Letters

Whom are they trying to

Now, Sri Lanka Telecom informs customers that they are to get 200 units free but at a higher rental of Rs. 450/-. Sri Lankans are suckers for sales gimmicks - and this really takes the cake.

What in effect is happening, considering the increase of Rs. 250/- on the rental, is that they are paying for 80 units at the rate of Rs. 3/- per call.

There are many lower middle class people who are very careful of the calls they make, who may not be using the phone even this much usually.

But now what will happen is that they will take calls just because it's free up to 200 units.

On the other hand, those who do not use the phone much will also be paying unnecessarily.

The poor should be able to have at least telephone facilities at a lower rate.

The new system is stealing from the poor to pay for the rich - rather than being the other way round.

Let the rental be Rs. 200/- as it is, but if SLT needs money, let them charge an increasing rate for the users of more units, as it happens in the billing for water. Let the first 200 units be at Rs. 3/- and the second block at a higher rate.

This way, those who use the phone more will pay more and the less privileged will be able to manage within their income.

Dr. Mareena

Thaha Reffai

Dehiwela