Ceylon Today Editorial

Climbing mountains, to develop football

18 March 2017

There was the case of an Ex-national football player who was faced with a critical financial situation and circumstances arising from it had turned him into a grave digger to feed his family. At the time this man was severely criticized by the financial manager who was an ex- president of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), for publicizing his story in newspapers, blaming him for his situation, dug out by none other than himself. According to what was said by the FFSL financial manager at the time it indicated that the national player in question had been given enough chances by the association. The financial manager was the earlier president and backed the present president to occupy that seat, according to some veterans. We can come to the judgment as to how this national player might have been treated, by the story that came out at a recent discussion on football conducted by a TV channel. Four veterans were at the discussion table and it was said that there are 74 leagues involved in the game in Sri Lanka. Then the question about the federation taking care of them arose and it was said that the FFSL was giving them Rs 25, 000 each per annum for running their affairs. It might not be enough to buy each of the players in the league a pair of laces for his boots for a year. This conduct of these types of leagues and their actions need more transparency.

According to the veterans gathered at the discussion they were bewildered as to what happens to all the monies sent by the FIFA for the development of the game. Instead of development Sri Lanka has been damned in the world rankings and is just five places short of being the last. In 1993 they were 125 and within a span of 12 years managed to climb down to 195. These are signs of no proper care being given to the game whereas others in Asia are doing their best to improve in the world rankings.

According to the veterans who were lined up they were certain that Indians who have done so much to improve their game will be in the Olympics soon. Even Pakistan has had a visit by Brazilian legend Ronaldinho who is being brought in by a UK based company who are there to expand football in the country. Ronaldinho will be there to promote the game both women's and men's, and although Pakistan is below Sri Lanka placed 198th, there is more interest to get the game promoted there in the bigger Cities. While, when Sri Lanka next plays in a top Asian circuit is a question, no one seems to care to look into.

The FIFA is giving out monies to countries to develop their game. During Sepp Blatter's visit to the country he gave money to develop football grounds especially in the North. Before that monies were given for developing the women's game. Not enough seems to happen in these areas and although there were tremendous performances by Jaffna footballers not much has taken place developing the women's football in the country or the grounds.

Now, there have been suggestions of getting sports to the top level in Sri Lanka starting with schools' sports taking top priority in the school curriculum. If the Sports Minister takes a look around the football leagues and formulates a programme, he will be able to make a real impact not only with the football promotions but getting people much required work in the football circuit of the country. The reason for the failure of getting football to the required levels has been the shortage of grounds. There was a time when Colombo Municipality had those parks of theirs that housed many football clubs in Colombo; those have been lost to the developing that took place around the city and the game went sliding down due to lack of places to get the game going in proper prospect.

With such a lot of leagues (74) operating real worthy tournaments that could be held around the nation, provided there are proper football grounds around the country, could begin. There was a suggestion to build a thousand stadiums around the country by a former Sports Minister. That is something that could give zest to begin building these facilities that could start football rolling and creating work for tens of thousands of people and also the much needed entertainment for the people. The nine provinces and 25 districts have the potential to get the necessary money pumped in from FFSL and from sponsors for the operation of clubs in their hometowns. And also having a schools tournament that would be around the nation there will be at least 5,000 schools involved. At a rate of a team needing at least fifteen players, the schools will have 75,000 playing football. Apart from the school programme the twenty five districts having three club teams in each should be quite enough to develop football in Sri Lanka if the government plans to find work for people run on the correct track.

Daily News Editorial

A wise decision

18 March 2017

The decision taken by Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to place a cap on the age for Driving School instructors, at 60, is a welcome move. So is the decision that henceforth only those driving instructors approved by the Department of Motor Traffic would be allowed to train learners. The Minister, speaking to Driving School owners, the other day, also observed that it would be ideal if politicians too retire at the age of 60. If that be the case, none of those now in the saddle of power, or those aspiring to come to power, would have to bow out. Why, even the Minister, himself, who once entertained Prime Ministerial ambitions would have to call it quits.

Addressing the annual conference of Driving School owners, at the BMICH, the Minister said it would be compulsory for all driving school instructors, to henceforth, possess a license issued by the Department of Motor Traffic. This was after it was found that many driving instructors did not possess a license to train learners and also that those who had undergone training at the hands of these unlicensed instructors were found to have been involved in serious road accidents due to their lack of knowledge of road rules and signals. Today, with the heavy volume of vehicles entering the country, and the increase in the mobility of people, driving schools carry on a thriving business. What is more, with the mushrooming of these driving schools, almost at every street corner, there is fierce competition for custom. In the process, standards have been thrown overboard, with profit, the driving force of these driving schools. In addition, the competence certificates issued by these driving schools to obtain driving licenses are suspect and of a dubious nature. Hence, as per the new directive, an instructor who has the endorsement of the Department of Motor Traffic will be a safe bet and as a result hopefully the rate of road accidents could be cut down and valuable lives saved.

The Minister should also devise a method to ensure that those behind the wheel are fit for the task. Today, most accidents occur due the drivers not being medically fit or having reached an age where their reflexes are found wanting. A majority of the vehicles involved in accidents are the long haul ones, travelling from interior of the country to the city, most often the night and the tendency for the driver to fall asleep during the trip has led to a number of major accidents, with these heavy vehicles sometimes plunging down ravines or onto houses. Hence it would be advisable to lay down a maximum age limit where a driver could sit behind a wheel.

True, most drivers work well into their old age to support their families and sometimes are the sole breadwinners of their families. Hence imposing such restrictions could create other problems and could also draw protests. However the larger picture should be gone into, taking into consideration the mounting incidences of road accidents, that, more often than not, snuff off lives and render families orphan. Of course, driving under the influence of liquor is a matter outside the Minister's scope and is dealt by the law enforcement. But the Minister has the power to rein in the private buses who have today become a law unto themselves. The President of the Private Bus owners’ Association Gemunu Wijeratne is on record stating that there is a large proportion of private bus drivers who are drug addicts and obviously are stoned while at the wheel. The Minister should try to ascertain who these addicts are and withdraw their licenses. If the Minister is driven by the responsibility of saving lives by ensuring that only those who are competent by official endorsement can be driving instructors, by the same token, he would be saving a lot of lives by ensuring only those who are truly fit , in every sense, are allowed behind the wheel in the private buses.

The Minister should not be intimidated by the strong arm tactics of the private bus mafia. He should also comedown hard on overcrowding and rude behaviour of private bus crew towards passengers. Some time ago, a hotline was given to the public travelling in private buses to report speeding and uncouth conduct by the bus crew. We are not aware if this scheme is still in operation. He should also take steps to improve facilities at stopover spots by private buses, for the convenience of the passengers. Presently, there are complaints that the eateries that cater to the exhausted passengers are squalid and food served unhygenic. Even the toilet facilities are much to be desired. He should also take steps to renovate main bus stations, some of which are crumbling from neglect.

The Minister, known for his no-nonsense stance, recently won the praise of the travelling public for resisting the disproportionate fare hike demanded by the private bus operators and hopefully he will not be a victim in the contemplated Cabinet reshuffle that is being bandied about these days.

The Island Editorial

Waiting for Godot

18 March 2017

An otherwise outspoken Polls Chief Mahinda Deshapriya sometimes speaks in riddles, especially when he discusses the issue of much-delayed local government elections. A veteran public official, he must be having good reasons for not speaking his mind on sensitive issues though we want him to dance down the track and entertain the public. He presided over, perhaps, the most critical election in the post-Independence history of this country—the 2015 presidential polls, which led to an unprecedented regime change. He surely knows what he is doing. But, the question is whether he has been able to figure out what the present dispensation is really capable of.

Deshapriya is reported to have said, at a recent symposium in Anuradhapura on electoral and political reforms, that the term of the North Central Provincial Council will expire next September and the government won’t be able to come out with any valid reason for postponing the next PC election. One may not be competent enough to question his knowledge of election laws, but, one may not buy into his argument that the government is not equal to the task of postponing a PC election.

What guarantee is there that a government which fear mini polls will face PC elections without trying to postpone them as well? The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government wants to avoid an electoral contest for two reasons. The SLFP and the UNP are wary of being brought on a collision course. Their coalition government is like a pyramid with a crack right down the middle of it and unity is conspicuous by its absence among the supporters of the two parties at the grassroots level. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will have to lead their parties at the next election, which will be a test of strength for both of them. Neither of them wants to have his real strength exposed before 2020. An election, which is sure to entail hostile campaigning, will also cost the government its fragile ‘unity’ at the centre. If the President fails to steer the SLFP to victory his rivals will emerge stronger in the party, forming an alternative power centre. The SLFP’s intra-party trouble will stand the UNP in good stead at an election, but if the SLFP fails to win, the President will lose his grip on the party and its Central Committee, which can bring down the ‘national’ government at a time of its choosing.

The Polls Chief is not alone in thinking that the government will be up against a brick wall where postponing elections is concerned come September. But, the yahapalana regime is known for lateral thinking and it has also demonstrated its readiness to cut the Gordian knot. Whoever would have thought it would cause a Chief Justice to vanish into thin air? President Sirisena simply waved his executive magic wand and the CJ was gone! Nobody knows what really happened to the Prime Minister of the Rajapaksa government in the immediate aftermath of the 2015 presidential election. He, too, was made to disappear, as it were, and Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed the PM. The incumbent government has also appointed the Opposition in Parliament! Some courts are kept open till midnight to remand the Joint Opposition politicians, who refuse to toe the government line. They function on Poya Days and during weekends to bail out government backers. The original delimitation committee report was accepted by the President and the Speaker, but later a review was ordered to postpone local government polls. Now, the review committee report is to be reviewed, we are told. This is going to be a never ending process. Children are arrested for stealing coconuts, but those who robbed the Central Bank remain above the law. For a government capable of such things to safeguard its interests finding ways and means of postponing PC polls will be child’s play. Let’s wait for Godot!