The first and foremost question is why was the government formed with half a gross of ministers? The answer is, to anyhow run a government, for them to ‘eat and live’, apart from enjoying other benefits and luxuries. Likewise, every citizen has to find a way for him to ‘eat and live’. No government can find employment for all the citizens and at the same (time), till it creates employment opportunities (the unemployed cannot starve). So they have to do some business for their ‘survival’ without engaging in drug dealing or criminal activity.

The city of Colombo should be developed, and there is no gainsay about it. It is a pity that once Asia's best city is now the worst in the region. Politicians of all parties during their period of power were directly responsible for this because they interfered in the administration of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs. Suddenly, structures would be dismantled and the following day itself they would be re-constructed.

No son of Jafferson Street now (Sugathodaya Mawatha) in Slave Island ever had desire of putting up a temporary or permanent structure there several years ago. Before the Nawaloka Hospital was built, the CMC had its Market, Ayurvedic and Western Dispensaries and a Library there and now they are located elsewhere. The hospital drew crowds and hawkers and other businessmen saw an opportunity to earn. Thereby structures too came up. On 28-11-2000 UDA officials destroyed the structures that were along Sugathodaya Mw, and it is said that the UDA had acted on Court Orders having been notified months before.

Some structures at Maligawatte too were destroyed and as we saw on MTV, those business women were stressing the point that the land was given to them by the former Minister for UDA and asked how could a new minister order them to destroy our property.

Pavement business has spread rapidly without any control and that itself shows that many are living off it. While their occupation of every inch of available space in the city, inconveniencing the public in no small measure is a fact, a solution to their problem of no income too should be seriously considered. A Minister has all the rights to do anything in any part of the country yet when a matter of this nature is done, there should be the courtesy to inform the MP of that particular area too and execute such an operation so that the latter could make some alternate arrangements.

There was tension in Slave Island and Maligawatte. People who lost their belongings and their income, specially by a forceful and powerful act, would tend to do anything. This is the time that these people resort no desperate measures. In such a situation, the only alternative for the police and the commandos who were giving security for the operation would be to open fire thereby killing many people. The minister who ordered the dismantling of the structures did not realize that his presence at the Maligawatte operation was risky. His prolonged stay there would have been fatal to the crowd itself.

The structures already destroyed were all built on the side of the road. How about structures on pavements that blocking the entire parth.

Actually, the pavements should have been clear first. The minister has announced that he would go ahead with his ‘plan’. Welcome, Sir! But now itself, start clearing the pavement structures, area by area, and let Pettah be first. What is the development that will be achieved by destroying pavement structures? Are they going to build new ones in those places? What will be the position of people who earn from selling ware on the pavement?

The whole of Pettah and connected roads are always congested with people, vehicles and even carts, and are full of structures forcing pedestrians to walk on the roads. But instead of clearing such an area as the initial step, Slave Island and Maligawatte were chosen for the operation. It is not too late. Make Pettah a place where people can move about conveniently. This is the ‘clearing and cleaning’ that will bring much praise.

The price of bread has been increased again, and there is speculation that fuel prices too will be increased followed by electricity, charges. All this will make the cost of living too high to be satisfactorily borne by the ordinary workers. In such a situation, if street businessmen are deprived of their earnings, what will be the consequence? Find a solution and then get down to the demolition of structures. Please do not create vultures in our cultured society.
Nazly Cassim,
Colombo 1.