Public toilets more important than international grounds and highrise buildings

One of the Presidential Election promises before the Yahapalanaya Government came to power was to provide ‘tablets’ to all students in Sri Lanka. All less affluent students waited in anticipation but the promise was not fulfilled as there were protests from the then Opposition that the tablets would not help students in their studies and that they would get educated in other areas.

The previous government instead of carrying out activities to resolve the urgent needs of people exhausted billions of rupees on less significant matters. One priority however that the then President drew attention to is the lack of public toilets. Then President Maithripala Sirisena publicly stated that there are many schools without toilets.

A National Water Supply and Drainage Board survey revealed a few years ago that about 1,300 primary and secondary schools did not have proper sanitary facilities. This figure would be much higher now. Two civil society outfits have disclosed that there are schools where students are discouraged from drinking water for want of toilets and this has rendered these hapless children prone to renal complications.

It is also reported that absenteeism is widespread among girls in certain schools during menstruation for lack of proper toilet facilities. This is an indictment on the two main parties which have ruled the country for decades.

Functional, hygienic, acceptable toilets have never been on the minds of the politicians because they perhaps do not believe in a ceremonial opening of toilets. What schoolchildren go through is wretched times while in school.

Although tourism is constantly promoted by all governments, there are no clean toilets, for that matter any toilets along roads and towns, apart from those in wayside small hotels which are not at all hygienic. Hence one has to hold on for hours to answer a call of nature. This is appalling indeed.

In complete contrast, as a Sri Lankan fortunate enough to live in Australia, I wish to state that there are more than 14,000 public and private hygienic toilet facilities across the country. This is shown in a national public toilet map prepared by the state. Useful information is provided about each toilet, location, opening hours, availability of baby changing rooms, accessibility for disabled persons and also about parking facilities.

Let alone tourists, Sri Lankans who travel long distances by bus are subjected to stress and anxiety when they need to answer a call of nature. It is time our politicians realise that public toilets are more significant than building international playgrounds, high rise buildings or even airports. The cost too is relatively meagre.

Sunil Thenabadu Brisbane