FUTA President Nirmal Devasiri is mislead and suffers from a complex
Posted on July 30th, 2012
By Charles.S.Perera
Lanka Truth of the JVP reported on 28 July,2012, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Federation of University TeachersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Associations (FUTA) today said it is not prepared to accept the invitation of Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake, to report to work from July 30ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ . Nirmal Devasiri says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- the strike action will not end until their demands are met.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
This man Devasiri who is thinking of bring the Minister and the government to their knees is being manipulatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ anti- government forces such as ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the JVP and Dambara Amala.
Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, is holding the University students as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-shieldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in his personal vendetta against the Defence Secretary and the government,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which the JVP is trying to use to regain if possible its dwindling popularity.
A few days ago the former ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ General Secretary of FUTA Dr. Rohan Fernando ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had said that they would be ready to teach a double batch if the government admitted all those students to Universities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But Dewasiri instead holds the students to ransom and delays the admission of the new batch of studentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in his stubborn, and in a way a violent demand to implement a salary increase and the request for the allocation of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 6 percent of the GDP to Education. The latter demand ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is a camouflage toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cover his egoist call for a salary increase.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In his own admission a Senior University Professor already gets a salary of one Lakh seventeen thousand per month and othersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rs.84,000,00 per month.
They are also under the influence of the JVP activist the Dambara Amala. These are the antigovernment political hands behind the FUTAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Strikes. They have less concern for the students and their parents.
I know family in a village inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Kandy District whose child is in a Colombo University. As boarding houses are in itself a money making racket in Colombo, her parents payƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rs.3500, 00 to a makeshift room in a corridor without windows where the child is forbidden to use a fan or use the power plug toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ heat water.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-roomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is infested with rodents and cockroaches and a noisy neighbour.
During their forced ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-vacationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ due to their ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-erstwhile professorsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ being on strike claiming still higher salaries.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ThisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ girl from a Colombo UniversityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has come back to her parents in Kandy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The family is not rich and with the meagre income, they haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ now to feed their daughter and a young son and pay the rent for the makeshift room in Colombo.
In the mean time the parents have found a better room closer to the University to share with another for Rs.4500, 00 . They ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have to pay for it in advance in order to keep it reserved until the beginning of the UniversityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which they do not know when asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Devasiri of FUTA wants to continue the strike until the government gives the salary increase under demand.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On top of this is the fact that the children have to buy food from outside.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And they are unable even to make a cup of tea in the room as they are prohibited the use of plug points to heat water. These Parents have to pay the child her travel expenses to and fro Colombo , when ever there is a strike of the academic or no-academic staff.
This is only one case how many more poor parents ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”who cannot dream of a Rs. 84ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 000,00 salary per month), suffer this way. Do Devasiri, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the thousands ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the supposed to be the top intelligentsia of Sri Lanka who follow this man Devasiri like ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-cattle without using their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-golden brainsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, think of these poor parents who suffer financially and get into debt because of them, apart from the inconvenience and loss of study time by the students ?
These strikes of the Academics and non-academics will also affect the University Studcent later when applying for jobs as they may not fall within the age limit demanded for a job, as strikes consume “age time” of a student.
I met a Professor from the Peradeniya University who said that he has ample leisure at the moment because of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-strikeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, but he regretted that they have inconvenienced the studentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who have nothing to do with the cause FUTA claims to fight. But heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ said he cannot opt out as his colleagues have joined the Strike, after all a salary increase is a very tempting ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-carrotƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ held before them by FUTA.
With that they could buy cars build houses perhaps with swimming pools, while the poor parents some times skips meal and feeds the other children less to ease the financial burden forced on themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in sending a child for a University education.
Why want Devasiri the FUTA president does not want to give in for the request of the Ministers to return to work, for the sake of the children who have gone without an education for 24 days and delay the admission of new student ?
FUTA can continue the dialogue with the government after returning to work. They ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will surely not die of starvation if they do not get the salary increase they claim. The 6 percent GDP to education is outside a trade union demand, as such allocations are made from the Government Budget and by the Treasury, which have been explained by the Secretary of the Ministry of Higher education.
Now Devasiri is making a big issue of the 6% GDP for Education to fool the public and the students to portray that they are not really after a salary increase, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but help the University Education by getting a bigger allocation in relation toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ GDP.
This is a matter that had already been explained by the Secretary of the Education Ministry and it is a matter that has to be discussed with the government without making it an issue for a strike.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A 24 or more days strike by the intelligentsia of the Nation is not understandable as their primary duty is to look after the welfare and the education of the graduate student, and enhance the quality and the standard of the University Education in Sri Lanka.
But the fact seems to be ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that Devasiri does not want to go back empty handed and wants some thing in return ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has got his feathers ruffled by an unwanted strike followed by a greedy set of University Professors who try to benefit from a further increase of a salary by joining ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nirmal Ranjith DevasiriƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ personal strike, backed by JVP.
That is where Devasiri is wrongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and shows his mental suffering ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from a complex ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ having to give in to the MinisterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s demand and return to work. He mayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on the other hand perhaps be applauded for at least now realising the folly of following the brain child of the JVP and Dambara Amala and give up the strike and return to work.
If he can see reason and less greedy for money he would call off the strike for the sake of the students who have already lost more than two months of proper studies and my also delay unnecessarily ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the admission of new entrants; ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other than the inconveniences and financial loss the parents of the students have been put into.
Will FUTA compensate the Parents for the financial loss and mental suffering they were put into ?
Devasiri and FUTA can easily put off their demand for a salary increase as they are not that badly off now, and ask the ministry to make them a party to the disbursement of Funds from the budget for education.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is a matter they can easily demand the Ministry to accept without having to go on a futile long drawn strike .
July 30th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Here are some good questions to ask those university lecturers on strike…
1. How many of them conduct there lecturers regularly without canceling….(so they can go for consultancy, teaching at private institutes etc.)?
2. How many of them can actually teach properly? (just ask their students!)
3. How many of them have misused university property for their own private work?
4. How many of them have a history of corruption while holding government positions on secondment?
It is also a good thing to look into the political and religious affiliations of most of the leading figures for this strike. Then one will see pretty obvious similarities with many recent events (such as the Mannar incident).
Ultimately it is the innocent students who suffer, I wonder how many of those on strike have a genuine concern for them??!!
July 30th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
mjaya is right. how many so called professors buy their stationary? Probably none because the university provides them and no account is kept about their use. Bottom line is why is that SL do not have private universities? INDIA has many. Again it boils down to British Colonial Legasy. So called educated upper class, not that they do not have brains, but they cannot come out of it, because of the clear example Charles provided. He met a professor from Peradeniya. read that part and you will understand why. mjaya’s 2. How many of them can teach properly? Its time we lashed out at these people who nature and nourish the British Colonial Legasy.
July 30th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
“Its time we lashed out at these people who nature and nourish the British Colonial Legasy.”
Of course! There are some professors who still think Ivor Jennings is the VC!!! They have no sense of reality, living in a make believe colonial world. We also need to kick out the JVP, the other despicable lot who ruin universities in SL.
July 31st, 2012 at 6:40 am
I think its high time that the Sl Govt takes a FIRM DECISION TO:
1) DISCONTINUE THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REPOT FOR WORK,
2) CHASE OUT ALL OCCUPYING UNIVERSITY QUARTERS,
3) MAKE UNIVERSITY PREMISES OUT OF BOUNDS,
4) CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FROM THE EDUCATED FROM RELEVANT FIELDS
5) EVEN RECRUIT FROM AMONG THE WORKING TEACHERS OF GOVT SCHOOLS.
As otherwise, our Sri Lanka will have no future.
When my daughter was at Peradeniya after completing her degree, she was employed as a Temp.But the Professor never bothered to make her permanant.Instead call for applications and recruited a MARRIED IDIOT FROM BUTTALA UNIVERSITY WHOSE ILLEGAL WIFE WAS AT PERADENIYA, can they set an example?? So my saughter left and joined as an English Physics Teacher.While she was teaching as a temp at University, I was told that the students, MADE HUMBLE REQUESTS TO HER TO COME FOR THEIR LECTURES AS THE SO CALLED PUNDIT PROFFESSORS NEVER TOOK UP LECTURES WITH AN INTEREST.
Further more I regret to inform that she was selected 3 times to read for the MSc at Univbersity of Texas in Austin Texas as the Proffessor there of the Department of Geology, after speaking with my daughter over phone to Sri lanka, offered a Schol, TA post and many perkf on all 3 occassions as her speaking English accent was liked very much.But UNFORTUNATELY,HER VISA WAS REJECTED BY THE SAME CORRUPTED VISA OFFICER AT US EMBASSY as the parents were living here in US.And he paid the price of being corrupt and enjoyed 6 yrs imprisonment in US.These CORRUPT UNIVERSITY LECTURERS TOO WILL ONE DAY WILL BE COMPELLED TO PAY THRU THEIR NOSE FOR THESE UNPATRIOTIC,VENGEANCE AND CORRUPT ACTIONS!!!
July 31st, 2012 at 8:57 am
I agree with Charles. I heard FUTA is fighting for salaries equal to foreign universities and that is very unfair because, that will automatically lead to more strikes for salaries by other employee groups.
I think, in comparison to the cost of living expenses, Sri Lankan total salries for professors are not bad.
I know, in Canada, some private Universities pays very low to the Academic staff. Even the Govt-subsidized small universities pay relatively low. I remember, some time ago, one news paper accused a certain university for paying it’s professors about the same salary that is paid to Sales associates of a certain supermarket chain.
In here, Academic staff does not have luxury of getting many perks such as subsidized housing, more income by marking papers, tax-free car permits, and free foreign trips. Only thing they have is the salary, medical and dental and free of charge education to their children if they chose the same university.
Even getting research grants is a big competition.
July 31st, 2012 at 11:15 am
This is going too far and enough is enough. These anti Government forces are deliberately bringing in immense hardship to all of us and it it time that the authorities move to take action to redress the general public.
I have seen how some of the countries who speak so much of “human rights & Freedoms” have put in place legislation to face these types of situations. One such legislation is termed “Back to Work”. If the Government views that a particular Trade Union action is affacting adversely the day to day functioning of services, it will pass a motion in Parliament on an urgent basis and force the employees back to work with an ultimatum date set to begin work. Of course, in the meantime an arbitrator will be appointed to resolve the matters.
So why our Government with a mandate of 3/4 majority in Parliament think of these type of “Progresssive” legislations?
Over to you HE The President and the Government. You can consult Canadian Government on this subject, because they have this Legislation in their Statute Books.
August 1st, 2012 at 8:10 pm
Devasiri leading the new Vampires of Universities unconcerened about the Students and getting the Students through the JVP sponsored University Students Union to manifest in favour of the greedy professors is a shame to every educated pezrson in Sri Lanka.
They are now another “terrorist” group like the TNA going to the UNO Officials requesting their intervention. Why not they too while they are out to stop progress and development in Sri Lanka, join with the TNA and the terrorist Ramp the proterrorist expatriate Tamils against the government of Sri Lanka ?
If the Professors who are following Devasiri have any sense of patriotism and love for the country and their profession, they should leave Devasiri to fight his own battle and return to Universities to help the students do their work and the parents live in peace without putting themselves into financial difficulty.