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There have been a lot of complaints about the Dehiwala Mt.Lavinia
Municipal Council as indicated by several letters recently.
It is apparent by these, the lethargic and indifference of the
Council to the well-being of its ratepayers, and the higher authorities
who have some control on this Council does not care about its
inefficiency and shortcomings.
In the past during the time of former Ministers of Local Government,
some action was taken and such Councils were dissolved. Look at the
Council’s roads and drains which are in a pitiful state and neglected
and no efforts are being made to repair the roads which are constantly
full of pot-holes.
At least gradual premixed surfaces can be introduced on to these
roads avoiding constant repair and unnecessary expenditure.
It is a common sight to see about 10 to 15 labourers with one mammoty
and one hand grass cutter ‘working’ along the roads each morning.
This is to provide ‘employment’ to supporters of the successful party
after each election. This type of recruitment is repeated after every
election causing a heavy burden on Council’s funds. If premixing of
surfaces are carried out no grass will grow on roads, as observed in
Colombo M.C. roads.
When you leave the City of Colombo, you know at once that you have
reached the Dehiwala Mt.Lavinia Municipal area when you see the
pot-holed roads with absent or broken drains, and garbage thrown all
over the roads for good measure.
This is an insult to the citizens of the town who deserve a better
deal.
The Hospital Road, though not maintained by the M.C. is also in a bad
state.
The canal passing through Kalubowila is silted and in the near
future, the canal will disappear creating a serious flood situation in
the area.
Though the above are not maintained by the M.C. it is the duty of the
Council, in the interest of its ratepayers to see that the relevant
authorities attend to them. It is obvious now that the area covered by
this Municipal Council is too large to be administrated efficiently by
the Council and its present staff.
Therefore, I suggest and request the relevant higher authorities to
demarcate the existing boundaries of this M.C. so that the ratepayers
will get a better service.
May I suggest that the areas North of the Kalubowila Canal and the
Nugegoda area be handed over to the Colombo Municipal Council. The area
South of Attidiya Road can be handed over to the Moratuwa Municipal
Council.
These Councils have the capacities to look after these areas properly
and efficiently.
With this arrangement, the Dehiwala M.C. will be able to look after
the remaining areas properly.
W.R.
Dehiwala
I write with reference to the letter written by Roshantha Fernando of
Nawala to the Daily News, published in the Daily News of December 4,
attacking Padma Colonne about her views on the recently concluded Sirasa
Superstar competition.
Roshantha must know that not only Van Twest, Padma Colonne too had
every right to voice her opinion. I am sure Roshantha is groping in the
dark and is displaying his ignorance by not understanding what she has
written about.
In her letter, Padma Colonne had not attacked anyone, but had
pin-pointed the real facts in a very intelligent manner. I am sure
Roshantha has misinterpreted her letter through his ignorance and as he
says in his letter crudely, it’s he who should learn to accept the truth
without displaying his rashness and ignorance in public.
SHANTHI AMARASINGHE
Colombo 6
I couldn’t agree more with Noel Goonesekera’s letter to the Daily
News on December 1. It is a good thing that Marvan Atapattu was not
recalled before the match in Hobart, thus making it a major issue. For
that, I salute the gentlemen at Sri Lanka Cricket.
I wish Marvan the very best of luck in all his future endeavours.
M. C. DHARMARATNE
Colombo 6
*******************
This is in response to the above letter in the Daily News of November
28. Certainly Marvan Atapattu has not dug his own grave. When Atapattu
faced media men in Australia, he certainly spoke his heart out. I do not
think the writer of the above captioned letter feels how Atapattu felt,
as a result of the injustice meted to him by the selectors.
The selectors dug the grave for Sri Lanka at the last World Cup by
selecting into the squad and isolating one of the world’s most
technically correct batsman by not allowing him to play a single match.
In the recently concluded Australian tour, Atapattu proved himself
beyond a shadow of doubt, his calibre and retired from all forms of the
game on a very high note by scoring 173 runs (including two half
centuries) in four innings.
At the last World Cup, Atapattu even humbled himself to serve the Sri
Lankan team at water breaks, to carry towels to the players etc.
I still recall when Upul Tharanga was failing at the last World Cup,
the selectors were placed at a crossroad, whether to play Atapattu or
Upul Tharanga. Many past cricketing greats of Sri Lanka gave their
opinions in favour of Attapattu in TV interviews, but yet the selectors
did not consider him even at this late stage.
Are they harbouring a grudge against Attapattu? Had Atapattu played
in the final of the last World Cup, and had he clicked, as in the
recently concluded Australian tour, after having batted for the first
time, after a lapse of two years, Sri Lanka would have even clinched the
World Cup for the second time.
Please do not write off Attapattu for expressing his feelings to the
Australian media quite boldly, not anticipating the repercussions,
Atapattu has done proud for Mahinda College, Ananda College and Sri
Lanka, and he should be honoured as one of the cricketing greats of Sri
Lanka.
My advice to Atapattu is to forgive those who have done injustice to
him and make amends to restore the broken relationship between him and
the selectors.
SRIYAN DE SILVA
Ratmalana
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