Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai

It is heart warming to hear that the President has taken pains to sort out the problems of the street hawkers.

However this situation has to be looked into in details. Two days back ( 5/5/2010) the daily mirror carriedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a front page article onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unemployment ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” how it is increasing. Another colored column on the front page ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ states that 466 MPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s will receive pensions. Makes one wonder what these worthies have done for the country to receive life time pensions. This money can certainly be used for some youth program to make them employable.

The second page carries an item about ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Beggars, vendorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  buzz offƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ stating that the police shoo off the beggars and vendors in the private coaches. The same issue carries another article on Rauf HakeemƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statement on pavement hawkers.

A single issue of the newspaper gives a total picture of the situation today. While the poor man is chased away from earning a meager income the politicians sit at home and earn a thumping salary for not doing anything ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” or sometime for ruining the country. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is this fair?

On the other hand before a decision is made to chase away the vendors and the beggars one must think what these people will do for a living. Vending in private coaches and on pavements is better than begging. Begging is better than stealing and cheating. When someone tries to eak out a living by some legal mode and is prevented, obviously they will have to resort to illegal ways. And it is so easy to earn by illegal methods today being thugs and drug barons. Is that what we want our people to turn to?

Besides putting up a separate area for these people may not work just like the kadju gama idea of president Premadasa miserably failed. It is also a point to realize these pavement vendors and the private coach vendors do provide some easy access to the common man of cheap essential items. Setting upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  pavement shops in a wayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  without obstructing the pedestriansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ path ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may be a better way to handle the situation.

Following ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the advice of the president letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s hope saner council will prevail even among the police before they destroyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a poor fellow citizenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s meager possessions and drive them towards crime.

By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai

Dehiwela.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚