Letters to the Editor

• Water and Tax –PA has forgotten
• Wildlife parks: Keep them for all
• Why guarantors for pension loans?
• Dissecting the Karava theory
• Ban those bags
• What's in a name?

Water and Tax –PA has forgotten

After more than six years in office and being returned to power recently, the government continues to tax private sector employees who are paid anything more than a paltry Rs. 12,000. 

All this while, public sector employees, ministers and Members of Parliament enjoy fat tax-free salaries, and innumerable allowances and perks.

The U.N.P., apparently satisfied with the prospect of remaining in the oppositzion, losing election after election, is in hibernation, probably with no intention of waking up until the next election. 

People continue to suffer due to the escalating prices of essentials.

Meanwhile, despite the 1994 pledge to remove water meters, people in urban areas are charged heavily for their water. How long is the government hoping to fool the people?

Anandaraja Veda Arachchi
Nawala

Wildlife parks: Keep them for all

It is commendable that the Director has disallowed total privatization of our wildlife reserves, as suggested by the ADB.

It is strange that the ADB insists on privatization of conservation areas in Sri Lanka, knowing very well that in many advanced countries such as the USA, national parks are managed by governments. 

In the USA, all parks are managed by the National Park Service. It is a federal (central government) body under the Department of Interior and established in 1916. 

It manages national parks, national monuments, historical parks and national military parks. 

It is stated that " .... the supervision and facilities provided by the National Park Service are designed to help visitors enjoy these parks as much as possible". Yellowstone National Park, the first, was established in 1872 by the Yellowstone Act which stated, "... the area is dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." 

These parks have federally supervised roads, trails, water supplies, camp grounds and public accommodation. Note that the prime reason for the establishment of national parks is not "economic benefit" which the ADB seems to be advocating to us. 

A privatized system imposed by the ADB will make our wildlife reserves inaccessible to a majority of people in general, especially school- children, pilgrims and low-income nature lover. Our parks will end up like some tourist resorts, which yet practise apartheid, catering to whites and the Colombo-7 elite.

Our concept of wildlife conservation precedes that of most countries and has a 2000-year-old history when Mihintale was declared a sanctuary by ancient kings for the benefit of animals, plants and people. 

Other such sanctuaries followed throughout the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods.

I appeal to the Director of Wildlife that the removal of park bungalows (at the behest of the ADB) be reconsidered. This is a move to promote private hotels outside parks to charge exorbitant rates from locals who would have no other choice. Park bungalows may have caused some management problems (pollution, visitor misbehavior etc.). But with strict enforcement of rules and the likely opening up of Wilpattu, Kumana, Maduru Oya, Gal Oya, Somawathiya etc., bungalows and small cabins as well as camp-sites are a must for local wildlife lovers and low-income visitors.

Why scrap such facilities when even affluent countries like the USA have these in their national parks? 

Cecil Dharmasena 
Former Director
Forestry and Environment, 
Mahaweli Authority

Why guarantors for pension loans?

But many pensioners are unable to obtain even these small loans through the Bank of Ceylon due to rigid rules. Pensioners have to provide two guarantors and many find it impossible to do so. If a person could find two guarantors, he could go to any private bank and get loans.

The loan scheme has been introduced by the government to lighten the burden of pensioners. 

The monthly pension which goes to the bank should be sufficient guarantee. 

Even if the pensioner dies his/her spouse will continue to get the W. and O.P. and loan deductions could be continued.

Therefore, the Bank of Ceylon should review this situation and grant loans. 

A Pensioner
Kandy

Dissecting the Karava theory

The lecture was extremely interesting as it critically analyzed a theory put forward by Michael Roberts, which is often quoted by pseudo scholars. Unlike such unquestioning scholars, Dr. De Silva dissected Roberts' model into its components and demolished it in toto.

Roberts' theory is interpreted by many to mean that all Karavas have a fishing background; they and they alone, surpassed some 'higher community' during the 19th century by commercial enterprise; and fishing was the training ground for their commercial successes. That is the essence of Roberts' 400-page book.

He pointed out that Roberts had dabbled in time and transported the 1940's changes in the fishing industry to the mid-19th century and had underestimated the need of infrastructure for the development of the industry. 

He said that Roberts had treated seine-net fishing as a model of capitalism and assumed that there was spatial mobility in an industry, which only had mobility within it. Roberts had not provided solid examples of families moving from fishing to other industries. Beach seining was also not that prevalent in the southwest region as in the north and the east. 

Businessmen of diverse communities who invested in seine-nets had done so with capital accumulated elsewhere and not vice versa as stated by Roberts, Dr. De Silva said.

There were many protests from the audience regarding the indiscretion in associating fishing with the Karava caste. They pointed out that the Karavas were warriors by caste and had been compelled by economic circumstances to take to fishing, agriculture, furniture-making, transport and trade after the fall of the kingdoms.

During the colonial period, persons of low birth who acquired status by serving the Europeans propagated the use of inaccurate caste occupation labels for many castes. 

The British prohibited the use of such inaccurate descriptions on September 21, 1900 through a Colonial Secretary's circular. 

Jagath Manukulasuriya
Colombo

Ban those bags

This can be started as a cottage industry in villages where such raw materials are available.

It could also serve as self employment ventures for youth. Weaving and making bags can be taught as handwork in schools.

However much we may talk about the adverse effects of polythene bags, it will not be heeded, until there is a replacement. 

After setting up a cottage industry to produce bags, the manufacture and sale of sili-sili bags could be banned.

S.D. Weeratunge
Polgolla

What's in a name?

A person can change his religion but, in my opinion, a name change is not necessary. Though someone may have an Arabic name, it does not mean that he/she is a Muslim.

When I was in Saudi Arabia, I met Christian Lebanese with Arabic names. I knew a Christian priest in Jamaica who bore the name Rev. Abdullah. Does a Chinese Muslim have an Arabic name? I am not sure.

Why must Sri Lankan Muslims have Arabic names?

T.A. Miskin
Nugegoda

Return to Plus Contents