Morning
Spice by Ginger
Sale of
unregistered drugs
Recently there was considerable alarm in
medical circles about the sale of unregistered
drugs. The fear was expressed mainly in respect
of Chinese and Ayurvedic drugs. What should
really worry the public is not so much the sale
of unregistered drugs, to the extent of quackery
that possibly goes on in more than one profession
.
Ginger does not wish to enumerate the
professions within which these rackets go on but
some years ago Ginger saw the name and profession
of an individual on a board in his office where
as he never had such a qualification as the one
mentioned on the board. He was nabbed by the
authorities.
The danger in such quacks operating all over
the island is that the damage done by them to
somebody's health can never be undone in many
instances. I have known those without the
required qualifications prescribe drugs that a
qualified man or woman would think twice before
doings. Who are the Chinese now operating here.
Are they all registered in China and have their
licences to practice been endorsed by the Chinese
embassy. It would be a good formality to observe
in the interest of the integrity and reputation
of the Chinese medical profession.
Thalidomide babies
Can you remember the thalidomide babies and
the scare it created all over the world. The
scare was justified and it certainly was the
cause behind a number of birth defects. But
though drug may have serious side effects when
given for certain illness it could be a life
saver where another disease is concerned.
Now they have discovered that thalidomide
could be more than a little effective in the
treatment of leprosy. Researchers also feel that
this drug could be very useful in Aids related
diseases in treating and also in treating tumours
but if you are pregnant at that time you will
need constant monitoring.
Not a good summer
It has not been a particular good summer for
the hotels in this region as far as tourist
revenue dropped. Most hotels gave substantial
discounts obviously hoping to lure the marginal
tourist with the offer of a cheap holiday. I
wonder whether the strategy worked though some of
the discounts offered were more than a little
attractive.
For example Century Hotels offered discounts
almost upto 70 per cent and Holiday Inns knocked
room rates down by 50 per cent who reserved and
paid with a visa card but the biggest discounts
were offered by Ritz Carlton Hotels that gave up
to 70 per cent. In other words the hotels in the
Asian region had to come down quite a bit to get
their summer clientele.
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| The RMV has the solution to the
ethnic war — so hurry It
was one year and seven months ago that I
specifically pointed out that the RMV has the
solution to end the ethnic war. I said that we
Sri Lankans need a lot of patience; that we lack
patience and want quick solutions to everything.
How to get rich quick (scratch), how to cook a
quick meal (just mix it), how to quickly end an
argument, especially a marital one (watch WWF or
any soap), how to win quick (oil the palm), how
to enter university (make provisions so that the
MP or the sorts could have a say in the
selection)… and so on; and how the lack of
patience fuels the ethnic war. I pointed out that
we must, somehow, contrary to the TV shows which
solve problems within an hour, learn and teach
patience.
I illustrated how to do this by an example. On
February 19, 1997, I handed over the duly
completed forms to register a new motor cycle, to
the new registration counter of the RMV. It was
9.50 a.m. I was told to come around 11.30 to
collect the forms. I did not go away, since I
could not go anywhere without proper registration
to get even a temporary insurance. So I stayed. I
stayed till 1.30 p.m., standing in front of the
counter, and upon query about the delay, was told
that the person handling the forms was not
finished with them, and if I wanted I could go
and speak to an Asst. Commissioner upstairs. I
did so and got the answer, "This is not my
job. The person who has to handle this is sick. I
could refuse this work. I have a conference at
three. If I finish by then you will get these, if
not come tomorrow; If you bother me I will not be
able to finish anyway; not that I am blaming
you" So having excused myself for disturbing
the gentleman I came downstairs.
By this time the others waiting were agitated,
and asked me what happened. I told them that I
had met the Asst. Com. and repeated what I had
been told. They spoke about the trend of
privatization, and said it was needed in this
office to help efficient work to be done… We
were all getting angry about the waiting for so
long… And I suddenly knew why this waiting
was for! It was to promote patience in us, the
people! We Sri Lankans need to learn patience,
and therefore it may be good for us to wait
longer. I tell my fellow "waiters" and
I get strange looks! They go upstairs as one
body, and come down muttering "he had
finished and had kept the forms aside, but now
they will be here" True enough. The waiting
period is over! And in jubilation we go away with
our new registration numbers! Time. 2 p.m.
Too late to get insurance certificate. I come
home. The next day after showing the bike at one
place, getting the insurance certificate from
another place, I rush to Maligawatte to get the
revenue license. Another 30 minute wait, and
whilst writing the form, a sudden exclamation!
"You have not got the seal below the new
number!" No seal; no travel, government
bureaucracy! Back to the RMV. "Yes. You have
not got the seal" Another wait for 45
minutes to wait until their lunch hour talks are
over. Then I get the wonderful seal.
I pointed out that the beauty of the incident
is that I learnt a lot of patience, hopefully I
would have learnt it well and if all of us learnt
patience, I said that I am sure this ethnic war
would end very soon. So, I asked why not send all
the people of Sri Lanka to the RMV? I suggested
that you could rename it the C.P.P. - Centre for
Propagation of Patience!
Why do I now one year and seven months later
bring up my proposal again? Because I am still
awaiting my registration book which was submitted
at that time for corrections to be sent back to
me. After a long time, the computerized sheet
(book) came with 3 mistakes. I sent it back under
registered cover to be corrected, because I know
whenever I need to change owners all government
offices w.r.t. the transfer will hound me to
death querying as to why I have not got the
mistakes altered. I sent it under registered
cover, 25th June 1997, Receipt # 2236, to the
Commissioner RMV. Waited 6 months for a reply. No
answer and so I queried. I was informed they had
not received the book, or so they said. (I wonder
who is using my registration book !!) I
re-submitted copies etc. and they said they will
prepare a new book and send it to me. I am still
waiting. There was no way to get the revenue for
the last year without the book, and after going
from pillar to post at last I obtained a
temporary form stating that I am eligible for
one. This year too I will have to go and beg for
a temporary form to get the revenue license.
Surely, If I can learn patience, I don’t
see why you people can’t go to the RMV and
make this war come to an end.
Rohan Wickramaratne
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The
mystique of C.T.
Recently I was travelling to Colombo in a
private coach. I am used to read something even
though the driver blares his Hit Parade very
often to the annoyance of most of us. These are
things we have to suffer when we are at their
mercies. But that day I could not read anything
because there was a small fellow who had let
loose all his fury on his mother by yanking at
her stresses and shrilling for heavens to come
down. Even the usually vociferous
"Konda" was at a loss because, whenever
he shouted at people to get back, the little
fellow shot back screaming. All the people were
uneasy and the mother was desperate.
Then all of a sudden C.T.’s "Ma Bala
Kale" wafted through the speakers. The
fellow who was yelling all this time reposed on
his mother’s lap. I got up to see that he
was with his fairies. So composed and serene.
This event took me back to my school days. One
day I was returning from Mannar with some of my
friends. It was the day after the Madhu feast.
When the train reached the Madhu station people
swarmed in from all sides. It was packed a
chock-a-block. All of us in the compartment were
sweltering and suffocating because the train was
kept there for nearly half an hour. All of a
sudden an infant woke from his reverie and
started to scream and kick about. He was so
restive that even the people around tried various
ploys to calm him down. The more the strangers
addressed him the more he became uncontrollable.
His piercing screams were just like the screech
of a circular saw on your ear drums. Before this
tiny blob of life all of us became so puny and
helpless.
Then a group of youngsters from Moratuwa
started to sing "Bili (n) da Nalawe
Ukule" One fellow was strumming a guitar.
They sang it so beautifully that people moved
their attention from the "erupted
volcano" to that lifting song of a lullaby.
When they reached the last drag of the song,
which summates the essence of it, the little
"dynamite" was back in his slumber.
What a relief it was and what quietened the
infant?
The mother thanked the boys and said that the
song was one of her favourites too. It seemed
that whenever it came over the radio she used to
listen to it intently. May be out of love for the
growing thing in her womb. At the same time was
‘it’ listening to the song
with its mother? Then what spell did "Ma
Bala Kale" cast over the little fellow in
the bus? Is it the words? In the first case it
can’t be. Is it the melody? In both cases it
could be. Is it some ‘swara’ or
‘raga’ that emanates from the songs and
enters the body and stimulates the mind? Or is it
sheer empathy C.T. has with "Man" from
womb to tomb? Among all those who like C.T. each
one may have his own answer.. But what is it?
A. C. I. Fernando
Katubedda.
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Crime
and Punishment
Today it is the concern of every law abiding
citizen of our country how to protect himself or
herself from criminals and murderers prowling
every nook and corner of the country day and
night to rape, rob and kil1. When criminals are
apprehended by the police and convicted and
jailed or sentenced to death they surface again
amidst the society within a few years due to
various remission of prison terms and other
facilities now available to them and commence
committing the same crimes again with much vigour
and brutality. The police are unable to cope up
with the security situation due to a dearth of
personnel and the prevailing war situation and
influencial people who obstruct and interfere
with police activities. The protection to life
and property is at stake. It is the prime duty of
the people to support the government in its war
efforts, but the criminals of the country are
exploiting the situation to enhance their
criminal activities to their advantage. Now the
citizens of this country are witnessing a
situation where lawlessness has assumed an
alarming proportion. The story of the brutal and
horrendous rape murder and theft of Rita
Manoharan by a gang of thugs on a peaceful Sunday
evening and the assault upon her husband
Manoharan by this gang is an eye opener for
everyone of us to ponder the gravity of the
situation prevailing in the country. Criminals
must be dealt with utmost detereance.
In the Middle East countries crimes of this
nature are hardly committed. If a rape or murder
is committed it would be mostly by expatriates
and they are promptly given the most appropriate
punishment. In Sri Lanka capital punishment is
there, but it is not implemented. The criminals
know this and they are encouraged to repeat the
crimes. Thus the laxity in implementing the
deterrent punishment tend to increase
criminality.
I hope every law abiding citizen of this
country who form 99% of the population will
extend their whole-hearted support to the
government if the capital punishment is
implemented and remission of jail terms is
eliminated for those who commit crimes of a grave
nature such as rape, murder, robbery and drug
related offences.
I hope more of my fellow citizens will express
their frank and sincere opinion on this matter
and send their letters to this esteem journal.
M. A. Majeed,
Gampola.
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