Opinion
Corruption spread on garbage
In response to The Island editorial of 28th Dec. 20, titled ‘Muck, bucks and impunity’, I sent a letter with the caption ‘Garbage attracts garbage’ to the editor and it was published the next days’ (29/12/20) in its opinion column.
As I wrote in that letter, I assumed that the UK garbage was no more and had gone back to where it came from, the whole lot of it, numbering more than two hundred something containers. Alas, I should have known better.
Our country is littered with some unscrupulous elements who would do anything to fatten their bank accounts and gather other forms of wealth. Anything means profit, even importing foreign garbage, containing health-hazardous matter such as hospital waste.
Then came the editorial of The Island dated 30th Dec. 30, with the title ‘Muck, bucks and impunity – II’. And believe me I was in for a very rude awakening, and it virtually set me on fire. In fact, I wasn’t pleased, when I first read it. The dawn of another New Year was just a little more than 24 hours away, and the editor unknowingly though, expelled whatever the little feelings of cheer that had, in anticipation of the arrival of the New Year. However, my displeasure was momentary and it passed away quickly, to be replaced by a feeling of appreciation of the editor of The Island, who always provides the readership of his newspaper with excellent editorials that are factual, impartial and succinct. And he is not scared to call a spade a spade or to give the devil his due.
According to that editorial only 21 out of 263 containers of garbage, some even containing hospital waste, have been sent back to the UK; and the rest are still sitting somewhere and who knows, some may even have found their final resting place, polluting the soil and the air around. These garbage shipments arrived in 2018 and 2019. That alone says of the concern the relevant authorities, boards, bodies, ministries and on and on with legions of staff on them, have for the wellbeing of the country. In short, they or many amongst them, I am sure wouldn’t give two hoots, even if those remaining containers are going to sit wherever they are till the cows come home. No wonder. There is plenty of palm-oil around, which has never been in short supply, unlike some other commodities. Is it not?
And then a shipment, which was supposed to contain coriander seeds suddenly turns into one full of agricultural waste.
Mr President, don’t you think enough is enough, sir? And when are these scumbags responsible for such despicable deeds going to be dealt with, once and for all?
LAKSIRI WARNAKULA