|
Today Sri Lanka is going through a phase of severe hardships and deep
uncertainties politically, socially and economically. It is no easy task
for a President to deal with all these without having to face criticism
from within and without.
It is in this context that the President has to maintain his
intellectual equilibrium without succumbing to one's emotions building
within him, partly due to the nature of one's self esteem (ego) and also
due to suggestions coming from his henchmen who have their own hidden
agendas. Although many do not perceive it, ego is a very dangerous
aspect of a person's life.
When it operates negatively in a man who is leading a country, it
becomes very dangerous. We have seen several Presidents in the past in
Sri Lanka who could not control their egos and thus, became failures as
Presidents.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa fortunately is a person who has come from
the village, who feels the pulse of the poor villager. So we must be
happy that we have a good man in that big position of Executive
Presidency.
Now let us consider the hardships this President has to undergo when
running a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation in Sri
Lanka divided into fragments by a few opportunistic parties who desire
to take the upper hand at the expense of the other communities or
religions.
In the history of Sri Lanka, this has happened repeatedly but no
person could find an elixir to solve this problem. So obviously even the
present President, or for that matter any other person in Sri Lanka will
be able to find a permanent cure to this problem. What we are left with
is, only to find a way to manage and contain this problem, than finding
an everlasting cure.
It is the society that has created this problem and it is the same
society that has to find a way out of it. Before we expect the President
to find a solution, we all as citizens, have to undergo a spiritual
transformation within our mindsets in the face of today's realities
confronting the future of Sri Lanka and treat every citizen as our own
brothers and sisters.
We cannot afford to have extremists or chauvinists of any kind or
people with self interest to contribute their petty ideas towards
governance of this country and lead our Nation to Peace and Prosperity.
This reality must be seen in the real perspective by all citizens and
the President to plan out a future strategy to drag Sri Lanka out of its
deep mire.
If this has to happen, the President must go back to square one and
start reorganising his Cabinet with true friends of the nation. A person
criticizing him from within may not necessarily be an enemy.
He may be a good friend. He should evolve a mechanism to understand
the aspirations of the common man from the village, through meetings
conducted through participatory approach involving people suffering at
the bottom of the strata.
He should rally round the intelligentsia consisting of highly
educated intellectuals including the clergy, irrespective of political,
ethnic and religious affiliations, to promote decisions on behalf of the
nation.
He also should develop a meditative and a spiritual mind that could
accommodate and face criticism without losing one's senses.
He should have clarity of mind and far-sightedness to understand the
ulterior motives of the so-called friends who are very near to him. He
also should be transparent in all his dealings.
I hope this common man's President having all the above qualities,
will have the foresight, strength, courage and the blessings of the
people of Sri Lanka to face the challenges posed by his enemies within
and outside and be able to lead this great nation to peace and
prosperity through a political solution acceptable to the LTTE and all
citizens of Sri Lanka.
P. MUTUKUMARANA,
Colombo 5
----
So many have discussed this subject for a long time in your paper. of
course anything controversial will sell more of your paper. Therefore it
is understandable, your interest in these letters. But I can very well
say that Malinga has not seen any or most of them for he, I am sure does
not care for these comments at all.
These old cultured people of Sri Lanka are not aware of the very
small village called Sri Lanka in this mighty global village. Remember
this is a world of computers and great development and some of this
cultured persons may not even know that men have landed on the moon.
My sincere thanks to this young lad who is alive and kicking but has
not done any harm to any body (not even on the field) who has pinpointed
our Sri Lankan village as what we knew it as in the good old days. A
country of peace loving people, very generous and hospitable.
If tinting a lovely head of curls is bad I am sure that it must be
bad to shave ones head like a preist, maniacal driving and so many
offences by so many sportspersons of this country, done in Sri Lanka and
abroad, which are not discussed by the people of this country.
Mainly because the media does not publish them with names, and
sometimes not at all. I have my doubts that this letter will be
published in your page, however if it does please note that I do not
know this boy, I have never met even a friend of his, all I have seen of
him is in the media.
INDRAJITH,
Colombo, via email
----
Reference the mails regarding J. Dissanyake's feedback. (DN May 26).
It is absolutely correct that the people in these consulates are
inefficient and don't even know how to answer a telephone correctly when
an inquiry is made as their knowledge of English is putrid.
My daughter called the consulate and a lady at the other end who
answered did not even say a word except to shout "Aiy, geneiyak may line
ekey inowa, oya kathakaranda" and then the person who came was a man who
could not converse properly in English and my daughter gave up and put
the phone down.
She was horrified to know that these kind of people were working at
the Consulate and create a bad impression on foreigners who call for
information regarding Sri Lanka or for any other reason.
The same goes for the Consulate in Washington.
It seems a common phrase for them to say 'Oi' or 'Aiy' and speak
badly and it disgusts us to know that nothing is being done whatever
Government comes to power.
No wonder Sri Lanka never prosper and it makes us all sad that
stooges are put in these places when there are efficient people around
who could man these positions. Very sad indeed. The heads of these
missions need to open their eyes and ears and do something about it
instead of denying allegations.
ANAAR DE SILVA,
via email
----
Driving on our roads have become pretty dangerous these days. In the
nights, it is essential one drives with dipped lights. Most Sri Lankans
are not even aware of this fact. Even if one indicates to them by
dipping, they just ignore and carry on.
Especially at crossings and traffic lights, people stop, slightly
turning onto the main road, that the bright full light hits the oncoming
motorist right in the eyes. This can be very dangerous, specially for
those with early cataracts.
Another bad habit our drivers have is changing lanes while passing a
traffic light. This too is also very dangerous since everyone is rushing
past the traffic lights.
The RDA had neglected their duty at various places. On Park Road,
many manholes are without cover. If you drive on them the tyre falls in
and gets stuck, and it cannot be pushed but without four people
assisting you. It is a miracle vehicles don't get stuck oftener. It is
such a residential area, it is surprising the residents have not done
anything about it either.
The barriers in the middle of the road at Wellawatte are a farce. It
was meant to prevent people crossing at ad-hoc places. Some half witted
labourers have allowed one feet gap at every stretch making the ends of
each length crooked. For that matter, the Dehiwela barriers are done
beautifully and meticulously. The Wellawatte ones must be redone totally
at the labourers' or the foreman's cost.
The lightings on the Galle Road at Dehiwela are highly inadequate,
that one cannot see the boulevards clearly. The boulevards must be
painted at the edges in white or in yellow.
Such small measures will make the lives of citizens so much easier
and lessen the traffic accidents considerably. But then who will take
notice?
DR. REFFAI,
via email |
