Discrimination, lack of courtesy, sadly appear to be commonplace in society
After thirty long years, I visited the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens last Sunday. I expected large crowds and a long wait to get an entry permit as we were there at 10 a.m. but was pleasantly surprised that there were no queues. The visit to the gardens was organised by some resident expat friends and a childhood friend and I were excited to be a part of the group. As, even though we were born and bred in Kandy and I still live here, we had not visited the botanical gardens since 1987.
The first negative was when one of my resident expat friends was denied the “local” rate of a ticket and was asked to prove her “resident” status with an original passport and visa. She had lost her passport once before and now carried photocopies with which she had visited the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens two months prior. While I paid Rs. 60 for my ticket, she was asked to pay Rs. 1500 which is 25 times the price of a “local” ticket.
We moved from the “payment” counter to the “help” counter, to ask why a clear photocopy of the visa and passport were not adequate proof of residency. A “supervisor” looking harried barked at us over the “customer service” man’s head and stated he is only doing his job and that is all he is able to do as he did not make the decision. The “customer service” man looked quite bored while his “supervisor” continued to raise his voice at us.
In the midst of it, I was pushed aside by a man waving thousand rupee notes and asking for two tickets from the “help” counter. “My guests are in a hurry and willing to pay thousands,” he said. To my surprise, the “help” desk man fished out a ticket book looking quite lively at the sight of the green notes and calmly issued the tickets. The “guide” stared at me triumphantly and remarked that being pretty isn’t going to get me anywhere and waved more notes in my face and said, “this, is what works”. We were thus dismissed by the “help” counter “customer service” man who completely ignored us thereafter.
I was appalled. Is this how we welcome visitors? Especially those who are willing to deposit a lot of money in our banks and retire here? Why the discrepancy in the ticket prices in the first place? Wasn’t Sri Lanka the land of smiles, with the friendliest people, so hospitable and giving?
At the main entrance, I noticed that my expat friends had to fish out their licences, passports etc. again to prove they were residents, to the Security this time. The lady security officers were also rude to many who carried bags, expat, and non-expat. Whatever happened to common courtesy, to paying customers at least?
The botanical gardens seem quite well maintained. The map the “foreign” rate afforded us gave directions to the various highlights. However, no garbage bins were visible. Many polythene wrappers, plastic bags, plastic bottle tops and even plastic bottles were strewn about the underbrush. Signage of how harmful waste is to the environment was scarce. There were signs listing the plants in Latin available almost everywhere. But not many signs with the common names/translations and the uses of the plants were visible.
This incident made me realize that Sri Lanka is on a downward spiral in terms of simple courtesy. All of us work hard and pay taxes to ensure that relevant services are available and those employed in the public sector are paid. The public sector has apparently forgotten the contribution the taxpayer makes.
The businesses were kept afloat during the past 30 years thanks to the “locals” and “resident expats” who patronized such places in the absence of the tourists. But those business owners have short memories too, it seems and now post “Foreigners Only” signs so they can charge higher rates for services/goods.
The officials should make an effort to not only be courteous but more supportive to all customers and use their discretion when needed.
There should also be an effort to plan and improve areas such as below: Introduce an all entry pass to all cultural and other sites in Sri Lanka (RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or barcoded). Visitor or Business Visa, charge USD 500 (or suitable amount) at the airport for the “cultural development fund” or similar fund. Resident Visa/Work visa should not require this charge Other applicable charges at the sites can be specifically mentioned and include a list of sites such as the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens that one can visit with the RFID/barcode. Charges at the site LKR 60 (or suitable amount)/automated ticket machine. Maps, information leaflets, and other promotional items could be available for sale at cost on site and payment for these too could be automated. The bar coded or RFID pass could be used to monitor visits per site, per passport (if required). The RFID could be returned at the airport (like a boarding pass). There may be an initial cost of acquiring RFID / Barcoded tags, computers, software and monitoring items per site, training personnel etc. However, it will: eliminate the discriminatory pricings at cultural and other sites and ensuing confusion, having to prove citizenship, carrying visa status papers to prove residency etc. eliminate the various guides and touts and even officials trying to engage in nefarious and illegal activities with ticket monies at the sites. Places of worship such as the Sri Dalada Maligawa should not charge a fee at all. In fact, it is shocking that handling money is allowed at these holy sites in the first place.
Allowing such crass behaviour of officials and others involved in any trade and discriminatory pricing etc. has to stop if any trade is to succeed and sustain. The law has to be stringent and strictly maintained. Common courtesy demanded by officials with the use of CCTV and machines to issue tickets etc., at the onset, may help. But in the long run, the leadership leading by example and the law being strictly enforced will allow courtesies to eventually become common behaviour.
Development should not be limited to concrete structures but should be accomplished parallel to the development of human behaviour in order to be sustainable. We are a predominantly Buddhist nation and should be an example to the world. Discrimination in any form should not be a part of our society. Y. Fernando
Kandy