Letters to the Editor

Weed out the bad and forge ahead
In the chequered history of politics, we have often seen, that it is the ruling regime that has to face the brunt of Opposition criticism during election time. The situation becomes worse if and when the ruling party has failed to deliver the goods in governance and performance in keeping with their election manifesto.

Such was the fate of the UNF government during the 13th General Election on April 2. The people’s verdict unmistakably gave a clear message to the UNF Govt. for not being attuned to the hopes and aspirations of those who elected them to office in 2001.

A close analysis of the General Election results and the 7.76 percent island-wide shorfall in the votes, would reveal that the crushing defeat of the UNF was I believe mainly due to the following reasons:

The snail-speed peace process-involving a lot of time and unnecessary expenditure- being entrenched only in the realm of talking rather than in the realm of any tangible action.

Granting of unnecessary concessions to the Tigers at the very outset thereby allowing them to bring in shiploads of arms, sophisticated communication equipment etc.

Govt.'s lackadaisical attitude towards blatant violations of the MoU on many occasions.

A heavy cost of living, that was a burden to the masses while large scale concessions were allowed to the elite through the disastrous Income Tax Amnesty Act .

Total disregard to the high-level lawlessness islandwide and the behaviour of certain cabinet ministers whose sons misbehaved at night clubs using their fathers’ influence.

The long and short of it was the so-called people's representatives saw themselves as masters of the masses or demi-gods, totally forgetting that they had been placed in such positions of power by the masses.

Now that a new regime has come to power, it is not only sufficient for them to point an accusing finger at their defeated rivals but also to identify those responsible for these actions and bring them to justice.

They should not only identify for those who did wrong, but also identify where things had gone wrong and rectify these wrongs. The main challenge above all, would be the resumption of the peace process and forging ahead without repeating the mistakes already made by the UNF while sustaining the ceasefire.

All elected representatives should work out a programme for the betterment of the people who wait with great expectations. It is also hoped that the new cabinet ministers and their deputies would act in conformity with the code of conduct and its guidelines and maintain the respect of those who have elected them and also safeguard the sovereignty of Parliament.

Let us recognise man’s universal humanity
Today most clerics and self-appointed religious leaders of almost all the religions followed the world over have used their own erroneous interpretation of fundamentalism and introduced hatred, violence and murder into the noble precepts of these religions, thereby setting man against man.

Sri Rabindranath Tagore, the world-renowned Indian philosopher, traveller, poet, writer and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature wrote an article in 1916 titled, " On the Way to Japan”. An excerpt of this article is published below. The truth that emanates from it should jolt us back to sanity, make us recognize man's universal humanity and enable us to live in peace with our fellow men once again.

"From the glare of the outside world we entered into the ripened gloom of olden times. A broad flight of steps rose in tiers before us covered with a canopy. On either side they were selling fruits, flowers, candles and other sundry offerings of worship - the sellers mostly Burmese women. The colours of the flowers mingling with the colours of their silk clothes made the shades of the temple as variegated as the sky at sunset.

"Buying and selling are not prohibited and Mohamedan shop-keepers are displaying their miscellaneous foreign wares. Meat and fish are not excluded either, and domestic concerns, including eating, are being carried on all around.

There is no line drawn between the world and the temple; they mingle freely, but the commotion that prevails in the market is absent. Here there is no solitude, but there is privacy; no silence, but peace.

There was a Burmese barrister in our party, who when asked why fish and flesh were allowed to be bought and sold and eaten on the temple steps, replied,

"Buddha has preached to us, he has told us which way lies man's salvation, and which way lies his bondage; but he never wanted to make anything good by force; no good can be done by pressure from the outside; salvation lies in one's own free will; therefore, there is no ritualistic tyranny in our temple or in our society."

Low price with high cost to eyes
I had a minor problem with regard to reading the lettering on T.V, which led me to consult my eye specialist. The first question he asked was about the kind of lighting under which I watch TV. When I said I used energy saving bulbs, his response was that there lay the problem.

I was strongly advised not to use energy-saving bulbs or fluorescent tubes as the rays emanating from them are harmful to the eyes. He also said that today, children, even very young ones are brought for eye treatment due to watching TV under unsuitable lighting. In the old days when there was no electricity, people used coconut oil lamps, which are soothing to the eyes and hence had fewer eye problems. Energy-saving bulbs were introduced a few years ago and were strongly recommended by the Ceylon Electricity Board backed by the Govt. The Electricity Board even issued these bulbs on credit and we were allowed the option of deducting the cost in instalments from our electricity bills.

Children should not be allowed to read or watch T.V. under such conditions. Use an ordinary bulb of about 60 or 75 w, or even 100w depending on the size of the room.

Waiting for a ferry that never comes
Since May, 2003, the public have been eagerly awaiting the outcome of a valuable proposal to launch an Indo-Lanka ferry service. This would be a boon to all those seeking education, expert medical treatment, visiting places of religious worship etc. The increase in passenger traffic is the main reasons for the highflying airticket prices, which have skyrocketed. The final draft of an MOU, which was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers here, has been forwarded to the Indian Government for approval. But nothing has materialized upto date. A vessel was chosen and a reasonable fare was fixed - Rs. 7000 for the return journey, travel time of six hours to and from Colombo-Tuticorin with an attractive baggage allowance of 75-100 kilos on board .

It is time that both Governments take concerted effort on a higher level towards the implementation of this much-awaited Indo-Lanka ferry service. In 1961, three of my friends Mr. Yehiya., Mr. Nazimdeen, late M.S.A Salam and I took a train to Talaimannar Pier and travelled by steamer (MV "Goshen") to Dhanashkodi. After an interesting and exciting journey by South Indian Railways across the long Pamban Bridge (which is no more) we reached Madras.

I am sure the state shipping corporations of both countries could be given due recognition to act as Agents for the successful implementation of this valuable passenger service.

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