Morning Spice by Ginger
Wage war against crime - first task of IGP

The new I.G.P. has said that his first task is to wage a war against crime. Citizen Perera and his fellow nationals would be hoping this is not the usual tongue in cheek remark or said in deference to form when a new I.G.P. takes office. Something tells ginger that he would make an effort to fulfill his promise. But for such an exercise to succeed he would need a character metamorphosis of the force or a total re-vamp. His first task would be to stop the slide. Really the I.G.P. should engage some private organisation to find what the public have to say about the police from as wide a spectrum as possible.

It is always easier to see the defects of any major establishment from outside it than from within, where you may see only the obvious. The public on the contrary have to deal with the police or are effected by their conduct where many issues are concerned. Their vision of its shortcomings is a little wider than that of the hierarchy of the force which has in its fold some who may not be amongst the angels when the call comes. How the I.G.P. is going to wage war against crime would interest many. One feels That this task should be etrusted to officers less known for their corrupt conduct than their colleagues. But finding enough men of that type is going to be no mean task.

Sex-slaves
How many Philippine women were made sex slaves to serve Japanese soldiess during the second world war? The first woman to publicly claim that she was a victim of that shameful recruitment drive by the Japanese was Rosa Hebson in Manila. Her confession brought quite a lot to light.

Rosa died of a heart attack in Manila about a year ago. She had kept her experience a secret for about fifty years till she came out with it in 1992. Her confession launched an international movement of about two hundred thousand Asian women, who underwent the same humiliation that she did.

Women's magazine
Most of us know what to expect in the inside pages of a women's magazine when we have a look at the cover. In any case they are about the same no matter where they are published. Now India publishes a magazine for the more serious minded or rather thinking woman called "verve" every quarter. This was obvious by question and answer in the question of the season for Indian Nationals.

The question was how would you celebrate fifty years of Independence and the answer was "adopt six girls and guarantee their education". Many of the pages contain human rights issues and thought provoking essays. The magazine has no time for cooking and gardening hints but it has a serious fashion section.

Build Resource Bank and include university undergraduates

Over the years, mainly due to fragmentation of departments into authorities and corporations under different ministries on account of the absence of national policy framework, the planning functions in various departments have eroded down to merely day to day crisis solving & reporting progress monthly to the planning skeletons in the ministries and provincial councils.

When we joined in the early 1970's, there were very strong planning divisions established under very capable and experienced senior directors. They were responsible to foresee future development in various sectors & carry out relevant preliminary investigations, feasibility studies and plan out strategies for their successful implementation. There for the projects completed before the 1980's, did not pose much of problems to the society neither during implementation stage nor after completion, mainly because much time was devoted for planning and involving people affected. This tendency has now lapsed as due to lack of training and more due to persons not taking responsibility at the top and rather giving into the pressure of politicians for consideration of adhoc projects.

This change, I presume came about with the opening of Ministry of plan Implementation taking over the full responsibility for planning as well as implementation. The so called planners lacked the basics, did not involve the planning divisions of the various departments and in fact they made use of the officers at the district levels, set up district project offices headed by planners as project directors and went into rural development through integrated rural development projects funded by foreign donor agencies. With this started the foreign consultants coming into Sri Lanka in great numbers. One time there were more foreign consultants than Sri Lankans, working in the planning ministry solely for preparation of project reports. District level offices also benefited from foreign scholarships offered, but at the expense of the country not benefiting the desired objectives comparable with the funds expended.

Ministry of External Resources also is somewhat responsible for this poor performance as no system for monitoring & evaluation was adopted by them. This in fact resulted in the dilution of functions in the planning divisions of the parent departments. Now if you ask any head of a department, he will simply say they have no new schemes.

So a great deal of foreign exchange is drained this way for foreign consultancies for pre-feasibility, investigation studies, socio economic studies, forestry & environmental studies, river basin studies for hydro power, flood regulation & irrigation, industrial & manufacture technology, coastal & port studies, ruhunu pura development studies as in the Southern area Development authority.

With the introduction of open economy and the resultant influx of foreign consultants from developed countries and Donor Agencies the local consultants were left high and dry to keep mum. Of course there were one or two lucky local companies who survived. But now they also have realised the folly. We have a large resource of wealth in knowledge where many have been trained in foreign countries for Post Graduate Masters, Doctorates and kept idling without involvement.

I suggest that we should arrest this with immediate effect and build up a resource bank of knowledge with officers who have been trained in specialised fields and with proven track records under each ministry or departments tec. The other resource we have in our country are the universities. These days we talk of our graduates passing out from universities, not fitting in to the job market in private sector for various reasons other than their lack of knowledge of English. In order to remove this anomaly, National projects should be entrusted compulsorily to the Universities through the various departments for investigations, feasibility and environmental studies and formulate project reports.

It is urgently required to include above reforms towards meeting national needs and challenges of the future. It must be stressed that such diversification of courses with the maximum use of available resources would lead to produce more employable graduates. To begin with, these studies could be carried jointly with the respective departments and agencies involving the expertise to contribute to the country of what they have learned. Of course the available data and information, scope of work and time stipulations have to be jointly worked out. Part of the funds could come from the funds set apart for investigation and research in the departments and agencies. These studies could be carried out over a period of few years continually by various groups till consensus is reached. Undergraduates could be used for the data collection. In turn the agencies have to plan out projects at least every three years, prepare scope of work and submit project papers giving guidelines supplying the available data, previous study reports, references etc. to the universities. By such a method the state sector departments & agencies could be tied up with universities in the area for different studies depending on their capabilities.

A similar exercise was carried out in Nilwala Ganga project in 4 cultivation seasons during 1987/1989, involving 3rd year students of Mapalana Agriculture University & the farmers in Kiralakale sector Phase 1. The funding for Sri Lanka French Agricultural Research - Development project was provided by the then French Ambassador on a request made by me as Chief Resident Engineer Nilwala Project during one of his visits to inspect the project works. The services of French Expert Coordinator was also provided to work closely with the University staff. The studies were highly successful but had to abundon abruptly on account of the escalated insurgency in 1989.

All what is learnt through theory cannot be put into practice. Opportunity should be provided to the undergraduates while in the universities to work with the officers in the field in various departments & to confront the society to motivate & evolve innovative approaches in finding solutions. This proposal would help Sri Lanka to build up a reserve planned and phased out list of projects in various sectors for the policy makers and national planners to guide the future of Sri Lanka. This will enable us to save a large sum of foreign exchange.

Many developed countries have already adopted this system and have succeeded in making use of their university staff to develop skills even for consideration of foreign assignments as consultants for World Bank, UNDP, and WHO etc.

It is my fervent hope that this be given top priority by policy makers to involve our Universities vigorously in the country's development effort.

Eng. U. Delpechitre

Sri Lankan health care workers - first class

Criticism of our health care service, and health care workers seems fashionable today.

In this context, I thought that it would be good to inform your readers of the contents of a letter that appeared in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, Volume 353, August 29th 1998.

Dr. D. C. Banks of Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK, was responding to an essay written by Dr. Fred Kavalier on Mbarara University Teaching Hospital in Uganda, in the same journal of 11th July 1998.

I quote the relevant part of his letter.

" I was disappointed to read the essay by Fred Kavalier. I have also been to Africa on a couple of occasions, acting as an external examiner in the final examination at the Jimma Medical Institute in Ethiopia. I have also visited Sri Lanka twice. In both countries, as in Uganda, there is a shortage of money. Equipment that may or may not have been donated cannot be repaired because supplies are not available, either because they are no longer made or are too expensive. What is clear is that health professionals in developing countries work under extreme conditions and need encouragement, advice, and assistance so that they can move forward. What they do not need is brickbats.

In Sri Lanka, my two visits were several years apart and the improvements that we saw were outstanding. Health workers have used the available facilities to the maximum benefit so that patients are offered a first class service within the context in which they live. A similar, but less substantial change is noticeable in Jimma, although my two visits were only one year apart. The changes are there, however, and we would like to think that these are improvements.

Doctors in developing countries make diagnosis ant treatment decisions with whatever facilities are available. This situation is not ideal, but is what is to hand. The situation is not dissimilar to that which prevailed in the UK a few decades ago when our predecessors had no equipment to help them, but none the less helped the patients to get better or to cope with their disease to the best of their ability.

I have every respect for these doctors. They have a difficult job and yet do the best they can. Many of them are superb clinicians and able to elicit physical signs that we have long forgotten.

It is good for us to remember that we are in a poor country, and that we have done very well regarding our health services considering the resources available. It is also good to remember, that no country in the world can satisfy the demands for health care. Even in the most developed countries rationing is a fact of life.

Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya
Rajagiriya.

Education Service Commission should act responsibly

The Education Services Commission in Sri Lanka was acting with responsibility earlier when the matured educationists were manning it in good old times. They were so unbiased and Independent that the people of this country had a faith in it.

But the things have deteriorated over the years, that today the commission is acting without any responsibility. They are violating their own orders in trying to satisfy local politicians.

When the ragging incident took place at Polonnaruwa Royal Maha Vidyalaya, the Minister of Social Services made public allegations that the Education Services Commission should be held responsible for the ragging as they did not carry out the minister's instructions.

Recently the Commission sent out an order that no one in the Education Department should be transferred during the third term. but after issuing such Instructions, the commission continues to transfer teachers violating their own Instructions. This type of irresponsible activities confirms that the commission has no control over its officials.

Serious notice should be taken to observe the activities of this commission and it should be reconstituted to suit the present day requirements.

Bimal Ratnayake
Angoda.

Presidents should be exemplary

The Media Minister has said that a President's private life and sexual conduct should not be subjected to public scrutiny or discussion as he or she has a right to privacy, unless such conduct endangered the country's security.

A president is the leader of a country who should live an exemplary life that could be emulated and be proud of by the people. Hence if they misbehave, they should be exposed so that the people could decide on their future continuity as a leader. It is therefore the responsibility of the media to expose such behaviour.

When scandal involving celebrity, the high and the powerful surface, such stories become interesting news which get publicity in the media. Prince Charles, Princess Diana, President Bill Clinton and our own Abeywickrema, have all been subjected to such exposure. It has happened in the past, it is happening and it will continue to happen in the future.

On the other hand, whether a President's or Minister's sex life endangers the nation's security or not, could be determined only after an investigation into such intimacy. To investigate means publicity and exposure. The fear of exposure and publicity will serve as a deterrent and as such it should be there.

"When a man assumes public trust, he should consider himself public property" is a quote from a former American President Thomas Jefferson. That should serve as a guide to all Presidents and Ministers too.

Upali S. Jayasekera

International mail fiasco

It is many months since the postal strike was supposed to have been resolved. However, even after the settlement, international mail is either taking months to be delivered or not delivered at all. While I was in England, letters posted to me from Sri Lanka in early July never reached me up to the middle of August when I returned. These included registered letters. Similarly, letters posted from England to me in the middle of August have not reached me here yet. I am not the only one having these complaints.

Why are the authorities and the government turning a blind eye to this pressing problem. Is it because they are not concerned about the plight of the common man?

N. Goonewardena
Maharagama

Mirigama train accident on 30.08.98

I am a retired railway way & works officer of the colonial time. In my time railway tracks were spick and span packed, aligned and strong to provide safe passage for trains at 50 mph. Today due to various reasons the rail tracks are neglected and absolutely unfit for trains to move at the speed they do.

The Mirigama Railway accident has been washed down as an act of sabotage. By so saying those responsible are attempting to cover all their sins at the expense of the commuter. It is said that the rail joints had been removed to cause this derailment. If the joint was removed the engine that moved over this joint should have derailed first if not the second vehicle. But in this instance I am told that all vehicles passed over the joint in question and it was the guard's van that derailed. Deaths occurred not due to the derailment but due to the down train coming head on and colliding with the brake van that had fouled the down line during the course of derailing. The young guard who got off his van was immediately knocked down by the down train. The railway tracks in most of these places are without 25% of the necessary dog spikes. (These are the nails that secure the rail on to the sleeper.) 'Fish Plates' are the two pieces of metal plates with four holes that hold the rails together at the joint.

Due to some type of shortage half size fish-plates with only two holes are used presently to hold joints of 45' rails today in many places. The rail tracks are dancing when trains move over them. (Dancing Sleepers' is the railway term used) This situation clearly displays that the tracks are not packed to required standard. The site of the derailment is near the railway crossing and there is a signal cabin also. It is most unlikely that a saboteur will choose this site to remove a joint where passers by can observe. If a person wanted to remove a joint it could have been done at a deserted convenient location found easily elsewhere.

Commission is the legal authority to determine whether half fish plates are strong enough to hold 45' rail joints for trains to move over them at 70 kmph and also various other defects that are prevalent in the transport of passengers.

As it is it is travelling public who pays with their lives. This has to stop.

Colonial Time Pensioner
Railway Track Department

Maturata Plantations Ltd - hold impartial inquiry

I refer to the article in 'The Island' of August 28 titled 'Upcountry Tea Planters of M. P. Ltd'. written by "Anonymous" averse to be bold enough to put down their own names. I do not know whether there were any more not read by me - Hence in consequence to this cowardly attitude of not disclosing one's identity they are washing loads of dirty linen and arbitrarily throwing mud at each other under the guise of anonymity about the Maturata Plantations - the Maturata Plantation personnel and also their Planters.

This immensely grieves me as I was a Regional Chairman of the Upcountry Halgranoya/Udu-pussellawa Plantations coming under this plantation company in debate - the Maturata Plantation which constituted a sector of the Janatha Estates Development Board II. The Nuwara Eliya/Kandy Tea Plantations Boards.

I do not think that this 'dog fight' so to say is good for the entirety of the privatised Plantation Sector and the Plantation Sector of Sri Lanka as a whole and ineffect the government in power - who effectually are custodians of these 'people's land'. Hence I would strongly urge the Ministry of Plantation Industries under whose purview comes these privatised 22 (twenty two) plantation companies to immediately appoint a committee of knowledgeable totally independent mature experienced plantation personnel and to delegate to them the relevant terms of reference.

This should be to hold an impartial inquiry into this apparent long drawn out debate where the two opposing sides are slinging mud at each other to the total detriment of the plantations and the planters in question.

As the saying goes there is 'No smoke with out fire' hence there are always two sides to a story and both sides must be heard for a decision to be made as to who is right and who is wrong. This needs to be done before it gets too complicated to be corrected.

I presume I am correct in presuming that the Maturata Plantation Company has already been bought over by the Free Lanka Trading Plantation Company - but due to bureaucratic and Red tape reasons the handing over to the new owners is being arbitrarily delayed indefinitely by I do not know whom. This no doubt is a very unhealthy phenomenon which could always be cited as a precedent in the future.

The old managing agents still continue to administer and manage the Maturata Plantation Ltd., the Plantation Company in issue.

This situation narrated indeed most unwise as delay as is evident in the 'handing over' and 'taking over' Operation causes circumstances as what is evident in this case - when effectually this valuable parcel of premium upcountry tea estates of the like of Ragalla, St. Leonards, Liddesdale, High Forest etc. compulsorily come under bad management and administration which I presume constitutes this presently evident scenario as an ongoing battle. This situation will then obviously eventuate in erosion of the acceptable standards of management and administration which cannot and must not be tolerated and allowed under the plantation sector.

Hence the Plantation Monitoring Unit should please resolve this dispute and ensure that when a company takes over controlling interest at the stock market that there is no delay in handing over and the taking over of that particular company. My contention is that management plantation companies should not be allowed to be left floating so to say as no man's land.

A particular planter has been mentioned in the article under reference. Let the appointed team for investigation isolate this individual - and ascertain 'his bona fides' as to if he is a good or bad practical planter - studying his performance schedule and then treat his case on his performance.

The 'modus operandi' followed in the then Public Sector Plantation Companies in the JEDB and the SLSPC was to give annual extensions at the discretion of the managing agents from the optional retiral age of 55 years up to a maximum of 60 years in age on annual extensions. I must state that especially now good efficient planters are a dying breed and those who are good must be preserved for as long as is possible. In effect my contention as a now retired senior plantation executive is to look after those that fall into this category selfishly and with care as it is especially today difficult to replace them. Also may I please implore the media not to encourage anonymous accusations unless in extreme unavoidable cases as it is only then that irrelevant disclosures are narrated in instances totally out of context.

I hope my short disclosure would not annoy anyone as my motive in doing so is not to cast aspersions on anyone or on any organisation but to help strengthen the muscle & fibre that binds the plantation sector. May I categorically state that the plantation sector in the good old days was accepted as one of the best managed and administered in the world. Hence lets try our best to keep it that way. It is our bounden duty to do so whether we be planters or plantation company personnel.

My contention may be hotly contested. But strongly should state that it was the wise old European moreso those of British decent Planters & Plantation company personnel who taught us our A. B. & C of planting - its management & administration. Hence these must be the lessons that should still be passed down to the generations of younger planters who take on to this agricultural job opportunity even now.

C. N. M. Rodrigo
Colombo 05.