Letters
View(s):A plea from a senior citizen
I think that it is pertinent to draw the attention of the authorities to the plight of senior citizens on Elders’ Day. In the situation we are in, there is nothing to celebrate since our income is barely adequate for our day- to-day existence.
We who have been working in the semi-public and private sector have to depend on the interest earned from the EPF funds deposited in the bank. The interest which was 15% has now dropped to 7.5%. With the spiralling cost of living and medication it is impossible to make ends meet. There is much more heartburn behind the few lines which I have penned.
I earnestly appeal to the President to grant adequate relief to the senior citizens through the next Budget speech at least.
Perera
Via email
A new constitution- some thoughts
It was reported in the media that the government is seeking legal advice to introduce a new constitution to the country before the next presidential election. (New Constitution being planned – Sunday Times-07.09.2014).
We have already enjoyed the consequences of the two constitutions that were made by the UF government led by Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike and UNP government led by J.R. Jayewardene respectively in 1972 and 1978. People have been deprived of their democratic rights under these two constitutions especially under the present executive presidency system. It is very sad to note that the constitution in our country has become a mere piece of paper today since our leaders seem to be ignoring its contents without upholding them. A number of amendments were made to the constitution from time to time; all these amendments were made for the benefit of the incumbent president and not for the benefit of the country and its people.
Meanwhile, the former Chief Justice has told the media that the incumbent President cannot contest for a third term because there is no legal provision for him to do that according to 18th Amendment to the constitution. He has done a good job at this movement by pointing his finger at the “Achilles heel”. However, it should have been done by him when the nominations were called for the Presidential election. We should not forget that former President J.R. Jayewardene who created this executive presidency system in this country had once said that he can do anything under his new constitution except the changing of gender of a person.
W.G. Chandrapala
Via email
Negombo’s historic Dutch Fort in need of conservation
If we do not look through a politically polarised glass, this could be the golden era in contemporary history where places of archaeological importance were restored and transformed for the benefit of Sri Lankans and tourists while preserving their archaeological characteristics.
Some restoration and conservation projects such as the Dutch Hospital in Colombo Fort, Old Race course in Colombo 7 and Galle Fort have been done out in such a tasteful way that these sites have become icons and the cynosure of all eyes in their respective cities.
Important yet ignored: Negombo’s Dutch Fort
But, we people in Negombo, are not so fortunate to be happy about conservation and restoration of many archaeologically important places in Negombo. We would like to draw the attention of the authorities to one of the most historically important, yet ignored- the ‘Negombo Dutch Fort’.
If you are visiting this place after 20 years, I doubt if you would be able to control your emotions. The sight of collapsed walls, the eroded base of the Clock Tower, missing bell and clock of the Clock Tower, and the front view of this archaeologically important site obscured by the construction of sheds for car parks would definitely bring tears to your eye. When I compare the sight today to a photograph taken in 1987 (the oldest one I have), the damage and the deterioration is clearly visible.
A friend of mine, who too is very interested in historical places in Negombo, sent me a project proposal that was published in 2008 by the Central Cultural Fund, which was then under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage (now under the Ministry of Culture and the Arts) to conserve the Negombo Dutch Fort. But anyone who sees the Fort today will realize that no conservation project was carried out other than the faded sign board which probably would give some details related to a proposed restoration and conservation project.
Important yet ignored: Negombo’s Dutch Fort
When I tried to contact the Central Cultural Fund to know the state of the project, someone who picked up the phone said that all the professionals who were assigned to the conservation project are no more with them but wanted me to contact the Director General. When I tried to contact the Director General, his office said that he was busy and took down my telephone number, with an assurance that they would call back. I am waiting for that call since September 11, 2014.
I am sure that I am not the only one who feels the pain of losing this beautiful place which should be maintained for posterity. Let us get together to convince the relevant authorities to commence forthwith the restoration work of Negombo Dutch Fort irrespective of political, religious and racial differences.
Roshan Fernando
Negombo
Beware, Big Brother is watching
The very pertinent letter headed “Don’t look the other way: Stand up for your rights’ by Chamari Jayani Wijayawardane in the Sunday Times of September 14 has prompted me to write on a matter that should be of immediate concern to the general public.
I refer to the news item published by the Sunday Times on the same date, headed: “No privacy for Lankan holidaymakers: Big Brother to be informed’, giving the startling information that “the management of tourist resorts countrywide is now required to report to the Police Station in their area whenever bookings are made by local guests. Besides their names, the address and the dates of arrival and departure are among the data sought.”
The report went on to say that such information is often conveyed by the Police Station to the District Intelligence Bureau (DIB) which, in turn, forwards it to the State Intelligence Service (SIS) at Cambridge Place, Colombo 7. A resort manager was quoted as saying that while he disliked the idea of breaching the privacy of guests, he had no option but to comply with the order.
I am not a frequenter of holiday resorts, but I am shocked. This piece of news rings alarm bells, for it might well be only the precursor to a complete surveillance of Sri Lankan citizens under `Big Brother’ as envisaged in Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four.”
The Opposition appears to have treated it lightly, merely observing that such practices are common in a Police State, one member `asking sarcastically’, according to your reporter, “How can it happen in a country which is becoming a five-star democracy and a Wonder of Asia?”
It’s a fact that such laws have been enforced only by authoritarian regimes and there is a possibility that we might be in danger of insidiously being subverted into a totally undemocratic society.
Anne Abayasekera
Colombo 6
There was no other plan
Apropos the Senior Citizen and Depositor’s letter published in the Sunday Times of September 28, may I be permitted to state as follows:-
As the president of the Independent Association of Depositors of F&G -PDL and RECL, I placed before the depositors on November 3, 2013 the payment plan drawn up so painstakingly by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. I advised the depositors to accept this plan, there being no other plan, now that we have been suffering for five years without a single payment. Any shortfalls could be corrected on the way as advised by the Governor.
If depositors listened to my advice that day, the payment process would have begun by now, especially senior citizens like him, urgently in need of money for medical expenses. He would have certainly received by now the Rs 100, 000.00 that had been passed for him.
But what happened was tragic. A depositor condemned the Central Bank plan and said he has a plan to give depositors 110% of their deposits. Further, he said he’ll start paying in January 2014. He said he had an investor, in fact three and was confident of getting a licence to restart the finance business too.
To do all this, he said he must be the president of the association. He was promptly elected.
On May 8, 2014 – six months later – when the case came up for hearing before the Chief Justice, Mohan Peiris, Justice P.C. Dep and Justice Sarath de Abrew, there was no 110% plan or any other plan.
The court upheld the Central Bank plan. If any depositor had any issues regarding this plan, the learned CJ himself fixed an appointment with the Central Bank and asked depositors to clarify these matters with the officials there.
It will be seen then that we cannot blame the Governor of the Central Bank or any official there; or the Chief Justice or any other “high-ups” for our suffering. They all did their job well by the depositors of F&G –PDL and RECL.
Dear “Senior citizen and depositor,”you are 73. I am much older. My government pension is about the same. I try to console myself by telling myself, this is the quality of the results democracy can produce in our country.
Brigadier Ranjan
de Silva (Rtd)
Via email