Letters to the Editor

Giving way to maniacs: Who’s responsible?
The Alawwa tragedy, which caused the death of 37 passengers and injury to nearly 50 others could have been prevented had the Private Bus Owners' Association, the National Transport Commission, the Ministry of Transport and above all the Police Department done their duty.

I say "above all the Police Department" with good reason. Daily you find private bus drivers going against the red light, overtaking by-passing the double white lines and driving in the most reckless manner. But are they nabbed? No. But if you and I go through even an amber light, we will get a ticket. The IGP must look into this.

The head of the Private Bus Owners' Association has said that "there is a surplus of buses on most routes". I don't think he has travelled by bus recently or else he could not have made this statement considering the way buses are jam-packed. Is he aware that there are buses with 3 hand rails for standing passengers? If what he said is true, how can he account for this particular bus carrying nearly 100 passengers?

He has blamed the govt. and the provincial authorities for failing to impose standards. Will he now, solemnly and sincerely, promise and declare that he will ensure that his unruly bus drivers and conductors will not strike once the standards are imposed?

The Prime Minister, after announcing that Rs. 25,000 would be given for the funeral expenses of each of the dead, has said that a fly-over is what is required but failed to mention what deterrent action should be taken against suicidal drivers. Of course, a fly-over will cost only a few hundred million?

Is it not a condition that all buses carrying paying passengers should be insured? If not, why? Should it not be a condition, before the route licence is given, that all buses must be insured against any injury or even death of its passengers? If not, will the authorities make it a condition now? What is the liability of the owner of this bus towards the unfortunate passengers?

As for the National Transport Commission, is it not time that you thought of the passengers, who get a rawer deal than transported cattle (overloading of cattle is charged but not the overloading of human beings). Why has no action been taken about the number of standing passengers? If there is any law why isn't the Police insisting on enforcing such rule?

Let this accident - I cannot call it an accident but an action of a maniac - be an eye opener to all concerned in the road passenger service.

This is a crime
There was a big hue and cry from the public over the recently introduced, recording of thumb prints from visa applicants, for travel to the United States and Britain.

I wish to recall an incident, which occurred recently when I happened to visit a police station in the Kandy area. One of my friends who was to leave the country for employment was asked to produce a police report by the relevant authorities.

When he submitted the application, not only had he to spend almost five hours at the Police Station but he was also treated as if he was a criminal. I witnessed that all of his fingerprints were taken by a police officer for about 30 minutes with duplicates. Further my friend was told that it would take at least one month to issue a report as they had to get the confirmation from the Finger print Department in Colombo, that the applicant was not involved in any type of criminal activities.

Isn't that a joke, considering that no proper action is taken against many criminals who smuggle narcotics, forge currencies, and documents. The JVP which was once opposed to these types of action in the past is silent now.

Will the authorities concerned take prompt action in this regard, if they really wish to maintain the public police relationship.

Trip to Jaffna: Travails of an air passenger
I travelled to Jaffna by plane for the first time on April 13. I made a booking at the Lion Air office in Colombo for a flight at 7.30 a.m. I was asked to be at the Ratmalana Airport around 5 a.m. but was called in for checking only at 6.45 a.m. So, I don't know why we were asked to report so early like on international flights.

We arrived at Palaly around 9 a.m. I had to use the toilet at the airport since there was a delay of 45 minutes to clear the luggage. The toilets which are used by passengers including diplomats and foreign tourists were in a horrible state, just like our public toilets. Either the government should construct decent toilets or the people operating these flights should do so.

My return journey had been booked for April 17 at 9.45 a.m. Quite by chance I happened to go to the Lion Air office on the 16th to confirm my seat. To my surprise I was told that there was no flight at 9.45a.m. on the 17th and the flight was at 2.45 p.m. In Jaffna I was residing at Urelu. If I had not re-checked, I would have left Urelu at 5.30 a.m. paid 500 rupees for the hired vehicle only to be told there was no flight.

For the 2.45 p.m. flight, I was asked to be at Sinhala Maha vidyalaya at noon. But the checking started only at 1 p.m. and we left for Palaly only at 1.50 p.m. Here again the toilets were in a terrible state.

At Palaly there was a second check by the Army, and finally we got into the plane at 3.10 p.m. For 20 minutes we were seated inside as if we were inside a hot oven. People were sweating and children were crying. Most of the passengers were Sri Lankans living abroad. I told the stewardess, that usually the passengers are taken in, only after the engine is started. Then at least the air conditioning would have worked.

Students need facilities, parents need relief
It could be said that there is a student population of over one hundred thousand studying in private international schools. These are managed by individuals as business ventures.

Contrary to the general impression, all these children are not from affluent families. The majority are from the middle or upper-middle classes, who either failed to get their children admitted to govt. schools or those who want to give them the best education possible in keeping with present day realities. In doing so, they have to overcome many obstacles - especially financial.

Therefore it is natural for parents to expect these institutions to give their children a good all round education. Therefore, the govt. as the custodian of the country's education policy is duty-bound to step in and frame rules and regulations in establishing and managing these schools by providing them with all the necessary facilities and good teaching staff and levying reasonable fees.

It is also imperative to have a Monitoring Board to oversee and take corrective measures through regular visits and inspections. In addition, couldn’t the govt. as an act of goodwill, waive the BTT imposed bestowing some relief to parents?

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