OPA At your service

Questions and Answers

Can you enlighten us about BSOPA

Question:

1. What does BSOPA stand for?

2. How did the BSOPA originate?

3. How relevant is the concept today?

4. What is the position of the BSOPA today?

5. What does one stand to gain by joining the BSOPA?

An interested

Professional - Colombo

Answer: BSOPA stands for the Benevolent Society of the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) of Sri Lanka.

2. BSOPA is the brainchild of a few far thinking Professionals of the OPA who focused their attention on the needs of aging Professionals who need care and attention to help them through the last phase of their lives. The BSOPA was thus initiated by the OPA in the year 1988 to fill this gap.

3. Today this concept is more relevant than during the period in which the concept first occurred. Today professional or otherwise the aging population in Sri Lanka is increasing; healthcare is getting more and more expensive. Most parents notwithstanding their financial position have no one to look after them since all children have migrated to other countries.

Such children are willing to support their parents financially but who is there at this end to take over the responsibility? On the other hand will they be happy in the types of Homes for the Aged we see in our country today? Hence the need to think of an ‘Elders’ Home’ dedicated to our Professionals run under the flag of the OPA becomes indispensable.

4. Constitutional Amendments have taken place to offer more guaranteed benefits in keeping with what many modern professionals expect. Benefits offered today cover a wide range of health benefits covering all ailments from by-pass to cataract operations and other surgeries where help is needed.

5. The Government offers a pension to retiring Government (Servants) professionals to see through their need up to certain point. Then happens the inevitable. You cannot help yourself and need external help to see you through the last lap of your life so to say. Have you ever thought of that period? Do not dodge this question? On the other hand, have you no time to think? Let us now face this problem like Professionals.

* The benefits anticipated so far are:

1. Assistance during surgical operations (all types) - with transferability clause.

2. Discounts from hospital room charges and medicines.

3. Increased death donation which includes ‘the spouse as well.

4. Creation of an ‘Elders’ Home’.

Eligibility to join: Any member from any Association listed as a profession by the OPA is eligible to join the BSOPA.

Office address:

The office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all working days. The office phone number is 0714426577. An Administrative Officer is there to help you. You are welcome to visit the office and obtain any help you need.

Address: 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mw., off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.

Delay in issuing duplicate driving licence

Question: Please allow me to thank you for helping me by giving the regulations regarding my car’s Emission procedures, ref. my letter of June 13, 2009, which appeared in Daily News of July 9, 2009.

Now my problem is, Sir, that I lost my Driving Licence in April 2008 and I have sent an application duly filled with all the necessary documents attached (police report, photocopy of my cancelled book type driving licence, relevant photos and fees) and sent to the Werahera RMV office through the Registrar or GA’s office of my district Divulapitiya in June 2008 and, so far, I have not got any reply. I am now without a driving licence to go about.

Herewith I am enclosing the Police Report and the photocopy of the cancelled book type driving licence for your convenience.

Driving licence No. D. L 92887 of 17.08.59.

17.08.59 Class of Licence C.C. 1

27.12.67 Class of Licence D

23.07.71 Class of Licence A

I could be very much obliged, if your good self could find out and let me know what has taken place.

Vijaya Silva - Miriswatta

Answer: There is a problem with the issue of driving licences due to the large number of pending applications. Add to that the recent change in the format of the driving licence caused further delay in the implementation.

We suggest that you appeal by writing direct to the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Department at 533, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 5. Enclose copies of all documents and include your NIC number in your letter which you had failed to send us. The Commissioner General will send your papers to the Werahera office with a note for priority attention. Suggest you send you letter by Registered Post.

Pension anomalies for doctor

Question: I thought of writing to you after reading the letters on the above subject in the Ceylon Daily News OPA page.

I was a medical officer in the Health Department and retired in 1994 and am drawing a pension at present my pension No. being 700176.

Pensions were revised in 2006 by pension circular 6/2006 according to which pensions of those who retired before 01-01-1997 were calculated considering as if they were in the scales paid to their posts as at 01-01-1997 and was brought on part with the pensions of those who retired on or after 01-01-1997. vide paras IC and 2 of pension circular No. 6/2006 of 20.03.2006.

Salary scales of medical officers effective from 01-01-1997 are clearly given in secretary health circular No. 09/2003 of 20-06-2003 (copy attached). In addition to the salaries given in this circular medical officers are also paid an additional pensionable allowance. Medical Officers who actually retired on or after 01-01-1997 got their pensions calculated according to the last drawn salary which was according to the above circular whereas the revision of pensions of medical officers retired before 01-01-1997 has been done on some arbitrary figures and not on the scales given in the above circular and the pensionable allowance has been completely ignored even though it was there even before 1997 and was taken into account on calculation of our pensions before the revision. By doing so the pensions department has contravened paras 1 C and 2 of its own circular No. 6/2006, and created another anomaly because the revised pension of medical officers who retired before 01.01.1997 is less and not on par with the pensions of medical officers who actually retired on or after 01-01-1997 and is not in accordance with the above clauses. It will be greatly appreciated by all those who are affected by this unreasonable action of the authorities concerned if you could kindly look into and sort it out for us.

Dr. S. S. Jayatilaka, Nugegoda.

Answer: It is difficult for us to sort this matter out as a common solution to all the doctors affected. However, it may be possible to take up your case as an individual and thereafter for each person to take up his or her own case.

We discussed your matter with the Director Pensions. You can either call over at the Pensions Office at Maligawatte on a Monday or Wednesday being public days. If you wish to avoid waiting long and also better if you take the option of writing (appealing) to the Pension Anomaly Appeal Board”, Along with your appeal letter as written to us. Your will have to enclose copies of your pension award letter. Revisions if any and also copies of the circulars as forwarded to us. Your letter (registered post) should be addressed to ‘Pension Anomaly Appeal Board’ C/o Director General of Pensions, Department of Pensions, New Secretariat Building, Maligawatte, Colombo 10. Please let us know the final outcome.

Cable TV increased rental for additional channels

Question: I wish to inform you that I had obtained a cable TV connection from CBN Sat about five (5) years back, and later it was acquired by the Dialog TV and they have provided the services to the existing customers of CBN Sat.

Later I increased the subscription to Rs. 1,400 + taxes which was the full package for all channels telecasted by the Dialog TV at the time of my action. Now they have increased some additional channels to their services and I was informed that to obtain the New Channels I have to increase by subscription to prevailing increased amount amounting to Rs. 1,949 + taxes.

Please clarify to me whether I am entitled to the new additional channels as I am an existing customer for the full package of channels at the time of my entitlement. I feel that when they increase the subscriptions fee for the full package in time to time it should be applicable to the new customers and not to the existing customers. Kindly use your good office to have this matter expedited, as I fell that I am entitled to the full package of all future channels of the services of Dialog TV.

M. A. H. M. Waffa, Thulhiriya.

Answer: We contacted Dialog TV regarding your complaint. Their position is that you are subscribing monthly Rs. 1,400 + taxes (monthly rental) for 57 channels as available at the time you commenced paying Rs. 1,400 +. You will continue to enjoy 57 channels as long as you continue to pay Rs. 1,400+. Now they have as much as 70 channels after the addition of new channels for which the monthly rental is Rs. 1,949 + taxes. So if you wish to have the new full package as at now you have to pay a monthly rental of Rs. 1,949+.

These broadcasters have to pay for every new channel, therefore they have to recover their cost by increasing the rental.

This is the common practice by all the providers of this service and it appears to be fair. We cannot expect more for less or more for same.

Delay in receiving my pension

Question: First and foremost I take this opportunity to thank you wholeheartedly and gratefully for publishing my letter in the Daily News of July 2.

There were many interesting and some serious telephone inquiries from my fellow pensioners. Most of them, were very sympathetic about my condition and many were of the view that I was one of the very few, who is unable to move about freely, out of about 650 pensioners, though every human being becomes feeble during the final stages in life. Most of my fellow pensioners were questioning me about the last paragraph in your answer. Whether I was trying to cheat the bank. Your final paragraph “There has to be a give and take since you cannot have your way at the expense of the NSB” puzzled me and all my fellow pensioners.

I explained to them that I have never been a cheat and the pension I draw today, is due to my honest and dedicated service for the past 37 years, firstly to the Bank of Ceylon and finally with the NSB.

Sir, may I be permitted to get these comments (your valuable words in print) Give and Take clarified, if there is any possibility? Does a single pensioner Govt. Corporation or any other give something when they take their pension?

No one will give away one red cent, without any valid or solid reason. Some Govt. pensioners made a huge protest recently and crying foul for deducting a mere fifty rupees from their pension, which was to be utilized for a worthy cause and also, mostly for the benefit of themselves, but still they did not give in.

T. S. E. Fernando,

Mt. Lavinia

Answer: We are sorry if you have misunderstood the phrase used by us in our reply ‘Give and Take’. This means that one should not be rigid in demanding his right without consideration for the other party.

The NSB took a decision to pay all their pensioners through their bank network in order to bring about a considerable savings from the expense incurred by the bank in sending cheques to various banks. at the same time they have considered your case voluntarily or otherwise and made arrangements to transfer your pension to the Bank of Ceylon as requested by you from their branch in Mt. Lavinia.

NSB cannot accommodate your request to remit your pension direct to your commercial bank as done before due to the change they have made equally to all their pensioners. Thus ‘Give and Take’ is to compromise so that both parties benefit and either party are not at a loss. Regret we are unable to publish your very long letter.

Send your questions

The Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) will cover questions in all professions and subjects of common interest to the public in the Daily News OPA At Your Service’ page every Thursday. Please make your question brief. Questions can be directed to the OPA on e-mail: [email protected]. Fax 2559770 or write to the Professional Centre, 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.