often forced to waste long hours at bus stands and railway stations due to strikes. Private sector employees are fasting against the compensation formula for termination of employment. The peaceful farmer community too,is agitating and fasting demanding the reduction of fertiliser prices. The way the government is responding to the industrial disputes and public protests is humorous and childish. Immediately after the budget, a senior Cabinet minister who was also the Deputy Finance Minister argued very strongly and challenged the critics to prove that the increase of the living costs related to revised VAT scheme is above five rupees and thirty cents. He said that he would give up the Deputy Ministerial position if it is proved that he is wrong. Immediately after this pronouncement the government removed VAT on some food items and this minister himself announced the removal of customs duty on some essential items. After an agonizing health strike that lasted nine days, a circular was issued to grant the demands of the strikers. The day after the circular was issued the doctors pointed out an anomaly in the salary structure and steps are now being taken to revise the circular. The solutions given to issues are mere patchwork ignoring the total picture and they in turn trigger off a succession of industrial disputes. Decisions made to settle the recent industrial disputes in the health service are clear examples of such patchwork. Immediate reaction of the government towards the agitators is quite tough. But after pushing them to strike action all the demands are given to restore normalcy. This approach to industrial management is quite harmful to the future of this country as it gives a very clear signal to the workforce and the associations like the private bus owners association that the use of the strike weapon is the only way to win demands. Now, I will relate my story and leave the public to decide whether it is appropriate to the current mode of managing the public affairs. In time immemorial there was a king who had a efficient hairdresser. The king decided to reward his hairdresser for the long, efficient and faithful service he rendered. One day when the hairdresser was dressing his hair the king announced his decision and asked him to make his request. The hairdresser thought for a while and attracted by the glamourous life led by the ministers, requested the king to appoint him as a minister. It was a surprise to the king, but he had no choice and the hairdresser was appointed a Minister. One day, the king having come to know that a ship had arrived at the habour, summoned the new minister and asked him to find out to which country the ship belonged. The new minister, determined to impress the king by performing efficiently the first task assigned to him ran to the harbour, got the information and ran back to the king and gave the information. The king then asked the Minister who had come in the ship. The minister ran to the harbour, got the answer to the king's question and ran back to the palace and informed the king about those who had come in the ship. The king after listening to the Minister inquired whether there is any cargo in the ship. The Minister ran to the harbour again made inquiries about the cargo in the ship, returned to the palace and reported to the king. By this time the new Minister was very tired and had realised that his former job was better than the new job and sought the permission of the king to revert to his former occupation. What may not happen in the current context is giving up the ministerial position as the rewards are incomparably high. B. K. D. S. SAMARASINGHE, Colombo 4 Until establishment of Kotalawala Defence Academy (KDA) in 1980s, the sole institute of training the Commissioned Officers for Sri Lanka Army, was Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) at Diyatalawa. SLMA Diyatalawa is an internationally reputed military training institute along with "Sandhurst" in England and "West Point" in USA. From recent past, the officers passed out from SLMA are awarded a Bachelor's Degree from University of Sabaragamuwa. But from the inception officers passed out from KDA are awarded a Degree, and also includes one year military training at SLMA, Diyatalawa during their three years of training. There are so many conflicts have arised because of this two ways of training for Commissioned Officers in the Army. KDA Cadets and Commissioned Officers think they are superior than others because of their degree and they harass others at the training centres and in the Army. There may be indiscipline and divided Army in future if this situation continues. Latest victims of this practice are male and female officers passed out from SLMA Diyatalawa last December. I suggest the only solution for this conflict is train the military officers only at SLMA Diyatalawa as they traditionally done in the past and convert KDA into a graduation institute for Commissioned Officers and Post Graduate Institute for military studies. BF, Moratuwa Lanka's journey to Independence Reference the article which appeared in (DN Feb. 14) under the caption Lanka's journey to Independence, in retrospect, it would appear important for any resume, however brief to state on this subject the unique contribution made by Sir James Peiris to whom Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike has referred to as our Moses in the struggle for Independence who passed away when the goal was inside. As stated by the writer, under the Colebrooke Constitution of 1833, there were only nominated members in the legislature and by the beginning of the 20th century there was an agitation by the educated middle class for the principle of election and territorial representation. The agitation took the form of memoranda by political associations to the Secretary of State for the Colonies seeking such representation. "Of these memoranda the most famous was that prepared by Mr. (Later Sir) James Peiris dated December 12, 1908. Of the newly formed associations the best known was the Ceylon National Associations" (according to S. Namasivayam in the legislatures of Ceylon). The Royal Instructions issued in 1910 in response made provision for elected members, the electorate for one of them was called "the educated Ceylonese" seat for which electors were drawn from the whole island and all communities. The other new seats were for European Burghers. Elections were held in 1912 in accordance with this scheme. People were not satisfied with this provision and the agitation continued under Ceylon Reform League led by P. Arunachalam and Ceylon National Association (later National Congress) under the leadership of James Peiris. It is noteworthy that when in 1915 under Martial Law Buddhist leaders were subjected to harsh treatment by the British Governor, at a meeting held at the Town Hall presided by James Peiris a resolution was passed seeking for an inquiry by the British Government into these atrocities. Dr. Soloman Fernando who seconded this resolution collapsed and died after making the speech. A petition to the Secretary of State Colonies was carried by E. W. Perera hidden in his boot regarding these matters. The Governor was recalled and a new Governor appointed. At a conference held 1918 James Peiris as a delegate from the Ceylon National Association moved a resolution that a reform of the Constitution was needed for development of self government within the British Empire. The agitation for increase of elected members continued under the leadership of James Peiris then President of the Ceylon National Congress. By the Order in Council in 1920 the elected members were increased to 16 and by the Order in Council 1923 to 37 elected members in the legislature. The Legislative Council had now more unofficial members than official members and thus became a representative Legislature. In 1924 in response to a resolution in the legislature moved by James Peiris the Governor ceased to preside at the meetings of the Legislative Council James Peiris as Vice President took his place and became Speaker of the Council. It would be seen that leader of the agitation for independence for two decades was James Peiris who certainly was our Moses in the struggle for independence. TOM MENDIS, Moratuwa I refer to your news article of Feb. 25 titled "For dissent: Gilchrist fined. Symonds not guilty' where you inform the public that Mr. Gilchrist has been fined 2500 Australian dollars for showing dissent when an erroneous decision was made by Umpire Manuel regarding a leg before wicket (LBW) decision against his colleague, Symonds. I think this is a totally unjust decision made against this cricketer. Showing dissent to an erroneous decision is only human. If the decision was not in fact incorrect and he made a negative remark to the umpire the situation would be totally different and it would have been just to punish him. When our politicians made erroneous decisions, if the rest of the public did not show dessent, what would be the situation? Another reason why Gilchrist deserves a pardon is because he surprised the world last year in the World cup semi finals match with Sri Lanka where he walked back when he knew he was out in spite of the Umpire ignoring the appeal of the fielding side. Why was he not punished for disrespecting the Umpire's decision then? This world cup incident was exceptional behaviour and sportsmanship especially from an Australian batsman. DR. HEMAMAL JAYAWARDENA, Colombo 3 |
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