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CHANGING FACE OF SRI LANKA & ROLE OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONSBy M D P DISSANAYAKE
Liquor sales and consumption In the past we have seen Wine Stores (as Liquor Stores are customarily known in SL, even though there are no large scale wine drinking habits) almost at each inter-section. They carried well displayed Bill Boards, plus small time Vendors selling bites such as Vadai, Pakadai, Kadalai. For fear of being caught by the wives, some of these "jolly-good" fellows goes to the beach hiding behind the rocks to have their evening extravagance. Today, the Bills Board have disappeared in front of Wine Stores and there are very few of them in any case, hardly visible ( except for regular patrons). Even Liquor License of Matara Cargills Branch has been cancelled. Apart from the control on the number of outlets, there is an increasing number of people seems to have given up drinking. This has become a new life-style, a new breed of adults emerging as non-drinkers. Smoking The number of smokers in SL has come down to absolute minimum. I could rarely find anyone smoking at all. Some of the Benson & Hedges I took to my relatives and friends were profusely refused as all of them are not smoking at all, even if you get "free" cigarettes. Reckless driving and traffic control There is a significant improvement in traffic control and reckless
driving. "On the Spot" fines for unauthorized parking and
speeding is now fully operational. Most of the main high-ways are marked
with high-way codes, double, single lines etc. and maximum speed signs
are clearly displayed. Police Officers are by far honest, the good old
bribery habit for traffic offences seems to have disappeared. As a result
of an effective traffic control system , together with the reduction
in smoking and drink driving, there is a significant discipline amongst
the drivers. I was shocked to hear Maha Pirith chanting at almost every intersection, starting from 5 pm. Is this the beginning of our good old "Sara Gunadharma"? Existence of poverty and contribution from Religious bodies To take these improvements forward, it is essential that significant steps should be taken to eradicate poverty. I can still see many school children walking several kilometres, as they cannot afford to go by bus. Some of them haven't got proper clothes or shoes, no umbrellas, hardly a school bag. Large sums of donations are being received daily by leading Buddhist Temples, Catholic Churches and Mosques. What do they do with that money? When were their accounts were Audited and published? Just imagine how much donations are daily collected by Kandy Dalada Maligawa, Kelani Viharaya, Bellanvila Raja Maha Viharaya, Kuppiyawatte Temple, Kalutara Bodiya, St. Anthony's Church, Kotahena, St. Benedicts, St Lucias, Kataragama Devale, Mariamma Kovil? The Government cannot do everything, religious bodies who are Tax Exempt institutions should come forward and practice what they preach. Lets talk about Nirvana, Gods and Goddess later, whilst government is fighting effectively to eradicate terrorism, religious bodies should contribute to eradicate povety. Sabbe Satwa Bhawantu Sukitatwa! |
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