By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Vanderwert Place, Dehiwela.

Ever since the war was over we keep hearing the noise of firecrackers. Not only after the war, we as a nation have been following this meaningless, wasteful way of showing our happiness for New year, Christmas, election results etc. etc.

Ok, on the day of the death of Prabakaran, may be the people were not quite ready – they were thinking the day will not come so suddenly, but the happiness had to be expressed in someway and the firecrackers was the only way to have enough noise. It was good to see some having thought of the victory and planned kiribath and kavun or the rabbana playing.

But do we have to go on and on at this useless waste of money and time, not to mention the noise pollution? The other day we were travelling to Moratuwa, and we had to stop at several places to allow the lighting of the firecrackers as a show of celebration.

As an intelligent nation we have to think of better way of celebration. Firecrackers are a waste of money, dangerous, polluting and purposeless -except the noise.

We could celebrate most of all by thanking the God for letting us having the good times -whatever it is. If we want noise we can have the drums, rabbana or singing. The best way to celebrate is to feast while feeding the poor in the process.

Let us be sensible, specially when we are happy.