Letters to the Editor

Stop shelling Shell

But I wish to congratulate Shell for the courage it exhibits by decreasing the weight and increasing the prices, with callous disregard to agreements with Government.

Now the most interesting part of the story is that representatives of the Government which holds 49% of shares in this company, also attend board meetings where decisions are taken. My neighbour who is a retired senior public servant alleges that these so called 'bored' meetings are held around 3 p.m., giving enough time for 'bored' members to drown a couple of whiskies, lunch, (of course all in Co: A/C) and come prepared to say "aye" without any arguments. 

According to top economists of the Central Bank, the price of gas should have been revised 18 months ago, along with arrack and cigarettes. That would have cushioned the financial impact to some degree and all rice and curry eating natives of Mother Lanka — Dasa, Pala, and Siri plus Karuna, Anula and Sumana — would not have any complaints against Shell.

Humour apart dear reader, when the President of Sri Lanka makes an announcement that Shell should not be blamed for the increase in price, we should not challenge that statement.

Is it her contention that all multinational companies are poor and striving for existence? Or should they be encouraged and not prevented, to have their own way? So don't be surprised if poor Shell announces suddenly, that, its gas filling machinery is filling only 12 Kg and the consumer will have to bear with them till such time new equipment is designed, tested, manufactured, tropicalised, shipped to Sri Lanka, installed, tested and commissioned. The company may go further and say "no price reduction" is possible, because all transactions are computerised and if it considers a price reduction, new computers will have to be installed which will take, may be another 18-20 months.

If that is the case do we have a choice? Some say Shell's price increase is well timed. With cricket being played on our soil, people keep discussing cricket and not gas.

Collin de Silva,
Kelaniya.

Never utter a cry

Sinali Mary Alexandra Dharmaratne
Nugegoda

What trust fund means to poor pensioners

A large number of pensioners attended this meeting which was presided over by the district secretary.

But it was a pity that the anxious audience of ageing pensioners was not fully told of the benefits that could be obtained from such a welfare scheme.

Now these pensioners will have to bide their time until these newly formed associations get organised to implement the positive side of this yet unknown scheme. 

Till this is done the monthly deduction of Rs 10 from each pensioner will be credited to the trust fund, which will accrue several millions of rupees. The fund will further swell every month as public servants retire from service. 

As a pre-1980 pensioner I would like to know what medical or other benefits I will be entitled to and if so from when I will be entitled to apply for such benefits. Whatever the outcome will be from this trust fund scheme, it is a consolation to be aware that after more than 30 years of honest dedicated service as public servants, a fund has been created from our own meagre pensions, to cater to our own needs in our declining years. We do not have to depend on politicians and their promises to obtain redress to anomalies created by the very governments we served. Pensioners who had been demeaned by being described as a lot who were just eating and idling, will be happy to be aware that the meagre Rs. 10 which will be deducted from such 'lotus eaters' will be utilised for their own benefit, without hoping for elusive government doles.

Aelian Peiris,
Matale

Increasing burden on diesel vehicle owners 

Before 1990 the annual revenue licence tax on all vehicles was based on the year of manufacture. Older the vehicle — both diesel and petrol — lesser the cost of the revenue licence tax. In 1991 there was an increase in the price of petrol. 

The existing system of revenue licence taxation was changed and vehicle owners were required to pay the tax according to the weight of the vehicle and not on the age of the vehicle.

Bigger the vehicle, more the tax. Soon, a further tax was imposed on diesel vehicles. This meant that vehicle owners had to pay 25 percent more for the revenue licence. Again in 1994 a tax of Rs. 5000 a year was imposed on all private diesel vehicles to be paid at the time of renewal of the vehicle insurance.

Since then the price of diesel has been steadily increased and the price now stands at Rs.19.50. As it stands now all owners of private diesel vehicles irrespective of the age of the vehicle have to pay:-

(a) Increased revenue licence cost;

(b) Annual diesel tax of Rs. 5000;

(c) Increased cost of diesel fuel.

Is this fair?

No smoke without fire

I was in Brazil some time ago, when such a campaign was launched by the tobacco industry, ostensibly to reduce smoking among teenagers. 

To my surprise, the main message of this campaign was that smoking is an adult habit, and therefore only those over 18 years of age should smoke.

Needless to say, this did not reduce smoking. It created the impression that smoking was an adult habit, and a sign of maturity, thereby increasing its attractiveness among teenagers. 

It is alleged that similar strategies are being adopted in Sri Lanka, too.

Since the government announced it would implement measures to curb the use of tobacco, the company has allegedly adopted several strategies.

First, it opposed such measures. Then, it did an about-turn and announced it would stop tobacco advertising. 

Then it spent millions on advertising, trying to show the public (and the government too, I suspect), that what a responsible, law abiding company it is, to have taken such a step. 

There is no need not elaborate on how well it has kept its promise of not advertising cigarettes. There are cigarette advertisements anywhere you care to look. I think that it is high time that we Sri Lankans stopped being fooled by such frivolous attempts.

Therefore we should regard this sudden urge to "reduce" smoking among teenagers with deep suspicion, especially in the wake of media reports about a promotional campaign that can only be called vicious. 

During the last couple of weeks, it has been reported that attractively dressed young boys and girls have been seen smoking and distributing cigarettes to young around tuition classes in several cities. I wonder how many of those attending such classes were over 18 years of age.

Being a former smoker who quit the habit after realizing that I had been duped by manufacturers to think that smoking was fashionable and an adult "right", I implore the government to stop this campaign.

Jayantha Rajapakse,
Nugegoda

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