It is amazing to see that even at this stage some cannot see the importance of the English langauage as a lingua franca. I am thankful to have been taught in this medium. As a result I can travel to almost any country and be able to converse. The Internet takes me further and allows me to do so from my home. No one taught in Sinhala only can do all this and will never be able to participate in world politics or anything at all.

It is vital for the environmental movement that all groups all over the world can unite and ultimately for the cause of world peace. To be fluent in Sinhala only is to be severely handicapped and starved of information. The Rev Quintus should ‘get real’. As for the Stalinist whitewashing, has your contributor fogotten the horrific progroms, Siberian Labour camps and other horrors. Mao was no saint and the red plague in Cambodia was monstrous. There is no democracy in Communist systems that brook no opposition.

Capitalism can benefit all if controlled by taxation and our social system in the UK is very good but gives rise to freeloaders. It does not encourage folk to be independant enough and get off State benefits. If only those promoting Stalinism had lived under those conditions instead of preaching from armchairs and benefitting from democracy.
Anne Williams
Cyberspace