đđŠđĻ đļđ¯đĸđĨđļđđĩđĻđŗđĸđĩđĻđĨ đˇđĻđŗđ´đĒđ°đ¯ đ°đ§ đŽđē đˇđĒđĻđ¸đ´, đŖđļđĩ đ¯đ°đĩ đĒđ¯đĩđĻđ¯đĨđĻđĨ đĩđ° đŠđļđŗđĩ đĸđ¯đēđ°đ¯đĻ. āļļොāļ්āļෙāļą්āļ¸ āļŊිāļēāļą්āļąේ. āļ āļිāļēāļŊා āļොāļ´්āļ´ිāļē āļ¯ාāļāļą්āļąāļ් āļāļ´ා. āļāļēුāļļෝāˇāļą්.
Saturday, November 26, 2022
āļෘāˇ āˇේāˇිāļාāˇāļ් āˇැāļ§ිāļēāļ§ āļ¸ැāļ¯āļ´ෙāļģāļ¯ිāļ āļිāˇිāļą් āļ¯ිāļēුāļĢු āˇෙāļą්āļą āļ´ුāļŊුāˇāļą්āļ¯?
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Help Needed ( āļāļ¯āˇ් āļ āˇāˇ්āļēāļēි ).
This morning in Colombo, an old person was discovered sleeping under a public bus stop in front of the Regal Cinema.
He claimed to have been a welder before ending up on the street, but because he is nearly deaf, he cannot hold a decent discussion to reveal further information about himself.
Monday, November 21, 2022
IS A MANDATORY SCHOOL UNIFORM A BANE OR A BOON?
Making it mandatory for children to come to school in a uniform to get an education is a very outdated concept.
Allowing
them to attend school in any attire is the way forward.
Some
argue that the prescription is to make all children look equal, and class
disparities will not matter then, but the interesting question is for how long?
Only for
8 hours, after which the rich go their separate ways and the less fortunate go
their separate ways.
To maintain balance in society, it is necessary
for there to be good and bad, wealthy, and poor, but I am not here to discuss or
advocate how that balance should be allocated.
Many kids will drop out of school if they don't
have a uniform to go to school, is one thing I am sure about but whether it be labelled
because of prior karma, God's will, or whatever label one chooses based on
their own views and convictions, is up to each individual.
In a city setting, this condition might not be as
obvious, but because most of the children come from wealthy or middle-class
families, the problem is not brought to light and thus most people assume that
it does not exist.
However, this is fairly common in rural areas and
presents a significant obstacle for many children who are less affluent.
By putting an early barrier in the form of a
uniform, we are not aiding many deserving rural children in their pursuit of a
better life.
A good education is the most effective method to
escape poverty and lead a decent life.
If it was a matter of easy identification, then
instead of requiring them to attend school wearing a proper and specific
uniform, which many are unable to obtain mostly due to poverty, offer them an inexpensive,
all-weatherproof identification card with a lanyard.
That would easily answer the “need to identify” argument,
some pose, and currently, we do not have any serious security concerns unlike when
the protracted war with the Tamil Terrorists was on a few years ago.
We should enable children to acquire an education
by attending school in whatever clothes they can afford and secure, rather than
trying to change the makeup of society for a few hours by requiring that all
children wear a predetermined uniform.
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
AVOID JUST FALLING INTO ALLURING WEEKEND FAMILY PACKAGES.
Recently, I attended a wedding at one of these hotels, and their pool was full of young and small kids, but nowhere to be seen as any lifeguard on duty.
A couple of days ago, a 24-year-old young man drowned in the pool of one of the hotels in Mount Lavinia.
What really led to the drowning, I am not aware, but it was confirmed that the pool was left unattended.
It took a long time to locate the lifeguard who was supposed to be on duty, and due to the lifeguard's lack of lifesaving training, and availability of necessary equipment at hand, very few attempts were made to resuscitate him after being taken out of the water.
If there had been a trained person on duty that day, the fate of the young man would have been different.
Therefore, the purpose of this is not to blame anyone but rather to offer some suggestions as to what we, as individuals, may do to spare our loved ones from having to deal with such an incident while having fun in future.
Please call ahead to confirm that the facility has trained lifeguards.
Only one should commit if the bundle is alluring, a pool option is offered, and a qualified lifeguard and other paraphernalia are available.
Ensure that a lifeguard is actually on duty at the poolside at all times to handle any emergencies that may arise during their stay.
Even verifying his or her credentials and training without hesitation because your loved one's well-being is what counts most.
Thursday, November 10, 2022
HE HAD MADE ALL OF US PROUD TODAY !
Loading and unloading passengers in wheelchairs on flights were part and parcel of the ground handlers' daily work, and once the process was handled successfully, it was forgotten.
A gentleman arriving from Pakistan would have fallen into the same category if not for the incident that happened on his departing flight.
The afternoon rush was at its peak when I got a radio call from one of our colleagues to come to his flight.
He said it in a very calm voice, but knowing him well and his capacity and versatility, I sensed that it must be something important, or he would have managed alone to solve or rectify the matter.
As I entered the aircraft cabin, I immediately got a waft of a bad odour, and I could see some passengers were showing signs that they were not so pleased about the whole situation, especially with the odour wafting.
My colleague came to me and explained the issue: the gentleman who arrived from a point in Pakistan had lost his bowel control, soiled himself, and was now looking at everybody haplessly.
My first question was what we could do, but I was planning in my mind to get him and his baggage out of the aircraft and release the flight with a minimum station delay.
But my colleague had another idea and suggested that he take the passenger into a nearby restroom to assess the situation before deciding what to do if the situation was really bad.
He came back and gave his quick assessment report, suggesting that if replacement clothes could be provided, the passenger would be released without any issues.
The crew suggested using one of the overnight kits provided to premier class passengers, and the suggestion was accepted.
My colleague attended to the needs of the passenger, brought him out after cleaning him up and giving him a new set of clothes, and as a fresh and happy passenger again.
All his soiled clothes were packed, sealed, and handed over to the crew to hand them out on arrival at their destination.
As we stepped off the plane, not only those who had initially expressed their displeasure, but also many others, applauded us for a job well done.
At the end of the shift, I started my report by saying that “Essa had made all of us proud today” and indeed he did that afternoon.
After seeing my report, he was immediately nominated for a special award by the management, but later something happened behind the scenes, and instead of a special award, he was given the Employee of the Month award.
It was not his responsibility nor obligation; helping a complete stranger out of the kindness of his heart was praiseworthy at a time when many kids nowadays wouldn't do the same to their own parents.
Sunday, November 06, 2022
DEADLY COCKTAIL OF ISLAND MENTALITY AND PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER MIX !
A long-term habit of mistrust and suspicion of people without good cause is a sign of paranoid personality disorder (PPD), a mental health disease (paranoia).
People with PPD frequently
think that others are threatening, demeaning, or harming them.
The idea that isolated
societies think of themselves as exceptional or superior to the rest of the
world is known as the "Island mentality."
This phrase describes
the superiority of a group of people or an isolated individual on a cultural,
moral, or ideological level rather than an island or other geographically
isolated society.
Narrow-mindedness,
ignorance, or outright animosity against any artefact (idea, ideology, lifestyle
choice, an art form, etc.) originating from beyond the geographical area inhabited
by the society can be used to describe island mentality.
Many people in Sri
Lanka are infected with a lethal cocktail made up of the two ideas.
They always have these baseless conspiracy theories and useless showing off aloofness in their behaviour
because of this.
They are being
encouraged by politicians who rely more on racial tensions than on effective
programs, as well as by those who wear robes to back politicians’ foolish arguments.
Without quick and
efficient treatment for both illnesses, Sri Lanka would likely remain
underdeveloped for a foreseeable time.
Thursday, November 03, 2022
WHY SOME SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY ARE GOOD A T DOING BUSINESS?
Why some segments of society are good at doing business?
Interesting question, and in an
ethnically divided society like ours, it is better to find answers and how
some, if not all, of their methods, can be adopted by others as well.
One of the most successful
business communities in the world for centuries has been the Jews.
What are the secrets of their
success?
They are no longer secrets, and
a few methods that they practice can be adopted and practised by others as
well.
The first and foremost one is
honesty in all dealings.
Many would disagree with me
when I say this.
I do not want to deal with
dissenters, but if honesty was missing in their dealing, they would not have
been in business for this long.
Most of the practices are
commandments and they follow them diligently.
One is that a father should
teach his son how to make an honest living and, further, it goes to say, to
teach him how to swim.
It should not be taken
literally and what it means is to teach how to navigate in different and
difficult conditions to survive.
The next one is to have a very
positive relationship with money.
Money is yet another tool to be
used for the betterment of oneself and others, and it is not as evil as some
belief.
Never be too shy or proud to
ask for help from your own community.
If the person standing next to
you in prayer would not help, do you think a total stranger would?
The same with giving.
Give back to your community
first.
Make it a practice to give to
charity.
Muslims recommend 3%, while
Jews recommend 10%.
You can’t wipe out all evils by
just giving to charity, but even if a few would get help, it is better than
doing nothing.
Always aspire to be an owner
rather than a worker.
This rings the entrepreneurial
bell in most people, and it makes good sense too.
Further, never be envious of
another’s success, but rather be happy as you can learn from their experience
and incorporate their methods into your business too.
Another important thing is not
to neglect your bread and butter.
When success knocks, many get
distracted and tend to take their eyes off the ball to pay more attention to
other matters and ventures.
Their success formula is to pay
90% of your attention to your bread and butter, 8% to any future projects, and
the balance of 2% to your dreams.
Never do to others anything you
would not want them to do to you.
In other words, to avoid karmic
repercussions.
Their recommendation for wealth
is to be segregated and hedged, so if one goes bad for a period, others will
provide the necessary cushioning.
The ideal ratio is to have 1/3 of
your wealth in cash, 1/3 in inventory, and the other 1/3 in real estate.
They are more risk-takers than
others because of their strong belief in God.
If we try hard enough, God will
make it happen, is what they believe
If we do not try hard and are
ready to give up, then divine intervention will not come.
Finally, take a day off from
your busy schedule each week to have time for yourself, to pay attention to family
and others' needs, and to be able to come back and resume your day fully
charged for the next six days.
I do not think that any of them
are non-adoptable practices, and therefore anyone can duplicate their success
by simply following those steps.
Disclaimer: The goal of this post is not to elevate or denigrate any group in our society; rather, it is to highlight some simple, doable alternatives for those that struggle.
Tuesday, November 01, 2022
FOR LEANER, MORE ROBUST, EFFICIENT AND GREENER PUBLIC SERVICE
According to official data, Sri Lanka's public sector now employs more than 1.5 million people, doubling in size over the previous 15 years.
Despite having one public servant for every 14
inhabitants, efficiency in the public sector is lower than that of Sri Lanka's
Asian counterparts.
The
need for staff reductions in public services has been going on for some time
now and there are many suggestions from various corners already percolating in
the media.
A
reduction drive should have to have a multi-prong approach to be successful.
The
first one is to cut down on the cost of maintaining excessive staff.
The
second one is to determine the optimum numbers needed to be efficient and
accountable.
The
third is to create a safety net to avoid retrenchment staff not becoming a
burden to the system a few years down the line.
The
fourth goal is to encourage and provide incentives for individuals to advance
in a new and useful vocation by obtaining additional education and
training.
The
fifth will be to level the playing field for budding entrepreneurs.
Therefore,
the first step is the formation of a panel of experts assembled with local
talents to assess and recommend the optimum numbers required in each
field.
If
any financial and or further expert assistance is needed in this venture, we
should seek experts assistance from world-renowned lending agencies for
support for the drive.
Unless
a very safe and attractive safety net is created first, voluntary retirement
and or enticing staff to accept the so-called Golden Handshake will not be
possible.
Taking
up training in other useful fields can be facilitated with institutes like the
Open University of Sri Lanka, vocational training institutes and other state
universities.
Creating
a fair playing field for budding entrepreneurs means cutting down on
bureaucracy and red tape in business registrations, export/import licensing,
and obtaining funds from leading banks and other financial institutes.
My
recommendations for a golden handshake are as below.
· Pay a lump sum equal to 60 times (five years'
salary) the net pay.
· Transfer the amount to one of his or her
designated bank accounts,
· Either a fixed or fluctuating interest payment
is agreed upon based on the prevailing rates.
o Currently, one can easily obtain up to 20–25
per cent, depending on the institute.
· Hold the deposit as a 60-month deposit while
receiving a monthly interest payment,
· Encourage financial institutes to extend loan
facilities up to a maximum of 40% against the capital sum deposited on
self-employment,
· Allow depositors the freedom to negotiate
further interest rates with the respective institutes after the 60-month
holding period has expired.
Assuming an individual’s monthly take-home pay
is LKR 35,000.00.
35,000 x 60 = 2,100,000
The interest is assuming 20% per annum (with
monthly withdrawals),
Per Annum,
LKR 420,000
(20/100 x 2,100,000 = 420,000),
Or monthly,
LKR 35,000
(420,000 / 12 = 35,000).
Those
who avail themselves of the golden handshake opportunity will get the same
amount of money each month as interest payment and without even having to work,
which will be a bonus as most of their other hidden expenditures will be
drastically reduced due to having to stop working, such as transportation,
clothes, and other maintenance requirements.
There
are many indirect social benefits as well. Being able to spend more time with
his or her family will improve both mental health and physical health as well.
The
unit of the family will be bonded together.
Further,
lesser environmental degradation.
Even
the financial institutions will be in a better position with a load of cash in
their care to disburse without having to raise further capital to meet
regulatory requirements from time to time.
If
50% of them opted for reemployment in the private sector, it would be a boost
to the current flagrant manpower shortages, plus the market gene pool would be
healthier and more competitive too.
The
digitalization of state sector activities will have to go hand in hand with
these reforms for better and healthier outputs.
Assuming
the panel of experts’ recommendation is to let go at least 60% of the current
total, that means that 900,000 must be removed.
Now
the next question is how to raise such a large sum of money for the project.
Naturally
from the local money supply market issuing an attractive government bond to
mature in five years.
Even if the rate is slightly higher than the current market rate, with the money saved on non-paying salaries, it will be a big blessing for the country in the long run.