Letters to the Editor

13th August 2000

• Stop these crimes against young innocents
• CEB in the dark age
• Sweet yet subtle
• Howzat commentators?
• Kallis deserves it
• All these happen in a cricket match
• Throw out unruly politicians
• Dangerous crossing
• Who will cut those killer trees on Negombo road?
• SOS from Anderson flats

Stop these crimes against young innocents

When I read the news item under the heading 'Molested after a wild(e) ride' (The Sunday Times, July 30), I was surprised by the way the head of the school and the teachers had acted.

If the head of the school cannot punish the culprits, the parents of that poor victim should go to the police and get them punished.

If such an incident had happened during our schooldays, school authorities would have caned the culprits first and then done the needful to discipline the other students.

After reading this, what I understood was that school authorities are encouraging unruly senior boys to use innocent younger children to satisfy their sexual desires. In Sri Lanka, we have heard of many cases where people who have used children in homosexual acts have been produced before courts and punished with jail terms. So why can't we do the same to these boys as they are over 18 years? If not produce them before juvenile courts.

We cannot and should not allow this type of offence to happen in schools where we send our children not only to educate them but also to discipline them.

Shiromi Keerthiratne

CEB in the dark age

My accumulated electricity bill which I received on May 12 was Rs. 1,983.24. I paid the bill on June 3 at the Raddolugama Post Office. I did not receive a red notice for June as the Electricity Board claims. Even if I did receive it, I would have ignored it as I had already paid the bill in full.

On July 8, I received another bill and I noticed the payments I had made had still not been deducted. I ignored this as I had already paid my bill. On July 27, while I was at work, my wife at a PTA meeting and my children at school, the Electricity Board disconnected the supply. Come on! I thought we were in the new millennium with computer networks and all modern technological advances.

It takes more than two months for a payment made at Raddolugama to travel to Ja-ela.

It is not my fault if the largest public organisation in the country cannot come up with a system to transfer data efficiently and quickly.

I had to undergo the humiliation of spending a night without lights, had to throw out all items in the fridge, my children and I had to go without ironed clothes, all because of the CEB.

I had to apply for leave and go to the Ja-ela CEB branch, and listen to the usual lame excuses such as it would take about three months for payments made at post offices to reach the board.

If it takes so long why do they request us to pay at the nearest post office? Shouldn't the Minister of Power do something about this nagging problem affecting millions of CEB customers.

M.A. Ariff,
Raddolugama

Sweet yet subtle

The darkness of the nine o'clock sky,

Spreads across the atmosphere

Where the air is clouded with carbon monoxide.

The road is jammed with pick-up trucks

And coughing men.

Women are returning home from work

And teenagers are partying.

In the midst of all that hustle and bustle

There, at the base of the mall stairway

Stands a man in faded clothes

Playing a melody indescribable.

One that takes me back to the days

When, as history says,

Our kings were entertained

By musicians.

Sweet, yet subtle.

Brief, yet the sort that lingers in my mind

Even after I've stepped back into

The crowded street,

Slipping a five-rupee coin into his hat.

Rukshani Weerasooriya,
Methodist College

Howzat commentators?

There appears to be a growing tendency among cricket commentators to criticise and pass judgment on umpires while matches are in progress.

The commentators are comfortably seated in the press box with access to hi-tech equipment and facilities to say whether a decision is right or wrong.

The umpires, on the other hand, have to sweat it out in the scorching sun, on their feet for hours on end. In case of an appeal for a tip catch or an LBW, they have to give their ruling on the spot, without access to any modern equipment.

Umpires can make genuine mistakes in ruling on these appeals, and the players usually take these up in the true spirit. They go by the age-old saying every player and cricket fan has learnt from their young days that the 'umpire's word is law".

During the second Test in Kandy, one would have been shocked at the high-handed manner in which commentators Pat Symcox and Ravi Shastri criticised the umpire's decisions.

To rub it in further, Shastri in his post-match interview with Symcox passed judgment on one of the umpires.

It is shameful to see a commentator saying ''not out" when the umpire has just given an "out". It seems appropriate now to let the commentators give the ruling on appeals and let the umpires just be observers in the field, to be consulted by the commentators if and when needed.

In case a commentator has an opinion that a particular umpire has failed to live up to the necessary standard, this should be brought to the notice of the ICC or any other relevant authority so that some corrective measures could be taken. What they should not do is to humiliate the umpires in full view of a world-wide audience. The ICC must consider taking action against commentators for challenging umpires in this fashion. After all, the players are bound by the code of discipline to respect the decision of the umpires, whether right or wrong.

Godfrey de Silva,
Moratuwa

Kallis deserves it

Sunil B in his letter (The Sunday Times July 30) says that many were shocked when Jacques Kallis was named man-of-the-series in the recently-concluded triangular tournament. But Mr. B does admit that "Kallis no doubt played well".

Also is it correct to say that the man-of-the-match award is given to the person who contributed most towards the victory?

From what I know, victory or no victory, the award goes to the player who contributed most to his team.

One more point I would like to mention is that we Sri Lankans are well known for our hospitality. We were the host country. Having proved that our cricketers are the champions, have all the awards got to be given to them?

After all cricket is supposed to be a gentleman's game. Five-star accommodation, dinner parties and swimming pools aren't the only things that our hospitality should include.

A little more generosity of spirit would go a long way towards solving most of our problems.

We may do well to spare a thought for the injustice suffered by some South African players when certain decisions went against them.

Shariya Algama,
Kelaniya

All these happen in a cricket match

I refer to the letter written by Sunil B. that appeared in The Sunday Times of July 30.

He finds fault with the match referee for selecting Jacques Kallis as man of the series in the recently concluded triangular tournament, overlooking Sri Lankan players such as Kumar Sangakkara, Avishka Gunawardena, Muttiah Muralitharan and Upul Chandana.

Sunil B. also says the man- of-the-series or the-match award is almost always given to the person who had contributed towards victory unless there was some exceptional performance by a player of the losing side.

The match referee had considered the latter point when selecting the man of the series. Kallis had done extremely well in batting, bowling and fielding and he deserved the award.

Regarding the deafening silence from the crowd when the announcement was made, it is natural that the home crowd wishes their countryman to win an award. The match referee had been given the responsibility because it was believed that he would consider all aspects and decide on the merits of the case. I feel he had done it.

With all respect to Arjuna Ranatunga who has done so much for Sri Lankan in cricket, I wish to ask a question about the selection of the man of the match in the second Test against South Africa. Lance Klusener well deserved to be the man-of-the-match for his excellent century, good bowling and fielding.

How was Ranatunga brought in as co-winner of the man-of-the match award in spite of the fact that he was from the losing side, overlooking Marvan Atapattu who scored 120 runs in the 1st innings and fielded brilliantly, too. As Tony Greig said, all these happen.

R. Pathmanathan
Vavuniya

Throw out unruly politicians

The behaviour of our parliamentarians was most disgusting and degrading to all educated people who watched the telecast of the President's address in parliament when she presented the Constitution bill.

The President made a significant remark when the caterwauling was going on. Turning towards the Speaker, she asked "Kauda Me Hivallu?" (who are these jackals?)

The most serious question to be asked is who nominated them? All political leaders are responsible for thrusting them as candidates on us, the poor hapless voters who have no option but to vote. As Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thera says, we should either refrain from voting or deface the ballot paper.

This type of hooliganism could be stopped, only if the political leaders are sincere, truthful, honest and have the welfare of the country at heart. It is no use crying "Kanawa, Kanawa" after putting a serpent under the sarong (a Sinhala saying).

Let this be a lesson to the leaders and let them show the whole country, by drawing a 'red line' across the names of unruly politicians and replacing them with candidates with good records.

With parliamentary elections round the corner, this is the ideal time to effect such a change.

May I ask the parliamentarians who crossed over whether it is morally correct for them to change the party under which they entered parliament on our votes. Have not such parliamentarians betrayed the confidence placed in them? Would it not be better if they were to resign honourably, and come before us again? We could show them that honest politicians will be received warmly and sent back to parliament with a big majority.

'Gads'
Boralesgamuwa

Dangerous crossing

St. Joseph's Street at Grandpass is a busy road, especially in the mornings. There are three schools in the vicinity. The pedestrian crossing opposite the Al-Nasser Maha Vidyalaya has become a danger spot where the lives of innocent children are threatened by motorists who display callous indifference to the safety of schoolchildren.

It seems traffic police officers of the Grandpass station which is located a few metres away from this danger spot are in deep slumber while the motorists violate the highway code and pose a threat to pedestrians.

Before a major mishap takes place, parents and people of the area appeal to the Grandpass Police to post two officers to man this danger crossing and ensure the safety of pedestrians. Police should also crack down on those motorists who are a law unto themselves.

M. Azhar Dawood,
Dehiwela

Who will cut those killer trees on Negombo road?

In addition to the constant perils experienced on highways and byways due to reckless motorists and the negligence of law enforcement authorities, the latest threat is from roadside trees which were supposedly planted for environmental reasons.

I refer particularly to the Negombo Road from Kandana to Ja-ela, where in early June, a falling kottang branch killed a motorcyclist and narrowly missed causing death and damage to other road-users and vehicles. The incident also caused hours of traffic congestion that night.

Several appeals were made to the Ja-ela Urban Council but the council conveniently passed the buck shirking responsibility, though it collects the rates from the residents in the area.

Appeals were also made to the Highways Department which says it does not have tree-cutters or the funds to obtain the services of tree- cutters. The technical officer (who does not want to be identified) says he is helpless and suggests that a letter be written to the executive engineer at the department's Negombo office.

It is a matter for deep concern and anxiety that the Highways Department, the Urban Council, the Police and all the so-called elected representatives of the people turn a blind eye to this imminent threat.

Angry commuter

SOS from Anderson flats

Most of the apartments at Anderson Flats had problems of water leakages since residents first moved in some four decades ago.

When the scheme was under the control of the National Housing Department and the National Housing Development Authority ad-hoc repairs were made with the Common Amenities Board also doing certain repairs.

Now the Common Amenities Board and the National Housing Development Authority have washed their hands of the matter by advising residents to form management corporations to run their day-to-day affairs.

Management corporations are only a group of helpless and powerless residents holding positions such as president, secretary, treasurer and so on.

Now several water tanks are overflowing day and night and water is seeping through ceilings and walls. The service blocks are the worst affected. If the buildings continue to be neglected, most of the flats will not last the expected life-span.

We appeal to the Minister of Housing to take immediate action and instruct engineers to inspect each unit in the flats and the common areas and have the necessary repairs effected.

Flat dweller,
Colombo 05

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