Your View...
Dear reader, the Sunday Observer welcomes your letters. Letters should be brief, legible and contain the name, address and contact number of the writer. Mail your letters to: ‘Letters’, The Sunday Observer, 35, D.R.Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10. Email: [email protected]
Handwritten copies should be duly signed.
Discrimination against private education
The Government of Sri Lanka has in principle, agreed to private universities and private schools. Education is a fundamental right. Studying in a private university or in a private school, is not a crime. The tax payers pay for children studying in government universities and government schools. Parents pay for the children studying in private universities and private schools.
Unfortunately however, the actual position in this country is different. Very often, private university students and private school students are harassed. They are discriminated. The government university students think they are superior. They think higher education is only for them. Higher education has become a monopoly, today.
Nobody objects to the rich and powerful students going to countries such as Singapore, USA and UK for higher studies.
But, if our students study in a private local university they are harassed and discriminated. They are not allowed to learn practical work in government hospitals. The technical students are not allowed to learn practical work in government industrial organizations. They are not allowed employment in government departments.
Government university students protest opposite the private universities. They carry cut-outs and placards insulting the private university students.
Several kilometre-long protest marches are held against private university students.
All these are harassing of innocent private university students. Do they not have human rights and fundamental rights?
We kindly and humbly request the students and others in authoritative positions who have obtained their education using tax payers’ money, to refrain from harassing and insulting private university students and private school students.
Harassing innocent people is a sin according to all religions, and all philosophies.
D. WEERATUNGA
NUGEGODA.
Analysing pension anomalies
The Pensions Department has let down a large number of pensioners by neglecting its duties towards them, as most of them were unaware of the revisions of pensions under Public Administration Circulars 15/2003, 09/2004 and Pension Department Circular 06/2004 of 25.02.2004. Many pensioners did not receive their revised pensions under these circulars. In addition, there were the other revision on January 1 2006 under the Public Administration Circular 06/2006 of 25.04.2006 and Pension Department Circular of 23.05.2006. A further revision was made by the P A circular 06/2006 (iv) effective from June 2007 which was not implemented until July 2015.
Some pensioners received increases on an ad-hoc basis but not the real increase that they ought to receive. Many were denied this revision. Yet another revision was effected in view of the anticipated election in August 2015. All public servants received a Rs.10,000 bonanza. This was similar to a sop to Cerberus, as the rulers realize the importance of placating the pensioners for a positive vote. However, the revisions denied to pensioners from June 2007 to June 2015, a period of eight years, is forgotten. Though the pensioners were denied these revisions the entire public service benefited from the revisions and all those who retired after June 2007 were able to draw enhanced pensions, based on their higher salaries.
Also, some Health sector pensioners whose pensions were to be revised in January 2004, December 2004, January 2006 and June 2007 were denied these revisions until July 2015, from which month they were able to enjoy the benefits of higher pensions without arrears (from January 2004), for almost eleven and a half years.
This letter is to educate the pensioners who were in the dark. What has the Pensions Department got to say about this?
A.P.
Homagama.
Sales via SMS
With the festive season round the corner, sales promotions of various companies are getting into full swing. Unfortunately, they seem to be over-anxious and are becoming a nuisance to the public.
For instance, they seem to have got round mobile phone companies to send sales promotion propaganda via phone to their customers, which is a grave form of nuisance. There have been many instances that I have been fooled by these incoming messages, having expected the phone to convey important messages to me from sources that only I have selected.
Manoj Fernando
Malabe
Calling for FCID action
I am an old, retired pensioner, a septuagenarian, holding my breath to see something solid happening to these wrongdoers who are summoned to the FCID. People know most of those summoned are as guilty as Hades. Use a fine tooth comb and glean enough evidence to send the culprits to the free boarding house, ASAP.
These days, taking a glance at the front page of the daily, I am disappointed, as usual. Please, dear Sirs, people are waiting for the ‘inevitable scoop’.
Mahendra Samarasinghe,
Dehiwala.
Towards a greener tomorrow
Environmental pollution has become a major issue in Sri Lanka, today, due to many reasons. The excess usage of polythene, harmful chemicals, fertilizers and improper disposal of garbage, are some of them. As a result, the ozone layer has been damaged and the scorching UV rays cause immense difficulty for all living beings. If this continues, there will be more harmful effects.
The 3Rs are a good means to minimize this issue. They are, “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”.
Using cloth bags or cane baskets to purchase daily needs will reduce hundreds of polythene bags accumulated in homes. Since polythene does not decay in the soil, it would cause major environmental hazards for all.
The general public should assist in the recycling process, by sorting the waste before disposal. In most places, separate bins are kept to collect the waste, by the urban councils.
Let’s work for the 3Rs and help the country towards a greener tomorrow.
Jazeema Jaldeen
Raddolugama.