 Private varsities panacea to large number of
A/L drop outs?
At present in Sri Lanka we have only a very few
government owned universities. Their capacities, moreover, are pretty low. In a
given year about 200,000 students sit for the Advanced Level examination but
only about 2%, or 20,000 are admitted to the university system.
Twenty years ago, when the then government introduced the Private Universities
Act, undergraduates took to the streets in protest. Their concern was that if
implemented, government universities would get neglected and the demand for the
degree which they get would decline. They also articulated the concern of higher
education being turned into a luxury that the vast majority of poor and rural
students would not have access to.
Twenty years later, we are still in a situation where most of the middle class
and lower middle class students in the country (who are the majority) have no
other way of studying for a degree. The people who can afford a foreign degree
go abroad or study in the expensive affiliate institutes located in Sri Lanka
itself.
If the government privatizes all state universities and also allow other private
organizations to put up universities to fulfil the existing demand for local
degrees, it would be a great idea. Previous experience shows that private
organizations would offer high quality service to students at the lowest
possible cost due to competition from rival institutions. Such a situation would
still allow the state to offer free education to students from lower income
families, subject to the caveat that they secure good grades at the university
entrance exams. The state can thus cover the education bills of students who
qualify.
-
A concerned reader
****
Please give them a chance
Due to various reasons like accidents and
debilitating illnesses there has been an increase of people with impaired
mobility in our country. Also the war which has been on and off for more than
two decades has resulted in many heroic sons of Sri Lanka being confined to
wheelchairs. But sad to say almost all public places in our country are
inaccessible to them. There has been an increase in awareness of the need to
create a barrier free environment for wheelchair users recently and I hope that
the government as well as the private sector will look into this matter and take
some remedial action.
There are old people as well as young people who through no fault of their own
have been confined to wheelchairs and it is the second group of people that I
want to draw your attention to. Accidents can happen at any time. And illnesses
can strike you without warning. Imagine if by some ill fate you or one of your
loved ones are confined to wheelchair? Would you like to watch the world go by
always staying at home and always dependent on someone else for your basic
necessities like food and clothing. For this is the plight of most wheelchair
users in Sri Lanka. Even though they have the necessary qualifications and the
ability to work most employers are reluctant to offer jobs to people in
wheelchairs. Why? Is it that they see the wheelchair instead of the person
sitting on it with his diverse talents and abilities? Or is it that they are
counting the cost of installing a ramp so that a wheelchair can access the
building? Or that they do not want to widen the doors of a toilet so that a
wheelchair can pass comfortably? Whatever the reason job opportunities for
wheelchair users are rare in Sri Lanka. The government is trying its best to
give a monthly allowance to disabled people but even they cannot afford to
support everyone. Therefore I appeal to all private companies to give a chance
to at least one person in a wheelchair. Look beyond the chair and see the person
who will be a loyal and dedicated employee. And the cost of installing a ramp or
widening a door would not be more than the amount spent on entertaining an
important client. Think how this would change the whole life of a person who is
at present dependent and a burden to his family members. He is dependent on
others not because he cannot work but because no one will give him a chance to
prove himself. If you own your company pledge today that during the coming year
you would give a chance to at least one wheelchair user and if you are an
employee please bring the plight of wheelchair users to your superiors. Then
maybe next year you would have the satisfaction of seeing for yourselves how you
helped to change the life of a disabled person by enabling him to earn for
himself and become a productive citizen.
-
D. Lilakshi Weerasinghe
Moratuwa.
****
Consumer Affairs Authority Act – is it
practical?
At present, there is a requirement by the
Consumer Protection Authority that the maximum retail price be marked on items
displayed for re-sale. In respect of food items, additionally the date of
manufacture, date of expiry and batch code also need to be marked in a minimum
of two languages. In the Gazette Notification dated 13/10/2006, it is stated
that the maximum retail price applicable has to be marked on the pack or
container in English, at the point of entry with effect from January 1, 2007, in
respect of selected consumable items. This is not practical as the imported
products we handle are international in nature and it is not economical for
suppliers to hold up production to print different prices relatively for small
consignments like our requirements.
Even if they accede to our request, the exporter will require sufficient time
for printing specific maximum retail prices. The cost fluctuations between the
time of affixing the retail price on the pack and the arrival of shipment (may
be more than two months) due to the following facts has to be considered:
* Exchange Rate
* Duty, Surcharge, VAT, Cess, PAL, Excise Duty, SRL etc
* Any additional charges imposed
Therefore, the importer has to bear the additional cost which affects our trade.
In addition, we cannot expect our suppliers to comply with this requirement
unless a clause is inserted in our letters of credit duly accepted by the
supplier ie: in the absence of the clause in our letter of credit, supplier
could very well effect supplies without complying to this requirement and our
bankers have to pay when negotiated documents are submitted for payment. The
period of a Letter of Credit is about six months (maximum). Therefore, this
requirement could not be satisfactorily implemented till 31st May 2007.
I appeal to the Internal Trade Authority to defer this requirement till May 31,
2007 and also to have a dialogue with the Importers and other Representatives
including Trade Chambers to discuss the practicability of this requirement.
-
S. R. Balachandran
Council Member
The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka
****
UNP reforms- an absolute necessity
Time and time again we see that the UNP in on
the losing side of elections. It is worthwhile analyzing the reasons for this
failure and ensuring that preventive measures are taken immediately.
1. Need for decentralizing of decision making at the top
Today the leadership carries unlimited powers due to the ill-defined existing
party constitution. It is seen that the decisions of the party are taken
unilaterally by the leadership. We are in the 2151 century and decision making
should be decentralized to suit the era and a suitable mechanism should be
designed and the constitution amended accordingly, to strengthen the hands, of
the decentralize decision makers. Presently the more experienced senior members
in the UNP feel that they are side lined or not given prominence while,
favorites and ‘crossovers’ from other parties enjoy the ear of the party leader.
This is regrettable, and this is a clear case of weakness in the leadership, as
very capable members of the party have defected as they saw no future for
advancement in the UNP.
2. Party Discipline
Party discipline in at its lowest ebb Infighting is at its worst. The leadership
seems to be slumbering. Inaction by the leadership caused the loss of reins of
the Colombo municipality which the UNP held for over 50 years. Party leadership,
needs to be guided by an accountable transparent and a democratic mechanism.
3. Bribery, Corruption and Omission
The UNP has not done much to arrest the state of bribery and corruption. This
seems to be a forgotten chapter. The present govt. is stuck deep in the muck of
bribery and corruption. The UNP has turned a blind eye to the misdeeds of the
govt. Discussions about these matters in the Parliament are non existent. Again
this is due to lack of guidance from the party leader.
4. Proposed Remedial Measures
The Professional group (UPO) have studied the present political scenario in full
and have forwarded an excellent set of proposals for party reforms which I think
if adopted, 95% of the party illnesses will be remedied. This is what is needed
to face a future election with confidence; I salute the UPO for being brave and
bold.
-
Robert Senanayaka
(Chartered Engineer), Colombo.
****
Disability of society to recognise the disabled
Sri Lanka is an island paradise yet to fulfil
its great potential. It is a country that is embroiled in a civil war that has
been based upon ethnic discrimination. But there is a larger discrimination that
has raged over many decades that has affected people regardless of their
ethnicity, race, religion or social status. This discrimination is termed “being
disabled”. Yet only a handful of people have come forward to fight for this
cause. In Sri Lanka, society’s reaction to a person changes dramatically, based
on his disabilities.
It is a traumatic experience fraught with much heartache for the individual
concerned as well as his or her loved ones. Yet in many cases, the individual
concerned is forced to fight a lonely battle against the whole of society
including sometimes, his own family.
Within Sri Lankan culture, families of children with disabilities, in particular
the mother and the child are seen to have done something wrong in a previous
life. Consequently, in the traditional way of life, empathy and understanding
are rare qualities within Sri Lanka towards people with disabilities. In some
cases, families of ‘disabled children’ can be ostracised from their communities.
It’s very sad the way in which Sri Lankan people have learnt to confront and
come to terms with people who have disabilities.
People with disabilities come into the world for a purpose. It is not a
“disabled person” we are looking at, but a person “with a disability”. This
means that these individuals have much more than what the label of a “disabled
person” implies. People with disabilities are unique, talented and have much
more to bring to the world than what society expects. Sri Lankan society needs
to learn how to acknowledge this fact.
This is an opportunity to realise how true human nature presents itself. That
would be reflected in the way that society treats these special people.
Sri Lanka has a colourful history going back 2000 years. Yet we are sadly
lagging behind in this aspect. My sincere hope is that Sri Lanka will be able to
overcome this obstacle. The real challenge is to create an atmosphere where the
basic acceptance of such special individuals into society is facilitated, so
that they could thrive with the dignity that they deserve.
-
Primal Aubert Fernando
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