A praiseworthy move

The decision by the authorities to relax the stringent format hitherto adopted in registering householders will be welcomed most particularly by the minority community who had been the most affected by this exercise.

According to our lead story yesterday the Human Rights Ministry in concurrence with the Police and the Attorney General’s Department has decided to dispense with the requirement for demanding a householders nationality or ethnic origin when registering with the local police.

A chief occupant will henceforth only be required to furnish his name, details of family and outsiders if any among the household. This move would certainly accord well with the Government’s recent decision to recruit minorities to the Police force in the liberated East.

It is also a demonstration that the Government is determined to break down the ethnic barriers and distrust that formed the basis of the current conflict that has continued to bedevil this nation retarding its forward march.

It is also a sign that the Government was working in genuine pursuance of its commitment towards a pluralistic society where all communities and ethnic groups could be equal stakeholders in the country’s development process.

It is hoped that this trend will expand to percolate into other sectors and fields of endeavours too eventually leading to fence mending between the two communities to signal the beginning of the healing process leading to lasting peace.

The new development is also bound to strike a responsive chord with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s oft repeated invitation to minorities to be stakeholders in the development process. Hence there should more such endeavours towards the eradication of these ethnic barriers wherever they exist.

The full implementation of the official language police is one way where a new rapport could be forged. A healthy start has already been made with the mandatory requirement of learning each other’s languages being implemented in several State Departments such as the Police.

The Government should look into more such avenues where ethnic harmony and brotherhood could be fostered that would blow away all enmity and dissipate distrust between various communities.

The cup that cheers

Tea will be the talk of the town as the Colombo International Tea Convention gets underway from today. Introduced to Sri Lanka 140 years ago, tea has become Sri Lanka’s best known export. Sri Lankan teas are consumed around the world.

But the tea industry cannot rest on its laurels. Constant innovation and change are required for its success. Ceylon Tea, perhaps Lanka’s best-known trademark, must face the challenges posed by the traditional competitors such as India and Kenya and emerging tea exporters.

Sri Lanka is known primarily as a black tea producer. But the world is increasingly turning to unorthodox teas. Flavoured teas, iced teas and green teas are in high demand by connoisseurs the world over. It is heartening to see that Lankan tea companies are now catering to this Value Added Tea market as well, while giving prominence to black tea.

However, this convention is not only about the future of Lanka’s tea industry - it is also about the “sustainabiliTea” of the global tea industry.

The focus will be on good agricultural practices, emerging global standards, corporate social responsibility, innovation and the value chain.

All these are pertinent issues in a globalised world.

Consumers are demanding food and beverage products which conform to the highest hygienic and environmental standards. Organic foods grown without using artificial fertiliser/insecticides are sought by discerning buyers.

Innovation is another key factor and the industry must come out with new products to win over more consumers. This is vital in the context of the aggressive nature of the coffee growers’ campaign.

More opportunities must be given at global tea forums to our smallholders and small-scale tea factory owners, responsible for nearly 60 per cent of the output.

They can gain more insights to the industry by interacting with renowned tea professionals. This will hopefully enable them to increase the quality of their products further and gain recognition in the international market.

That brings to the question of the step motherly treatment given to local tea drinkers. Sri Lankan consumers are forced to drink dust/refuse tea marketed under well known brand names. While there is no question about the priority accorded to the export market, it is time that the local consumer too is given a good example of the cup that cheers.