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The International Year for the Elders fell on October 1. Let us give
a little thought on this day, remembering our aged parents and elders
who are suffering in silence in our country.
When we are young and healthy, we never for a moment gave serious
thought that we will one day grow old and feeble and that we would need
the assistance of someone to look after us in the autumn of our life.
Children feel that it is a burden to look after their parents in
their old age, when they are sick and feeble, perhaps due to financial
strains and with the escalating cost of living. In these circumstances
some would prefer that their parents die early. Is this not a “cruel
world” to desert our parents at a time they really need the children’s
assistance.
In developed countries children leave their parents at an early age
of 16 and live by themselves. When it comes to old age the state looks
after them and provides them with social security and free public
transport passes.
I was pleased to hear recently that the Old Girls’ Association of
Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena has opened an Elders’ Home at Mabole,
Wattala for the aged past pupils of that school. This is a worthy
project. Perhaps, past pupils of other schools also should start similar
projects and this will gain “merit” if they help aged past pupils who
are sick and feeble and are unable to look after themselves.
Authorities have not given serious thought to the matter of opening
more elders homes throughout the country.They should give serious
thought to the elderly people whom society has also neglected.
Fred Rodrigo Sathianathen Melbourne, Australia
This is the most opportune time to consider the plight of the state
pensioners whose pension has not been rectified since January 1, 1997.
The pensioners who retired prior to 2006 are being paid a pension based
on the salary that they received on January 1, 1997. That is 14 years
ago and it is a very long period of time in the life of a pensioner.
Many are dead and gone.
The pensioners are now frustrated. I am appealing to the President to
consider this matter at least in the next budget.
M B M Zubair
The super expressway is to be confined to a speed limit of 80 kmph
and above, only an exclusive class will be allowed to use this
expressway.
In the cause of development and uplift of the rural masses the
maximum sacrifices for this super expressway were made by the rural folk
having a meagre income from whatever resources available to them.
The rural folk will be bystanders watching the latest vehicles and
special AC tourist buses pass by and will continue with their normal
life using other available rural roads and byways with no proper
transport (state of private) to carry on with their day to day work and
other emergencies.
Melville Perera
Recently a team of researchers led by Dr Scott O’Neil from Monash
University in Australia made a breakthrough in controlling the spread of
the Dengue virus. They developed a bacteria which prevents mosquitoes
from carrying the virus. In their trials they injected this bacteria
into thousands of mosquitoes and released them in Cairns (a city located
in the tropical part of Australia which faces the threat of Dengue
fever). They found that these mosquitoes breed with mosquitoes in the
wild and pass the bacteria which prevents them carrying the dengue
virus. They are awaiting for the approval to trial the bacteria in
Thailand, Indonesia, Brasil and Vietnam.
I would like to request the relevant authorities in Sri Lanka to make
inquiries about this breakthrough and adopt a trial in Sri Lanka.
Roshan Dodanwela Australia
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