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| Morning Spice by
Ginger Two years past retirement, still to get pension Ginger's heart went out to reader Ariya Ratnam and so would those of most readers who read his rather moving letter. He has yet to receive his pension though two years have gone since his retirement. This is not the first time we have heard the plaintive and pathetic cry of those who have been left out in the cold after retiring without a cent to live on. There can be never an excuse for the delay in the payment of a pension. It is tantamount to cold blooded murder. How does a pensioner who has no private means exist without a pension. It is the honest ones with dry palms who suffer the most if they have not inherited wealth or grown up children to support them in such a crisis. What is the state going to do in instances like the one in question and there are many in similar situations as Mr. Ariyaratnam. Will they legitimize minor crimes for pensioners without pensions or doctor aided suicides. Sounds absurd does it not? What then is the answer to this obvious torture inflicted on the pensioner. Set a time frame for pensions to be given no matter what the reason and hold the department the officer last served responsible for ensuring that individuals get the pension on time? Safe sex campaign The rate of H.I.V. infection in Thailand was half what it was seven years ago thanks to the safe sex campaign that targetted the prostitutes in that country. The government persuaded the media to join it in the campaign and also distributed condoms to brothels. Now the latter exercise is just not possible here for many reasons. Seek new pastures Italy is normally full of warm and friendly people often willing to pick your pocket but otherwise well meaning and willing to stuff you with pestas. When a 18 year old black girl won the Miss Italy pageant two judges had to be suspended because they objected to a girl from the Caribbean representing Italy saying a black woman does not correspond to Italy's beauty standards. Beware of unscrupulous travel agents I was travelling to UK for the first time with my two month old daughter and my mother. I booked my travel with a leading travel agent in Colombo. A few days prior to my scheduled departure, the agent informed me that the seats were confirmed and requested me to purchase the tickets. While at the manager's office, I overheard a telephone conversation of the manager pleading with a third party to somehow obtain seats for two passengers with an infant. I inquired from the manager whether the seats were confirmed and he replied in the affirmative and assured me that my tickets will be handed over with confirmed seats. Thereafter, I left the agent's office and called the airline direct as I suspected that the manager was not being truthful regarding my seat confirmation. To my dismay an airline official (whom I personally know) told me that the agent had not only messed up my booking but that there was no possibility of obtaining a single seat on the flight as all of them were booked. Having told the manager what I had been told by the airline official, the manager reassured that there would be no problem in getting my seats. Thereafter, the manager kept calling me several times and said he would secure confirmed seats for me. The manager called me up the next day (two days before my travel) and told me that he had secured confirmed seats for me as promised as there were two cancellations and therefore I could be accommodated. Before instructing the agent to ticket me for travel, I decided to check with the airline reservation office as I was exasperated at this stage whether my seats were confirmed as I disbelieved the agent. To my horror the airline told me that I had no confirmed seats. The manager had told me an outright lie, and had I relied on his word I would have parted with savings and gone to the airport with my baby daughter and mother and would have been turned back. To all those travelling-even if your air ticket denotes that you have a confirmed seat for travel, please check directly with the respective airline reservation office. An outraged passenger I am a young Sinhalese lady who travels overseas quite frequently on vacation. Wishing to visit a country in the West, which I had not visited before, I proceeded to its High Commission, confident of securing my visa. All documents required by them were submitted by me to the lady at the counter. She checked and accepted all the documents and on her instructions I tendered a fee of Rs. 3,160. as visa fees. A little later, to my astonishment an announcement was made over the public announcement system (in the presence of over 50 others) that my visa has been refused. No interview was given to me. On inquiries made as to the reasons of denial I was informed by the counter staff that the Visa Officer thought that I would not return to Sri Lanka-for reasons known only to the Visa Officer. Thereafter, I asked whether I could speak to the Visa Officer to ask him myself why he thought I would not return to Sri Lanka. She told me that the Visa Officer did not wish to speak to me as his decision was final. Who made this decision? Is it actually the Visa Officer himself or the Counter Staff. I left the High Commission humiliated and having foregone my money of Rs. 3,160. What treatment-from this country (in the west) that is always bleating about Sri Lanka's violation of Human Rights. Discriminated - thus I fervently hope that our Foreign Ministry will look into this discriminatory treatment meted out to its citizens and take necessary action to prevent such injustices. A disillusioned traveller The PA manifesto drafted by the financial wizard, the Minister of Justice promised the moon, sun and stars to the pensioners but all the promises have proved to be falsehoods. Just to deceive the voters who are pensioners and obtain their votes. The President has condemned the poor pensioners who are living in abject poverty and helpless. The contention of the President is that pensioners are paid for idling little realising the yeoman service rendered before she and her ministers came to pover. The service rendered by them cannot be compared to today's public servant who does not render any service to the public. What are her ministers doing? They are never available to the public. You send a letter to a minister you get no reply. The minister of provincial councils is the worst offender. It takes over 6 months for a reply. What good is a minister of this nature. The PA has no fund to pay the pensioners' increased pensions as recommended by the B. C. Perera report but funds are freely available to refurbish Temple Trees for the S.A.A. R.C. delegates. But not a devil stayed at Temple Trees. This cost the taxpayer over 900 million just for one person's glory. There is money for this. The first thing she should do is to scrap the pension scheme to M.P.s There are over 700 pensioners in addition their families and children who will have the right to vote at the next election amounting to over 2 millions. Then they will give the verdict. A welfare scheme was recommended by the former Director of Pensions and approved by the cabinet to implement this scheme but it has gone into cold storage by the present Director of Pensions who little realises that she and others will fall into this category soon. Pensioner A couple of years ago several readers had expressed their views as to when the next millennium/century begins. The subject has come up once again and one daily paper announces the millennium countdown according to which we have less than 500 days to reach it. Counting starts at one and not at zero. Hence the present millennium began on 01.01.1001 and ends on 31.12.2000 (1000 yrs.) and not on 31.12.1999 (999 yrs.) Similarly the Twentieth Century began on 01.01.1901 and ends on 31.12.2000 (100 yrs.) and not on 31.12.1999) (99 yrs). The mere fact that there is said to be a need to make certain adjustments in the computer systems to denote the year 2000 with the last two digits ''OO'' does not mean that we reach the next millennium/21st century on 01.01.2000. So let us not mislead the gullible public. S. Abeywickrama A 'bana' preaching ceremony to commemorate the 3rd month remembrance of late retired English teacher Mrs. Hema Punchihewa, wife of retired Principal of Siddhartha M.M.V. Weligama Mr. G. G. Punchihewa will be held at the 2nd Lane Hettiweediya, Weligama on 12th September (Saturday). This is followed by an alms-giving to 30 Buddhist monks on September 13 (Sunday). With the death of Anne Margaret Vandenona, three months ago, on the 7th of June, the country has lost one of its very best teachers of English. In her youth she entered pre-medical college to qualify as a doctor but as she fell seriously ill she had to give it up. After her illness she entered, 'The Government Training College for Secondary Teachers', then located at Thurstan Road. She qualified as a teacher of English. After a few years she went to the UK. She entered The University of London and obtained a diploma in 'The Teaching of English as a second language.' She taught at Anula Vidyalaya in Nugegoda, Visakha Vidyalaya in Bandarawela, at the Weragoda Junior School in Kahawe, as her presence was absolutely necessary in her ancestral home in Kahawe. After that she left for the U.K. On her return she taught at Anula Vidyalaya again, Samudra Devi Balika Vidyalaya in Nugegoda and last but not least at her old school Museaus College where she was a student. She was also a well loved 'English Instructor' at the Sri Jayawardenapura University. Thousands and thousands and thousands of children have passed through her capable hands, with a good command of the English Language. Until quite recently there had been students coming to her home to learn English from her. Most of the students were those of her friends or relations. She was unable to say 'no' to them. She didn't charge any fees from her relatives' children or from the children of her house-helpers. She used the most modern books in the teaching of English. That was why her teaching of English was a success. That was Anne Margaret the professional. Anne Margaret the human being was beyond comparison. She had beauty of face and figure but the beauty of her heart was so lovely, words cannot describe its incredible loveliness. She had immense charm. I always see her in my mind's eye with her radiant cheerful smile and her laughing eyes twinkling like two black diamonds. She belonged to the Vandebona clan. In her generation of Vandebona's all the best qualities of the clan was inherited by the womenfolk. Except for one or two of the womenfolk, the others inherited - the sense of honesty, integrity, efficiency, self-discipline, compassion for those in trouble and less fortunate, the sense of commitment but last but not least the lack of greed and raving for material things Anne Margaret inherited them all. She went to the University of London for a course of study, she bought a land and built a house at Nawala not with inherited money but with her hard-earned money as a teacher. Why was she able to achieve all that? Because of her self-discipline and also because her natural beauty didn't need any artificial adornment to enhance it. So she didn't squander her money in vain for self-adornment. She was the kindest and most compassionate human being I ever knew. When her niece 'Chamalie' came to Sri Lanka seriously ill from abroad it was her slim shoulders that bore the burden of her prolonged illness. Her loving kindness, her patience, her understanding and her incomparable compassion that saw her through her illness. She was an excellent listener. A good psychologist. I always went to her with 'my tales of woe'. She first fed me and then she listened without a murmur. She would tell me,' nothing is static, you have the courage to overcome them so go back and do the needful. Half of my troubles were eased by her encouraging words. Anne Margaret the astrologer was unique. When her family circle wanted their horoscopes read they went to her when they wanted an auspicious time for a new venture they ran to her. All their ventures have been a success up to date. She was one of the those who gave generously to others. In her village in Kahawe she had given land without any monetary reward to the landless poor. Her house and property at Nawala, she gave her nephew. She did so to enable him to educate his two children in Colombo schools. The house she lived in she maintained single-handed so that her relatives from abroad could have a peaceful, stress-free holiday in Sri Lanka, with her 'others' came first 'self' last of all. Anne Margaret was a devout Buddhist. She observed 'sil' on most of the Poya Days, until very recently. She offered 'Dana' to the nearby temple every month. There was the annual Dana for her eldest brother who predeceased her. Through all the trials and tributations in my life she held my hand with her radiant cheerful smile. I knew her all my life. She was my most beloved aunt. I miss her so. May her sojourn in Sansara be short and sweet. Dilini Dorothy Batugedara Malagoda Gamage Sunethra Amarasinghe of Albert Perera Avenue, Nugegoda took oaths as an attorney-at-law before Justice Mark Fernando A. S. Wijetunga and Shirani Bandaranayake recently. She obtained LLB degree in 1992 and is a graduate of Peradeniya University. She had been successful in obtaining Diploma in Education and M. A. from Buddhist Pali University. She is employed as a teacher in a leading Buddhist school. Sri Lanka Amature Basketball Federatiuon Malsiri Perera former Sri Lankan player, National coach, old Benedictine, Ex-President of Sri Lanka Basketball Refrees Association and Colombo District Basketball Association was elected unanimously as president of the Sri Lanka Amateur Basketball Federation at the Annual General Meeting held recently at NCC pavilion. Malsiri as known in Basketball circles was responsible for raising the standard of referees and provide them with free uniforms. Other office bearers of the federation are: Vice Presidents - Rev. Bro Philip, Francis D. Almeida, Wing Comm. B. L. G. de Silva. Hony Secretary - Col. Vickum Siriwardena (Former Sri Lankan Player & National Coach Youth Team). Hony Asst. Secretaries - Major. Rienzie, Wijeratne SQ. Ldr. O.F.H.V. Fernando. Hony Treasurer - Tony Ganlath. Constitution Committee - Francis D. Almeida, Neville Abeyratne. Tournament Committee - Major. Rienzie, Wijeratne, SQ. Ldr. A. K. R. Ranasinghe, Charles Perera. Finance Committee - Krishan George, S. Kathirgamathamby. Membership Committee - Sunil Seneviratne, Sisira Fonseka. |
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