Letters to the Editor

Visionless and voiceless nation
It is the sad truth that we have become a visionless and voiceless nation. Look around us and these facts are staring at us, challenging us every day. We are retreating on every count, socially, economically and politically and now even morally.

In1948 in the month of February, a nation of about seven million people looked forward, as the Granary of the East, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, with one of the highest literacy standards, with universal franchise, to becoming the cynosure of Asia. But behold we have dropped far behind other countries.

We were always an easy-going nation, lethargic and lackadaisical, but we were disciplined by our rulers and therefore, followed the law almost to the letter. From the day of independence, our lethargy erupted from within us and the first error we committed was electing many unwanted elements.

After every election we are critical of the predecessors, of every past President, Prime Minister and heads of government institutions, the services and judiciary etc.

This is probably due to the fact that the politicians of the past have left gaping holes in their administration and integrity. Politicians pick up a gimmick here and there and use their rhetoric to mesmerize the voters. Beyond that they have no vision, except their own personal agendas.

As a result we have become voiceless too. From simple matters like inviting a religious leader like the Dalai Lama, to greater issues, we are seeking the voice of every nation to help resolve our issues like the peace process.

We screamed about the Norwegians, the venue and suddenly we are silenced and are awaiting the Norwegians help to resolve issues of our own making. The Dalai Lama is a highly respected religious leader and just because he appears to enjoy the confidence of his people and just because one of its giant neighbours have political ambitions, we are pretending that we don't see him as a worthy recipient of our recognition of his prestige and position.

The only way we can recover the lost voice and vision of this nation would be to set high standards in the selection and election of administrators and politicians.

Raise the criteria like educational standards for entry into Government service, demolish the chit system, and raise the deposit for entry into politics. Compel the political parties by legislation to follow set parameters with their goal being the development of the country.

Hell holes amidst the chaos
The coverings of the drainage pits on Ananda Rajakaruna Road, Colombo 10 are not to be seen and as a result the vehicles plying on the road often fall into them. Recently my car worth several millions fell into such a pit and was damaged.

Meanwhile, after the government relocated the Immigration Department to a private building constructed along this road, paying millions of rupees as rent, the whole road has got congested.

Why no sense of urgency?
Most senior citizens of this country, who have actually gone through the mill of post-independence ethnic disharmony, are most perturbed today, in regard to the absolute lack of a sense of urgency on the part of our political leaders in handling the ethnic conflict.

In the hunt for a southern consensus on this issue, it must be emphasized that those who were not even in their teens in the pre- 1956 era are not qualified to express their views.

Only the very senior citizens of over 70 years possess that experience of working and living with our Jaffna Tamil brothers. The ‘Machan’ we had from Jaffna in our office and workplace is no more. Instead, we are now confronted with the claymore mine, T56 or the pistol.

A vast exodus of our friends to foreign lands has taken place. However, thousands upon thousands who are not qualified to join them, are the most adversely affected, not only due to a two-decade armed conflict, but also due to a devastating tsunami. Now, where is the alternative plan to the abandoned P-TOMS to help these unfortunate people?

Two of Sri Lanka's most respected prime ministers made genuine efforts to resolve the problem. Had S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike or Dudley Senanayake succeeded, this country would have been an exemplary state, head and shoulders above Singapore.

It has to be stressed that time is fast running out. That a genuine sense of urgency is needed to resolve the ethnic issue is everybody's prayer to- day.
G.G.J.

Policy statements that never see the light of day
With every change of government it is common to see impressive policy statements and promises being made by the newly elected leaders. However, at the end of the period when the time comes to look back on the achievements, often most of the promises have not been kept or the policy statements simply forgotten. This happens because even the electorate does not hold the leaders accountable to their promises unless an election is around the corner.

This culture has made our leaders complacent, unaccountable and prone to make irresponsible promises. Another reason why these promises go unfulfilled is because the officials appointed to head various departments, boards and corporations very often do not share the thinking of the political leaders appointed by the people and therefore do not feel accountable to the voters.

After working in the private sector for a long period my view is that such lapses can be corrected by appraising the performance of Ministers, MPs, and Heads of various departments, boards and corporations on an annual basis against targets set at the beginning of the years as done by private sector companies.

This will ensure that the targets and promises given are achieved or at least reasons for failure are discussed. Ideally, the President can appraise the performance of Cabinet Ministers and they in turn their Ministry Secretaries and so on, down to at least to the Head of Department level.

Shedding light on cheap tricks
I wish to share my recent experience regarding a bargain purchase I had made for Rs. 300 on the 2nd Cross Street pavement of a rechargeable torch together with the paraphernalia in original packing.

The torch appeared impressively genuine. A decade ago I had bought a torch of similar brand name in a supermarket for Rs.1500 and it still serves me faithfully.
About six months ago I met a friend who showing one of these ‘look alike’ torches, said gleefully he had struck a bargain by purchasing it at the pavement for Rs. 350.

He had seen me using an expensive torch ‘of this kind ’. Of course he was unable to compare his bargain with my torch. Going back to this day, I saw a gathering surrounding a pavement hawker to buy these torches; a few leaving with more than one and, another, probably a small-time trader, buying half a dozen.

While the hawker was having a rollicking sale I was overcome with temptation myself to join the other bargain hunters and bought one hastily hoping to present it to my daughter who wanted a torch.

Having come home I unpacked the impressive looking carton excitedly. As I lifted the torch there was a rattle within and I assumed it to be a battery lying clumsily.

I checked the spare bulb to discover it to be inferior and unbranded. The bulb holder was crude and the reflector dull. However, I gave the torch the prescribed 12 hours charge, at the end of which I felt the torch was too hot.
Having disconnected the mains, I switched on for the first time to see only a dull illumination. (Later a thorough scrutiny revealed one cell less out of the four was the cause of the rattle and low power). The cells themselves were inferior.
With disappointment I checked the paraphernalia.

The adapter in the cellophane was junk; besides the instruction leaflet was out of some cheap Xerox paper. Having compared this torch with the genuine one I possess, I realized my folly and thought of the other gullible victims who had hastily bought these sub-standard products. I learnt these torches were really factory rejects from a BOI company disposed in bulk at auctions, procured by some unscrupulous businessmen hoping to make a fast buck.

This type of sub standard items sold on the pavements eventually ends as garbage. The Government must intervene in this matter. I recall the Chinese proverb – Cheap things are no good - Good things no cheap.

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