Letters
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Wadduwa: The site of the recent tragedy
Yet another tragic accident at a railway crossing, this time in Wadduwa has brought into focus, the need for a quick, effective and low cost solution to this deadly problem. The presence of a speed –breaker no doubt would have prevented this accident where the warning given by the rail-gate keeper was not heeded.
Readers will recall that this writer’s several letters to the press on this proposal were published as far back as 2013. I also sent a proposal to the Ministry of Higher Education which was conducting a contest to select the best low cost, effective proposal to prevent accidents at railway -crossings. Though it was acknowledged, the entire project seems to have got derailed somewhere.
Recently, I noted in the press with delight that the Railway Department has initiated the installation of ‘humps’ at railway crossings and I myself encountered one during a trip to Hatton. On further inquiry from the Dept, I learnt that while they have planned to instal 250 ‘humps’ at selected unprotected crossings; work has already been completed on the stretch between Ragama and Negombo.
I publicly convey my heart-felt appreciation for the ‘never- too- late’ but bold step taken by the GMR and the Railway Dept. to forge ahead. I also hasten to thank the press for the due publicity given to my proposal.
The process could be accelerated if undertaken with the assistance of the Local Govt. authorities islandwide. Proper and standardized instructions should however be provided by the Railway Dept. to make the ‘humps’ an effective warning for motorists to slow down their vehicle to a virtual halt. For example, the ‘humps’ should be painted with luminous red carrying the words- ‘Danger- Railway crossing ahead’ in large white/black lettering so that it will draw special attention of those motorists who are strangers to the area, even during night time.
According to a senior DIG, the driver’s recklessness has been the cause for accidents more than whether the crossing was protected or not. Also, according to Railway sources, it is practically difficult to instal full barriers where the roads are very broad. Further, the funding and high –cost maintenance have constantly discouraged the authorities in a financially drained economy to instal high-cost gates at every single crossing.
In the circumstances an effective, low-cost and maintenance free ‘hump’ or the ‘Sleeping-Policeman’ would provide the ideal remedy to overcome all three aforesaid problems.
Bernard Fernando
Moratuwa
MPs get more and more while pensioners don’t get what’s rightfully theirs
It is sad to note the plight of pensioners. The majority of them are senior citizens who have contributed their services to the motherland. They are feeble and not very healthy. They are compelled to spend a lot on medications etc. They can’t stage strikes and conduct demonstrations owing to their old age in order to get their pension matters resolved.
For about 10 long years since 2006, they clamoured for the removal of their Pension anomaly consequent to the issue of Public Administration Circular No. 6 of 2006. Humble requests were made every now and then to MPs but to the dismay of the pensioners nobody took any action. With the advent of the present Government Karu Jayasuriya and Ranil Wickremesinghe took early action to remove the pension anomaly, and we were paid only the adjusted monthly pension.
The arrears of pensions of the past 120 months since 01.01.2006 have not been paid up to now. Secondly the Govt. decided to add Rs. 10,000 to the salaries of public servants. Upto now, this Rs. 10,000 has not been extended to pensioners.
While pensioners are deprived of their rights, the Govt. continues to provide and increase the facilities of MPs. Except for a few politicians a majority brazenly plunder public funds.
Pensioner
Etul Kotte
Can we please have some professionalism
I want to express my disgust with some of the personnel attached to the passport office at “Suhurupaya” Battaramulla.
My renewed Canadian passport has 36 pages and when I went to obtain my “dual-citizen exemption” stamped on my passport, I lost three pages as the rubber stamp was smudged and unreadable.
The fourth attempt was partly rubber stamped and partly handwritten and this is unacceptable according to international standards.
I sincerely hope that personnel at the passport office and also the authorised signatories understand the nature, effect and content of a visa or visa exemption. It is high time that appropriate action is taken to grant visas or visa exemptions in a professional manner by introducing a tamper-proof sticker glued to the passport.
Katta Adu-Rahman
Toronto
Canada
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