Letters
to the Editor
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| Paying
more and more for very little service
There are programmes on productivity aired on the SLBC. No amount of programmes can bring about a noticeable change, unless the officers concerned or the trade unionists change their attitudes. The role of trade unions have changed the world over except in Sri Lanka where they are still of the opinion, that a trade union must always be on the opposing camp of the management. In most developed countries, trade unions have changed their role into one of consultative councils where they work hand in glove with the management to ensure profitability and better welfare facilities for their workers. In Sri Lanka, the workers always have one demand or another to grouse about. They do not realize that unless there is efficiency which increases productivity, no management can offer better facilities to their workers. The role of workers as well as management is like a chain, it needs to link together to turn smoothly or else the system will stop. I wonder whether trade unions in this country ever demand from their members, that they put in a proper 8 hours work? Do they ever question themselves about their own lapses in performing duties entrusted to them? Do they have any sense of responsibility towards the tax payers? It doesn't seem to be. Many years ago, tax payers were made to understand that privatization would ensure efficiency in organizations like Telecom, Electricity Board and Water Board. Of these three departments Telecom seems to have gone further even inviting Japanese collaboration and management. Efficiency is yet to be seen or felt. About 30 years ago, owning a telephone was considered a luxury - today it has become a necessity. With all the modern technology that Telecom is supposed to have, sadly their performance is the worst. For the consumer to receive a regular monthly bill is asking too much. The billing is done from the Telecom central controls where all user details are. All they need to do is to read the meters and record them on a monthly basis. We are not asking for too much when we say we would like to receive our previous month's bill within the current month! Most of us received our January bills only last week. Excuses given are that printing machines had a problem, the Chairman had a problem etc. - you name it, they have all the excuses. Surely, the Chairman of Telecom doesn't sit down and record the usage units of subscribers. It is prudent to ask, how many subscribers have received their 2004 Telephone Directories? Most people in Kotte have not received theirs - it is already June 2004 and Directories of the current year should reach the subscribers atleast within the first two months of a new year! It seems that subscribers in other areas also face the same problem. When questioned, the officers have a ready answer "we have handed it over to a mail service for delivery." Then we have the Electricity Board, which sends its Meter Readers house to house, who immediately write out the previous month's bill , hand it over and go walking to the next house, to do the next reading. These officials are not even provided with the least sophisticated mode of transport which is a bicycle, for them to do their rounds but they perform their duties punctually and as efficiently as possible. There is no doubt that at the end of the day, they are exhausted! The Water Board works more or less on the same lines as the Electricity Board where the Meter Readers visit each house and record the units consumed and hand over a bill then and there. Unfortunately, of the three sectors mentioned above, Telecom seems to be the most inefficient. As tax payers, do these sectors owe any apologies or better services to us? Has that thought ever arisen in the minds of responsible officers? Are we there only to pay the ever increasing bills without better service being provided? These are matters that trade unions as well as responsible officers of these departments need to think about.
Darmitha Heaps
of garbage and dirty flowing water People are used to keeping the garbage bags on the road on Friday and when the truck does not come, the stray dogs, cats or bulls get at the bags. The smell is unbearable. Apart from this road, garbage can be seen heaped up everywhere in Maharagama, most on the road. Another big problem is the bushes grown adjacent to the parapet wall of the Cancer Hospital. These bushes are about six feet tall on both sides of Daham Mawatha down to the Cancer Hospital. Two vehicles cannot pass along this road. Accidents occur very frequently due to this problem. The gutter next to the Cancer Hospital along this road is clogged with garbage heaps. All the filth along with the contaminated water of the hospital flows down this road and the pedestrians who pass by have to tread on all this dirt. Who is responsible for this problem and whose negligence is this – the pedestrians or the authorities of the Pradeshiya Sabha or the authorities of the Medical Officer's Office? M.
Peiris Politically
reliable pets? That is invariably why such extensions are given overlooking those in service. Then again, those politicians, rejected by the people at the elections appear to be preferred for appointment to politically selected posts, paid with the people's money, as against those who are more qualified and suitable. This is perhaps a malaise we have to put up with till we are politically developed. Upali
S. Jayasekera
'Letters
to the Editor' should be brief and to the point. Address them to: 'Letters to the Editor, The Sunday Times, P.O.Box 1136, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Or e-mail to editor@sundaytimes.wnl.lk or features@sundaytimes.wnl.lk Please note that letters cannot be acknowledged or returned. |
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