Your editorial titled`A0Lajja!
Villi lajja! was very timely and hit the nail on the head.
Politicians and trade unionists who are all the time clamouring
for higher wages, in spite of all the other perks they enjoy`A0
should take time off and visit`A0any post office or sub-post
office on the 6th`A0of any month (other than a Sunday or public
holiday) and see for themselves the plight of the poorest of the
poor in our land.`A0
The chronically sick, the aged, and the disabled stand in
queues at post offices to get the meagre 'ping padi'
that`A0is doled out.`A0 If one of them receives Rs. 250, then he
could be considered fortunate. `A0 On some days the weather is
not kind to them. In the pouring rain, they come holding broken
umbrellas or`A0 'siri siri'`A0bags to protect them. Some
of them come even with their catheter bags.`A0
We are a nation of almsgivers. We need the poor so that we
could give alms and obtain merit.`A0 Merit in some place that we
do not even know of. I asked a person who gave a coin to a
beggar why he did that. He said that it was`A0a kind of 'thank
you' for his not being a beggar.`A0 It maybe that our policy
makers are also`A0of that same mentality.
It is time we thought and planned in a different way. We are
in the 21st Century, 2550 year Buddha Jayanthi. There should not
be people in this plight as the 'ping padi' recipients in
our land.`A0 The 'ping padi' should be increased at least
as a temporary`A0 measure. At the same time, programmes should
be set in motion to uplift the standard of living of 'ping
padi' recipients.`A0
The Social Service officers, the Grama Niladaris and the
Samurdhi Niladaris should`A0 plan out programmes`A0to help these
poorest of the
poor.`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0`A0
The old people should not be made to walk in the rain and sun
to get their mite. They should be visited in their homes if the
are living with their families. If they are living on the
streets as some of them do, they`A0 should be found
accommodation`A0in Senior Citizens' Homes.`A0
Sujatha Samarajiwa
via e-mail
