• Action against errant medical officers

• Questioning 'Aksharaya'

• Violence and abuse in TV films

• Railway, Secretariat Halt at Fort

• In search of the lost city

  
  
  
  
  Action against errant medical officers

The well intentioned Minister of Health has placed a proposal before the Cabinet of Ministers which appears to be a 'knee-jerk' reaction or a quick fix for a perennial problem with the medical profession.

He has threatened to send the offending doctors to 'difficult areas'; if detection of miscreants and the punishments are carried out without fear or favour, I am sure the difficult areas will be overstaffed in a matter of days! Surrounded by a large number of seemingly knowledgeable medical administrators who revolve round him like satellites around celestial bodies one could be excused for expecting a well thought out solution rather than this ludicrous one!

For clarity I wish to lay down some issues which do not seem to have received due attention because they have been completely overlooked, or their magnitude under-estimated:

(a) Grade Medical Officers are not the only ones engaged in Private Practice (PP) during working hours. The biggest offenders are the reputed specialists such as Obstetricians and Surgeons who fix cases for delivery or surgery during normal working hours.

Specialists in Government service delay the onset of labour occurring during the night or postpone casualty surgery in the night, so that they can get a good night's sleep; but if these cases occur in the private sector, they will quickly attend whether day or night! Thus, they deprive the patients in the State sector of their services during the day as well as night.

Surgeons too do likewise and often attend to 'cold' cases even during normal working hours. Both these types of specialists, needless to say, are ably assisted by the State sector anaesthetists!

(b) Flying Squads should target private nursing homes too for perpetuating these farcical activities and catch the sharks in their acts.

The Private Health Institutions Act should enable flying squads to enter these institutions to check whether the normal working hours are adhered to. The private institution should be charged for aiding and abetting such immoral practice.

Of course, there should not be any hindrance for legitimate service as in cases of genuine emergencies for the performance of which prior permission should be obtained from the Director of the State hospital.

It must be emphasized that the private sector, at least in Colombo, has enough specialists in all specialties to cater to its needs.

(c) The Ministry of Health seems to have completely ignored the University Teaching Staff who engage in PP with gay abandon. Should not they too be subjected to similar constraints as far as PP is concerned? Many of them are also seen engaging in PP during working hours, neglecting their teaching and service commitments.

Of course, one would expect that the concurrence of the Ministry of Higher Education will be obtained. One wonders how they will be punished as they can be transferred only to another university with a medical faculty! In other words to congenial stations.

D. H. PERERA, Nugegoda.
 

Questioning 'Aksharaya'

The film, 'Aksharaya' evokes many questions. To begin with, it has a mystifying title. Does it recall the fiery Letters of the Law (Which has a religious connotation) and how law enforcement authorities are protecting those letters of the law in their private lives?

What are the ingredients that make an artistic film and what is the line that divides art from pornography?

Further questions: Why have laws to protect the environment from pollution and why have laws to prevent child labour, all of which are directed at protecting the physical aspect but not specifically the psychological?

Why indeed allow powerful law enforcement authorities to engage in incest and other crimes, that bring down destruction on themselves and others by their sordid spill-overs, but equally why allow the powerful film media to make a vulgar expose of such activities and cause another deadly spill-over? Will it not affect the tender minds of children by leaving nothing to their imagination with regard to the film's powerful visual imagery? Is an 'adult only' label adequate protection? What about the print media taking up the theme in their all too clear comments and video film piracy which nullify the 'adult only' safeguard.

Does 'Aksharaya' defeat its purpose of making a social comment by playing to the gallery, keeping an unerring eye riveted on the film's box office returns?

I do not intend viewing the film and welcome the lawyers for Human Rights and Development taking effective steps to prevent our decline into another worse than Sodom and Gomorrah 'avante gard' society, burning with the fires of lust and hatred and aksharayas.

A word of friendly advice to film makers such as Handagama. Think of a fire escape for the younger generation.

SAMANERI SUVIMALEE

Violence and abuse in TV films

I feel constrained to write on the disturbing episodes being currently viewed on TV. I am repulsed by the submissive stance of the victim, a woman, in an Indian TV drama, at the subterfuge, deception and brainwashing, at the lack of coming out with the truth about the husband of the protagonist and his sadistic behaviour day in day out.

The second TV drama, set in the South of the island in a different era shows likewise, moonstones behaviour on the part of a woman, her daughter, her son all part of an elitist, educated and affluent class of people. The victims accept the situation.

The young lodger (a relative), keeps mum about the sadistic bullying and abuse of a young child.

The young wife accepts the hatred and continually she is subjected to. The husband deceives his wife with a mistress. His behaviour towards his son is abnormal. I feel strongly that the talented young boy actor should not be exposed to the behaviour of psychologically distributed adults even on the screen. It is immoral and unethical.

In these days of empowerment of women and all the lobbying against child abuse I wonder why all this is inflicted on the viewer, sociologically too, class demarcations are seen servants who are more human than their mistresses and masters are treated inhumanely.

The films are disgusting. we do not expect romantic fairy tale endings but this kind of film makes the viewer part of an abuse lifestyle which appears to be acceptable to society. please put an end to all this horror in a society which is already debased and corrupt.

C. V., Kandy.

Railway, Secretariat Halt at Fort

I shall be thankful if the General Manager of Railways, or Minister of Transport attend to the following shortcomings at the above halt.

(1) I and many public servants travel very often from this halt to Panadura. Trains change the platform without any announcement.

I have missed the train, because there is no time to walk across and go to the other platform.

(2) I brought this matter to the notice of the officer at this halt. What he said was that there are no facilities, lighting, sound system, telephone, etc.

(3) Sometimes the counter is closed and people cannot buy the tickets.

(4) It will be a great service to the public, if the authorities take action immediately to provide these facilities and put an end to this inconvenience.

A. H. T. SAMARAPALA, Panadura.

In search of the lost city

With reference to an article (May 1) "In search of the lost city of Kotte with Douglas Ranasinghe" we wish to state that it was almost as intriguing as a Tarzan movie of yore, although there were a few stretched points and crossed wires.

Tissa Abeysekera's description of Galoptte Road, (not Para) for his information, as a 'Miserable, insignificant, disfigured roadway' is a total misconception.

Maybe he was referring to the nameless, ten foot wide, muddy bylane with about 5 houses which Ranasinghe lived down, which is off Galpotte Road and would fit this description.

On the contrary, Galpotte Road is a well lit, well maintained main road, lined with beautiful houses and gardens of the rich and famous and the infamous; but all residents who will rise to the occasion with one voice if the need presents itself as was evident in the not so distant past.

As for the writer's wish, "To see him standing in the form of a statue somewhere at the entrance to Sri Jayawardenepura, looking wistfully at his beloved city of once-upon-a-time," we would endorse such a move wholeheartedly if only Galpotte Road would be left alone.

May we suggest it be cast in Bronze for posterity, and be placed reverently in a glass case to prevent crows desecrating the memory of this son of (shall we say) Kotte.

M. BIBILE, Nawala.