Letters to the Editor

3rd February 2002

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'Letters to the Editor' should be brief and to the point.
Address them to:
'Letters to the Editor,
The Sunday Times,
P.O.Box 1136, Colombo.
Or e-mail to 
steditor@wijeya.lk or 
stfeat@wijeya.lk
Please note that letters cannot be acknowledged or returned.

Night out at Sigiriya

With regard to "Lighting up Sigiriya" (The Sunday Times, January 13), it is indeed a laudable idea, that should have been done a long time ago. Sigiriya is unique and stands sentinel among the vast open fields. This fortress built by King Kassyapa, is distinct to those put up by foreign invaders.

Thus, Sri Lankans do not fail to visit Sigiriya in their numbers. There is much to see and much to be proud of the marvellous feats of engineering and architecture of our own. Thinking of Kassyapa, his retinue of men and maids, who lived there, one can visualise their lifestyles, their romance and their fighting spirit of patriotism.

Travellers have to hurry to get to Sigiriya before the noonday sun makes climbing difficult. Often they skip the ancient rock temple at Rangiri Dambulla, a must on the trip. Therefore, if Sigiriya and its environs are lit up, more time can be spent in the night there. It will be a boon to both local and foreign tourists.

One can well imagine the enchanting sight of Sigiriya lit up at night. 

Stanley Geevaratne
Dehiwela


Ask the crucial question

There have been several ceasefires between the government and the LTTE and many peace proposals. But all have failed because a crucial point has not been put forward by any government for a positive answer from Velupillai Prabhakaran.

We hope Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Chandrika Kumaratunga will ask him whether he is prepared to forfeit his claim for Eelam or a separate state. This should be done before any discussions involving India or Norway. 

If Prabhakaran gives a positive answer then there is hope of success, however long the discussions may last. Otherwise, history will repeat itself.

Derrick Weerasooriya
Hikkaduwa


Please shed light

Could Minister Karu Jayasuriya please clarify the following: 

1) Why are the electricity bills nearly the same in spite of long power cuts?

2)Would anyone trying to avail himself of an appliance to keep out the dark be liable to pay duty to the government, if the appliance was imported?

3) How many Ministers actually spend time in the dark? 

V.E. Potger 
Nugegoda


Plea from prison

It is characteristic for a bishop to select a place away from his usual abode to celebrate mass on special occasions like Christmas Day. Bishop Vianney Fernando picked the Bogambara prison.

After the service, the prisoner who gave the vote of thanks had asked Bishop Fernando to request the government to mitigate the sentences of prisoners, when celebrating national and religious festivals such as Vesak, Independence and Christmas. The Bishop has promised to take up their plea.

Lenard R. Mahaarachchi
Moratuwa


Start discipline at ground level

As a long suffering resident of Station Road, Dehiwela, I hope the new government will stop the blatant violation of laws by various people and institutions. These violations have made this peaceful road a nightmare. Here are a few examples:

* Three-wheelers and other vehicles park near the Station Road - Galle Road intersection in violation of road rules.

* Three or four buses await passengers, again near the intersection, blocking traffic.

* Buses allow passengers to embark a few feet from the junction in full view of the Traffic Police with no regard for other vehicles. 

* The Dehiwela Mount Lavinia Municipality has set up Coca Cola stands on the narrow pavements, forcing pedestrians on to the road. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has quite rightly said that the first thing needed to put this country right is discipline. I hope he and his team will start at ground level and ensure that we have law and order on our roads.

The police and the local authorities have totally failed in this regard.

An Old Resident
Dehiwela


Noisy intruders

I'm prompted to write this letter due to the behaviour of certain individuals in our society. 

These are the ones that you encounter at lectures, cinema-halls etc- those who constantly disturb others by answering mobile phones, talking loudly with the neighbours,basically making a nuisance of themselves. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is now in possession of a mobile phone.

Obviously it helps people communicate. But should it be on when lectures are in progress?

What happens in certain lectures is that various mobile phones with various tones (theme songs of Mission Impossible or M.I.B. ) ring at the loudest possible level, breaking the concentration of the rest in the hall.

Most of these phones are equipped with Caller Line Identification (also called Caller Number Display), and have the Vibra alert option.

Why can't people switch to these options without disturbing others? Is it sheer disregard for the rights of others? Or is it that they have not been 'brought up' properly by their parents? 

Another set that can be found in concerts, movies and sometimes towards the back row of lecture halls are the noise-makers, who keep jabbering. 

Imagine having to sit in front of a group like that? A wise person once said :"How nice it would be, if each of us respected each other's rights?"

Mahisha Warusavitharana 
Colombo



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