Letters to the Editor
View(s):Little done to exploit one of the best railway networks
Train journey Upcountry: One of the most scenic routes in the country
Though colonial powers are criticized for exploiting our resources for their benefit, time has proven the vast benefits that we gained too. We cannot even think of investing in such a project of that magnitude today, for that matter, even a fraction of that. The best example is the Matara to Kataragama stretch – even 25 years from inception, only a few kilometres have been laid.
Being a developing country our main focus is on the infusion of foreign capital for the improvement of the quality of life of our citizens. One major source of foreign currency inflow is tourism.
It is a well known fact that railway transport is the most preferred public transport mode for most tourists, particularly visitors from Europe. However, there is no evidence of any significant cooperation between the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Tourism in this regard.
We have seen articles written by foreigners, promoting the beauty of railway journeys on the main line particularly between Kandy and Badulla. At the same time there are several articles regarding the unruly and carefree behaviour of local commuters.
I came across a travel blog maintained by a Norwegian girl, who promotes the country as a tourist destination, particularly the up country train travel as a major attraction. According to her, out of 30 odd countries she has visited, the journey from Kandy to Ella by train is the most scenic and beautiful in the world. Many foreigners have seen her blog and visited Sri Lanka particularly to make this journey. Now many tourists travel by train to their chosen destinations with the most popular routes being, Colombo – Galle , Colombo – Badulla, Colombo – Polonnaruwa, Colombo – Anuradhapura, and Colombo – Jaffna.
India on the other hand has launched the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation mainly to cater to the tourist industry. Sri Lanka Railways also can follow a similar path to enhance this sector.
The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation organises budget and deluxe package tours for domestic and foreign tourists. A popular tourism package for budget tourists covering important tourist destinations across India is called “Bharat Darshan”. Luxury tourism packages are also available in luxury trains such as Buddhist Circuit Train and Maharaja Express.
Apart from conventional tourism, it also offers adventure tourism packages that include water sports, adventure and wildlife treks, etc. A provision for customizing tours as per specific requirements is also an added attraction.
I believe we can still have, relatively low cost but standard quality solutions to meet these challenges. First of all a separate terminal constructed to best Asian standards between Maradana and Fort, could be established to cater exclusively for local and international tourists. All leading regional stations such as Kandy, Galle, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ohiya, Ella etc, should be upgraded. Special tourist trains with a few compartments and airconditioned coaches with buffet cars should be operated on customer demand.
However, the biggest challenge would be the training and making an attitudinal change in the minds of the workforce. The prime aim should be to provide a service to the public together with the economic growth of the country.
Once these objectives are met, Railway transport could be made an independent entity looking after its own affairs, enriching the lives of employees with better pay for them, together with a far better service to the public.
K. Wickramasinghe Piliyandala
The state should do more to look after the aged population
The proportion of the aged in the population of our country is steadily increasing from 1/5th and is likely to double fairly fast. Among the factors that contributed to the increase in such an age group are welfare measures relating to health care and the subsidized state assistance.
The most important service required, in the case of the elders is health service. In our country elders are treated by the same set of medical professionals who treat the general population. Without fear of contradiction it could be asserted that Geriatrics is a relatively unavailable branch of medicine in our country. It may be taught as one of the subjects but the prevalence as a popularly studied specialty is not as visible as the other specialties or even subspecialties.
Subject to correction it is observed that the available Geriatricians could be counted on the fingers of the hand. It is high time that the state, professionals and even the general public call for the appointment of Geriatricians as much as that of the Nutritionists. Both are important branches to be taken care of.
Elderly patients who mainly seek treatment from national hospitals face the following drawbacks:
- Extremely protracted waiting times for consultations, access to medicines and other services
- Overcrowding
- Long delays in being able to access in-patient care
- Unavailability of certain drugs and medicines
- Shortages of laboratory facilities and scanning equipment
- Limited access to specialized treatment, diagnostics and out-patient care
- The inability to make appointments, since most government hospitals do not operate with the appointment system.
These deficiencies have led to “hastened senile decay of the aged”, preceded by avoidable suffering, as many doctors as a habit consider sickness of the aged as something to be expected and needing no special care.
In this work a day world, especially in a developing country like ours, the children cannot be burdened with caring for the aged because unless they concentrate on their immediate family and their own vocation/profession, their family units would suffer the consequences.
It is imperative that the state steps in. The financial deficiency of elders especially those without a monthly income (pension, dividends, interest on deposits etc) must be looked into. There must be a living pension and those who draw less must be subsidized by the state. We do have the welfare state concept but sometimes it appears to be only a token service. A comprehensive study should be done to provide the essential services to elders who do not have family assistance or charitable assistance to look in to their welfare.
What is required is a caring state, caring state apparatus both central and local, caring neighbourhood, caring siblings, and caring progeny. It is an interlinked process when a little more care from all these components can make life more tolerable, more comfortable.
R.Suntharalingam Via email