      |
||
Morning Spice by Ginger There are two ways of looking at an amnesty for deserters. I suppose we have little choice in the matter considering the number of men required to complete the ongoing operation. A deserter is by all reasons not the best fighting material an army could have unless he deserted for ideological reasons. But one can take a reasonable bet that our own deserters are not conscientious objectors or have shed their uniforms due to pangs of conscience. The recent crime records indicate that many of them don't have very troubled minds over such issues. How reliable will they be when the going gets tough? The army may have its own plans as to how they should be deployed. But placing them at check points and so forth could be a bit of a gamble. On the other hand they are trained fighting men and could be sent to the fighting line straight away. They would be best as reserve units perhaps closer to the front but they should not be allowed to band together and kept as far apart from each other among the more tried and trusted element at the front. Any way we hope some good will come out if it in the final analysis. One wonders whether smaller numbers and more hightec weaponry would not be the answer to it all. Avoiding heart attacks There is one condition however, that is necessary to insulate you from such a danger. The study had revealed that women between the ages of 55 and 60, who did a bit of gardening or played a game of golf are less likely to die of any terminal disease but the best bet was to take regular exercise as it reduced the risk by as much as 30 per cent. Chinese reform system The purpose of loagi is to co-ordinate punishment with ideological moulding. In other words you work for your keep while you are in prison but at the same time you are made to realize what offences you have been guilty of and become normal law abiding citizens. Under this system prisoners are not expected to be tortured or ill treated. I am writing to bring to the notice of the members of the public that an opportunity has now presented itself for one and all to offer and for anyone in the public service or public Corporations or even members of parliament to solicit or accept any illegal gratification as one pleases. Although such acts, of commission are named as serious criminal offences carrying heavy penalties in our Statute Book by repeated legislative amendments, we all now have this grand opportunity of resorting to them with impunity. Let me briefly recount how this situation developed by gradual stages. Before this government came into power we had a separate state department dealing with bribery matters. Its lady boss, whom incidentally I have interviewed on several occasions regarding alleged bribe taking by my clients, did a certain amount of work to try and reduce the incidence of bribe taking in the country. Then this government presenting lofty ideals of totally eliminating bribery and corruption in the country in its election manifesto captured ruling power. They thereafter brought forth such legislation as almost unheard before and even created the offence of corruption unknown to the law up till then. And they cried from roof tops that henceforth bribery and corruption would be a thing of the past. It created a sense of euphoria and jubilation in the mind of some well-meaning and right thinking people of the country. A separate commission was established with much din and fanfare. Staff and State Counsel were seconded to it and a great deal was talked and preached as if to scare off bride takers who in fact were a little bit alarmed. Thereafter the government saw to it that the vacuum created by the demise of one of the commissioners remained so without been filled. The other commissioners were asked to resign but they refused to budge. A short time thereafter all the staff of the commission were dismantled so that at present there remains only a skeleton of a commission of two commissioners unable to do a thing but enjoying all the privileges and perquisites attached to their position. The law says that they cannot be removed by the government, no, not even by the all powerful executive President. So the government is looking on helplessly while the commissioners stand as immovable as the Himalayas. Thus, before long the government was able to render all the anti-bribery machinery of the state totally nugatory and impotent. So much so that today you have no officer to make a complaint to, about a demand of a bribe, no investigating machinery whatsoever is available, not even lawyers to conduct bribery prosecutions in courts. I understand that even those prosecutions in courts against bribe takers are doomed due to the fact that the official witnesses named in those cases cannot now be reached under prevailing conditions. In all likelihood, those accused persons will be discharged in due course, where it has not happened already. Those decoys of yesteryear who would catch you red handed in the act of bribe taking are no longer in existence. Indeed it is an accomplishment on the part of the government to achieve all this in just a couple of years. Thus the state mechinery that has been available for so many decades to nab bribe takers is no longer in existence. The state is totally oblivious to matters of bribery like a blind man to rays of light. Hey; bribe takers! Have a field day now and be thankful to the government from the bottom of your heart. Dharmapala Senaratne Sales of State assets made under the privatisation policy are said to bring the country billions in revenue. But it is not made clear that each sales of State assets is one-off affair and cannot be repeated. It can swell the budget, once, but never again. There was once a rich man who had a wayward son. The son was getting a generous monthly remittance from his father from three properties which the father had reserved for the son. One day the son told his father, "I do not want the monthly remittances any more, sell the properties and give me the money." Unable to convince the son of the foolishness of the request, the father sold the three properties to a rich merchant and gave the sale price of Rs. 3 million to the son. The son spent all the money in one year. The father refused to give the son a monthly remittance once again. The son became a pauper. The merchant, of course, laughed at the boy and grew fatter and fatter, richer and richer. And the new owners do not tell us everything about the deal. The other day the Chief Executive Officer of Emirates was interviewed by a journalist. On several occasions, when pressed for an answer he took refuge in a stock answer. "This is a propriety matter between the government of Sri Lanka and Emirates. I am not at liberty to say." Paul Caspersz With effect from November 1977 when the Open General Licence scheme was introduced, all commercial imports had to be effected through Letters of Credit. Usually, irrevocable unrestricted Letters of Credit are opened with all foreign charges borne by the beneficiary. At present the following charges are payable to the Bank with regard to the import of a consignment, which are quite reasonable:— (1) Stamp Duty equivalent to two percent of the L/C value. (2) L/C commission, BTT, D/L recoveries. (3) Telex/Swift charges. (4) Commission for the issue of shipping guarantee, in the event of clearing the cargo without original Bill of Lading. With effect from May 1996, L/C is not a mandatory requirement and imports could be done without opening Letters of Credit, if the Supplier is agreeable. However, payment has to be made by negotiation (similar to supplies under L/C) through the respective Bank. Stamp Duty is paid to the Bank on the value of the documents and there is no material reduction in the Bank charges when compared to supplies under L/C, though the procedure is less troublesome. In the case of imports from countries like UK and USA, the Suppliers demand that the L/C opened by us be confirmed by a recognised Bank in their Country with all charges to be borne by us. These countries do not accept the non-mandatory requirement of L/C for imports, as they are not sure about the safety of effecting supplies without L/C. In some instances however, certain suppliers have agreed to bear the "adding confirmation" charges. Generally, "adding confirmation" charges are very high (minimum US$ 500). This may not be material for the foreign banks, but considering the exchange rate, this charge is high for us, resulting in increased landed cost of the product imported. Another method of importing goods is by effecting direct remittance (telegraphic transfer etc.). However, the limit is fixed at US$ 3,000 and also only items for own use (not for re-sale) can be imported under this method. Considering the above facts, I suggest that the limit for direct remittance be increased to US$ 10,000 and also be allowed for commercial imports as well. As a precautionary measure, the remitting Bank could request such importers to give a declaration that the relevant import documents would be submitted to the said Bank within a stipulated period of time (say: 3 months). This will avoid malpractices, if any. This method will reduce the cost of imported items, especially those from UK, USA and other such countries who require "Confirmed Letters of Credit". Further, urgently required items could be imported at short notice, without the hassle of delays encountered in opening and receiving Letters of Credit before proceeding with despatch arrangements. I trust, this appeal will come under the attentive eye of the Secretary to the Treasury and look forward to a favourable response in the near future. S. R. Balachandran, Trade unions should turn to media for support "Strikes" as we witness in Sri Lanka can be classed as criminal offences punishable not only by dismissal, but also, by imposition of very severe punishments. The time that the strikes were regarded as human freedom has now lapsed as that freedom has been misused to infringe upon human rights of the vast majority of the public. This warrants firm action to be taken against this menace not so much to restrict it, but, to eliminate the term "strike" from the local vocabulary. The most lethargic and indifferent public service of Sri Lanka has already got the public to task in the frying fan and the strikes throw them out into the fire. As I have gathered, the ordinary citizens are so disgusted, that any political party that may come forward with one and the only promise and constructive ideas to clean up the public service will easily sweep the votes, whatever the other shortcomings would be. U.S.A., the birth place of workers struggle that is commemorated on the May day, is completely free of this menace. Britain, the first democracy that formed the labour party mainly to safeguard the rights of the working class has imposed many restrictions on strike action. Picketing is regulated and sympathy strikes are no more. In Sri Lanka with a clientele that suffers almost daily in the hands of the public servants, the strikes supersede all norms of human activity. Although many attempts have been made to sling mud at the political parties or to fix responsibility in someone or another, the fact remains that the ordinary masses are deprived of their human rights. Be it the hospital, secretariat (existence of many unknown to the public), the postal service, electricity, water, sanitary services and so on, the poor masses are not adequately served even under normal circumstances. On the face of these draw-backs, when the unionists present a ghastly picture by parading the public roads at the expense of those who share the highways, the people are constantly reminded of the late President Premadasa, whom some fondly remembers as the saviour of the poorest of poor. I do not for a moment imagine that the public servants are a contented and a privileged class by itself. As part and parcel of the society and as human beings aspiring for better standards of living, they should sometimes have greater problems than that we can dream of. That should not mean that the public at large be penalised by strike action. Whatever it may be, the masses will never condone the strikes in the way they are launched at present. The meaningful alternative is for the free media to be used, as in the west, to voice the grievances of the public servants. It can be used most effectively to share the views of the masses and those in places of authority, including the government. The media need not wait for problems to crop up. They can get in at the grass-root level at the initial stages itself to argue out and air conflicting ideas. The most important and the essential feature in this exercise will be to get direct involvement of the masses, who are both financiers as well as the beneficiaries of the public service. It is time that the Trade Unions seriously think of turning to media for support rather than to be political stooges, if they have any consideration to the public, whom they hold hostages, everytime there is a strike. It will be in their own interest if the political parties too get rid of their notion that elections could be won through struggles of the working class. Politicians should not endeavour to crown the inefficiency of the public service to present them as the masters of the masses. The world democracy has amply demonstrated that such actions gather only the wrath of the just citizens. U. W. Senanayake, Kiribathgoda is a fast developing town with a rapid escalation in the intensity of pollution. The biggest problem is the dumping of garbage by shop owners into the drains lining the road. The drains get blocked and water stagnates resulting mosquito breeding and the emanation of pungent smell. Besides it is an ugly sight to see drains full of garbage. The garbage blocks the drains and with the slightest rains results in an overflow of water and even the garbage. The roads then become slippery and the garbage is littered all over the road. This is a common sight at Kiribathgoda junction, specially down Makola Road. Representations made to the local authorities have fallen on deaf ears. The remedy is very simple. What is required is cleaning and removal of the garbage at least once a week. Will Kiribathgoda be ever maintained as a clean city? I wonder. Dr. A.S. Abeyratne, An alcohol advertisement full of double-dealing words trying to link the pride of independence which Sri Lanka gained 50 years ago with their "so called" industry, prompted me to write this letter. Alcohol related diseases are the world's most serious health problems, in both developing and industrialised countries covering a significant proportion of the population. It is a crucial public health issue affecting the society financially, physically and psychologically. The consequences of alcohol are many and there is no threshold below which alcohol can be consumed without any risk. Therefore I think alcohol will never make a person strong or courageous as they claim. It is the route to destruction and will never make a person free. It is strange that the industry claim that they protect the customers when they make profits at the expense of the lives of the people. Manjari Peiris I cannot recall anyone who has brought international fame and glory to Sri Lanka than our cricketers who won the World Cup. I write this letter for the people of this country and more importantly for the cricketers themselves to know, how much our cricketers are respected abroad. Last year I was on holiday in Jamaica, West Indies. A large reservoir surrounded by a bund, ringed by a beautiful range of mountains is a very popular place to walk and jog. Membership to use this facility is about Jamaican dollars 5000 per year. Having worked in the University of the West Indies and having used this facility before, I went there for my evening walk. The man at the gate asked for my membership card. I explained that I had worked in the university for 10 years and was on holiday for two weeks. ‘No Sir’ he said ‘No membership. No admission’. I could have walked elsewhere, but I was saddened for not being able to enjoy a moment of nostalgia. As I was about to leave, the man asked me ‘You Indian’? I said ‘No Sri Lankan’. ‘Maan Sanath Jayasuriya country. Walk free of charge everyday. Enjoy your holiday’. The expression in that man's face to have some closeness to Sanath was a joy to see. Take heart Arjuna, Aravinda and the rest of you. You are a great bunch of lads. Dr. R. G. Jayasinghe Down
to Earth Soon the second millennium will be upon us. There is still no agreement as to when it will begin. In 2000 or 2001? For most of us the second millennium will dawn on January 1, 2000. But because our calendar goes straight from 1 BC to 1 AD, with no zero-year in between, some people insist that we delay celebrations until 1 January, 2001. Whenever it might be, the second millennium will be a special event all over the world, because for the first time in history virtually everyone knows it is coming. Calendars Worldwide use of the Christian calendar did not begin until the late 19th century, as a result of imperialism and trade. Other countries kept their own calendars. The Jews from 3760 BC, which they have identified as the year of creation. Some Hindus from 3102 BC, the beginning of the Kali yuga time cycle. And the Muslims from AD 622, or the year of Prophet Muhammed's flight from Mecca to Medina. Mania It has bred a kind of "Millennia Mania", including millennium websites, a millennium TV series, a millennia car and a millennia perfume. Kiribati, a nation of islands in the South Pacific, which claims to be the first to witness the dawning of the new millennium, is thinking of taking the name of Millennium Islands. The UK is planning a great steel-domed exhibition covering 20 acres in Greenwich, which will be known as the millennium experience. In France the Eiffel Tower already has an electric metre installed to count down to the millennium. Thousands of Parisians will stay up on December 31, 1999 to watch the oddometer spin to all the zero and declare the new millennium born. The Catholic Church in Rome is planning a sports festival called the Holy Games of the Holy Year. In the USA the countdown to the new millennium started on April 6, 1997, when a band of musicians from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut performed in front of the Times Square electronic ball to mark 1000 days before the first day of the year 2000. Walt Disney's World Resorts and Seattle's space needle are already sold out for New Year's Eve 1999. The President of the US has appointed the first lady, Hilary Clinton, to manage a national millennium campaign to remember the past and imagine the future. Sri Lanka We are certainly not in a position to match the flamboyant celebrations of rich countries, but we can show a tangible awareness for the challenges of the new millennium. And that is exactly what the government plans to do, bearing in mind that access to information will be the key to success in the new millennium. The authorities want to focuss more attention on programs aimed at educating people on information technology. The best way to do this in the government's opinion is to start in schools, especially those in less privileged areas. An initial program has already been launched to provide information technology training to rural schools, starting with St. Joseph's College, Anuradhapura. This program will be subsequently expanded. |
||
 |