My friend bought an unfurnished condominium some time ago with her savings. She was assured in the most charming and convincing way, that it would be complete within six months and ready for occupation. It is now 1 1/2 years and the condominium remains a shell.
The people concerned now reside in palatial newly built houses, sweep around town in the newest creation on wheels and dine in all the 5 star hotels. They have used part of the monies to start other businesses as well, while my friend continues to live in a rented house, paying the usual Colombo prices.
When reminded of the agreement signed, the charming people turn arrogant and abusive and come out with a pack of lies. All subsequent agreements entered into, for refund of the money paid, are simply ignored. They refuse to meet the victim and not one cent has been paid back.
They brazenly continue to advertise their property in the newspapers with a reproduction of the 'posh' brochure which deceived my friend.
I have been very distressed about my friend's predicament and felt I had to unburden myself, hoping that some kind of action could be taken to give her some hope and courage and also to warn others who intend to make such purchases.
Is there no justice in our country? Is there no authority to protect such innocent victims? What are the avenues available to bring such culprits to book and get her money back? Can anyone please help or advise?
The security checks, road blocks and constant raids on houses conducted by the Police and the Security Forces at ungodly hours of the night have not produced anything sensational or startling. It has only caused much inconvenience to the general public and has earned the wrath of the people. It certainly amounts to an infringement of our fundamental rights. The freedom from fear. This government was not voted to power to conduct raids and search operations but mainly to seek an amicable solution to the ethnic conflict.
For the sins of the Security Forces and the Police, the people are not to be blamed. The latest bomb blast at the Fort is a clear indication of the lapses on the part of the Police and Security Forces.
The Police and Armed Forces have engaged in search operations so frequently in certain areas that they are now quite aware of the valuables available in their hold. This is a dangerous situation and could ultimately end up in dire consequences to the occupants. They are so acquainted with the in and out of each and every household that they could pose a great threat and danger to the security of that house. There have been innumerous cases of Army deserters being involved in road hold-ups and robberies. These so-called raids would certainly facilitate such nefarious activities.
The security operations should be curtailed as much as possible and some alternative measures adopted to nab the culprits, as on many occasions these searches have only drawn a blank.
Forest cover, in Sri Lanka over the past three decades has been reduced to less than 17 percent according to reports in the media.
Forests play a vital role in maintaining an ecological balance and in particular have a telling effect on weather patterns and water resources. Denudation of bank streams originating from the forests, are known to cause streams, which in turn feed rivers, to dry up. It is happening today in Sri Lanka, with a marked impact on the Hydro Electric Projects.
Furthermore sand from the denuded banks tends to silt up the rivers, which gives rise to flooding and a series of other environmental disasters. These are well established facts worldwide.
I may just be a voice crying out in the widerness in defence of the wilderness, but if the echoes could be picked up by others, with the future of the country at heart, and re-echoed through the media as well as other available sources, it may penetrate the thinking caps of those formulating the new constitution.
It is presumed that by vesting State lands in the proposed Provicial Councils (PC's) the Central Government surrenders total control over these lands to the PC's which are at liberty to utilise these as they please.
Should the PC's decide on maximum utilisation of such land for settlement, industrial set-ups and timber extraction, in an ad hoc manner, further shrinking of the residual forest cover in each PC, it would not be long before the total denudation of our forests, resulting in ecological disaster and total annihilation of our precious wild life.
Hitherto all past governments have evolved and expedited grandiose development schemes, without due thought to retention of requisite forest cover, ecological balance, wild life conservation (by paying scant attention to preservation of adequate forest cover on migratory routes, of elephants in particular), and link corridors between major forest reserves from North to South, East to West.
These lapses have resulted in flooding in some areas, droughts in others, the human-elephant conflicts, resulting in the unnecessary maiming and death of both man and beast, and a host of other unpleasant consequences.
It is therefore mandatory that a clear-cut policy on land utilisation be adopted.
Such a policy will only be effective if controlled directly from the centre.
As the TV show goes- everything is 'Break-down' on the Peradeniya- Gampola road.
A road widening project started six months ago, along with the widening of an alternative road to Gampola, through Doluwa (But the latter was abandoned midway)
On the trunk road, they dug up the entire stretch of eight miles at the same time. Bull-dozers and tractors caused huge traffic blocks. Paddy fields skirting the road were filled up, embankments were gouged out, seemingly without a plan.
After the recent rains one has got to see it to believe. Stones are heaped on the sides of the road and there are gaping pot-holes - no - they are craters- every inch of the way. Mountains of sticky mud make it impossible for cyclists.
Vehicles crawl at snail-pace, and are forced to veer higgledy - piggledy to avoid hazards. Buses and lorries sink on the soft mud or tilt dangerously as they give way to other vehicles. This stretch of eight miles takes one hour to negotiate provided one is not caught in a traffic jam.
Pedestrians have no place to walk. They hold umbrellas horizontally to avoid mud splashes.
If this is Sri Lanka's scenic tourist road to the tea gardens of salubrious Nuwara Eliya, the moonscape is a free-way by comparison.
I have seen tourists holding up their hands in horror as their sleek limousines literally scrape their bottoms on deep potholes.
The regular users have had enough after six months without a convenient alternative route.The road widening be blowed! Give us a semblance of a road that we can use.
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