WHITHER SRI LANKA? CAN THE SRI LANKAN’S THINK?
Posted on May 18th, 2017
BY DR JANAKA GOONETILLEKE
Sri Lanka before colonialism exhibited a society that showed religious tolerance, communal harmony and acceptance of economic migrants. Was it not King Senerath who gave refuge to the Muslims in the east when they were discriminated by the Portuguese? Was it not the Sinhalese who gave refuge to the Catholics in wahakotte when the Dutch persecuted them? Thousands of economic refugees be it fisherman, Cinnamon peelers and toddy tappers were graciously accepted and even given areas in the Buddhist temples to worship Hindu gods. Ironically today the most pious Buddhists are from these communities. The only destabilising factor was the devastating Indian invasions and occupations that were overcome by marrying into Indian royalty. Even today the remnants of Hindu Kovils for the Queens is seen in the big temples of Kandy such as Lankathilake.
With such a great inheritance today the country is divided on communal, religious and class lines. And the country is in dire straits.
COLONIAL PERIOD
As a subjugated colony the colonial power deprived the majority of their rightful place in society. They were deprived of a English Education the medium of the public service, Took over land by a waste lands act of the Sinhala Buddhists and sold them to Sinhala Christians from families like the Bandaranaike, Obeyseakera etc. to use them as a tool against the poor Sinhala Buddhists masses. Economically pauperised they were also deprived of leadership as the men over 16 years of the Aristocracy were killed by the British after the Uva Wellessa uprising. The Sinhala land was divided into 9 provinces in such a manner that the Sinhala people, were ethnically marginalised by the establishment. This was following the Col Brook Commission around 1829. The original TRI SINHALE was destroyed.
Economicaly destroyed after the UVA Wellassa Rebellion deprived of their land and education and their religious order impoverished by the temple lands act the Sinhala Buddhists were the main group subjugated.
This pauperised group were suddenly given power after 1948 that led to what was a rebellion in 1956, which lacked foresight and vision that has led to the present predicament.
PRE INDEPENDENCE
With great nationalists such as D B Jayethileke. F R Senanayake, E W Perera started what was a very buddhistic social policies of Free Education and free health . even 2 measures of rice free for the poor. Unfortunately the very noble principles are gradually eroded as a part of the Legacy of the evil J R Jayawardena.
INDEPENDENCE IN 1948
With out bloodshed Sri Lanka obtained its independence from colonialism on the back of Indian Independence. The advice of the Colonial Governor Lord Soulbury to a macaulaite first prime minister was never to appoint a Sinhala Buddhists into positions of power if they wish to survive. Thus it took almost 15 years before a Sinhala Buddhist army commander was appointed longer for the other two forces the Navy and the Air Force. Thus the seeds of disharmony was created using men who had been brain washed by a Christian education system.
CONTINUATION OF THE COLONIAL PRINCIPLE OF DIVIDE AND RULE and MIGHT IS RIGHT
Although Sri Lanka achieved Independence in 1948 from the day of independence the colonial cancer of divide and rule persisted with the Christian Chelvanayagam demanding a federal state and G G Ponnambalam a Tamil demanding fifty fifty for 12% of the population. His hypocrisy was very obvious when he accepted a ministers post and with that died the unfair demand for 50-50. The Tamils who were the handmaidens of the colonial power felt that they will be deprived of a privileged position. The converted Sinhala Christians had the same complaint.
The Sinhalese Buddhists who were 70% 0f the Population deprived of an education, as the education system was open only to Christians. Even the Sinhala Buddhist elite had to become Christians to obtain an education. Thus the free education system was born. In 1956 the converted Christian S W R D Bandaranaike came into power by using the pent up forces of the Sinhala Buddhists of the discrimination of 200 years. He came into power using the Pancha Balavegaya of the farmers, workers,etc on a slogan of implementing Sinhalese as the State language in 24 hours. His hypocrisy was such he saw to it that his daughters went to a catholic school and learnt English an international language. Having misled the Sinhala population into believing wrongly that Sinhalese would be able to cater for the needs of the future generations. His philosophy gave impetus to the Christian Tamil Chelvanayagam to shout of discrimination and cause further disruption of the inter communal harmony. The Muslims at the time did not have any power be it economic or in numbers. They joined the Sinhala majority and gradually built up their educational and economic power in their build up to the present state. Bandaranaike was assassinated by a Buddhist monk in 1958.
Thus started the cancer of divide and rule and the colonial mentality of might is right of the political class which has now ended up with the gradual enlistment of the illiterate Thugs and Criminals.( Half of the MPs have no GCE Qualification).
Democratic form of government
Democracy that was hailed as the answer to all ills is an absolute failure. To begin with there is no democracy in the main parties. There is no proper mechanism to elect leaders. It was Anura Bandaranaike first, Namal Rajapakse the next all geared to Family Bandisma and nepotism. There is no proper mechanism of progression dependent on the quality of the Leader. Leaders of today lack character, Vision, and are unproved entity. Once in power they have done nothing to benefit the people except to pauperise the people with foreign and local debt. Generations have been sacrificed to debt and destruction. Essentially they have become leaders of a predatory government and a predatory society who has left the majority of people down trodden with no hope for the future. They are sent by these decrepit leaders to the Middle East as Slaves whose death rate is higher than in Sri Lanka. The daily abuse of these poor workers are a disgrace to the country and its leaders. On that alone they are disqualified as leaders.
THIRTEENTH AMANDMENT AND THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS
Thirteenth amendment at the instigation of geo political interests of India is a disgrace and an insult to the sovereignty of people of Sri Lanka. Signed much against the will of the Members of Parliament and the people held to ransom by resignation letters is a disgrace to the democratic process in this country. The promise of referendum was never held instead it legalised the Sinhala Buddhist ethnic marginalisation of the colonial power. The only protest against this hegemonic action of India was the attack on Rajiv Gandhi by a naval rating who is much admired. To this present day none of the four Presidents of Sri Lanka has made any attempt to redeem the insult to the people of this country and has legitimised J R Jayawardenas illegal and undemocratic action.
Instead of redeeming the insult to the people , the political parties have filled the provincial council with thugs and criminals who have used their privileged position to high jack and corrupt every activity of the provincial council. With it went the standards of health care, Education, Forestry and every social activity has been compromised. The provincial councils are added burden on the people of this country and is a white elephant and should be banned. This will be a thorn on INDO SRILANKAN relationship for decades.
THE LEGACY OF J R JAYAWARDENA
Up till 1977 sri lanka endeavoured to carry out a balanced economy with a degree of frugality living with in its means. It was 27th in the league of well being in the world in the world today according to international assessments 25% of the people are living in a dire state.
Background of J R Jayawardena
J R Jayawardena got a well deserved nick name as Yankee Dickie and has been the cause of all evil in this country. Born to a family according to Dr James Rutnam from a Tamil immigrant from colombothurai who made a fine art of the mechanism of yours obedient servant progressed from a servant at Governor Driebergs house to becoming a part of British Aristocracy in the process changing religion from a Hindu to a member of the Dutch reform church to an Anglican and later to becoming a Buddhist. Dr Rutnam comments that if ever this country was controlled by Muslims he would have been a muslim. Dr Rutnams final words were Men like this are dangerous and if ever this man became the leader of sri lanka” he said God Save Sri Lanka” Dr Rutnams prediction in around 1958 was spot on! JRJ made one mistake . He said he will achieve a Dharmishta society but what he meant was a Adharmishta society .
Yours obedient servant is now a policy of the government. Political appointees to public servant mostly unsuitable candidates who will follow the political advice right or wrong, car permits for public servants, Ministerial positions, cars for politicians to buy favours for the ruling class is the policy. The best example of the subservience to the politicians is best expressed by the videoed dialog between the Inspector General Of Police and a politician. The poor man only did not go on his knees. This is the power of subservience that the politicians have on public servants. An independent public service with fairness and efficiency have become robots for the dirty work of the Politicians. Democracy, the rule of law, Justice and fair play are now only words. No one can go against the Politicians. Recently the Chief Justice was unceremoniously ejected out of her position as she disagreed with the politicians. Even the opinion of the Mahanayake was ignored and races held in the precincts of the Maligawa with half naked women dancing. The politicians care too hoots for any body be it the Buddhist prelate or not.
The poor whose meagre earnings are gradually dwindled by commissions such as the Police commission etc. which do not serve a purpose except to show the world the perfect Democracy we have. This is another fraud by the ruling classes imposed on the country.
MECHANISMS OPEN FOR LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES
There is no way for the people to have their grievances addressed in most occasions with out the intervention of politicians. What ever the pros and cons of the grievances of the JVP and LTTE are there is no mechanism to deal with it. The Police are absolutely corrupt the judiciary is so slow that it can last a lifetime. The public service is resistant to any grievance. Their modus operandi is quite simple. No response to any request. Recently I had to get a report from the police commission even the Presidential secretariat was ignored. This is the state of arrogance and unaccountability of the public service. The ultimate result of the youth is violence as they are frustrated by the arrogance and the inefficiency of the whole of the public service. The result is many decades of war, social disruption and death of about 200000 Tamil and Sinhala youth, disruption of society and economic disruption. Added of course the outside influences that use the destabilisation to imprint their geo political interests. It is said that after a war there is an army of widows, army of disabled and an army of corrupt that has come to roost in Sri lank. The worst is the rise of corrupt criminals in the Political field after the LTTE war.
OPEN ECONOMY
Let the Robber Barons come JRJ said” to which his Permanent Secretary had commented Sir, you will make Barons of Robbers”
Barons have come robbed the nation left it with an environmental disaster, economic mess and indebted the country from 500 million in 1977 to 80 billion Dollars in 2017. The Poor people are sold to slavery in the Middle East, every educated person is running away from the country and the Public service is in dire strait as explained the country is virtually run by illiterate criminals. Sri Lankans are paying the price of ignoring the quality of its elected Leaders.
True to his nick name Yankie Dickie followed the advice of the IMF and World Bank to the letter. His pedigree of yours obedient servant and a white worshipper helped the IMF and WB to use him to achieve a open economy to enslave the people in this country.
OPEN ECONOMY
First thing he did was to devalue the currency so that he could sell the best commodity he had to slavery of the open economy. He devalued the currency from Rs 5.5 to Rs 16 to the dollar. 300% devaluation but the public servants were given a meagre rise in salaries. The IMF and the World Bank virtually ran the economy. Thus started the commission based economy, reduction is subsidy of the health care, education and vast development programs with no consideration to the environmental damage and a consumption based economy that was essentially solving the economic problems in other countries as the country was going down the precipice of debt. The middle classes were living it up drinking whisky and going for dances paying thousands of Rupees. Thus the government fritted away the wealth of the country whilst giving the people a false sense of well-being. The educated class gradually started moving away to greener pastures from the sinking ship allowing the country to be run by illiterate men with no vision as time went on others joined the Boat people to countries like Australia. The ruling illiterate class was quite happy as the public servants etc. followed the J R Jayawardena principle of yours obedient servant. These public servants who were attracted by the new kind of life style of educating their children abroad, foreign travel etc. Entrenched in the corrupt predatory commission based economy. Alas the country suffered. Men of class left its shores and left the poor to the present predicament.
Aim of IMF and World Bank
Encourage a world market based on the monopoly money created by the Dollar based banking system. Its aim is to establish a unitary system of economics so that smaller powerless nations are absorbed into this unitary system, there assets sold and sovereignty of the nation to be dissolved into debt and destruction of its environment. The trading agreements are to entrap nations into this system where by parliaments loose the power to change them for decades. Thus whilst encouraging a system of consumption economics that lacks interests to develop the local economy. Sri Lanka will loose its sovereignty and a chance to choose its path of development. Recently in Quebec the parliament could not change the environmentally damaging programme of a foreign company because of a trade agreement. One has to only look at the policy created by the sri Lankan government in the policy of regaining Sri Lanka. Although the policy has been pursued by governments since few decades at the instigation of the IMF and World Bank immaterial of the party in power vast areas of jungle land has been opened without due consideration of the environment and health sold to individuals and foreign companies. The infra structure development is to sell the citizens to slavery as all corporations will be going for cheap labour.
The other is a megacity project that destroys the rural economy that is the mainstay of any country. The megacity projects only look at the short-term benefits of increased employment and financing an economy based on a housing bubble and debt. The transport. Utility and health care issues are ignored. These projects are created to entrap these unaffordable projects into debt and on the longer-term slavery.
This neo colonial agenda is pursued by the IMF and The World Bank is observed by the yes obedient relicts of J R Jayawardena selling the birth right of the people to foreigners whilst pocketing the commissions. The commission based economy and this corruptive practice is another legacy of the yours obedient servant JRJ.
The final aim is to divide the world into a super power controlled economy and regional powers. India is the regional power who is part of the world wide project and hence needs to be evaluated with care. There interests in manintaining the communal divide is another form of control. Sri Lanka needs to Beware of the trogon horse.
Social Effect
Any economic model must be based on wealth creation and social stability. The majority of the country depends on agriculture and therefore the sector must be improved by helping in the development of the industry. Today the main stay of agriculture water the life giver has been converted to a vehicle of death and destruction by projects like mahaweli. Etc. A short term policy at the advice of the foreign consultants who have absolutely no idea of the environment and the thinking processes of the Sinhala people. In essence the rulers have no proper water resource policy, fertiliser policy and even any idea of the results of genetically modified plant introduction.
The growth of the non productive consumption economics have created a minority based enriched class that has grown at the expense of the majority. Money is broadly borrowed in the name of all the citizenry is given to a minority to make money out of a non-productive economy. The productive economy of agriculture is marginalised paid poor remunerations for their products. This has created communal disharmony and has led to violence in the recent past.
In this new economy the poor have got poorer rich have got richer and at the end of the day the market system will not be able to sustain itself as the markets will shrink with the poor not participating in the market. Today the market system is maintained by borrowing from a much-liquidised monetary system by printing and borrowing. The poor are much in debt and before long they will start to default, the banks will not be able sustain it self with out cooking the books. Ultimately the banking system will become another burden on the people as we have seen in the west in 2008. There trillions of dollars was put into the economy calling it quantitative easing, reduced interest rate to steal from the savers whereby we have realised with time the poor have got poorer and the rich richer. In USA 1% of the people own 70% of the wealth in that country that has created extremism that threatens the whole system. Sri Lankans tackle the problem by selling the country to the Indians and Chinese and of course the IMF that is ruling this countries economy. What right has the leaders got to sell the birth right of the people when they are only elected for five years. This is an effect of the yours obedient servant to the IMF who has a well-organised plan for neo colonial system.
It is only possible if the leaders are unaccountable. In SRI Lanka the President cannot be legally taken to court during his tenure. Another trick of JRJ the cunning fox at the expense of the people. He boasted that he only could not change a man to a woman and vice versa but he could do every thing else. No wonder none of the so called power hungry leaders don’t want to change the constitution. This unaccountability is at the expense of the people. What good has this policy brought to the people of this country in the last 40 years?
THE OPEN ECONOMY AND RELIGEOUS PRACTICE
The temple was the source of controlling the rulers by getting them to observe the Dasa Raja Dharmaya in the past. Today the temple is also gradually infiltrated and destroyed by a p[political class that has made the temple follow the principle of yours obedient servant. They have lost the purpose of serving society. They are at the behest of the Politicians who have bribed the hierarchy by donating cars etc thus emasculating the power of the temple. Ordinary priests have to work and conduct money making rituals such as Katina pinkamas to maintain the temples. The obligations to society takes a back seat.
The economic non viability made so by the British who took over there property and sustenance by the temple lands act. The Maligawa property was also to be taken over but Sir P Ramanathan took the matter up in the state council and prevented it. In fact it is said that the British taxed the gold casket of the temple of the tooth but one Obeyeseakera retrieved it by paying the tax.
It is sad that none of the Leaders who patronise the temple for political gain has ever thought of compensating the temples for the take over of the lands and sustenance and elevating the temple to safeguard the rights of the people.
THE RULE OF LAW
The rule of law is non existent. The police is absolutely corrupt and is the hand maiden of the politicians. The subservience was pretty apparent in the recent videoed dialog between the IGP and a politician. The IGP saying some one was not going to be arrested. How can one even think of the rule of law if the IGP behaves this way. If ever one goes to the police the inefficiency and practising rules of made up by the officer in charge. The countries rules are not practices in most cases . The corrupt practices of the police are such that people have no choice but to take the law into their hands and is one of the causes of violence in this country. Any complaint to the IGP is either not responded or response is with partial analysis and no legal basis. A recent letter of complaint by me against a senior superintendent of Police of fraud had been sent to a junior officer for investigation with no documents that was attached. The assistant who could not understand anything asked me what it all meant. This is the state of the police and a letter demanding an explanation from the IGP is not addressed.
The judiciary is slow , inefficient that it has made a mockery of the Law and Order in this country
The Bar is unaccountable by a practice of proxies. Advice from the bar in most occasions is geared to not solving but prolonging the case. The bar is so corrupt that with the Police is the cause of long standing cases. The judiciary ,the bar and the police lacks the discipline for the protection of the citizenry. An area the corrupt rulers are quite happy as they control the police and gets away with blue murder.
SECURITY
Security of Sri Lanka cannot be separated from the sub continent. The security cannot be on the basis of yours obedient servant to India. It is for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
OPEN ECONOMY AND DISTRUCTION OF THE ENVIORNMENT AND RURAL ECONOMY
Control the oil, and you control nations. Control the food, and you control the people.” – Henry Kissinger
The citizenry is exposed to new diseases by deforestation , pollution of air by megacity projects and pollution of water with toxic products imported based on commissions . For instance Dengue is a result of change in biodiversity and deforestation. It has not come from air. Short sighted policies based on unplanned economy that has been based on commission based development by the political class. The cancer rate in sri lanka has doubled in 7 years , People are suffering from kidney disease as a result of the uneducated ruling class. This is a vast subject that cannot be addressed in this comment.
The investment based on megacity projects have deprived the Rural Economy of investment. The western province alone gets 50% of the GDP that deprives the rest of the country . The consequences and its social impact is never addressed. The agriculture based rural economy will be devastated that soon we will need to import more food fro abroad. There goes the second saying of Kissinger control food and you can control the people.
The energy policy dictated to by the present rulers is to sell that to India and with it goes one of the first saying of Kissinger . Control nations control energy (oil, electricity)
Thus the world economy will control both the energy and food thus the dependence and the loss of the independence.
Economic independence cannot be achieved with out a viable rural economy.
Subsidy on education ,healthcare etc were reduced at the instigation of the IMF but does it make any sense if you spend billions of Rupees on education abroad. Many of them do not even return home. Reduced subsidy has had a detrimental effect on the education standards in sri Lanka. Are the rulers thoughtless?
CONCLUSION
Sri Lanka is still a colony with the people much worse off than under colonialism. At least then we were not in debt.
Economy – controlled by the world economy and IMF and World Bank
RULERS- poor quality, Unaccountable, Atleast during colonialism they were accountable to the British Parliment
Sovereignty- is been sold daily
People of any quality are migrating
Environment- is permanently damaged
Health- of the citizens compromised
We sri Lankans must prey that the educated citizens of this country come forward to save this country. we cannot tread on the present path for too long without exposing our self to self-destruction. Let us strive to achieve the communal and religious harmony we had before colonialism. Let me end this by this famous prayar
Devo vassathu kalena
Sassa sampatthi hetu ca
Phitho bhavatu loko ca
Raja bhavatu dhammiko
which in a free rendering into English would read thus
May the clouds bring timely rain
And the fields be plentiful with grain
May all beings be happy
May the rulers rule justly.
May 18th, 2017 at 4:40 pm
The BIGGEST THREAT to SL comes from LUNATICS (Einstein’s definition – someone who does the same thing but expects a different outcome). They think this same ROTTEN SYSTEM that landed SL in this mess can SAVE it!!
I cannot fathom their stupidity.
The BRITISH IMPOSED demo-crazy ruined SL. In SL’s GLORIOUS PAST, it was ruled by the MILITARY & SANGHA. We have to bring back MILITARY-SANGHA rule temporarily to FIX the bad structure then hand power back to the PEOPLE via a better set of politicians. The MILITARY-SANGHA will lay down a CONSTITUTION based on RULE OF LAW, a small govt., NO 13 amendment, NO 100+ Pratheseeya Sabha, etc.
A LEAN govt. based on TRIED & TESTED Buddhist governance principles (NOT BRITISH).
CORRUPTION, TREASON, CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN, NARCOTICS, TERRORISM and NEPOTISM will be made grave offences with ancient punishments (spear sitting, tree splitting, etc.) reintroduced for them.
An INDEPENDENT SUPREME SANGHA COUNCIL will be in place to advise the govt. on all important matters. Acting like the senate it will endorse laws. 70% of it will be Buddhist, 10% Islamic, 13% Hindu and 7% Christian.
An INDEPENDENT NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL made up of retired service personnel with educational qualifications will be set up to advise on all defence matters. NO LAW or AGREEMENT will pass without it endorsing it.
We call on ALL SLs to SHED this ROTTEN POLITICAL SYSTEM and the ROT in that and rally around PROVEN HEROES of the MILITARY and the SANGHA to save SL. You OWE it to the next generations and to SL.
The BIGGEST time bomb left by the Brits is this rotten system.
May 18th, 2017 at 6:08 pm
A group of Sri Lankan businessmen loyal to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has got in touch with Ivanka Trump, the daughter of the US president, and is now planning to bring the ex-defence secretary to political power. They are planning to launch major businesses in the country too. One objective is to promote as US-friendly the development, politics and investment fields which all are presently under the power of China.
During the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, due to its being too much of pro-China, the US failed to expand its power in Sri Lanka. Now, the US wants to see someone loyal to it in power in the country. Also, it is not getting the support of the present regime either to implement US political intentions here, reports say.
Ivanka runs several garments and modeling businesses in the US. Many US social activists had called for a boycotting of her products.
Meanwhile, Gotabhaya has decided to go to courts to get his dual citizenship removed. Normally, it takes around two to three years for courts to deliver its judgment in such a case. Getting in touch with Ivanka means he wants to see that happens speedily.
However, Gotabhaya has told a popular website that he has no intention of removing his US citizenship, as his son and many relatives were residents there. Attempts to reach Gotabhaya for a comment failed.
-Sathhanda-
May 18th, 2017 at 9:33 pm
Please read the original article with GRAPHICAL DATA removed in the post below.
……………….
Battling The Labour Shortage In Sri Lanka
DailyMirror.lk
May 15, 2017
Foreign labour finds prosperity in Sri Lanka
The labour force, synonymously known as the ‘Economically Active Population’ in the country has immensely contributed to the country’s economy. Although figures for the unemployment rate have remained at a bare minimum, the issue of recruiting foreign workers in major industrial sectors in the country has raised concerns. According to sources, close to 200,000 foreign workers have been employed in different sectors and this number keeps on increasing. Life Online takes a look at how labour force statistics have changed over the years, while also speaking to a few experts in varied fields of interest.
Statistics
Employment
According to the Labour Force Survey conducted in 2015 by the Department of Census and Statistics, the working age population considered as those aged 15 years and above. Before 2013 this was considered as age 10 years and above. The annual sampling size was 25,000 housing units since 2011. In 2015, 2500 Primary Sampling Units were allocated to each district and to the Urban, Rural and Estate sector. The survey results reveal that about 7.8 million people have been employed during the year 2015. Out of these employed persons 65.1% are males and 34.9% have been females. Out of the total employed population the highest share is reported under the services sector at 45.6% and the lowest is from the Industries sector at 25.8%. When looking at the distribution of employed population by major industry groups for each district, it has been found that the Gampaha District shows the highest share of employment in the industries sector at 38.8% and Kegalle District as the second highest at 33.2%.
Another interesting find in this study was that there is an increasing trend in the share of employed persons with G.C.E O/L, G.C.E A/L, HNCE and other education levels as opposed to the group for grade five and below levels. As such the survey results indicate an increasing trend in level of education among the employed population of the country.
Unemployment
The survey identifies that unemployment is a key measure of economic health. Therefore it is a major factor in determining how healthy an economy is. An individual who is unemployed is both unproductive and is a drain on the society’s resources. In Sri Lanka the number of unemployed persons is estimated at about 380,000 during 2015. Out of this total, 41.1% are males and 58.8% are females. Quite interestingly the unemployment rate among the higher educated group (G.C.E A/L and above) is reported to be 9.2%. This is 4.7% for males and 13.5% for females. Therefore this reveals that the problem of unemployment is more acute in the case of educated females than males.
When looking at all age groups, female unemployment is higher. The majority among unemployed are the new entrants to the job market or new job seekers who are between 15-24 years. Hence, this is known as youth unemployment. It has been identified as a global trend since young people tend to wait till they get a suitable job.
Underemployment
According to the International Conference on Labour Statistics (ICLS) resolution (1966), underemployment exists when a person’s employment is inadequate, in relation to specified norms or alternative employment while taking his or her occupational skills in to account. Underemployment could be characterised by Visible Underemployment which reflects in an insufficiency in the volume of employment or Invisible Underemployment which is characterised by low income, underutilisation of skill, low productivity and other factors.
In Sri Lanka, the underemployment rates by economic sector reveal a significant difference. As such, the agriculture sector reveals the highest rate at 4.6% and the service sector reports the lowest at 1.6%. However it has also been found that underemployment decrease as the level of education increase. But the data shows that the underemployment rate for females is higher than that for males in every level of education. The highest underemployment rate was identified from the North Central Province.
Sri Lankans are reluctant to work in certain fields: Patali Champika Ranawaka
Speaking to Life Online, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that Sri Lanka has experienced a shortage of labour in the construction, agriculture and plantation sectors.
“Most of these foreign workers have on tourist visa and according to sources around 200,000 of them are currently working as labour. They are from South African, Pakistani, Indian, Maldivian and Bangladeshi origins. They come here mainly because of the low costs and they are categorized as cheap labour. Many security firms have recruited them and they are found everywhere in the country. On the other hand Sri Lankans are reluctant to work and most educated people are unemployed. If we increase the number of workers in the construction sector it will be quite beneficial to our economy.”
Need a proper methodology to recruit foreign workers: John Seneviratne
In his comments to Life Online, Minister of Labour and Labour Relations, John Seneviratne said that there should be some methodology brought forward when recruiting foreign workers.
“We are definitely experiencing a shortage of labour and there are ample opportunities available for these workers. This shortage of workers is a major drawback to the economy and therefore we need to keep filling this void in one way or the other. An individual labourer such as a mason or carpenter receives a minimum salary of Rs. 1500 per day. This number varies depending on the type of work they are doing. There are various ways in which the youth can get themselves occupied but they are not keen. In most instances the educated people don’t like to work in these sectors. They are willing to take up posts in higher positions. So there is a void created in the lower levels. There are workers who come from outstation and if they could be recruited in these sectors they can earn a good amount to feed their families.”
The Sri Lankan human resources sector has been completely neglected: Prof. Siri Hettige
According to senior professor of sociology, Professor Siri Hettige, many Sri Lankans go abroad to train themselves for various careers.
“In those countries they have to be quite competent. They can’t be lethargic like how they are. I think it’s important that we moderate a thorough investigation on why our people are lethargic. It is still an opinion that Sri Lankans are lethargic and therefore it would be good to conduct a study on different sectors and see why people are reluctant to work in those areas. We lack evidence-based facts. Instead we go behind people’s opinions and this shouldn’t be encouraged. Our unemployment rate is now less than 5% and it is relatively higher among women and educated people. We have totally neglected the human resources sector in our country. We talk about bringing in more investors and creating foreign employment and this is absolute lunacy. We do not realise what we are doing to our country at the end of the day. Human resource management is at its lowest level and that is the bigger picture we have failed to look at.”
May 18th, 2017 at 11:32 pm
The reduced subsidy on education has created a lot of graduates who do not have the competence of a GCE olevel studentof the past. With the creation of degrees the expectations have also grown. These people cannot serve the country in any position as the qualification indicates. Thanks to JR and IMF. We are all been taken for a ride by the A– Lickers club.
May 19th, 2017 at 6:40 am
The heading of the articles should’ve been Can the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka think? The answer to this is, Not at all.
You are 100% right saying traitor alugosuwa (to Sinhalese only) thambi mudiyanselage jr@ was the root cause
of all evil in Sri Lanka. Simply put jr@ destroyed Sri Lanka, Sinhalese race and Buddhism for good.
Thanks to adarmista alugosuwa (to Sinhalese only) Why? He couldn’t kill the real terrorists but was brutal in killing
Sinhalese Buddhist janaahita vermins party aka jvpers. Dragged it on for 6 years, traitor jr@, alugosu lk porisada
and traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil
wickramaSinhalakiller managed to get rid of 60,000+ Sinhalese Buddhists. Then dragged the catholic tigers of
tamil drealam war for 30 years saying the terras were invincible. MR came so called invincible terrorists were
running for their lives. But catholic run UNPatriotic party managed to get rid of 100,000+ Sinhalese. Not bad a
Sinhalese cull. From the two Sinhalese cull projects traitors managed to get rid of 160,000+ Sinhalese. Mainly
Buddhists. Sizable proportion of the Sinhala population. One big lie, Sinhala modayas forget everything and
vote for the catholic run UNPatriotic party. Can Sinhala modayas think? Of course not!
Thanks to traitor alugosuwa (to Sinhalese only) jr@, 350 mile-long island has president, pm (pathala man currently?),
ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, pradeshiya sabha ministers etc. etc. More deshapaluwan than
ordinary people. Remember the size of the country 350 miles! It’s not 3,500 miles. Also remember this is Sri
Lanka. Sinhala modayas paradise! (Not for very long, at the way foreigners, specially mussies multiplying rate.
Not a single Sinhala deshapaluwa opens his mouth against it. Meanwhile mussie happily multiply and multiply.
Of course within a few years all become votes. Bingo mussies mayors, mussie mps, mussie ministers, mussie dep. ministers, etc. etc. Sinhala modayas can’t believe their luck. Soon they will have to jump into the sea. That’s how
mussies turned old Buddhist countries iran, afganisthan, pakesthan, maldives, bangladesh, malayasia and
indonesia to mussie countries within a few hundred years of their arrival. Dirty trick is multiply, multiply and
outnumber. Google those countries Buddhist heritage to see for yourself.
Traitor alugosuwa (to Sinhalese only) jr@ gave 650,000 estate tamils who were ready to leave for tn under
Sirima-Shastri pact. But catholic run party won the election and gave citizenships to all 650,000 to get their votes.
Now they are waiting in the wings to join the drealam project.
Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil
wickramaSinhalakiller gave half the country to his catholic buddy hitler mala paharan (barrel man) on a plate
with CFA 2005 to start a catholic country in Sri Lanka. He even sent millennium city intelligent officers to the
catholic tigers of tamil drealam bullet to expedite the cause. Staunchly catholic countries norway, us, uk, germany,
brasil, argentina, france etc. etc. all were die hard supporters of the catholic tigers of tamil drealam. Even
archbishop two three of south africa, convent educated sister jlalitha were die hard supporters. Don’t know why?
Peace broker was surprise surprise staunchly catholic norway. Chickens are safer with fox than Sri Lanka in their hands people with brains noticed. Can Sinhala modayas think? Of course not!
Alugosu (to Sinhalese only) lk porisada gave weapons to catholic tigers of tamil drealam who soon turned these
weapons against our own soldiers. lk r@ even sent 600 policemen in the east to catholic tigers of tamil drealam.
Sinhala modayas can’t remember any of this. Unfortunately for Sinhalse and fortunate for tamils and mussies
Sinhla modayas have very short memories.
Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil
wickramaSinhalakiller stopped teaching history in schools when the xxx was education minister. Now the new
generation of Sinhalese students don’t know anything about their proud history. Traitor chief die hard catholic token Buddhist Bay Gal Karaya Mega Thief Batalande Wadakaya pol pot r@nil wickramaSinhalakiller was born to the
number one christian family in Sri Lanka. Surprise surprise he is a Buddhist! A token Buddhist die hard catholic.
Can Sinhala modayas think? Of course not!
Traitor alugosuwa (to Sinhalese only) jr@ introduced pathalyin to silence opposition. It has been the MO of catholic run UNPatriotic party ever since to silence any opposition. Jr@’s biggest treachery was 13. Foundations to break
up Sri Lanka. Did the kalakanni alugusowa was bothered about it at all. His only aim was hanging on to his job.
Only thing he had to do was run to China or Russia, our long time true friends. But jr@ didn’t care. He put the
straight jacket to Mother Lanka. Still some Sinhala modayas think jr@ was a great leader. Even the morons
started a centre in his name. Can Sinhala modayas think? Of course not!
Remember Sri Maha Bodhi attack, Sri Dalada Maligawa attack, Aranthalawa Bikku massacre? Catholic run
UNPatriotic party still no action. Please click on the following links to see the connection.
May 19th, 2017 at 6:44 am
You won’t see these articles in so called Buddhist (on paper) Sri Lanka. Catholic run UNPatriotic party has always
been dividing Sinhalese and make minorities king makers. Not just that they everything to please the minorities
since they get their votes 100%.
http://ltte-christian-ties.blogspot.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV6_o9txURc
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/08/05/christianizing-of-sri-lanka-unps-betrayal-of-buddhism/
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/05/27/ranil-wickremasinghes-new-unp-3/
http://www.lankagrid.com/soma-thero/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_eJ1gX_fuU
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/09/26/ltte-terrorism-church-links-can-someone-explain-these-photos/
May 19th, 2017 at 7:10 am
200,000 illegal foreign workers in Lanka is asking for future trouble.
CHEAP LABOR will bring down Lanka, as done in Colonial times > Independent Lanka.
STOP it now !
ALL illegal migrants ought to be identified and deported. That is within the LAW of LANKA. Even America is deporting their illegal migrants. Problems faced by illegal migrants must be sorted out in their countries of origin with UNHRC help.
Lankans must be as Self Sufficient as is possible. There is no other way !
All ideas for Self Sufficieny welcome.
May 19th, 2017 at 9:33 am
We have to bring back MILITARY-SANGHA rule – With in 24 hours We all will be Great Indian !!!
May 19th, 2017 at 1:51 pm
And so it CONTINUES to ACCELERATE: the INFLUX of Indians into Sri Lanka under EVERY POSSIBLE PRETEXT!
SOON to become a FLOOD under the ETCA!
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Radhakrishnan insists on filling teacher vacancies in estate schools with Indians
Island.lk
May 18, 2017, 11:19 pm
The government would not change its decision to bring in Indian teachers to be appointed to Tamil schools in the estate sector, Education State Minister V Radhakrishnan vowed yesterday (18).
The State Ministry of Education has, in a media statement, quoted Minister Radhakrishnan as saying that the government has decided to bring in 100 teachers from India to overcome the prevailing shortage of science and maths teachers in estate schools.
The Ministry has said that the Minister said so while addressing a ceremony at the auditorium of the Education Ministry at Isurupaya in Battaramulla.
“The media statement quotes the minister as having said: “We took that decision after considering the fact that we could not fill the existing vacancies overnight with qualified persons from this country. We are recruiting from here, too, but we have to train them and it would take time. Children in the estate schools who have been marginalised for so long should not be made to wait for that while we have the option of obtaining services from teachers from the neighbouring country. We simply cannot order those students to read for arts subjects just because we do not have the required science and maths teachers here. If there are qualified people, we invite them and are ready to recruit them as teachers.
“There are some people opposing this project as they are not aware of the situation prevailing in the estate sector schools. Because of their short-sightedness this project has become a controversial issue.
“We have tried to obtain the services of retired teachers but that project was not successful. The Prime Minister, too, has paid his attention to this issue. He ordered me to fill the vacancies by bringing teachers from other countries if not from India I was told to bring teachers from even China. If the teachers in the service are failing to render a proper service we would bring teachers from abroad and somehow ensure the children would get a proper education.”
May 19th, 2017 at 2:09 pm
But, this does not mean you can GET INTO MED SCHOOL in Sri Lanka with (2C + 1S) at the GCE A/L.
ADMISSION is MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE than that!
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Two Credits, one Pass enough for SLMC registration
DailyNews.lk
Friday, May 19, 2017 – 01:00
Nadira Gunatilleke
The minimum basic educational qualification required to register with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) as a MBBS doctor in Sri Lanka is to have passed the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination with two Credit (C) passes and one Simple (S) pass in the Science Stream or have equal qualifications.
SLMC Vice President Prof. Nilanthi De Silva said that even though a medical degree holder possesses all the required standards of education, clinical training etc he/she must have basic minimum educational qualifications mentioned above to receive SLMC registration.
Addressing a press conference held at the SLMC Headquarters in Colombo yesterday, SLMC President Prof. Carlo Fonseka said that in the United States, the third commonest reason for death is medical error and in 2013, a total of 240,000 US citizens died due to medical errors. Even in 1875, Sri Lankan doctors were allowed to practice anywhere in the United Kingdom and this high standard has been followed by Sri Lankan doctors since then.
“The SLMC was established by Medical Council Ordinance Number 24 of 1924 (an Act passed in the Sri Lanka Parliament) and the main task of the Council is protecting patients’ rights, especially their right to life. Therefore, standards in medical education is a must to protect patients’lives,” SLMC sources said.
May 19th, 2017 at 2:21 pm
India is getting ready to EXPLOIT Sri Lanka’s ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES in Renewables!
They say: Sri Lanka is a land populated with CONGENITAL IDIOTS, lets take it OVER!
Why is that NOT RESERVED for Sri Lankan companies? Renewables present the PERFECT middle level of TECHNOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY that even small Sri Lankan companies can handle. Instead of giving these opportunities to FOREIGNERS give/arrange SOFT LOW COST LOANS, arrange for TECHNICAL TRAINING and EMPOWER our OWN Companies!
When we give EVERY OPPORTUNITY away to FOREIGN POWERS what will Sri Lankan’s have left for themselves? WHO but WE should help our OWN?
What are OUR PEOPLE GOING TO DO? Cook AAPPA in fast-food joints for the aapayas as FOREIGNERS take our our Motherland?
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Sri Lanka’s energy push an opportunity for India
May 19 (Hindu) Sri Lanka is making a big push into the energy sector, with focus on renewable energy, and that is an opportunity for India. This was the message that came across clearly to a team of Indian journalists that visited Sri Lanka this week.
Of the 4,000-odd MW of installed capacity, wind and solar is today only 550 MW, but the share of renewable energy in the mix is set to rise.
A 100 MW wind project in Mannar in the North West (where the potential is estimated to be 5,000 MW), a programme to spawn distributed installation of 60 solar plants of 1 MW capacity each across the country, another clutch of 100 MW of solar plants including one floating plant on a reservoir and a million roof top solar plants aggregating to 1 GW are in various stages of roll-out, said Dr B M S Batagoda, Secretary, Ministry of Power & Renewable Energy.
The wind project in Mannar will be owned by the state-owned utility, Ceylon Electricity Board, but a global tender will be out shortly for building the plant. The 100 MW is part of a 375 MW, ADB-funded programme, which includes a renewable energy dispatch centre for forecast and manage the generation.
There is already considerable Indian presence in Sri Lankan renewable energy sector. Operating in Sri Lanka through its Indian subsidiary, the Spanish wind turbine manufacturer has set up 76 MW of wind power capacity for customers in the island. Also, Gamesa has just completed construction of a 20 MW solar plant near Hambantota—the country’s first utility-scale solar power plant. Wind turbine manufacturers Suzlon and ReGen Powertech have also sold their machines there.
The island is suitable for both wind and solar, said a spokesman of Gamesa. At the windfarms in Kalpatiya and Puttalam on the western coast, wind speeds are of the order of a very fecund 8 metres a second; likewise the good insolation at Hambantota on the southern rim is estimated to yield at least 2.2 million kWhr of electricity a MW of solar capacity.
LNG thrust
Alongside wind and solar, Sri Lanka is pushing for power projects with LNG as feedstock. 900 MW of capacity is being tendered out in phases, apart from two plants of 500 MW each, one of which India’s NTPC is likely to build. NTPC had earlier wanted to build a 500 MW coal based plant at Sampur, but the project was scrapped last year on environmental grounds after ten years of negotiations. The other 500 MW will be put up by a Japanese company.
A hitch that needs to be ironed out is about who would put up the LNG terminal with re-gasification facilities. Both India and Japan want to do it-so, the project might turn out to be a two-way, or even a three-way joint venture, with Sri Lanka also involved, Batagoda said.
Transmission line
Crucial to India’s involvement in Sri Lankan energy projects is the construction of a transmission line – an undersea power cable – between the two countries, for which talks have been going on for some years now.
An earlier route has been redone to make it shorter by 50 km, said Batagoda, and India’s Power Grid Corporation could be involved in the construction of it.
A transmission line could make two-way flow of energy possible. Energy costs in Sri Lanka is quite high – average tariff hovers over 15 Sri Lankan rupees (or Rs 6.45), with the tariffs going as high as 45 LKR. Of the 5.5 million customers, 2.8 million consume less than 90 kWhr a month and fall into the lower slab of rates, says Sulakshana Jayawardenna, Director (Development), Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy. Ceylon Electricity Board pays around LKR 22 for wind and solar power, (though, a recent wind capacity auction hammered down the tariff to LKR 12.29 a kWhr.)
As such, there is potential for Sri Lanka to buy cheaper power from India, for which talks are on. Conversely, India could benefit if the wind-rich Mannar region could be developed to its full potential, Batagoda said.
May 19th, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Sri Lanka appears to be on some sort of collision course on LAND & LANGUAGE issues, with negative CONSTITUTIONAL dilemmas added on ?
Why is Yahap allowing some 200,000 foreign workers to be brought in, further exacerbating problems in Lanka ?
Would any country, as small as Lanka, allow such leeway re labor from outside, just 7 yrs after a lethal terrorist war with the LTTE, the aftermath yet not resolved ?
Rice was EXPORTED during the last govt. Now Rice is imported into Lanka.
What kind of progress is this for the People of Lanka ?
May 19th, 2017 at 5:49 pm
India cannot EDUCATE all of its own citizens.
In what way is India qualified to EDUCATE Sri Lankan citizens?
This is ANOTHER PRETEXT to settle MORE Indians in Sri Lanka, change Sri Lanka’s demographics and convert Sri Lanka into an EXTENSION of Tamil Nadu.
Why are our Leaders SO BLIND that they can’t see that thsee moves are the thin-end of an ever-expanding wedge into Sri Lanka, to divide and pit it’s people against each other, dispossess us of our ancestral Motherland and subject us to the India’s YOKE?
This is why we need to OUST this PARA-GATHI Yamapalanaya as soon as we can and RESTORE a PATRIOTIC govt committed to defending, protect ting and fostering our Resplendent Motherland!
This Yamapalanaya composed OF the minorities, led BY the minorities and working FOR the minorities IS SIMPLY NOT MOTIVATED to do it!
May 21st, 2017 at 7:26 pm
Lorenzo does have a point that it is the system. That said it doesn’t help matters when it was time to re elect Mahinda Rajapaksha to power. Lorenzo in particular were supporting an idiot called Maithripala Sirisena. Lorenzo having made his disastrous decision now blaming everything but himself for making the wrong voting decision!
Things would have been better if MR was re-elected. Pointless blaming India, JR, UK, US etc.
When people making wrong voting decisions at election time. Sri lanka was going in the right direction in my opinion from 2009-2015. Then a new ships captain was installed inexplicably and the Ship took a right turn and struck an iceberg. Sri Lanka will pull through. It it can pull though 1983-2009 and still have a fully functioning country at the end of it I think it can pull though anything. By the way JR did some good things for Sri lanka. He opened Sri Lanka up for business in the late 1970s and 1980s. He had a very good competent well educated cabinet. That on the whole did a good job. He had a prime minister in Premadasa who genuinely wanted to help the poor. He initiated many development projects like the Mahaweli Project etc. You could say a Sri Lanka’s version of the American Hoover Dam project. If you were a young Sri Lankan in the late 1970s and 1980s JR and the UNP would have been the party of choice. They have since gone downhill. Generally speaking if the war didn’t intervene. Sri lanka would have done very well in the 1980s and 1990s and beyond. He was even close to winning the war in 1987. That said I agree with the general premise of the article that JR did more harm than good in the long run for Sri Lanka.
What Sri Lanka needs is Mahinda Rajapaksha and his brothers back as imperfect as MR’s govt was. I wouldn’t mind the UNP coming back into power if they can continue many of the good things they did back in the 1980s under JR. Jayawardena.
Personally I can’t stand Maithripala Sirisena he and his govt just comes off as idiotic.
May 21st, 2017 at 11:11 pm
OPEN SESAME by ALI BABA Sirisena and his band of 40 THIEVES!
Much Ado about Nothing: Same SET of UNPATRIOTIC CROOKS have been reassigned to different Portfolios, irrespective of experience in the subject portfolio area!
As I had previously predicted, this is a GAME of Musical Chairs on a Party Basis: No change in the PORTFOLIOS or the NUMBER of Ministers assigned to each of the two SLFP and UNP Parties! The PARTIES OWN the PORTFOLIOS!
The ill-fated ship Sri Lanka will CONTINUE to FOUNDER on the reefs of PRESIDENTIAL BUNGLING!
Only WAY OUT is to OUST the ENTIRE Yamapalana KALLIYA and SEND them HOME!
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Sri Lanka President changes 9 ministerial portfolios in cabinet reshuffle
Mon, May 22, 2017, 11:00 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has re-shuffled the cabinet today changing 9 ministerial portfolios and appointing a state minister to one of his ministries.
“Nine Cabinet Ministers and a State Minister took oaths in their new portfolios a while ago,” President announced in a Twitter post.
Most notable change in the reshuffle was the switch of ministerial portfolios of Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Ravi Karunanayake. In addition to the Finance portfolio, Minister Samaraweera was also given the Media Ministry.
The new portfolios are:
Mangala Samaraweera – Minister of Finance & Mass Media
S.B. Dissanayake – Minister of Social Empowerment, Welfare & Kandyan Heritage
W.D.J. Seneviratne – Minister of Labour, Trade Union Relations & Sabaragamuwa Development
Ravi Karunanayake – Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mahinda Samarasinghe – Minister of Ports & Shipping
Gayantha Karunatilake – Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms
Arjuna Ranatunga – Minister of Petroleum Resources Development
Chandima Weerakkody – Minister of Skills Development & Vocational Training
Thilak Janaka Marapana – Minister of Development Assignments
Mahinda Amaraweera – State Minister of Mahaweli Development in addition to Minister of Fisheries
President Sirisena yesterday called a special meeting requesting all ministers to arrive at the Presidential Secretariat Monday morning at 8:30.
Prior to today’s meeting the President and the Prime Minister held a discussion on Sunday regarding the cabinet reshuffle.
According to party sources, the United National Party Ministers have agreed to the reshuffle provided that the party would retain the same portfolios and the same number of ministerial positions.
Thilak Marapana, who earlier resigned from his Ministerial portfolio of Law and Order over the Avant Garde controversy has been given the portfolio of Development Assignments.
May 21st, 2017 at 11:56 pm
Mangala must be happy. New finance minister and media. The MOST POWERFUL minister!! Arjuna is PETROLEUM minister.
On the surface it looks like NO CHANGE. But LOOK deeper.
Although Mangala, Arjuna and Rajitha contested from the UNP they are more SLFP. John Seneviratne Pavithra’s father-in-law is now OUT of PATROLEUM and into labor.
Sira has SHIFTED POWER from the UNP to the SLFP. Good move Sira.
Congratulations Mahinda Amaraweera! Not the BEST but hang in there. You will be looked after well in future for being CLEAN and LOYAL to the party.
Sirisena’s intentions are clear. He is REVIVING the SLFP. Largest PEOPLE MOBILIZATION ministries are with the SLFP.
“Devo vassathu kalena
Sassa sampatthi hetu ca
Phitho bhavatu loko ca
Raja bhavatu dhammiko”
May 22nd, 2017 at 1:49 am
Cabinet Sanshodanaya Janathwa Mula Kireemak: Atuwa Kadala Putuwa Haduwa!