Letters to the Editor

Doing it in the open

Everyone knows that the sale of illicit liquor takes place on an empty plot just beyond the Embuldeniya junction.

Why the police are not taking any action is anybody's guess. Are they blind or are they getting a share of the profits?

A Resident 
Mirihana

The people should know all

Another problem is the move to gag the media. This results in the fundamental rights of the citizens being thwarted. According to Article 14 of our Constitution every citizen is entitled to freedom of speech and expression including publication. Moreover, according to a recent Supreme Court decision franchise is also part of the right of expression.

Nobel Prize Winner Nigerian Wole Soyinka said the man dies in all, who keep silent in the face of tyranny.

Naveen J. Karunatilaka
Peradeniya

Favouring the business tycoons

This time SLT has introduced a novel scheme - a discount ranging from 5 per cent to 15 per cent to subscribers whose bills exceed Rs 15,000 per month (call charges only). The only category which will benefit by this scheme is the business sector. The percentage discount is accounted from the total monthly bills of all telephones of the company/group on a master invoice system. 

It is regrettable that SLT discounts are granted to big-time users, but nothing has been done to reduce the heavy burden on the small subscribers. 

As in most other countries a "six-second block" billing system has been introduced for IDD calls, which is a great relief to the common man whose kith and kin work outside Sri Lanka. 

If the same system is introduced for local calls of private phone users, it will help cut down telephone bills. What happens now is that even if one talks for an extra second than the stipulated time band, one has to pay for the full unit. With the "six-second billing" one will only have to pay for the extra six seconds.

For Internet and e-mail users of SLT, as there are dedicated telephone numbers to obtain access, these numbers should be made "toll free" or given a special rate.

Ariyasumithra Wijeyaratne
Polgasowita

The older you grow, the more you know

I for one would rather listen to a 70-year-old "academic" than to a "cub-lecturer" not much older than myself who thinks he is an "icon of wisdom" now that he has got his degree. 

Instead of asking them to retire at 55 or 60, I believe true academics should be encouraged not to retire at all. If this means there would be no vacancies for the likes of me on the staff of the universities, I would gladly look elsewhere for work.

Undergrad
Peliyagoda

Lack of co-ordination main problem

People in our area were mainly dependent on the palmyrah for their livelihood. They use every part of the palmyrah tree. The products were upgraded by the Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) with minimum technology. But this was badly affected by the ethnic conflict and now people are facing a lot of difficulties. The Board has not taken steps to reactivate the industry and safeguard the people. 

Lack of co-ordination, lack of management efficiency in the Board are some of the drawbacks. Palm product co-operative societies established in 1972 worked closely with the people towards development. But the Board set up in 1975 did not maintain these links.

The PDB Chairman is stationed in Colombo and is functioning away from target groups. His pleas to identify problems, needs and priorities for the sector have not reached the grassroots level. People's participation is not taking place in the development process. 

It has been observed that there is a deviation from the sector objective and more weightage is given to other products in the Katpakam outlets.

Funding agenices are not approached properly. However, people are grateful to Douglas Devanada for mobilizing funds for the Gurunagar net factory and Thickam Distilleries. 

P.K.Mathiyas 
Kayts

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