Letters to the Editor

 

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Bane of the Public Service
The Sunday Times piece, "Even jumping the high fence..." (Odds and Ends, August 24), clearly depicts the malaise that has sickened the highly politicized Public Service in this country.

There was a time when the Public Service of Ceylon was praised for its efficiency, honesty and integrity. It was considered the best in Asia. That was when the white man ruled the country. When local politics crept into this sector like a cancer, professional and educational qualifications, honesty and integrity in recruitments, promotions and transfers took a backstage. Political patronage and subservience to the ruling party became the driving force of the Public Service.

It is a well known fact that the appointment of Rumi Marzook as Commissioner of Prisons was a political one. He was handpicked for the job by Interior Minister John Amaratunga despite protests from various quarters, not only by opposition MPs but also by some members of the Cabinet itself. When a political appointment is made, the main concern of the appointee is to serve his master, not the state or the public who pay him. His or her main priority would be to protect the post. However, the incident reported in The Sunday Times was the extreme.

Though Ranga Bandara is an MP of the ruling party today, he is a former policeman and as far as I know cannot hold a candle to Rumi Marzook in respect of educational or professional qualifications. Marzook was serving as a magistrate prior to his appointment as Commissioner of Prisons. Even a police sub-inspector dare not speak directly to a serving magistrate even in an unofficial conversation.

Now we hear of this Commissioner of Prisons running to the roadside, wriggling through a protective fence and meeting the MP. I cannot imagine to what level he would stoop to, if the caller were Minister John Amaratunga or some other minister. What is the service the public and the government can expect from an official who degrades himself and his post by such servile acts.

This is not something unexpected in a country where the political hierarchy from top to bottom stinks with utmost inefficiency, corruption and lethargy. This is the pathetic and unfortunate situation in almost all public and corporate sector institutions. With acolytes of the ruling party politicos dictating terms everywhere, this country is doomed.

The readers of The Sunday Times should not be surprised if they find a news item that a ruling party backbencher had gate-crashed the prison and removed a group of prisoners after the Commissioner of Prisons was kicked out.

S.J. Amarasiriwardena
Panadura


Retired employees: A forgotten section of the population?
Retired public servants and private sector employees appear to be a forgotten section of the population. If a survey is conducted it will reveal that a large percentage of these persons face immense hardships. They cannot be expected to depend on their children, since barring a small fraction, children themselves have their own problems. Retired people often fall sick.

The cost of drugs and medical tests is prohibitive. Channelled consultation fees keep increasing. Unsatisfactory service, lack of essential drugs and other shortcomings scare away even the less infirm from government hospitals. Often the medical bills of pensioners alone are a big slice, if not the entirety, of their pension.

Till recently most retired persons were dependent on the interest from savings or fixed deposits placed in banks with monies received by way of gratuity or award. Now with bank interest rates being slashed, pensioners are receiving tremendous blows. What they now get as interest is chicken feed considering their essential needs.

With regard to interest rates, the intentions of the government appear to be clear. Its emphasis seems to be on investment, to bolster economic activity to achieve rapid development and to provide more employment. Evidently, the government discourages the ultra-rich from depending on interest derived from large scale savings in banks. In economic terms that's fine.

But what of the less-privileged and retired people? What investment can they make with, say a few lakhs of hard-earned rupees. Considering their plight it is incumbent on the government to evolve a scheme through which persons, beyond the age of 60, who can produce proof of having received a retiring gratuity or award from the government or other recognised institution, could receive a special higher rate of interest over the normal rate on his savings or fixed deposits. Such a scheme can operate like Samurdhi or old-age allowance schemes.

It will be limited to a deserving few who have spent their entire life in national service. They do not plead for charity nor for a dole. They only want a reasonable rate of interest on their own money placed as savings or deposits, to keep their heads above water.

A. Abeygoonawardhana
Homagama


Revised SLT charges
This is with reference to Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai's letter, "Whom are they trying to hoodwink?" (The Sunday Times, August 24). I disagree with her on this issue. It is true that the cost of living is unendurable but I am sure the 200 free units offered by SLT despite the increased rental of Rs. 450 from September 1 will be a bonus to the lower middle class.

If one has a telephone, surely one yearns to use it for a chat with a friend or relative without watching the minutes tick by! I am sure any subscriber would have hitherto had a monthly bill of at least Rs. 450 of which Rs. 240 was the rental and Rs. 210 the call charges.

If, as Dr. Reffai suggests, SLT charges a rental of Rs. 200 and Rs. 3 per unit for the first 200 units we will only be able to speak for 80 minutes during peak hours, 240 minutes during the economy period or for 720 minutes during the discount period to maintain our call charges at Rs. 250.

However, under the new scheme, for the same amount we will be able to speak for 200 minutes, 600 minutes or 1,800 minutes respectively during those time zones for a total Rs. 450. We must also take into consideration that the discount period will begin at 9 p.m. and not at 10 p.m. The only time the lower middle class will be affected is when the whole family goes on holiday.

Thilaha Yoganathan
Colombo 6


Column clouded by personal religious beliefs
As the Secretary of the All Ceylon Women's Buddhist Congress, I write in response to 'When are conversions improper', by Kishali Pinto Jayawardena (The Sunday Times, September 14).

Many of her earlier contributions to 'Focus on Rights' seemed reasonable and objective. Unfortunately, in this case her personal religious beliefs have clouded her vision. Her article is a one-sided and vigorous defence of the fundamentalist and Christian view of this issue.

The All Ceylon Women's Buddhist Congress is the organisation which initiated the last two successful actions in the Supreme Court against unethical conversions. It is interesting that the correspondent considers herself competent to pass strictures on the judgments of the Supreme Court.

I will restrict myself to commenting on two offensive remarks made by her towards the end of the article. The first is: "Restricting some religions to a narrow compass while allowing another unlimited freedom, could be hugely counter-productive."

Another (religion) she refers to is the Buddha Sasana. The judgment she derides simply reiterated Article 9 of the Constitution which reads: "The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give Buddhism the foremost place and, accordingly it shall be th duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana."

The writer has the temerity to challenge this clause entrenched in the Constitution, accusing it of being "hugely counterproductive in the domestic context"
Her last two sentences are as follows:

"One shudders to think of the havoc that would be wreaked if religious tensions (or worse) are also stirred into this explosive mixture (i.e. racial tensions). One is also left wondering at the sheer perfidy of those who appear, in fact, to want this to happen."

The writer has "gone to town" by accusing Buddhists of wreaking religious havoc when we, quite justifiably and legally, protest against unethical conversions - which have now been unequivocally deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. She has shrewdly fought shy of accusing the Supreme Court of causing this havoc by its judgement but has concentrated her ire on the plaintiffs who initiated this action.

Indrani Devendra
Honorary Secretary,
All Ceylon Women's Buddhist Congress


Good programmes eliminated
Rupavahini became a 24-hour channel, gaining over 12 hours additional time. But it has stopped televising hitherto beneficial programmes. For example the Karaneiya Metta Sutra Desanawa.

Though Rupavahini is the government mouthpiece, it is not following government policy in protecting the Buddha Sasana. Being the last programme it had a soothing effect on the mind and ensured a sound sleep. When re-programming, I hope Rupavahini will telecast it at 10.30 p.m.

- V.K.B. Ramanayake
Maharagama


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