opa at your service

Leave for pilgrimage to Mecca

Question: My wife and I went on a pilgrimage to Mecca last year. We were granted leave by Education Ministry as follows:

During working days without payment and during vacation with pay.

I got to know that a circular issued by Education Ministry in 2007 enabling us to request for an indemnity from the balance leave in the previous years.

I wish to get to know if we are able to indemnify the no pay leave with the balance leave, if the Ministry would issue a letter approving this and if the salary deducted would be paid back. I kindly request you to find a favourable reply to my query. I have enclosed some copies of letters for your convenience. Thank you.

A teacher - Matale

Answer: We checked your matter with the Assistant Secretary Administration of Education Ministry on Tel. 2784824. We were given to understand that there is a Public Administration Circular No.24/2007 which covers this matter of leave for pilgrimage to Mecca. Yes you can set off unutilized leave of the past years for this purpose. Which means the no pay can be set off against your past years unutilized leave and you can get a refund. Each person affected by this is required to make individual written request addressed to Education Ministry Secretary at 'Isurupaya.' Sri Jayewardenepura, Battaramulla. The copies of letters enclosed by you was useful in our assisting you. In your letter to Education Ministry Secretary, please provide a heading in bold letters or underlined as 'leave for Pilgrimage to Mecca' in order to avoid delays.

Ownership of NHDA apartment

Question: I have been an avid reader of your page in the DN. Therefore please be kind enough to assist me in my problem.

My husband and I have been Government officers for the past 15 years and continue to be so. We have not obtained any housing loans or built a house on our own. Therefore when the NHDA offered housing at the Jalthara Government Servants Scheme, my husband applied for one and received a house (a flat) costed at to Rs 1,158,297.00. Thereafter he proceeded to pay the initial Rs 243,869.00 to the HDFC Bank of SL as per the advice. The payment was made on 10/08/2006 (Receipt R 846559). A letter dated 12/02/2007 by the HDFC Bank of SL then informed us that the paperwork on the mortgage cannot be continued as relevant documents have not been forwarded by the NHDA. However, since then the NHDA has handed over the keys to the flat and a letter indicating that the flat is "allocated" to my husband. Since our employment sends us packing all over the country, we are unable to settle in the flat for long periods; however most of our furniture is there.

Thereafter we have not paid any monthly instalment on the mortgage as planned, because, the NHDA has not forwarded the deed to the flat to the HDFC Bank of Sri Lanka. When enquired from the NHDA they have not given a reason for this in writing, however it is understood that 3 blocks of Type B houses (Blocks 7,8 and 9) have been constructed beyond the initial plan forwarded to the Pradeshiya Sabha for approval. This maybe true, because the whole scheme was built by a Korean Company, whereas these blocks have been built recently, by a Sri Lankan contractor located in Maharagama. So far, the Pradeshiya Sabha has not approved this as it was built without their approval. Whatever the reason, we have invested Rs 243,869.00 in the HDFC Bank of Sri Lanka without any interest being paid to us so far and we have not been given the deeds to the flat.

Therefore, may I kindly request you to intervene in this matter to check and advice.

1. Why the deeds are not been transferred to the Bank.

2. What should we do to get the deeds/ownership?

3. What is the possibility of anyone else being able to make a claim on the flat (on the grounds that it does not belong to my husband)?

4. Whether, in case the deeds are received and the mortgage is started, the monthly payment to be offset against the interest to be received of the initial investment of Rs 243,869.00 deposited at the HDFC Bank.

5. Whether my husband can sell this flat to another party so that the initial deposit and a substantial amount can be recovered as interest.

6. Since there has been no "Deed of Transfer" how can the property be registered in the Land Registry?

Thank you for helping the masses with your valuable column. I eagerly await a reply on your column.

W. D. Fernando, e-mail

Answer: We managed to contact the Officer at the NHDA who is handling the Jalthara Government Servants Scheme on Tel.2389507. According to her what ever problem there was has now been sorted out. All relevant documents have now been passed on to the HDFC Bank. You should immediately contact the HDFC Bank who will issue your Deed to the flat. This answers your question 1 and 2. As regards your third question no one else will be able to make a claim on your flat. As regards question 4, we doubt that you will be entitled to any interest as it was not a deposit but an initial payment on which you were given procession of the flat. This you can verify with HDFC Bank. You have to check with HDFC Bank and NHDA or study the conditions of sale to check whether you can sell this flat and when. You can now obtain your deed and register with the Land Registry. Usually the NHDA does the registration.

How to get my Military - W & OP number

Question: I am a retired Army personnel. I served in the Works Services CE/Eng. Regiment. My service number was S/62670 and my pension number is P-17024. I am now reaching 73 years of age this November. Can you please find and let me know my W&OP number as I am not aware of it.

This number may be necessary after my death for my wife to claim my W&OP payments. Please be good enough to publish the answer in the next OPA at your service page on every Thursdays.

E.C. Nanayakkara - Moratuwa

Answer: We contacted the Army Pay and Records Division at Panagoda. According to them your W&OP number is the same as your service number which is S/62670.

However, we were told that on your demise if your wife can forward a copy of the death certificate, along with your pension number P17024 and write to them, they will take the necessary action to inform the Divisional Secretary who pays your pension, to pay your wife with the W&OP.

For any further clarification you may contact the officer concerned on Tel. 2855374. We wish you a longer life.

Notifying change of address

Question: I am a shareholder of Lanka Hospital Ltd (Apollo Hospital).

Few months ago I contacted them unsuccessfully, under registered cover to inform their successors, MD Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation about my changing the residential address.

But they never at least acknowledged any of my correspondence.

As a result any correspondence has ceased. Please help.

G.M.R. Karunasekera, Madapatha

Answer: It is best that you inform of your change of address to the Secretary's handling the affairs of Lanka Hospitals Ltd (former Apollo Hospitals) You should address your letter informing of the change of your address to "The Registrar, National Asset Management Ltd (NAMAL) at No. 73 (2nd floor) W.A.D. Ramanayake Mawatha, Colombo 2. You may head your letter as "Change of Address-Share Holder of Lanka Hospitals" and indicate your share folio number if available and/or your share certificate no AP13983. You may also request for an acknowledgment to your letter NAMAL Tel. Nos. 2445911, 1445914.

Pensioners abroad

Question: My sister is a Sri Lankan pensioner living in Australia. She and her husband are both in an aged care institution paid for by their children who are also there. Two of her children live here and my sister helps their families with her pension. Since last October she has not been receiving her pension as the Government had suspended pension for all living abroad.

She was asked to send back some paperwork which she has done. Could you kindly let us know when she could expect to receive her pension together with the arrears?

Norbert Fernando - Negombo

Answer: Due to various malpractices and frauds the Government of Sri Lanka Pensions Department decided that all Pensioners living abroad will be paid their pensions in future in the countries where they are now resident, through the Sri Lankan Embassy in those countries. Alternatively into a specified branch of the People's Bank in Colombo and such pension can be drawn only when the pensioner personally visit, Sri Lanka and this account cannot be a joint account. Payment of pensions was suspended towards the end of 2009 in order to implement the new system. Accordingly all pensioners living abroad were expected to forward the data entry form through the Sri Lanka Embassy's in their country of residence. After receipt of these forms, the Pension Department has to call for the relevant pension file from the Divisional Secretary's office and process the pension payment. Any shortcoming of the required information and heavy load could be the reason for delay.

Pensioners can make inquiries regarding the status by providing the pension number and contacting the Pensions Foreign Branch on e-mail address [email protected] or by calling on Telephone No. 9411-3030511. Many pensioners overseas have been affected by this and we agree that the Pensions Department can and should expedite the payment of pensions.

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Loss of registered mail foreign parcel

Question: I regret to inform you that I sent a parcel of gifts and valuable books to my daughter in Ireland. This was sent on 2.2.10 by Registered post with the senders name and address. My daughter has not received this parcel and it is three months since I sent it.

I have complained to the General Post Office and I got a letter on 5.3.10 stating that they will inquire into this matter, but up to now I have not received any information regarding this parcel, numerous attempts to contact the Assistant Superintendent of the Central Mail Exchange and so many trips up and down Mc Callum Road was of no use since he is unavailable and no one else seems to know anything. It has been a waste of time and money and I'm really helpless and the items in the parcel are valuable to my daughter. I sincerely hope, you could help me in this matter and help me locate this parcel, given below are the details of the parcel. Registered No.RR003026700LK, Compliant KPT/117/10 Ref. No.RB/11, LR1743/2010. S. Zahir - Colombo 3

Answer: Sorry for the delay in answering your question as your question had to wait its turn and also delay caused by non publication of this page on two Thursdays. By now you must be aware of the situation regarding your parcel. In any case we contacted the Asst. Supt. (Registration) at the Department of Posts on Tel.2440090. According to him parcels to Ireland is sent via England. Their delay in responses was due to their awaiting a feedback from the UK postal Department. The UK Postal Department has now informed that the parcel has been misplaced or lost and that they accept liability for the loss. You can now claim your loss or damage through the International Postal Service Division of the Department of Posts, Sri Lanka. For any further assistance you may contact the officer on Tel.2440090. Trust we have served you even belatedly, whilst we are sorry about your plight.

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