The Sunday Times Letters to the Editor Section

Letters to the Editor 6th May 2001

Contents Tired of the same old excuses Why do we have to pay the price? Was it a Tiger trick? What a to-do to go Down Under! New rules to play the right strokes Playing pandu with Kachan! Tired of the same old excuses Being stuck in a tiny fishing village, without proper conveniences or comforts, I found Neville de Silva's 'Home is not where the heart is' on Sunday April 8, very thought provoking. He does have a point. Many Sri Lankans prefer hardships overseas, not because they cannot make the same amount back home. It is to escape the pervasive corruption in Sri Lanka. It is evident by the low level to which even private companies have stooped that it is not only with Government departments that one has to struggle, but lately even in places where honest service was assured some time back. Apart from that, of course, there is the constant bickering of which ever party is in power. Blaming it on the previous regime/s has become the only trump card that present political parties possess. Enough is enough! Go ahead, do something yourselves that you can be proud of. The other fact is the ever rising cost of living . The excuse is that war expenses keep escalating. Tell me, are we buying a million guns every year? Are we buying a thousand tanks every year? At some point in the past the costs should have started going down. We need a new leadership to change the image of Sri Lanka. S.M. Nizam Oman Why do we have to pay the price? The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has increased the price of diesel and kerosene for the third time within a short period. The Corporation claims that the cause is the increase in the price of crude oil in the world market and the fluctuation of the rupee against the dollar. But newspapers here publish the price of crude oil in the world market and we see that prices have dropped when compared with a few months back. The Chairman of the Corporation says that although world prices are coming down, the prices of diesel and kerosene cannot be brought down because the Corporation has suffered big losses in the past. One wonders whether these losses are due to unnecessary expenditure, and bad management? The Corporation has a large staff. Bowser drivers in outstation depots have only about two to three days of work a week, because there are more drivers than bowsers. Not only the head office but also other depots and regional offices too are overstaffed. Many employees are party supporters. The Corporation appears to have become the dumping ground of this government and consumers have to pay the price. We consumers kindly request the President to appoint a commission similar to that appointed for the Ceylon Electricity Board and put a stop to the unnecessary wastage of public funds. M. Ganie Colombo 2 Was it a Tiger trick? I was aghast to read the news item regarding the wounding of an American journalist by Sri Lankan armed forces. Should the American woman journalist working for the British Sunday Times have died as a result of the incident, one can imagine the fury this would have given rise to in sections of the world's press. One may, perhaps, be excused for wondering whether this incident was, in fact, unintentional or whether it was stage-managed for propaganda purposes. One wonders whether selecting that point to bring her to the Govt. controlled area was in order to expose her to danger? Given that both the USA and Britain have banned the LTTE, the emotion generated by Ms. Colvin's death as a result of fire from the forces may have helped to rebuild sympathy for the LTTE in those two countries. Rohan Wickramasinghe What a to-do to go Down Under! One would imagine that the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka can ensure that its staff, especially those employed at the counter, are given accurate instructions about proffering correct advice. Else, why should it have taken one and a half months to obtain a visa, especially, when we fulfilled all the criteria needed to obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). To cut a long, frustrating saga short, after explaining in detail our current circumstances, we were given two visa application forms. Then the ordeal began: 16.1.2001 - Forms duly filled and handed in. Told that they would be ready the next day. Hence booked our flights. 17.1.2001 - Duly turned up to collect visa, but were informed that due to details of our medical condition we had truthfully entered (i.e., high blood pressure, diabetes, angina) and as we were over 65 years of age, we had to undergo medical and X-ray examinations, by doctors on a specified list. Plea that we were fully covered by medical insurance, ignored. 25.1.2001 - Earliest appointment we could get to see a doctor from the list. He mentioned that due to X-rays, blood tests etc., there would be a possible delay of 7-10 days to get the visa. 26.1.2001 - X-rays collected and handed in to doctor,as per instructions. 5.2.2001 - Phoned the High Commission, and were told that our medical reports etc., had only been sent to Canberra on 2.2.2001, hence visas would take another 10 to 14 days. Cancelled flights that were booked. 14.2.2001-We were informed that my husband's visa was ok, but that I had to go for two more X-rays, which were totally unconnected with the ailments I had filled in on the Form. Also told, that this would entail another 10-14 days delay. Added stress caused, as I imagined I was suffering from all sorts of hidden diseases i.e., cancer/tumours etc., till I consulted a local radiologist who gave an assurance that there was nothing wrong. 28.2.2001-Finally told that the visa had come through. During this exasperating interim period, daily calls to the High Commission, from where there were curious, mixed response from the visa staff, such as, "Oh you are the person, who is always calling about your visa," "We will call you back (but no-one ever did), "You have to expect delays. After all it is you, who put down your medical condition." No-one at any stage, took the trouble to find out that we were bona fide travellers, only visiting Australia for two weeks, anxious mainly to see Uluru (Ayres Rock) at sunset and sunrise, which incidentally we missed due to the bad weather, when we finally got there! L.R. Perera* Kelaniya New rules to play the right strokes This is in response to the call made by Dr. P. Ramanujan, Secretary Ministry of Tourism and Sports, to make suggestions and recommendations towards the amendment of the antiquated Sports Law of 1972 that still prevails. This law is the bane of all sports bodies, mainly cricket (in which our country has made giants steps after we attained Test status). Cricket has been the victim of rash and unjust treatment because of bungling especially by sports ministers. As the Sports Ministry is gearing for reforms (I hope they are genuine) I would suggest after careful deliberation, that cricket, (men's and women's cricket) like in other countries, be removed from the monopoly of the Sports Ministry. Cricket administration must be independent, but measures must be taken for the right people to get into the BCCSL. The President of Sri Lanka (who is the Patron of the BCCSL) should nominate the President of the BCCSL because she will select a credible person as she would be answerable to the people. No time limit must be placed on the President of the BCCSLholding office. If he is found to be dedicated and acceptable, he may carry on but if he is not, the President will have the power to remove him. The rest of the members of the BCCSL can be elected by the local bodies representing cricket who are its constituent members. In this manner the Sports Ministry can be kept out but not without being represented at the AGM or when a dispute arises. R.P.D. Jayawardena Colombo 2 Playing pandu with Kachan! In most parts of the dry zone of Sri Lanka, including the Dambulla region, the south west wind starts around mid-May each year gathering momentum, sometimes with hot spells, and subsides towards the end of September. This wind is known as the "Kachan". I have doubts- whether cricket (or any other game) of international status could be conveniently and comfortably played during the "Kachan". Arthur Morawaka Ratmalana
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