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Morning Spice by Ginger
TV talk shows and their punctualityGinger has been greatly fascinated by our TV talk shows and even more by their hosts. I am of course referring to those conducted in Sinhala on almost every channel going. I have observed that most of these young geniuses wear wrist watches but evidently don't look at them or concerned one bit about the fact that another show is scheduled to start at a specific time. They live under the misguided impression that the whole country has reserved the day to watch their programme or rather the greatest show on earth.
Somebody should for the benefit of these young men who spend most of their time way up in the clouds have a talk show on good manners and punctuality and drive home the fact that keeping another waiting is about the worst form of rudeness going and that there are more viewers who don't care a hang about their shows than those who are ga-ga about them. Many a viewer switches on his set because he expects a programme to start at a specified time. Instead he sees a host so full of his own brilliance go on and-on and ruin the day for everybody without realizing that there is such a thing as a schedule for any station. Actually the station is at fault for not being firm on that score with our hosts conducting talk shows in Sinhala.
Ill treatment of elders
Be careful of how you treat elders who are members of your family. You may be responsible for any decline in their health or premature deaths. A recent study in the United States has revealed the illtreatment of elders no matter how difficult they may be might give you cause to regret it later.A recent study by US researchers has disclosed that illtreatment can lead to serious complications. Almost three thousand senior citizens were involved in the study and at the end of it the team found that those who were neglected or abused were three times as likely to die during a period of about thirteen years as those who were not lacking in care.
Gentle sea giant
There are more people interested in saving the whale often referred to as the gentle giant of the sea, while others have a heartless urge to finish them off. Now take the case of Keiko the Whale which is now in Iceland's Westman Island. Scientists say he is adapting well to his new abode or rather his old home and is quite popular with other whales and dolphins.Keiko is a bit of a celebrity since he starred in 'Free Willy' six years ago. The whale was virtually nineteen years in captivity in Mexico and the US even though he was a film star. One Norwegian MP has another sickening thought as to what they should do with Keiko. He wants sixty thousand meat balls made out of his carcass and sent to Sudan to feed undernourished children.
Sicilian type killers in Attidiya fighting for arrack permits
The recent shootings which created high drama in Attidiya show a dangerous trend. No sooner a notorious three wheel driver's head was chopped off, a rival gang shot a police officer's son. It is learnt that a mini-war is taking place in this once quiet village.
The root cause has been identified as arrack permits. The majority of the people living in Attidiya never asked for 'Liquor Bars'. Their priorities are totally different. Today these permits are issued with the express knowledge and approval of national and local politicians.
I wish to convey the following clear message to the respective politicians involved in issuing 'certificates' to the Excise Commissioner for the issue of liquor permits to their henchmen.
'For every permit you recommend you must take total responsibility for the heinous and criminal acts you are committing against the mankind and civilized society. History will never forgive you. Worshipping the Buddha, Christ or Prophet Mohamed at all the religious shrines in the whole world will not help you absolve your sings.
Vijaya Jeewattatta,
Colombo.
Reference the opinion of the ''Reader'' in your publication of 21st July, 1998.
It is true the Railway has numerous problems-frequent train derailments, defective and faulty engines, dirty passenger compartments, broken seats, doors and widows, damaged electric fans and wiring which could easily be put to right to give a satisfactory service to the travelling public.
Although the G.M.R. recently stated to your paper that the number of derailments this year have been less than that of last year, the disastrous heavy damages to passenger lives and railway property occurred this year. This unfortunate and sad incident had taken place mainly due to the non-payment of attention or lack of it by those responsible in the department.
Ultimately the results were colossal losses to the department. Why don't the G.M.R. take action to improve this essential national transport service and attract more commuters and freight by offering an efficient and a comfortable safe travel service to the country? And thus make money to cover your annual colossal losses as an alternative to the horrible road transport services.
On the contrary, you are hoping to develop the railway land holding. Do your employees at least, maintain the stations and wayside halts properly and beautifully to attract passengers.
You have started another dream project to enhance your income by raising the lease rents of wayside reserve properties which were given to the original owners of those at a nominal fee at fantastically and unbelievably high rates which the leases cannot afford. There have been cases as high as 10 to 80 times the earlier rent within a time gap of five to ten years.
This way you will not be able to cover your losses for centuries. I would suggest to the G.M.R. to hand over your department to the PERC to offer to a private company local or still better a foreign company as they have done in the case of Air Lanka.
A. Bohitige,
Kelaniya.
There have been so many comments about the magnificent cricketing eleven of ours, who were hammered out of shape in the last several matches. Even the Great Don has been out for a duck. We must accept defeat in the same spirit that we accept victories. We must not be like politicians (some of them) who think that they must win everytime.
The cricketing experts will have a lot to say but is not commonsense that the other sides have watched our heroes and learned to draw them out and trap them. Everyday is not Christmas, Some days we are in form some days not and some days out of sorts, some days under the weather and so on.
But there are so many other factors that appear to be irksome. Murali is still not considered fit yet he was taken to Sharjah, Was it to give a share of the spoils? We saw something similar in Australia a few years ago, when Arjuna's brother was declared unfit he was kept on just to swell his purse, wasn't he? They just failed due to other reasons, We bowled the other sides out for reasonable scores and all the totals were within easy reach of our team yet we failed. Therefore Muralis non performance did not matter so much. Perhaps we could have bowled out the other side for less, that's all.
We must now emulate Robert Bruce, try and try and hope that at least by the time we go for the World Cup that we will be back in fine fettle. Let us drop psychological warfare. Let our cricketers be one family. Let there be no repeats of the treatment meted out to Mahanama.
I feel that Dias is no coach, the Department he handles - batting - is a failure but Bruce Yardley has done wonders may be that's why no credit is being given to him, Murali's improvement as bowler must be credited to Yardley. I hope that Murali who so graciously made donations to his alma mater and school coach will atleast make a verbal donation and speak of Yardley. The whole country is impressed with Murali for his conduct more than for his bowling performances. It is ironical that some people whose education or school fees or clothes or gear and pocket money had been funded by some philanthropist old boy the recipients are now silent, this is the way the cookie crumbles. But Murali a son of biscuit tycoon (maybe a small tycoon) yet pays his respects to his mentors. This is cricket.
Our team also must stop appealing for lies, some years back we were complemented for our behaviour on the field and the manner in which we acknowledged the cheers say when some one reached a 50 or century. I feel sure that knowing the background of the boy that Mahanama would not hestitate to walk out if he is out, even at the risk of incurring the wrath of some others. I am certainly not saying anything against the others, I cannot speak of what I do not know.
We must not emulate the bad points of the game, some counties have 13 players on the field, thirteen is lucky when thirteen players field against you. We must play our eleven if Hair is there, defeat him on the field.
Let's wish our team luck.
Miroy A. P. Bulathsinhalage.
A reply to Rev. Dalston Forbes O.M.I.
Repentance of the Catholic ChurchThe Rev. Father in his recent letter, while accepting that the Catholic Church has erred during the last 2,000 years and now seeks pardon for sins, has conveniently evaded, ignored or forgotten, purposely or not, to touch upon the matter of infallibility of the Pope. It is believed that there is God's intervention or guidance in the selection and election of a pope and he becomes the direct communicator with God. If so, it could be safely concluded that God too has misdirected the Pope and through him the flock and the followers.
Referring to the 'Fatima Letter' the Rev. Father says: 'Is not a public teaching of the Church and is only a private revelation made to the visionary children of Fatima and imposes on no Catholic'. Does this mean that the Catholics do not take the responsibility for what is preached or practised in churches run by the Catholic hierarchy. If such a belief is propagated by parish priests, which the Church is aware, should not the high-ups in the Church who administer - Pope, cardinals, bishops etc., instruct or order that the Church should not play an active role, without bringing disrepute? Aren't the local priests in charge of parishes, answerable?If the story of the massacre of innocent babies to pave the way to Jesus Christ's birth, (to quote Fr. D.F.) possesses verisimilitude which means a semblance of truth and not the real truth, a doubt, why then should it be included in the Bible. Anyway, the good Fr. corrects me by saying that it is not thousands of babies who were massacred but need not exceed 20.
Dear Rev. Sir, whether it be thousands or one, the act, the crime remains the same. The strangest part of this episode or the myth is that the Christian Churches do not pray for the repose of these unfortunate babies who were sacrificed by God for Jesus Christ to be born. Instead, they rejoice on the Christmas Day, the date when Jesus Christ was born. How very ungrateful, we human beings are? The souls of these innocent babies may yet be somewhere, waiting to enter Heaven or Hell. I feel, it is time the Church conducted prayers, at least once a year, in the name of these babies for their repose.
Speaking of Babel story, Rev. Fr. says that these stories are not historical but mythical or legendary. A myth is a figment of imagination or commonly held belief that is not necessarily true. Granting that these are myths to 'explain the present human situation by extrapolation and projections to an imaginary situation in a remote historical past' why should myths be included in the Bible, believed to be the Gospel of Truth? This same argument goes for the other stories about Cain and Abel, Tower of Babel and subjugation of women to men. The question beyond the understanding of any average intelligent person is why such stories, myths, were included in the Bible? Why was it not thought fit to have another book containing these myths or stories, like the Jathaka Stories in Buddhism or Hadeeths in Islam to illustrate and make the ignorant and the illiterate to understand the truth? The contents of good Fr. Forbes, makes one believe that the Bible consists of myths, which have been blindly accepted as truth and thereby the very God stands as a myth.
If I may stray a little, though not out of place or out of context, furthering the argument as Bible contains myths, the judiciary all over the world gets the Christian litigants to swear on the Bible considering the Bible as the Holy Book containing revelations and commands of God, to tell the truth and nothing else but the truth. If the Bible contains myths as explained by Rev. Fr. Forbes, the person who takes the oath on the Bible is free to tell lies or untruths.
In conclusion, I mean no disrespect for the beliefs of others and once again appeal to the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, through your esteemed paper 'The Island', to consider the last para of my letter of 8th Oct. 98, which reads as follows:
'There are many such ambiguous commands or myths, attributed to Merciful God in the Bible which need to be carefully analysed and conveniently removed, if religion, a way of disciplined life, is to continue and survive. This could be only done by the present Pope (Pope John Paul II) who has the courage of his conviction and foresight. A team of theologians from all denominations of the various Christian churches may be drawn for this study to depict the true God'.
This should be given priority before we step into the next millennium,
S. Gardiarachchi,
Boralesgamuwa.
Are the national cricket selectors a bunch of jokers!, Otherwise how come they could select a team full of injured players and three juniors when players who have performed at international and local level have been ignored. The selectors M/s Mendis, De Mel and Ahangama are all ex-national players who represented SSC. Is it because of this that they have selected six players from the same club which includes one player who has not even played one full season of domestic cricket at first class level and two players who were not in the original national pool of players but walked into the national team since they agreed to switch clubs and came from the same school as the king of the team!
It is a known fact that if you want to play for Sri Lanka that you should come from the leading school in Maradana and play for the Sinhala Club!!! Otherwise you should be ADC to the King of the 'Boys' and do his domestic work and you will open the attack even if you record at international level is poor. Every cricket playing country knows that Australian wickets are bouncy and that every touring team takes a bowler of Pushpakumara's ability. Then how come players such has Pushpakumara, Jayawardene, Arnold and Bandarathileke are not included and the favourites are taken!
Sri Lanka has already lost players such as Kalpage, Silva and Nawaz due to poor selection and sooner or later they will lose more if selection is done by the king of the boys and not by the selectors who should go by performance and not by the club or school tie!
Come on Mendis you and the rest should do a better job than take a bunch Old Hags and Young Punks who even cannot field in club cricket, let alone One Day Internationals ! Messrs Warne, Bevan, Hick and Co will show down under what you selected in January next year and by the time you realise it will be too late for all.
Disgusted Supporter,
Colombo.
I totally agree with Mr. Donald Goonetilleke of Tokyo (Island 18.11.98).
Everyone has the same fundemental rights and has to be treated equally. Hence, I think the Minister of Finance and the Director-General of Inland Revenue, and even, perhaps, the Attorney General owe it to all tax payers to explain the query raised by Mr. Goonetilleke.
C. P. Fernando,
Colombo 15.
Halal to be official - contrary to Buddhism
At the recent parliamentary proceedings, the Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs had said that the Halal draft bill is ready and will be circulated among the parliamentarians. This is a bill to make Halal - killing official.
If this bill is passed, more and more abbatoirs will be opened in every nook and corner of this country. The police or the public will have no say because it will have government approved.
All Buddhists and animal lovers (majority) protest vehemently against this move. They do not want Halal at all.
Arahant Mahinda in his first encounter with Devanampiyatissa said: O' king animals living in the woods and birds flying in the sky have as much a right as you to live freely. You have no right to kill them. Can the Minister himself vote for the bill in violation of the First Precept.
Animal lovers, Buddhists, and others concerned wake up now and protest against the Halal bill through the media and directly to the parliamentarians before we see blood flowing in the alleys and byways of Sri Lanka.
S. P. Perera,
Colombo.
Ombudsman
Trouble in the junctionA fleet of three-wheelers has taken over the pavement at the turn off from Galle Road into Hospital Road at Dehiwela. Pedestrians are forced to use the main road as a result of this.
To make matters worse, buses plying on routes 183 and 163 going towards Kalubowila also stop by this pavement. The Traffic Division of the Dehiwela police have been informed regarding this, but no action has been taken.
A coordinated effort by the Mayor Dehiwela/Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council and Traffic Division of the Dehiwela police is all that is required to resolve this problem.
A concerned citizen,
Dehiwela.
I have invited the Mayor of Colombo to visit my residence at Colombo 7 and experience the stench that I have been forced to live with for the past three weeks. I have made innumerable complaints to the sanitary engineers of the City Council during this time. Workers have come along and examined manholes, drains etc. but the situation remains the same. It is not only a great embarrassment and an inconvenience, but also hazardous to health.
Although taxes are charged for providing services, there are no visible signs of service. Perhaps, he is not aware of the appalling situation down here in the so-called most fashionable residential area in Sri Lanka.
I look forward to an early visit from the Mayor and I do hope that he will not postpone his visit till election time because if the situation persists, my health is bound to give way and he may not meet me at all.
Ms Lakdasa de Mel,
Colombo 7.
