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Featured Article: Disaster management in Sri Lanka

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Thursday, 20 September 2007
Sri Lankans have not learnt any lessons from the failed politics of the country. Nor have they from the natural disasters. The chaos that was seen in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka for the people to rush for safety in a haphazard manner following a recent warning reveals the sordid quality of disaster management in the country.

Although Sri Lanka was one of the few countries that were badly hit by the Tsunamai three years ago, no concrete measures have so far been taken to ensure protective precautions along the coastal areas.

At a recent press meeting Minister Anura Priyathrsana Yapa stated that the government would consider setting up a 100 m coastal security zone in the island. After the Tsumai on Dec 26th 2004, the then government announced that permission will not be granted for constructing houses within a 100 m distance from the sea coast and that this stipulation will be 200m in the case of coastal areas in the north east. Later this was dropped.

Something constructive needs to be done.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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Sunimal Alles said:

The destruction of the minds/thoughts, will/spirit/entrepreneurship and not allowing Natural talents/skills of Sri Lankans to emerge is worse than all natural disasters. If politics have failed it is because there are no real talented and mindful politicians who are concerned about our country and its people. In a way it is not their fault, it is the education system that does not have a strategy and methodology to identify and polish those who are "naturally oriented" to take up their roles in society and country. Today we have many who bash each other or are on the defensive, rather than creatively thinking out solutions. If politicians are unable to fulfill their responsibilities, they should hire professionals to develop strategies and plans to resolve all issues. They do not need to be ashamed to admit that they are not "perfect" and make us believe that they "Know all answers" as nobody is perfect.

Sri Lanka will continue to degrade, and become a failed state where Sri Lankans remain poor and ââ?¬Å?Dependentââ?¬?, ruled by the thoughts and rationales of the power hungry, those who have underlying agendas, and those who make money by maintaining us in ââ?¬Å?Destitutionââ?¬? and ââ?¬Å?Disharmonyââ?¬?, making us believe that we need ââ?¬Å?Importedââ?¬? ideas and goods, unless we become aware of the truth, become mindful, awaken, and become active rapidly. We need to radically change our thinking patterns, change our ââ?¬Å?Natureââ?¬? and identify and reject those who prevent us from moving forward (murderers of our thoughts, spirit/will), set aside our differences, re-awaken our entrepreneurial and patriotic spirit, stop ââ?¬Å?sellingââ?¬? our country to outsiders and making commissions from harmful purchases, kill our egos and give room for ideas/thoughts of other TRUE Sri Lankans, identify and polish our natural talents/strengths, pool our resources, UNITE, realize that ââ?¬Å?Every Sri Lankan needs every other Sri Lankan for us to thrive and become strongââ?¬? and work together to transcend Sri Lanka from what it is today to a ââ?¬Å?Rich and prosperousââ?¬? nation. Sunimal Alles - October 7, 2007 ââ?¬â?? This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it www.tidycentre.com
2007-10-07 04:10:11

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