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| Friday, 8 October 2004 |
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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.
A solution to traffic congestion on Galle Road Numerous proposals and suggestions are being made time and again to ease the traffic congestion on Galle Road during the rush hours, particularly in the mornings. Some of the long-term proposals have ranged from construction of marine drive and overhead bridges to broadening of Galle Road and diverting of railway lines, which no doubt are highly capital intensive on one hand and eat into the limited land resources of the country on the other hand. Some of the recent proposals included, uni-directional flow of traffic from Wellawatte to Fort, staggered office times etc. Unfortunately these proposals have not materialised ostensibly due to huge costs, practical difficulties, public resistance and inconvenience involved in implementing them. As a regular traveller plying on Galle Road for the past ten years or so from Moratuwa to Fort, I have observed a major traffic block from Mt. Lavinia school junction to just beyond Wellawatte, during the rush hour in the morning i.e., from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. As a result, on a working day when schools are also open, the journey from Moratuwa to Fort takes about 01 hour and 15 mints., while a clear reduction by half of the travelling time is observed when schools are closed for holidays. Recently, when a holiday was declared only for a school in Mt. Lavinia, we could still observe a reduction in travelling time, the reason being that this school starts at 7.30 a.m. whereas the other schools start at 8.00 a.m. Thus, I would strongly suggest that the school authorities in Mt. Lavinia consider changing their starting time from 7.30 a.m. to at least 7.45 a.m. if not at 8.00 a.m. In addition, this school may also consider providing an exclusive private transport service on their own from convenient points in Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya or Wellawatte to carry their children to school. As a result, the parents could save their daily time and fuel spent in transporting their children up to school, while easing the double traffic congestion caused by hundreds of motor vehicles taking one child per vehicle to school and back on the Galle Road. If the change in starting time and the exclusive bus arrangement in particular are implemented successfully, I am confident that this school can boast of being a trail blazer for other schools located on Galle Road. BERNARD FERNANDO I really regret UNP and TNA did not join NACPR deliberation convened by President of Sri Lanka. As responsible parties of south and north these two organisations must join instead of boycotting NACPR meetings. They should understand that this is NOT an individual problem. This is a national dilemma to be addressed by responsible parties and leaders of this tiny island. The people of Sri Lanka elected and selected, given mandate for responsibile parties to once and for all settle unaddressed problems over more than 50 years. Even UNP and TNA come to power they too will face similar situation in future. Nobody rule this island without seek fundamental solution Right for Tamils and Muslims in North and East. Power and Rights are differences in democratic system. Without granting rights indeed,quite unable run modern state and governance in Sri Lanka. We have to have certain democratic values to be protected since 1948 when we won political independence from Britain. Basic pillars of values are elected representatives of Parliament. Why cannot Leader of UNP understand this simple politics of the country. Our problem is right of Tamils and Muslims should be addressed as an urgent need in the country. I appeal to UNP and TNA to reconsider and join NACPR deliberation as quick as possible. NIHAL DIAS Asking forgiveness from animals Asking forgiveness for a wrong and granting forgiveness to wrong doers are part of human behaviour in civilized societies. In the view of the poet Alexander Pope, to forgive those who do wrong to one is a divine quality 'to err is human, forgive, divine'. However, the most compelling utterance of forgiveness ever recorded is Jesus Christ's prayer on the cross asking forgiveness for his tormentors 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do'. A most uncommon plea for forgiveness, what many might even consider as outrageous was made in the 13th century in Italy by a monk said to be one of the most saintly yet humblest of men, who loved the poor and also loved animals and birds and all living creatures. In his final hours, as he lay dying he asked forgiveness from animals for the cruelty and suffering inflicted on them by his fellow men. St, Francis of Assisi was a lone voice in all Europe speaking for the compassionate treatment of animals in the medieval period. Cruelty to animals was the order of the day because of the Christian vision of the universe, which was that Man was at the top of God's creation and all other living things were meant for man's use. As a result people in European countries in medieval times, used and destroyed animals and inflicted pain on them as they pleased. In contrast in Sri Lanka people have been nurtured through centuries by a culture that recognized the right to life of all living beings. Despite centuries of domination by Western powers, commercialization and economic downfall, the people of this country have to a great extent, retained their tolerance of animals and their dislike of killing of animals. A living example of this is the large population of dogs that live among the people of this country, fed and protected by them from being destroyed by the state authorities. Even our elephants, as well as other fauna and flora are protected to a great extent by the vigilance and concern of local communities who bring to light the illegal activities of poachers, hunters and robbers of our bio diversity, while the Wildlife Conservation authorities most often fail to act or turn a blind eye. Although Buddhist values are still preserved among the people, the same cannot be said of politicians and public administrators or the bureaucracy, who are responsible for the protection and conservation of fauna and flora and management and control of domesticated animals in this country. They merely pay lip service to Buddhist principles while in fact following a policy of callous treatment of animals. Instead of working out and implementing plans for the sustainable protection of elephants and forest cover, politicians seek their destruction by demanding guns for farmers and giving protection unofficially to poachers, illicit timber dealers and treasure hunters. As many as three to four elephants are reported killed each week, and a large number of them are mother elephants targeted to seize the baby elephant. The injured animals are left to die without veterinary attention. The sadness and hopelessness of the plight of these majestic beasts is brought out in another touching plea by a little child asking the forgiveness of an elephant blinded by the gunshots of poachers in the forest. A little boy on a visit to the Pinnawela orphanage was shown an elephant that was blinded in both eyes by gunshot injuries. He was overwhelmed by sadness and later on being led out of the elephant orphanage had run back to the elephant and said softly and pleadingly, 'sorry' What the little child did in his innocence, was to ask forgiveness from animals for the cruelty done to them by humans, as St. Francis of Assisi had done before him. Even the plight of the humble and the homeless dog is particularly tragic in this country because it is killed by the thousands supposedly to protect people from rabies. But the truth is that the correct solution is not killing but mass vaccination of dogs. These officials will not succeed in their rabies eradication programme until they recognize the community dog and the cultural background of the people. The dog had a place in the community not only in recent times but also from the very beginning of the story of our heritage. The Mahavansa records that the first living thing that Prince Vijaya saw when he embarked on our shores was a dog, a female, which led his men and finally Vijaya himself, to Kuveni. The dog has always had a respected place amongst our people and is highly tolerated by the people of this country even today. It is unacceptable to people that the community dog should be seized and brutally killed. Asking forgiveness from these wronged animals is right and proper but we must remind ourselves and be heartened that this is a country where people still show a high tolerance of animals. Peoples' pressure must be brought on politicians and the bureaucracy to act humanely and justly in the care and management of animals in this country. Sagarica Rajakarunanayake Due treatment for NDE certificate in Uva The National Diploma in English Certificate course is conducted now in the Advanced Technical Institutions of Sri Lanka. Although this certificate is not recognised by previous Government departments, yet quite a large member of students enter this course annually. When it comes to recruitment of English teachers, this certificate is now considered by the Uva Provincial Council as a qualification which is a deciding factor in future of the NDE Certificate holders. If we look closely at the entry requirement to the NDE; four specific conditions been laid out as, A pass in three G.C.E. (A/L) subjects with English as a subject. A pass in three G.C.E. (A/L) with a D pass for English at the G.C.E. (O/L). A pass in three G.C.E. (A/L) subjects with a pass in National Certificate of English (NCE) Examination. English Trained Teacher's Certificate. In the process of the requirement of English Teachers, the NDE Certificate has now become a qualification; as the concerned authority is aware of the fact that even trained teacher's certificate is only a requirement of entry to the NDE course. Looking at the course content of the NDE, five subjects namely, I. Literature in English Anyone who follow this course will certainly gain a profound knowledge of English and will guide them to higher studies as well. Considering the levels of achievements we see that it is more or less a step down with GAQ Syllable of the Universities of Peradeniya and Sri Jayawardenapura respectively. At the recruitment level, in the fields of Journalism, library work, publishing book trade, translation and interpretation, the due treatment and recognition should also be given, with the view of having a national recognition for the NDE Certificate; so that the young people may gain privileges in the above noble professions with the NDE Certificate. G. H. ABEYWEERA |
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