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The Island OPINION Monday 24th May, 2010 Views LETTERS 9 n our journey towards special request to trade unions have been giving some loaded with officials, seems and, more importantly, the people that the achieving the status of to; thought to the confused to be playing no part in this Members of Parliament and ‘Disapathi’ always had. The O‘Asian Miracle’, it is a) Make use of Day-light as Iofficial responses to the “effort”. There are probably local bodies. Co-ordination only law that seems relevant imperative that we make far as possible during office natural disasters that have more ‘bit players’ frolicking was, thus, integral to the sys- to them is Parkinson’s Law optimum use of our limited hours. been blasting this country in these muddy waters. Once tem and the G.A. could call [work expands to fill the time power and energy resources. b) Prohibit use of lifts up to the last few days. The news in a while [as in Nuwara on his team and direct them available]. Towards this end, we at least first three floors (where have to start by promoting relevant) with provision for channels are full of state- Eliya] the Govt Agent has to handle any emergency in My suggestion is that the usage of alternative energy emergency facilities for needy. ments by a medley of offi- grasped authority and exer- his District – without await- GA should be vested with sources and at the same time c) Discourage use of air-con- cials, and politicians in cised it without waiting for ing orders from ‘on high’. unfettered coordinating pow- cutting down on wastage. For ditioners and ceiling fans. rolled-up pants promising political orders. This happened in ers when disaster strikes a this purpose, a genuine polit- d) Where possible, allow pie-in-the-sky to poor victims This was not always so. Trincomalee during the 1971 District. He already has the ical will is required. I invite employees to perform assign- sunk in the mud. Looking Till President Premadasa Insurgency when the GA not statutory authority, though the new Minister to consider ments from home for payment of back on a career in eleven clipped their wings and only coordinated civil and its exercise is often in the following propos- a special allowance, districts it is quite clear to abeyance due to understand- als. as extended office Since industries hours entail not me that there is a tragic lack able fear of political reper- consume a major por- Focus on only payment of of coordinated and decen- cussions. This is not a revolu- tion of electricity, over-time but also tralized authority capable of tionary idea or any subver- firstly,the govern- alternative additional electrici- prompt action. Today the Bring back sion of the Constitution. The ment should aggres- ty,water and other District is an administrative precedent already exists in sively promote the energy sources unproductive costs. jungle. A plethora of officials the conduct of a General ‘now-defunct’ system e) Suitable are ‘ploughing their own fur- Election where the GA is the of giving financial incentive schemes rows’. The Disaster District Returning Officer concessions to those medium and large should be launched to encourage employ- Management Ministry has a the GA? exercising the authority and scale industries/organizations using their ees to cut down on electricity wastage in own sources of power instead of the heav- offices, (uncontrolled use of electric ket- District level officer to “han- might of the Elections ily subsidized national grid. An effective tles, immersion heaters and ceiling fans) dle disasters” though not demoted them to be District Police functions but was also Commissioner, without fear promotional campaign could re-energize so that results and progress could be seen vested with any authority “Secretaries” lumping them the Competent Authority or favour from any source. this scheme with creative industrialists and felt by all concerned. over officials of other with a plethora of other ‘sec- over the Army, Navy and Air When disaster strikes the going for alternate energy sources. To state the least, these measures are Departments. Local Bodies, retaries’ [divisional, cultiva- Force. Response to any disas- Secretary to the President Secondly,as both government and fundamental for achieving the ‘power- the Urban Development tion, co-op etc]. The ter was, thus, almost instan- should immediately declare private sector offices are large-scale con- hub’ target of the government. Authority and the Land Government Agent was the taneous. that the GA of the affected sumers of electricity,the Govt. must J.B.V. FERNANDO. Reclamation & Drainage co-ordinating apex of a net- Today the district is District is its Co-ordinating make a clarion call on all of them with a Moratuwa Authority seem to be getting work of officials, right down chock-a-block with officials Authority with executive in each other’s way. The to village level. He was the of questionable authority. I authority over every govern- Irrigation Dept and statutory Deputy Head of understand that District ment Department and ‘American Idol’ finale Electricity Board irresponsi- every Department in Officials of the Disaster Statutory Institution. eason nine finale of the hugely pop- never be forgotten when the curtain falls bly let loose their impounded Colombo. As Chairman of Management Ministry are I trust this modest propos- ular American Idol is scheduled for on season nine of this popular show. water with not a thought for the District Co-ordinating not vested with any authority al of a retired GA, who has Sthis week. The programme watched I think “American Idol” is a great the poor people downstream Committee he regularly to direct or co-opt officials of seen it all, is taken seriously. by millions in the US on Tuesdays and show. It gives singers a chance to go fur- being inundated.. The chaired a meeting with all divisional or village level. the elimination on Wednesdays is equal- ther in their life-long dreams of singing Provincial Councils, over- these officials, the Police Nor has he the acceptance by Tissa Devendra ly popular in the other parts of the career. I thought Michael Lynch should world, including the Kingdom. have been in the top three, because he is Since it is telecast by MBC on a unique type of singer in the Wednesdays and Thursdays, sense, he never sounded like viewers lose enthusiasm any other singer. When he ies, workshops, and other insti- because they already know came on stage, he brought tutions have proper drainage the result of the elimination singing and performing to a The avoidable ‘killer’ systems and soakage pits to from the Internet. Yet it different level. draws a large number of If one didn’t physically or at least a decade, dispose of the excess water they discharge, instead of into viewers to see the performance see him, we would not know if there have been articles of the prospective idols. Will this be he were white or black. That is the Fand letters from con- drains, streams and other the last season of the American Idol? beauty of singing. It is being yourself cerned citizens on the subject waterways. As we all know that Simon Cowell and making whatever you sing your own. of ‘DENGUE’ in the print c) Even homes, especially will be in his last year for the American It is a shame he could only reach the top Idol and many believe that without him, four! Big Mike deserved to be in the top media in addition to panel dis- in suburban areas, do not dis- charge their household water the show will not be popular as it is. two or even the winner of season nine cussions by various experts ‘American Idol 2010’ has come to the but unfortunately he could not garner and seminars and workshops into storm water drains and finale event, with the two top contestants enough votes because of his colour. conducted by health authori- avoid causing stagnant puddles left, Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox. They never saw or heard the man ties, NGOs and social service of water by the roadside. America’s top reality show again has although his songs sentimentally moved It may be worth consider- successfully run through this season a female judge, who unashamedly cried! organisations. However, this with high ratings. Of course there is still In the meantime, Lee Dewyze is hot ing making it mandatory that dreaded virus which reared its one more week to see the legendary favourite to win the contest from the ugly head from time to time in institutions and households judge Simon Cowell in American Idol. young mom Crystal Bowersox. the past, may take a critical have proper ‘soakage pits’ in He has made this show big and rich S. H. Moulana turn once again in the after- order to absorb or recycle the because of his superb performance as a Riyadh excess water they discharge judge. His honesty and frankness will math of the recent rains. We where millions of mosquitoes service organisations, in addi- and avoid surface catchments are being told that fresh water breed as dirty water from tion to the measures already with stagnant water which in household utensils and stag- houses, hotels and other insti- taken by them, could take seri- allows any kind of mosquito, nant water in our home gar- tutions are fed into the storm ous action to ensure that: Blame the gods and save the humbugs let alone the dengue mosquito, eference an article by Mr. Lucien out”. We all believe that torrential rains dens are the worst breeding water drains and stagnate a) Drains are unclogged to breed.

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