Letters to the Editor

End of the road for the JVP?
We have had political parties labelled Samasamajist, Communist, Bolshevik, Maoist, Stalinist, Che Guevarist, Marxist Revolutionary, People's Socialist etc. calling themselves revolutionary and left oriented. Leaders of these parties have ended up in the laps of other political parties.

History records that most left parties have resorted to communalism and racism, at some stage or the other, with equal venom like some Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala political parties, for sheer existence in the political arena. They have thrown their theories and dogmas to the winds.

This is clearly seen after the formation of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, on leaving the United National Party, over the leadership issue.

Mr. Bandaranaike's SLFP failed to win the first election it faced. Thereafter, the party coalesced with Philip Gunawardena's VLSSP and Dr. W. Dahanayake's BP, both representing left politics. The SLFP, VLSSP and BP contested on the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna ticket and won a parliamentary majority. Later the VLSSP was dumped and Mr. Gunawardena continued under the MEP banner, ending with the UNP.

Later Sirimavo Bandaranaike, to keep herself in power, took in the LSSP, only to dump it a few years later. The LSSP was never the same thereafter. The CP faced the same fate.

In more recent times, Chandrika Kumaratunga's SLFP again took in the LSSP and CP, while entering into an agreement with the JVP, to come to power, under the People's Alliance banner. The agreement with the JVP was not honoured and the party was harassed and vilified.

Facing defeat in Parliament, after the SLMC broke away, Ms. Kumaratunga's SLFP coalesced with the JVP to continue in power. The strategy failed and at the election that followed the JVP was sidelined and the PA and the JVP went their own way. The MEP and the SLMP stayed on with the SLFP-led PA government. The MEP, taken over by the sons and nephews of Philip Gunawardena, and the SLMP of slain Vijaya Kumaratunga, fell back on the SLFP and are now almost non-entities.

The latest is that the SLFP, with a future election in mind, is to coalesce with the JVP once again, with a possible break-up of the PA. The LSSP and CP may be dumped.

Add some bay spice to your food
The bay tree is a wonderful tree which is hardly spoken of but used almost daily in western and eastern cooking.

This West Indian spice tree, was introduced to Sri Lanka way back in 1888 when a sapling was brought from Dominica and planted in the Peradeniya Botanical Garden.

The bay herb, with a strong spicy flavour, can be used fresh or dried. Just one or two leaves will add flavour to any meat, fish, soup or stock.

It can also be added to milk-based dishes. Meat sauces too get a special taste when bay is added.

A cup of plain tea with a single bay leaf makes a delicious drink, with or without sugar.

The tree is ornamental and can be pruned well. It can be kept in homes, hotels or restaurants to enhance the decor. It does not bear any flowers or seeds and may soon become extinct.

There is one tree at Peradeniya and a few at Hakgala. I have two trees at home, one over 60 years old. This tree can also be used as a mosquito repellent.

Fresh Hope for failed cricketers
In the World Cup cricket tournament, our team came to the super sixes by luck - thanks to the miscalculations of the South African captain and officials. Throughout the tournament, our team played like amateurs, except for a few, and had no way of coming to the finals.

Cricket officials, coaches and the team itself must take the blame for this. There are many reasons for this sad state. The team which represented Sri Lanka was not the ideal. Since the last World Cup, the officials had plenty of time to groom a first-class team. During the tournament our team was being changed constantly - officials could have taken a cue from the Indian example. Many had a problem of facing pace bowlers. Nothing was done to improve this situation.

Now that the World Cup has come and gone - what next? However, with all the lethargy, lack of interest, mistakes and irresponsibility, our team and officials have earned themselves a colossal sum of money.

Here is an opportunity to please the cricket loving public and also clear their consciences. They could contribute most of this money to the Hope Cancer Hospital. If they do, they can say, "We did not do well in the World Cup, but we have done well in this great venture".

Meanwhile, to expedite the noble deed of building this cancer hospital, I suggest that all those tax evaders who were given an amnesty donate funds lavishly for this purpose.

Join the cry for death penalty
'Death penalty saves lives' by B. Joseph (The Sunday Times, March 16) was commendable.

I also do not agree with the notion that it is wrong to take 'a life for a life'. As Mr. Joseph puts it, where is the justice in allowing one man to go unpunished at the risk of exposing several others to his criminal ways?

My plea is that unlike the common protests that are being held at the drop of a hat, every right-thinking, sincere, law-abiding citizen, along with religious dignitaries and human rights organisations, should rise to uphold the cry and need for capital punishment.

The greatest feast
The First Easter Morn
The holy women did pave their way;
To the sepulchre where Jesus lay,
The crucified Christ was there no more,
The empty tomb proved it so.
Distressed, terrified, to Peter they ran;
To convey the message in the best way they can,
That was the first great Easter morn
When our Lord Jesus rose in all human form.
Mankind was redeemed from death, sin and hell
The risen Christ conquered as the prophets did tell.
The scriptures were fulfilled as they were foretold
The light of the world let's now behold.
Easter the greatest feast that man ever got
Make merry, be happy and enjoy a lot.
Let's all join hands and praises sing
To our heavenly Father for the gift of Redeemer and King

Act before an accident
W.S. Nanayakkara's letter on his suggestions to Minister Milinda Moragoda on the urgent need to widen Polhengoda Road reminded me of a somewhat similar suggestion made by me.

I recommended in September 1993 to the Colombo Municipal Council, the Traffic Police and the Road Development Authority that encroachments on the road in some places by land owners on either side should be removed to ease the flow of traffic. This is a problem between Polhengoda Junction and Poorwarama Road.

My other suggestion was to make the road one-way towards Polhengoda Junction from 7 a.m. to 12 noon and in the other direction from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

Schoolchildren recklessly run along the drain between vehicles and fences or parapet walls. No one seems to care until a fatal accident takes place.

Heavy vehicles shun bridge
It is heartening to note that the government has constructed a second bridge on the Nawala-Nugegoda Road (just beyond the Open University), easing traffic.

The new bridge is exclusively for traffic approaching Nawala from Nugegoda and a signboard clearly indicates that it is for heavy vehicles such as containers, lorries and buses.

Regrettably, hardly any driver of a heavy vehicle uses the new bridge. The police also do not seem to care. No one is charged.

This is another case of inefficiency on the part of the police. Perhaps, they are awaiting a fatal accident to take action.

Highway: Some suggestions
It is commendable that a new highway is now fully functional from the new Kelani bridge to High Level Road, minimising traffic congestion Being a daily road user, I would like to make some suggestions for the benefit of road users.

There is a side road cutting across the pavement near the power house and at times three wheelers and small vehicles take a short-cut here. One day a mother and child were knocked down on this stretch. This section should be barricaded by erecting a few concrete pillars on the side of Edmonton Road.

It may be better not to allow buses (route 141) and lorries to use Kirullapone Avenue but divert them along the new road to Narahenpita. As Kirullapone Avenue is narrow, it should be used only by small vehicles.

Kindness in their eyes
I was admitted to the eye ward of the Nawalapitiya Base Hospital on March 14 for a cataract operation. The excellent treatment I received under the care of the doctors and the nursing staff of this hospital is commendable.

A majority of patients in government hospitals are poor and illiterate and, therefore, indisciplined, unhygienic and burdened by their poverty. Under such circumstances when the patients receive good service, it has to be appreciated. The doctors and nurses of Nawalapitiya Hospital perform their duties with dedication and kindness.

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