Letters to the Editor
View(s):Felicitate singing legends Latha and Sujatha
Deshamanya Latha Walpola and Visharada Sujatha Attanayake are undoubtedly two living singing legends who have contributed immeasurably to Sinhala films since the 1950s. They have dominated playback songs to such a degree that the collection together by far surpasses other film songs sung by all other female vocalists combined. The triumph of many films is due to these two playback singers.From the time Sri Lanka gained independence, there have been many legends in this arena — Sunil Santha, Karunaratne Abeysekera, MS, Pandit Amaradeva, M.K. Rocksamy, Mohamed Sally, Mohideen Baig, R. Muthusamy, Premakeerthi de Alwis, KDK etc.
It is unfortunate that the relevant authorities even failed to commemorate them. It is only the Independent Television Network that is felicitating their contributions through ‘Nomiyena Sihinaya’ which has gained much popularity among viewers.
It is regrettable that these legendary artistes were not felicitated while they were living.
The authorities, at least now, need to honour living legends like Latha and Sujatha by providing a comfortable dwelling, a monthly substantial pension and medical facilities in their twilight years. All others who have contributed much in this field should also be eligible.
Sunil Thenabadu Brisbane
Unethical business at pharmacies
Some of the sales assistants in pharmacies are guilty of the unethical business practice of selling drugs without prescriptions. Moreover, they measure blood pressure with an electronic blood pressure meter and check blood sugar levels too with a meter purely for the purpose of making money from customers.
I wonder whether the regulatory authority of the pharmaceutical trade at No. 383, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya is aware of these practices.
This sort of illegal exploitation of uneducated people should be curbed.
Leena Gunaratne Piliyandala
A true patriot
At recent commemorations of Vesak and War Heroes, apparently no one spoke about the late Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, the true patriot who played such a major role in both. His name is indelibly written in history as the person responsible for the United Nations declaring Vesak Poya an international holiday.
During the war, he was the first to erase the image of the LTTE being freedom fighters, by visiting world capitals, exposing their true terrorist nature and cutting off the all important financial support. Surely, this was the beginning of the LTTE’s downfall. In the end, he paid with his life. An ungrateful government kept his statue in its packing case for nine long years.
This giant of a man’s patriotic fervour was aptly revealed in the speech he delivered at the unveiling of his portrait at the Oxford Union. He said that only the icing on the cake was done at Oxford; the cake was baked in his beloved Sri Lanka!
Asoka Weerakoon Kandy
Whither Kandy City?
The new Kandy Municipal Council is faced with the onerous task of restoring the City of Kandy to its once garden city fame. As it stands, Kandy City is untidy, overcrowded and worn out. The present Mayor who served a previous term should be well aware, where the priorities lie. His recent statement that the Megapolis Ministry has ignored the elected authority of the Kandy Municipal Council (ST 22/4/18) and is ready to turn the city into a concrete jungle should alert the citizens and all councillors from across the political divide to this imminent disaster.
With the once beautiful lake already polluted, unauthorized structures dotting the landscape and a concrete jungle looming menacingly, everything that the city was proud of is quietly, craftily and clinically being taken away. The citizens must wake up to this disaster and lend their support to the Mayor to restore the lost glory of a once beautiful Kandy.
D.C. Nugawela Colombo 5