By Emil van der Poorten –
Emil van der Poorten
Your Ref RDD/KG/E/4/Gen
Registered Post
The Hon. Lakshman Kiriella
Minister of Plantation Industries
55/75 Vauxhall Lane
Colombo 2
Dear sir:
Payment of subsidy to rubber producers in the Galagedera area on May 16th, 2015
Subsequent to receipt of the invitation, signed by Mr. R. K. Saman Anura of the Rubber Development Department, District Secretariat, Kegalle to attend a meeting at the Galagedera District Secretariat, I arrived there, as requested, before 10 a.m. today, carrying the invitation as proof of the fact that I was entitled to be there and to receive a cheque in settlement of the subsidy for which rubber producers of the area qualified. In case there is any doubt about the bona fides of this claim, I am attaching a photocopy of that invitation.
The tone for the day’s proceedings appeared to be set by your arrival two hours late, after 12 noon.
After your arrival, those who controlled the microphone indulged in endless speeches in support of the United National Party and yourself, at least one of which informed those present that you had turned down the Foreign Affairs portfolio because of your devotion to rubber growers of our district!
The very lukewarm responses to the speeches should have provided you with an appropriate indication of the attendees’ enthusiasm for the tone and content of the proceedings.
After your address to the faithful, received with pretty thin applause as you might recall, you made your exit together with the rest of your entourage, inclusive of video cameramen. The reason for the timing of this event was soon apparent: there were dozens of rubber producers with letters of invitation to an event at which they were to be presented cheques in payment of a grant for which they had qualified, but no cheques for them!
I was subsequently informed that this had been the case in Hataraliyadda, another small community in the Central Province, where you had presided over a similar function preceding the one at Galagedera.
I would like to know why this payment was not made and if and when I and several other attendees, every one of whom marked their attendance on a register that was on the desk at the front of the room and subsequently circulated among those seated in the room in case anyone might have been missed at the door, might expect to receive this statutory entitlement?
Would you also please inform me why, if the cheques were not available and your minions had a list of all attendees, we were not informed in advance that we would not be receiving payment to which we were entitled, rather than have us spend three hours to no purpose?
An appropriate post-script to this little narrative might be the fact that a 90+ year-old rubber grower, an old friend of mine, who had climbed up the six flights of steps to the top floor of the local Secretariat, arriving even before I did, left empty-handed.
An early response would be most appreciated.
Yours truly
E. H. van der Poorten
cc: Mr. R. K. Saman Anura
Rubber Development Department
District Secretariat
Kegalle
*Tumpane – A region of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka celebrated in myth and legend as “backward”
K.A Sumanasekera / May 26, 2015
Mr Poorten.
Are you crazy..To get bitten by the leaches at your age ?.
Surely the Pension from Montreal should put 3 meals on the table plus a good Old Coconut Arrak made by DSL.
Why didn’t you settle for a little Tea Estate in Udu Pussellawa with a old English Bungalow.
That is what I like to do..And live like a Colonial Master with a Butler and a maid to do the work.
Anyway getting down to the nitty gritty of Yahapalanays, of course the what’s his name has to get the most mileage out of the handouts.
But the sad part is he is trying to preach to the converted … Right Mr Poorten.
I mean Dalits only Tap the damn tree.. I hope you pay them something above the award,,,
BTW what do you reckon . Can your mate Mr Clean score with the monkey Mahendran sitting on the shoulder…
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Pena Kiyanna / May 26, 2015
These kind of complaints show the pathetic plight our country has been dragged in to by the Behepalanaya clique of maaru Sira, Rnil (Don Juan) Dharmapala and proven thieves like Ravi K and the subject of Pooton’s complain Kariwalla.
The clique has been palmng out government posts to unsuitable henchmen (e, Sirisena’s brother, Upul Jayasuriya, Sarath Ilangantilleke, to name a few) as if they have been “elected” to govern.
Other rent seekers like Pooton who carried plackards against the Rajapakse rule are now complaining for not receiving their “pounds of flesh”. But the treasury is bare and more bonds will have to be sold (to kith and kin of the clique) to raise funds to run the country.
What a calamity!
The clique has proven they are only full of hatred and plan to revenge and is a group of corrupt idiots who can’t run a chook raffle in a social club.
When will this end Pooton?
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Waltzing Matilda / May 26, 2015
KAS aka Pena Kiyanna, etc, when you say that “The clique has proven they are only full of hatred and plan to revenge and is a group of corrupt idiots who can’t run a chook raffle in a social club”,sounds like you are describing the goons you support!
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Lankan / May 26, 2015
We must expect politicians to do their job, just like we expect any
government or private sector employee to do theirs, when we seek some service
from them. So politicians should show some integrity and humility. It’s not too much to ask. You shouldn’t ridicule everything and everyone.
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Emil van der Poorten / May 26, 2015
K.A. Sumanasekera:
I keep telling myself, “One of these days, Sumaney is going to say something that proves that he is not a TOTAL idiot (at least when his gobbledegook is even partially comprehensible) but……. More of the same from CT’s resident village idiot as the world unfolds in duly ordained fashion.
P.S.
Thanks for moving my home to Montreal. If you keep this up, I will have seen all of Canada thanks to your moving me from place to place.
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ramona therese fernando / May 28, 2015
Sigh,…..sigh…..Emil Van Der Poorten,…..for once I agree with you. Let the green trees of the rubber plant endure, I say………..giving Dalits employment, with you as colonial master overseeing, of course. Let the ancient forest cleanse the cool air (although they were replanted with rubber trees – still the trees are producing non-synthetic and non-gmo rubber – very good thing for the world).
For UNP is trying to indoctrinate you and your other,….planters(?)- Lord and masters of the replanted although environmentally viable forests (pity the elephants, leapers and Veddas)….., to start doing Singapore style enterprise of heavy and light industry on ancient soil. Can you imagine all the concrete, heavy machinery, sewing machines, drill guns, funnels and towers spewing out black smoke (nowadays they have changed the balck smoke to white, but the carbon and other harmful emissions are still there I hear), and other fossil-fuel inspired enterprise in these clean and healthy environments. You will look after the Dalits, we know (guess they replaced the Veddas, but a lot of Sinhalese were also driven away from their natural habitats). Trouble is the Sinhala Buddhists (maybe some Christians) want their lands back.
Tell you what- forgot about the pittance that you should have been paid for listening to/about Sirisena, and think of it as taxes that you never paid, but should have( I mean, it’s not that I am accusing you of not paying taxes….it’s just that the proper tax structure was never really there before, was it).
UNP is trying to kill the rubber industry. But you will help keep it, won’t you, because it is the Buddhist thing to do. It is the Sinhala Lankan heritage thing to do (all those green forests I mean) – although, unfortunately, sinhalese won’t work as rubber-tappers for the pay you will pay them. Your payment of taxes, will let Sinhalese who lost their lands to rubber estates, by your ancestors, and who opened up the profit making machine, via Dalits from TN, to reclaim some of their employability in a port-city, for example.
So……Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Bibalae).
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ramona therese fernando / May 28, 2015
~leopards
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Heretic / May 29, 2015
Sumanasekera,
Do you seriously believe that little bit elderly should just eat,drink and be merry? Many of them want to be active as long as they can. Many have even skills to help others.
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Wickramasiri / May 26, 2015
I am not surprised. I do hope Emil and his Galagedera folk will get their subsidy payment at the earliest.
What Emil experienced is typical conduct of our politicians of that vintage who are so egotistical and insensitive to the people they are expected to serve. Last week I was told by a lady from Ella that people in the area are complaining that their Samurdhi increase has not been paid. What is happening? What are MPs and public officials for?
People of Kiriella’s vintage must be thrown out at the next election.
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Raj / May 26, 2015
My sympathies to Emil & all those who are entitled to subsidies & grants from the Govt. Apart from the cronies who make millions over night, the hard working honest people are faced with endless red tape & inconvenience to get their dues, so even law abiding, ethical citizens are ultimately driven in to corrupt methods to get things done, and so the cycle continues. As for politicians in general, I have only one word, despicable, for their totally selfish conduct. For people like Mr Sumanasekara, I have no words, apart from the fact that he may be suffering from what is known as ‘Tunnel Vision’. This is the 21st Century & our Colonial past has no relevance now. Your comments are totally out of context.
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baludeen / May 26, 2015
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paul / May 26, 2015
“An appropriate post-script to this little narrative might be the fact that …”
Get some medication for your verbal diarrhoea, Mr Poorten, people might understand at least partly what you are on about..
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EW Golding / May 26, 2015
Learn basic English and a few simple idioms Mr Paul; or start writing to the Dinamina instead.
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Emil van der Poorten / May 26, 2015
EW Golding:
You MUST learn to be kind to those who are “otherwise-able.” They might not have been born with those attributes but may have developed them as the days went by. There may still be hope for Paul like his namesake who started out as Saul so many years ago. He might see the light either on the way to Medamulana or scurrying away from it now that the lucre is no longer being ladled out there.
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Emil van der Poorten / May 26, 2015
Paul:
On the subject of incontinence, verbal and otherwise, may I suggest two stoppers (Poroppeys) for each ends of your anatomy, particularly the one at the bottom that might stop what little grey matter there still is in there from escaping?
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Navin / May 27, 2015
That Paul has long deserved a thick rubberized electric vibrator up the 2nd orifice you mentioned.
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 27, 2015
Ranil, CBK and Suren Surendran organized Yahapalanaya to give the Elite and the Anglicans a good time , while making oodles of Dosh to catch up with the 10 years of lost revenue due to Rajapaksa rule.
And keep them happy while the Vellalas get their Homeland.
Wahabis joined the fray hoping to get one of their own too..
Instead of having a good time in his Eco Lodge, sharing a Chlian Red with the Missus, why on earth Mr Poorten has to stand in the Polima with sweaty Dalits in Galagedara?.
And under go the indignity od waiting to meet not even Kiriella but just one of his lackeys who brings the dosh..
I mean what is this Cow Manure Cash for an original Elite who has worked all his life with the Eskimos in Alaska..
As a Western Public Servant, the pension per month probably works out to be more than the full Cow Manure Payment.
Unless Poorty has bought 50 Acres.
But then he could have sent the Manager…Right
Unless Poorty wanted to meet Lucky and thank him personally for the Cow Manure Payment as well as the Yahapalanaya..
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Heretic / May 27, 2015
Emile,
“*Tumpane – A region of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka celebrated in myth and legend as “backward””
Holy cow! Rural Jaffna has competition. Does Tumpane have “greasemen”?
I don’t think that the minister will reply. Thanks for the article.
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Spring Koha / May 27, 2015
Once again Mr van der Poorten has parted the curtains to allow us to see yet another instance of government vacillation in their dealings with WE the People (Yes, that is you and me). I share the anguish and frustration of the writer, and those who have endured with him this experience.
This brings to mind something that I have heard from many, first-hand, in my travels, the experiences of our pensioners who live overseas and their battles with our Department of Pensions. Disgraceful!
Minister Lakshman K has the thick hide of a water buffalo; don’t hold your breath!
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Ahfzll / May 28, 2015
Tsk, Tsk…….. Pooten
The Minister has refuted your allegations.
Seems like you are partial too – another brick on the wall ?
If you cant reply with facts – dont!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / May 29, 2015
MR EMIL,
wE ARE very thankful to you as you are doing at least some good deed to safe guard the mother nature.
Forget about those politicos and their bluffing talks.
and I think up to date you may have not collected any hand-out from our politikkas.
[Please remember the Lap top story] .
Are not you proud of your self that you are not indebted to Sri Lanka or any body , because you have fulfilled the responsibilities and duties entrusted to you by the GOD [ as your beliefs].
by the way, just neglect the boot lickers of Jarapassa clan who has got augured their hindquarters by wellalas.
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