Letters
View(s):Cast your vote wisely to get us out of this tangled web
As the drama begins to unfold in the Provincial Council elections, the voters should keep their minds focused as politicians open their Pandora’s Box of promises, lies and falsehoods. In this tangled web it needs a clear mind and critical thinking to produce corrective action from the voters’ side to avoid making a mockery of their valuable vote.
Consider these facts before you leave the polling booth:
- Is there any truth in the verbal diarrhoea unleashed on the political platforms?
- Do the candidates have the depth and quality to ensure us better living standards and to deliver to us a society devoid of thuggery? Do they grasp the gravity of what’s befallen Sri Lanka?
- What happened to the standards of decency we had in this country? Will it continue to be a distant memory or will there be action to usher in change?
- Will there be any action to avoid the financial black hole we are heading into?
- The Judiciary, diplomatic service, administrative system which was hailed as the best in South and South Asia in the 1960s and ‘70s has reached a point of no return owing to the malicious and vindictive agendas of mediocre politicians. Are we going to elect them and their parties again?
- Communal harmony which was at the highest level in the past (take the example of Dr. T.B. Jayah, a Malay teaching at Ananda College) has now turned into an immense social prejudice against the minorities ( eg: attacks on mosques, Christian establishments) which could have devastating consequences that could threaten the very fabric of our society. Who is responsible?
- Our education system which was the pride of Asia is now in shambles. Speeches given by the two Education Ministers on its future path and direction make a mockery of the whole system. Do we need such inept politicians and their parties? (the law exams are a case in point).
- Drugs, ethanol and alcohol are now common in society and can be bought like buying an Aspirin in a village market. These drug dealers are protected by dubious politicians who profit from them during election campaigns. Are we going to be trapped by this vicious circle? Why do we not consign them into the dustbins of history and make this election a game changer?
Please remember to use your intellect wisely and act sensibly to get us out of this tangled web. Go early to the polling booth!
Dayananda Wickramasinghe
Chelliah Subramaniam
Arafath Adamally
Roland Orloff
| Let there be posters: Polls law violations are not newAccording to the Sunday Times news item headlined “Free-for all in Western, Southern Elections” (February 23), election monitoring groups PAFFREL and CaFFE have alleged that in spite of their advice, some candidates and major parties have violated election laws by using public assets to conduct their campaigns. It is also alleged that goods and rations were distributed to influence voters.
Election monitoring groups make these allegations as if those violations prevail only during the current provincial council elections campaign. With my experience as a voter since 1947, I would like to mention that such election law violations were common during all times. Some MPs including ministers had been unseated by the Supreme Court after inquiries into election petitions. The incidents of election law violations now-a-days are not so high compared to those during the early days. Besides, the present day voter cannot be influenced by election malpractice such as bribery or intimidation. However, exhibition of election posters should not be banned as they are the strongest mode of communication between the voter and the candidate. Non-availability of election posters deprives the voter from identifying the proper candidate who should be elected. Advertising in printed or electronic media may not be seen by certain voters. Election posters boost the enthusiasm of the voter in electing the proper candidate. Loss of enthusiasm will lead to a fall in the number of voters coming to the polling stations on the eve of the election. I.M. Wimaladharma de Silva |
Unholy state of Thondaimanaru lagoon
The Thondaimanaru lagoon that opens into the Indian Ocean is ailing.
Two months ago, the creek of the lagoon got blocked due to the rough sea.
This act of nature has caused the lagoon water to be stagnant. This stagnant water between the blocked creek and the irrigation bund is of great concern.
Besides, the water is also being polluted by some unscrupulous people. This is an unhealthy situation.
The creek has been blocked by a huge mound of sand. This should be removed for the lagoon to take in sea water at high tide and let it out at low tide, thus keeping the lagoon healthy. This is a massive task and it should be done because local and foreign tourists come to the Thondaimanaru beach. They bathe in the sea and also take a dip in the lagoon. Also using the lagoon for a holy bath are devotees who come to the famed Selvachsannathy temple. The blockage is posing a health hazard to the devotees.
If this situation continues, it will cause misery to those who use this lagoon and hundreds of families that live along its banks.
The closed lagoon has to be opened so that the sea water can come in and go out.
K.V Samy.
Thondaimanaru
Act fast to stop slaughter on our roads
A pillion rider died on the spot when she fell from a motorcycle that was knocked down by a speeding lorry. A man using a pedestrian crossing was killed on the spot by a speeding bus. A few minutes after the accident, schoolgirls in a van passed by and saw the gory scene. They were in deep shock for the rest of the day.
Note these two accidents were due mainly to speeding vehicles. If these two vehicles had been driven at normal speed the tragedy could have been averted. While we commend the tireless work of the traffic police and applaud them for their service, I wish to share a few observations.
Policemen are often found standing near roundabouts or under trees observing the flow of traffic. Motorists, knowing where these policemen are observe traffic rules when approaching. As a result, a few motorists who cross the white line or jump the red light are nabbed but not flagrant violators of the traffic laws.
A common but dangerous practice now is for motorists, especially motorcycle riders and three wheelers to overtake a vehicle from the left at break-neck speed, thus endangering their lives as well as those of others. There is a tendency among motorcyclists to turn left from a byroad to the main road even without a cursory glance to the right to see whether there is an oncoming vehicle. With utter disdain, they attempt to cross into the incoming traffic showing disregard and even contempt for other motorists.
Have you noticed that, in recent times, even pedestrians, while walking across the road or lane, keep gazing at the road surface as if they are searching for fallen coins? They will not turn their head even a bit to see whether a car is coming towards them or not. I am aghast at this practice which seems to be growing among both older and younger people. Carefully watch for this strange behaviour next time you are driving.
There is no magic bullet that will put a stop to the mayhem and slaughter going on our roads. But there are laws that can be enforced to minimise the death toll and injury to road users. Among the many suggestions and strategies designed to prevent the carnage on the road is one that calls for the introduction of speed signs on our roads. There are hardly any visible speed signs on the roads and if there are, they are blocked by trees or walls. How is it that there are speed signs installed on our highways but not on the surface roads? Are the commuters more valuable when they travel on the highway than the surface roads? Every civilised country has not only speed signs but speed detection cameras and speed detection guns. How many more lives have to be sacrificed before the authorities invest in these preventive technologies?
Another important deterrent is to have Traffic Police far more mobile than at present. In fact, the acronym ‘COP’ comes from ‘Constable on Patrol’. To see constables on patrol is a rare sight. They should be riding in vehicles with distinctive markings to bring to book on the spot those who break the Highway Code. In many US cities, every half an hour or so, a highway patrol car can be seen cruising.
I have, on a few occasions, been stopped for making unauthorised turns, even in the middle of the night. They should also be trained to spot both drunken drivers and especially those who are fatigued and sleepy at the wheel. A few of my friends have escaped with their lives after a serious accident when the driver fell asleep at the wheel. Traffic policemen standing, watching the daily parade of speeding cars, huge buses thundering along pushing smaller vehicles out of the way, allowing a parent to take on the pillion two to three children without helmets, is a shame and dereliction of duty.
Dr. VC
Colombo