Doctors, lawyers also need to undergo ‘fit to practise’ evaluation

Heavy duty licence holders are subject to an evaluation every year to assess their fitness to drive trucks. Some others too are evaluated for their ability to have control over the mechanical contraptions they work with.

I think just as these people are subjected to scrutiny about their sanity and ability, all doctors should be assessed by a Psychiatrist annually to assess whether they are sane, able to handle their work and whether they are fit to practise.

I do not have to cite anything to support my case other than the actions of the ‘doctors’ who give certificates to the institutions of Justice, saying that their VIP clients are sick and need to be hospitalised in private ‘quarters’ in hospitals so escaping the justice meted out to the common public who have toiled morning noon and night to pay for these VIPs’ luxury living!!!

P.S. You could include the lawyers too who seek the Law and not Justice!! Rohan Wickramaratne

Via email P.P. Via email

If we can get people to dispose garbage methodically we will not only see a cleaner environment but it will also reduce the cost of collection and incidence of diseases like dengue.

Having seen a news item that Singapore fined a Sri Lankan 50 dollars for littering a street prompted me to write this letter. Visitors to Singapore can see the efforts they take to protect the environment. Heavy fines and jail terms are imposed on those who litter, damage public property etc.

Since we have got used to unacceptable ways of disposing garbage this cannot be done overnight. But we could start at school level educating the children how, when and where to dispose garbage. Obviously the children will take the message home and coupled with legislation to punish the offenders, we should be able to live in a better environment in the long run.

Unfortunately the support,

With the recent work stoppage of rail gatekeepers, yet another tragedy has occurred, due to unhindered access across a railway line. Readers will recall that a simple, low cost and an effective proposal sent by me appeared in both Sinhala and English press under the title ‘A viable, low cost alternative for Railway gates’ as far back as in July 2013. It was followed by reminders in the press as and when similar tragedies occurred in the ensuing years. Copies of the proposal were also sent to the relevant Ministry and the Railway Dept. but to no avail of course.

If some action was taken to construct speed- breakers (humps) on either side of this particular railway crossing, this tragedy would surely have been prevented. It is sad and unfortunate that the authorities concerned turn a blind eye to public opinion. guidance and contribution from our elected representatives leaves much to be desired. To highlight the problem, I would suggest organising four pada yatras from the north, south, east and west to converge on Colombo simultaneously collecting garbage left on the wayside which will show the magnitude of the problem when tons and tons of garbage arrive in Colombo. Mrs. I Weerasinghe

Via email

About two years ago, the Ministry of Higher Education launched a competition to attract low –cost, effective proposals to solve this Railway crossings problem. My proposal too was submitted for consideration. Regrettably, no concrete action seems to have been taken towards this end. However, during a recent visit to the Hatton area I came across an instance of my proposal in action. Being strangers to the area we were forced to bring our vehicle to a virtual halt and notice the Railway crossing ahead of us. In this regard it is also pertinent to quote a villager from Wanwasala who said “No one can rely on that bell.

It is common knowledge that it is almost impossible,to buy any fruit other than chemically force-ripened fruit, in most parts of the country.

The kinds of fruits in high demand such as banana, papaw, pineapple and avocado are so much affected,that it is a waste of good money to buy them and a crime against our delicious fruits, while creating a void in our nutrition.

This situation also drives us to more expensive imported varieties which the average families could ill afford.

Some months back the authorities made threats and for a couple of weeks,we enjoyed untreated fruits. Soon matters reverted to the old mess and now sometimes the chemical spraying is openly done.

At a time when there is so much attention on weaning paddy farmers from pesticides, it is regrettable that nobody seems to be worried about the fruits that we are consuming.

The easy way out for the authorities would be the declaration”Lack of staff ”. Overstaffing is to be noted in certain institutions .Withdraw some of the staff, attach them to the Public Health Sector for a couple of weeks at a time, give them a short training, activate and effect the law and send them back to their departments when no longer needed.

Even government pensioners may volunteer for this type of activity, for the common good.

If there is a will, methods could be formulated to curb these anti social crimes.

Let us hope for some positive action soon. Sometimes when it rains heavily it rings continuously till someone fixes it. Anyway, vehicles with their shutters closed and the radio on, wouldn’t hear the bell.”This clearly shows the inherent drawbacks of high –cost, technical solutions as well as their inability to adequately warn the motorists who sometimes are really negligent.

In the circumstances, the best option is not to rely fully on audio or visual warnings but to virtually force the motorists to either stop or slow down. Motorists in Sri Lanka are well used to slowing- down or stopping their vehicles on seeing a road-breaker and we have hardly W.G.Wimalaratne Kurunegala witnessed accidents caused by roadbreakers.

It is admitted that road-breakers are not feasible for all railway crossings particularly at those where sharp bends are encountered.

I sincerely hope that the authorities will at least now take prompt steps to install the proposed low-cost, effective road-breakers also known as ‘Sleeping Policemen’ at the unprotected and even manned railway crossings in order to prevent these unfortunate accidents arising from work stoppages or otherwise in the future. Bernard Fernando Moratuwa