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The Times Advocate, 2005-01-05, Page 66 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, January 5, 2005 Opinion Forum News Writer shares her experiences from Sri Lanka (The following letter was sent to Barb and Drew Robertson of Crediton and has been sub- mitted to the Times -Advocate with the writer's permission.) Hello from a very, very lucky person in the devastated country of Sri Lanka. I was having a wonderful trip having been to the first capital city of the country to see all the temples and ancient city ruins, visited a spice and herb planta- tion, a wood carving factory, an elephant orphanage where we saw one three-month orphan and two two- month babies and babies up to one year frolicking in the water when they went down to the water for a bath with the herd. We had also seen them bottle feed where one bottle lasted maybe 30 seconds. They were hungry. A little different from feeding a human baby. We visited a botanical garden, many temples both Hindu and Buddhist, drove through the mountains and saw a tea plantation and lots of beautiful scenery. Then came the abrupt end to our holiday and the beginning of many days of anxiety. When the tsunamis hit we were in the mountains. As we left on the fateful morning and headed down to the east coast area we were stopped and re-routed inland. The driver said that the policemen said that the sea had erupted on the coast and we could not go there. Cars, trucks, buses, three-wheelers and vans clogged the road coming from the south. We continued going back into the mountains across the country to the west coast not knowing what had happened. We stayed that night at a guesthouse which filled up rapidly. There was no TV, no radios what worked and the phones were out. I was upset because I had no way to let people know that I was all right. One lady had a cell phone and texed a message to Kuwait for me to e-mail my family I was fine but it never got through. One couple we talked to that night had survived the waves and told us their experience. They had been going to the beach but didn't like the look of the sea and so went back to their room on the third floor. just as the first wave hit. They said that everything was washed away on the first two floors. They then proceeded to the ground level and in waist high water walked up to the road where a four-wheel truck picked them up and drove them to the bus sta- tion farther in town where they got the first bus out which came to the mountains. They said that they did- n't see much but water and debris as they fled. That was the first inkling we had of the disaster. The following morning we arrived in Columbo, the capital city. At the hotel where we had stayed when we landed we finally got news on CNN and an English paper. It was frightening and very upsetting. We have watched the news — both CNN and local — every day to keep abreast of the continuing coverage. This is a very small and poor country and the devastation is immense with now 23,000 killed and over two million homeless. Families have lost everything including most family members. Our driver lost one very good friend and for two days two others were missing but they have been found hurt but all right. However he knew many people who worked in the guesthouses and hotels who were killed. He is upset and traumatized. He says that he doesn't have any money to help so he goes every night and drives medical personnel down to the stricken areas. This is a way he can help his fellow men. Everyone in this country lost friends and family. We see the convoys of trucks that are constantly going by with food and water heading for the south and feel the horror of the tsunami We see people with bags of groceries and other things that are needed putting them in collection trucks to go to the main depot to be put into the big trucks. They don't have much but they are giving what they can. CNN and other news agencies report that Sri Lanka was devastated, which it was. But until people realize that the waves only affected the coastlines around the country they think that the whole country as hit. The waves went inland for a few hundred feet all over the island. Think of an island, kind of oval in shape, with a line run- ning around it just an inch or so inside the outside line. That is the area affected. However all of the fishing villages were along the coast at beach level and so were totally wiped out. Most of the people in the areas hit lived within metres of the beach and sea. If they survived there is nothing left of home or livelihood. No water, no food and no san- itation. Roads are out and the train tracks and bridges are wiped out, so it is difficult to get to them with aid. It is going to take a long time to rebuild this country. As if they haven't suffered enough, they now say the threat of disease could wipe out as many survivors as were killed in the tsunamis. It just isn't fair. They have suffered so much already to have this threat now over their heads. The hotel where we are is just three blocks from the beach. When the first three waves hit Nevel was on the beach and said that the water went out and you could see the reef out in the bay. Then it turned and started in. He ran. Houses, hotels and restaurants along the beach were wiped out. The train tracks were covered in debris, boats ended up in hotel lots one block from the sea. The water at that time came up to the doorway and that was all so I feel safe here. The beach and area reminded me of Gisborne, New Zealand after three days of Cyclone Bola. Last night we went down to the beach with bags and started to pick up debris. Five men had been sent down earlier in the day to start the clean up. After a few minutes other people, mostly Sir Lankans, joined and a lot of cleanup was accomplished. More is being down now. This morning the cleanup is organized and many younger men from the area are there. Mary says I sound calm but that is far from the truth. I am very nervous and upset and not sleeping well. Some people would say "why?' since I was not in it. As I said that morning the tsunami hit we were on our way south to Yalla National Park to go on a safari. The two guesthouses in the park were demolished with everyone but a cook washed out to sea. The cook saw it coming and ran inland. Just a few hours more and we would have been there. Seeing the devastation, the death, the suffering and the children just breaks my heart. Watching the faces of people of Columbo you see the fear and utter hopelessness and grief. Janice and I were so very,very lucky. Being this close to a disaster affects you too. I am hearing from friends in Australia, Kuwait, Bahrain and other countries who have friends visiting in Thailand and other countries hit by the tsunamis. They waited in total anxiety until word got through that they were alive, maybe hurt but okay. These tsunamis have affected a lot of people around the world. We cannot get out of the country before our reserva- tion time which is Friday, tomorrow. I had wished that we could have gone earlier but we are not a priority which I understand. Those who were survivors need to get home as soon as possible to start healing. I will be glad to get back to Kuwait and then go on to Egypt where I will be able to relax and veg for a few days as well as visit with friends. Just one more day and I leave the country but the people will be in my thoughts and prayers for a long time to come. I sincerely hope that every one of my friends and fam- ily have a wonderful and prosperous New Year of 2005. Yours from Sri Lanka, KAREN WALLEN Raising awareness about Alzheimer's disease Dear Editor: January is Alzheimer Awareness Month. The VON Alzheimer Community Support Program is pleased to offer two events in partnership with Sprucedale Care Centre on Thursday, Jan. 27 to be held in the Sprucedale Care Centre Auditorium, 96 Kittridge Ave., Strathroy. We are honoured to have David Goulding, whose presen- tation is entitled `Living with Alzheimer Disease: A Personal Story.' David's presentation will be from 2-4 p.m. Our evening guest speaker is Gabriele Del Bianco, who will speak on 'The Pause That Does Not Forget — Self Care for Caregivers.' Gabriele is the founder and president of INNERFIT, an innovative counselling, con- sulting, training and retreat service. His presentation will be from 7-9 p.m. Should the event need to be can- celled due to inclement weather, the evening event only will be rescheduled to Thursday, April 14. Various agencies that provide services to people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias will be on site to provide information and to answer questions. They will be available from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. We are also very pleased to welcome to both events, Sara Westbrook, singer/songwriter from St. Thomas, who will perform the song 'One More Memory,' espe- cially written from the perspective of a person with Alzheimer's disease. There is no charge for these events, but please call to register as seating is limited. Ask for Lesley or Diane at VON: 245-3170 or 1-800-265-7058. Transportation can be arranged through VON Senior Support Services. The VON Alzheimer Community Support Program pro- vides services to all of rural Middlesex County and pro- vides support, education and respite to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, their families and/or caregivers through in-home visits, regular tele- phone contact, caregiver support groups, resource cen- tre and volunteer (respite) visiting. There is no fee for these services. If you or someone you know may need our assistance, or if you would like to volunteer with our program, please call as at the above numbers. DIANE DAPONTE, Administrative Assistant VON Alzheimer Community Support Program The Turner Report A shiny new year always seems to bring a sense of optimism and promise. This is human nature at its finest — when we can somehow ignore stag- gering credit card bills, crappy Canadian weather, salt stains up to your knees and the latest Avril Lavigne album. For investors, and anyone wor- ried about building and preserv- ing capital, 2005 looks like it is going to be above average, and following on some of the domi- nant themes of last year. Count on the stock market improving steadily — as it did in 2004 — thanks to cheap money, little inflation, steady economic growth and a whole lot fewer corporate scandals. For all of you who have been very bad over the past four years, and shunned your RRSP contributions, this is the year to catch up. Another big story will be residential real estate in 2005, as it struggles to maintain the boom status it's enjoyed now for the past six years. Right across the country, house prices have hit record levels, mortgages have bloated in size, renters have swarmed to become owners, and real estate has turned into the asset of choice for millions of fami- lies. Never before have we had so much riding on a single investment, with houses now equaling almost 75 per cent of the nation's entire household wealth. This means any downturn in real estate values will have a profound effect, and many experts have warned that a sudden rise in interest rates would have a double -whammy effect, with real house prices falling at the same time mortgage payments jumped. So, is 2005 a year in which we need to worry about rates? Just four months ago, the answer was a distinct and vocal "yes" from the economists I hang with. The call was for the prime rate, then four per cent, to rise close to six per cent by the end of 2005. That would effectively double the cost of below -prime, variable rate mortgages, and doubtlessly scare off a lot of potential new real estate investors. But the reality in the first few days of this year is that interest rates, and the cost of a mortgage, will remain exactly where they are until at least the middle of the summer. This is because the Bank of Canada is concerned about the impact of our high dollar on exports, which could slow economic growth and impact employment. Any rate hikes now would simply make that situation worse, which is why the bank decided on Dec. 7 to take no action when it came time to review the cost of money. My bet is that bank will be in pussycat mode for all of this year. There may be an increase or two by the beginning of 2006, but it will amount to no more than a half a point, which means the prime rate will still be in the four per cent range come next Christmas. Long and short-term mortgage costs will be barely unchanged from today, and the impact on the real estate market will be mini- mal. For borrowers, and anyone with a home loan, this means that you have another year ahead in which it makes absolutely no sense to have any- thing other than a variable-rate mortgage. All the lenders will give you VRM money at four per cent or less these days, while traditional fixed, five-year mortgages stick in the 6.5 per cent range. So those wimps who decide they want to lock in and avoid any potential rate hikes in months to come are paying a huge insurance policy. What a waste of money that is, when the same cash could be shoveled against the mortgage principal itself, or dumped into an RRSP to get a big dose of tax relief, and create an investment portfolio. So, too bad that approximately half of all homeowners in this country now have bor- rowed the wrong way — talked into costly, unnecessary, inappropriate mortgages by Big Bank reps who probably know better. Too bad that Canada's financial regulators are chasing down mutual fund managers who shave a little extra off on trades, while millions of borrowers are talked into making billions in extra, needless, payments. So, in 2005, be a smart borrower. Go short. Go variable. Be confident. I'll tell you when it's time to duck. GARTH TURNER THE TURNER REPORT