Elections, the people’s rights and my problem The atmosphere in our country is like that of an ant hill, constantly in a state of unrest. People rushing everywhere, most often aimlessly indulging in idle talk of past times. The country’s economy is in dire straits and we are unable to settle our debts without getting [...]

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Elections, the people’s rights and my problem

The atmosphere in our country is like that of an ant hill, constantly in a state of unrest. People rushing everywhere, most often aimlessly indulging in idle talk of past times. The country’s economy is in dire straits and we are unable to settle our debts without getting further into debt. But the people are not concerned –  we clamour for elections.

Having this election is a matter of debate. If there is an election I will vote too. But I have a small problem …… a very basic one. Whom do I vote for?

It seems to me that the gullibility of us, the voters, is once again being exploited. The elections are a must, it is your civic right, clamour for it and exercise it, the politicians blare out. Rallies are being held to show us their might. Each party has a rally and the media point out the strength of numbers that gather. House to house campaigning is happening with very wordy manifestos handed out on how the parties will rule when they come into power and the bemused householders are shown their candidate.

But…….

What do we know of this person who is supposed to be our representative in the Municipality or the Pradeshiya Sabha? We do not know the candidate or his credentials other than the fact that he is photogenic. The voter should be made aware of the candidate’s educational background, family, his capacity to serve the community, whether he/she has any records of brushes with the law.

Also regarding the political parties in the fray….

This is a unique election where none of the parties has anything to show regarding their capabilities…The contenders are a party that has almost no representation in Parliament, a party that made history by making the country bankrupt for the first time in the recorded history of the country spanning over 2500 years, a party that created mayhem not once but twice within three decades and a party that has no experience at all. They all have representation in the current Parliament but only a few are making any contribution to pull the country out of the mess it is in.

All these parties have a duty by the voter to show their capability to run the country. Please do not make us vote for people who are not capable once again. Take the postponement of the polls as a constructive step that gives space to the political parties and candidates to show the people the capacity to work …..not shout or parade the streets. Do some constructive work in Parliament to pull the country out of the mess.

Give us good candidates please. We want to use our precious “x” to good use for us, the future generations and take the first steps towards rebuilding the country.

Mayanthi Jayasinghe   Via email


The importance of ‘polas’ especially in these times

 The weekly ‘polas’ in certain areas of the country are a boon both to the housewives and also to small-scale producers.

Housewives are able to purchase fresh and local vegetables at cheaper prices. The small-scale producers are able  to find a reasonable market with no middle men.

These ‘polas’ attract large crowds. They function not only as a market place but also as a social gathering point.

Certain areas such as Rajagiriya do not have such a ‘pola’. I would like to recommend that the Kotte Municipal Council establish such a ‘pola’.

All local government bodies should organise such ‘polas’ to reduce the cost of living in the present troubled times.

Nimala Jayasuriya   Rajagiriya


When one name replaces another

How many people think about the historical, and more importantly, the human, when a road name is changed. Yes, the person whose name is removed has been dead a long time and most people today would not know who they were. But that is not relevant – the main consideration is that they were not only once human but though dead remain so. This possibility persists both in science and religion.

I knew the late Lester James Peiris. I have no idea who his predecessor on the name board, Dickman, was. I was happy that the road Lester lived on in Colombo 5 was named after him, but my thoughts also drifted, and some sadness came upon me about the now unrecorded Dickman.

It is inexpensive to have a small wooden board fixed to the ground, at the bottom of the name board structure, giving the names of those who were once at the top.

Ernest Macintyre   Via email


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