Questions and Answers

Replacement NIC

Question: The photograph in my Identity Card is blurred and my face is not recognizable. Please let me know how I can obtain a new Identity Card and what documents I have to produce.

Sirisoma Mutukumarana - Ratmalana

Answer: You have to first contact your area Grama Niladari and he will assist you in obtaining a new Identity Card (NIC). He will give you a form (Form RPD/V/8) which you have to complete and hand over to him along with the following documents.

1. Original Birth Certificate, a copy may be sufficient since you already have an NIC.

2. Certificate of employment (if employed) obtained within three months. If you are a lawyer or a doctor documentary proof.

3. Your current NIC (you should retain with you a copy of your NIC).

4. Certificate of Residence (the GN can certify this)

5. Colour photographs (1 3/8” c7/8”) 5 numbers. The Grama Niladari will tear off the acknowledgement part of your application form with the reference number and return it to you which will be important to follow up your application. The Grama Niladari will forward your application through the Divisional Secretary and inform you once received. There is also one day service available directly at the office in Jawatte Road, provided you take the completed form signed by the GN and the District Secretary. You have to pay Rs. 500 for one day service.

BoC Customer Pension Scheme 1981 - bonus

Question: In accordance with your suggestion made to me in your answer to my question regarding the above matter in the questions and answers column of the OPA in the Daily News of 21.05.2009, I forwarded a letter with all the relative connected documents to the financial Ombudsman by registered post on 15.07.2009 with a copy (registered post) to OPA.

As there is no response as yet, although it is now after one month, I forwarded a reminding letter today to the financial ombudsman seeking a kind response as early as possible.

I wish to mention that the BoC which is these days celebrating seven decades of service to the public in a grand scale.

It is very great if they mention about this unique scheme too which tremendously benefits their A/c holders.

I hope the OPA would assist these A/c holders to maintain their safetiness in the promises and the guarantees made by the BoC in 1981 regarding the scheme. Thanks.

G. A. Jinadasa - Angoda

Answer: We checked with the office of the Financial Ombudsman and they are in receipt of your letters. They will acknowledge if they have not already done so.

They have called for a report/response from the BoC based on your complaint. Once they receive the reply from the BoC they will fix an inquiry which will not be before October 2009 as they have already fixed inquiries up to September end.

The BoC has since stopped this pension scheme according to our understanding as this was a loss making venture.

How can I contribute to the noble work of the OPA

Question: I am a retired teacher (1948/1990) and now a pensioner, teaching voluntarily, in Sri Gnana Lankara Pirivena, Subodharamaya, Peradeniya. I read about your organisation and would like to know more about it.

(i) Please post me any literature available.

(ii) Let me know the procedure to seek membership.

(iii) Suggest anyway I can contribute to the noble work you have commenced.

My interests are teaching. Conducting Seela programs and Bawanawa training, not an expert in any field, just an unknown school master and unostentatious humble citizen.

L. D. Devendra - Katugastota

Answer: The (OPA) Organisation of Professionals Associations is the apex body of 43 member professional associations with a membership of more than 50,000 professionals. All major professions such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, Architecture, Economics, Accountancy, Dentistry, Surveying, Agriculture, Supply Chain, Computer Science, Banking and Management are represented in the OPA. Thus it is an association of Member Associations and not individuals. However there is provision for the individual members of the member associations to become OPA Centre members. Teachers or educationalist have not joined the OPA as a professional association.

Thus unfortunately you cannot become a Centre member either.

We thank you for your offer to contribute in what you have considered as noble work done by us. Since you are far away in Katugastota it may not be practical. However, if we can make use of your offer we will contact you.

Gift in Foreign Exchange

Question: Thank you very much for the valuable answers to questions in your Thursday column. My Question: My grandson is a US citizen by birth and is now in Sri Lanka for a two month holiday. I do want to hand over some monies in US dollars for his pocket expenses for his University education. How could I do it? Travel cheques. Is there a limit?

NGD, Dehiwela

Answer: Since your grandson is a foreign citizen he will not be issued travellers cheques. Travellers cheques are only issued to Sri Lankans travelling abroad and only in their name. Travellers cheques are not transferable either. You have not stated whether you have with you the money in US dollars or whether you have to purchase US dollars.

If you do not have US dollars no bank will issue you with US dollars unless you are travelling abroad. However, your grandson could convert Rupees into US dollars at the point of departure an amount lesser than the US dollars he has brought into the country and converted to rupees.

He may have to produce the receipts of conversion of USD to rupee in order to reconvert rupees to US dollars. As a foreigner he can bring in and also take out up to a maximum of USD 10,000. Any amount over USD 10,000 has to be declared.

Subject of common interest to public

Question: We observe that in most Buddhist homes the dead are not buried or cremated on Tuesdays or Fridays. However this practice is not followed in Christian or Muslim homes after the death of a family member. This practice does not have any meaningful purpose according to my view. I understand that this is a practice coming down from India.

I have heard that the Hindu Priests’ perform their spiritual observances on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Before these days they bathe in the rivers to cleanse themselves.

As a practice, the dead in India are cremated along the banks of the major rivers of that country and the ashes are thrown to the water of these rivers following religious belief thus polluting the waters in these rivers.

As the Brahmins or Poosaris who perform religious rights in Kovils and Hindu Temples bathe in these rivers on Tuesdays and Fridays, they have told the Hindu people that it was bad to bathe in the rivers on Tuesdays and Fridays, as it would bring evil to them. So, this practice which prevailed in India had come down to Sri Lanka too, during the time of our ancient Kings who had married Royalty from India. I shall be glad to have your views on this practice through this column.

L. L. Leanage, Ambalangoda

Answer: As a professional organisation we have no professional views on this subject. This is a subject of individual views and practice. However we decided to publish your question and your views, for the information of the readers.

EPF refund

Question: My grandson was working in a private firm before joining the Army. I would like to know on behalf of my grandson, whether it is possible for him to withdraw his EPF as a special case as he is no longer contributing to this fund.

G. S. J. Fonseka - Panadura

Answer: Yes any person who has contributed to the EPF account can apply for a refund if that person leaves his or her employment in the private sector or a corporation and gets a permanent and pensionable job in the government service which includes the Police and all the Armed Services. Whilst applying for the refund he or she needs to produce proof of permanent employment. In your grandson’s case his Army identity card stating permanent (regular force) is sufficient.

Unlawful trespass

Question: On 21.05.2009 a woman and her daughter known to me and residing in the adjoining premises sent a person, said to be her intended son-in-law to my premises, without my authority to shift a water meter to their premises.

Their premises are not partitioned with a wall, and the rear gate, he entered leads to my premises. When I requested him to leave my premises, he attempted to assault me, and left to their premises.

He is a teenager and I am 73-years- old. This person has been instigated by the woman and the daughter.

This person threatened me in the presence of my wife, that he knows the people of the Moratuwa emergency police, and that he can get me locked up and assaulted. This person further said that he could get me abducted. I made an entry at the Moratuwa Police Station on 22.05.2009. What further action can I take.

J. A. V. Peiris - Moratuwa

Answer: You have done the right thing by making an entry at the Moratuwa Police Station but you made this entry for record purposes or did you request the Moratuwa Police to take any action. If you had requested so and if they have not taken any action, such as caution your neighbour, you may bring this matter to the notice of the OIC of the Moratuwa Police Station or the ASP of the area. The other question is why is this water meter in your premises. You cannot deny them access to their water meter.

W&OP pension after re-marriage

Question: My husband died after eight years of our marriage. He was attached to a Government Department and I am drawing a monthly pension which I was entitled after his death.

Please advise me whether I could continue to draw my pension if I decide to get married again.

I shall be much thankful if I could have your kind reply through your valuable contribution in the Daily News.

Mrs. Manel de Silva by fax

Answer: Unfortunately you cannot have both. As such you have to choose between your re-marriage and your late husband’s W&OP. The law is that one has to forego the W&OP if he or she gets married again. It is an offence if you don’t inform the Pensions Department once you register your marriage. A widow or a widower ceases to be a widow or widower once they get marries again legally.

Loss of EPF “B” Card

Question:: I worked at Sri Lanka Sugar Corporation, Kantalai and Haldumulla from 1976 to 1981, resigned and joined the Private Firm where they had their own Provident Fund. Now I want to get a refund of my Provident Fund, but the EPF ‘B’ Card, got lost and I applied to Labour Department, Colombo 5 for a duplicate ‘B’ card through Jaffna Labour Office in December 2008. My “B” Card No. is A11140/09767 but still I have not received a reply.

Could you please help me to get this problem solved?

S.P. Rasanayagam, Uduvil, Jaffna

Answer: We are sorry for the delay in replying as it is very difficult to contact the EPF Department. However, we managed to contact them and they don’t seem to have received your application for a duplicate “B” Card as per Ref. 11140A/09767. They suggest that you get an “ABH Form” filled by the “Sri Lanka Sugar Corporation if they are still in operation. With that form you can complete the “K” Form and apply for the refund. In case Sri Lanka Sugar Corporation is not in existence any more you can apply for the refund even without the “B” Card.

You will have to state your “B” Card reference as 11140A/09767 whilst completing the “K” Form and complying with all other requirements such as photo copy of your NIC, Thumb impression, photograph etc along with copies of your last received EPF Statement and salary slip. You may apply through the Labour Office in Jaffna. Do not wait for your duplicate “B” Card as your application of December 2008 cannot be traced by the EPF Department.
 

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Lecture

The Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) will conduct a lecture for all member Associations and Centre members at 6 p.m. on Friday, September 11 at the OPA Auditorium. The Speaker will be Chief Justice Asoka N. de Silva and the theme of the lecture is “Some aspects of Police investigations”.

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.

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