Of Principals and principles
I write with some trepidation about the curious case of E. K. Premasiri, Siridhamma College, Labuduwa, Galle, Principal, who has been interdicted ostensibly for a mini school play which was derogatory of the President. As the only information I have comes from the Sunday Times which has been faithfully reporting the unfolding saga, (including his Fundamental Rights application in the Supreme Court last week against his interdiction) I am hesitant to comment on the many twists and turns in this sad tale.
What I can unhesitatingly applaud however is that he seems to have withstood the political interference borne on him to admit 11 students who had not originally applied to the school; secondly, his refusal to bow down to Education Ministry officials initially, until he was compelled to do so later on; and finally, when he not only intervened immediately to stop this unseemly play being enacted in his school, but also personally reported the matter to the Provincial Director of Education and the police. (as reported in ST of 22/1/12)
In an era where few public servants stand up against political interference or speak out against corruption and injustice, interdiction seems a raw deal for such a person. It would be tragic indeed if he is victimized and denied the relief he seeks. Shanthi Dias
Via email
It is heartening to see the railway tracks being rebuilt. But I wish to point out that most of the railway station platforms are at a lower level than the floors of the train bogeys. This is a great inconvenience and poses a high risk for passengers entering or getting off a carriage. The risk is especially high for ladies and elderly commuters. The Kollupitiya station plat- form is the worst in this respect. Commuters have a right to ask the railway authorities to do something about this matter.
Railway Passenger
Elvitigala Mawatha
I write to express my disappointment over the new visa-on-arrival policy of the Sri Lankan government. Under this policy, tourists are required to get an ETA (electronic travel acknowledgement) before entering the country.
I am a Pakistani national working in Malaysia, and whenever I go back home, I prefer to take the Sri Lankan airline to Karachi. On one such occasion, I had the opportunity to stay in your wonderful country for a night (I was in transit on my way back to Karachi).
I cannot describe how much I enjoyed the Sri Lankan hospitality, the food was excellent, almost like Pakistani food, and I had a chance to visit the wonderful city of Negombo.
This time too I wanted to break journey in Sri Lanka and visit the famous Adam’s Peak. But the new policy dis- couraged me from doing so. I know the policy has been introduced to earn valuable foreign exchange, which will be pumped into an economy still recovering from the ravages of years of civil war, but surely citizens of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should be exempted from the new policy.
We Pakistanis have not forgotten the role Sri Lankan doctors played in fighting the dengue epidemic that broke out last year in some parts of Pakistan.
The gesture of exempting SAARC countries from the new visa rule will go a long way in promoting the good relationship among the SAARC countries.
Pakistani expat in Malaysia