How to be a star in Sri Lanka?

Sunday night I was watching Sirasa super star while I was having dinner. When everyone was watching it with much pleasure, I started thinking of something else. That is the tragedy face by our youth.

Younger generation of this country is very much talented. But do they have a proper route to show case their talents and abilities? Can they be a super star even though they are capable? One mother who brought her daughter for the super star contest said that she wanted her daughter to come for that, not because she dreams to make her a super star but wanted to show her talents to some audience. That little girl’s school teacher has stated that she will not let her participate in any school concerts. According to that mother teacher’s daughter is also studying in the same class and due to that she hates other talented girls. My old grandmother who was a teacher says teachers will never say such things. May be it has happened in the “golden past” era which all of them talk about. But not these “unfortunate” present days. But I have seen many similar incidents while I was schooling. I had a friend who is a captain of a basket ball team of a famous school couple of years back. Under her captaincy they won the all island under 19 schools championship. This school emerged this championship after 20 years. She was awarded as one of the best players of the tournament. But the teacher in-charge didn’t let her participate in the official school photograph with the team. Her excuse was simple. She publicly stated I don’t like that girl. That’s it. Even the principle was so scared to talk against her. This is the so called “democratic education” our society is talking.

We have ministries and ministers and hell of a lot of staff allocated for the subjects such as culture, national heritage, Buddhism and education. In such country isn’t this a curse? In that case can we consider the service done by Sirasa super star as so simple? If not for that we would never know this very talented bunch of youngsters.

What will happen if the government sector organizes such a thing? Well… for the very unfortunate we’ll guess that government organized this contest. Then other than practicing to sing, these stars will first have to go behind departments to get forms and files and fill the other documents from “Grama sewaka” to the head of departments. Going behind the ministers and their henchmen and more necessarily giving “something” to officers and organizers. Does our government sector have such creative minds to think of something new? I know it’s quite similar to “Idol” programs around the world. But still to organize something like this and re produce it to suite the Sri Lankan contest is not so easy. I used to work for an event management team for some time and therefore I can imagine how difficult it is to handle 57,000 applicants. We all remembered that one cabinet minister’s recommendation about the so called graduate recruitment scheme.

I’m quite surprised of another thing too. This country and its people always talk about culture and good conduct. But when an injustice happened to another person, such as this mother’s daughter, no one speaks against it. Is that the virtue of this country? What does it shows? Are we still living with colonial mind set? Or are they scared to talk? But if government or any other organization is trying to do something lawful for the betterment of the country, definably our union leaders and some NGOs will go to the Lipton circle or Fort Railways station. Wonderful country! Today Susanthika Jayasingha is in track because she spoke for herself. Muralidaran is there, thanks to Arjuna.

I don’t know much about this super star program. But I know that it’s a good chance many talented people to show up. I have heard that when H R Jothipala started singing, critics were insulting him and laughed at him. But what is the situation today with his songs? Can anybody easily copy his talent? There are no duplicates for him. Simply because he was talented and people love him. Thank god he was brave enough to face those and he had a way to come up. But there are many people in many organizations many fields that are really talented but people don’t know them. Some places, these people really work hard and those who are in the field know them. But people are famous in those fields and people who appear in news papers are not these real people who are really talented and work with quite dedication and by heart. But since they do not want to go after the publicity, they are never known by public and they do not get what is deserved. Why does it happen?

Change is the only thing that never changes. Our institutions should understand that they have to face rapid social change. Due to globalization and information technology there’s a impact on the society and we will need to change according to that. Therefore government institutions should understand that they need to help the community and cope up with the people to overcome their difficulties and problems. But still we can see that the power robbed and gave to Colombo by John Doyle’s cunning system. By not giving this power back to the people who really deserve this power shows that our government servants are still the Doyle’s commoraders rather than commoraders of this country.

In the break of the Super star program , I saw the close ups of the charming little girl Sarala Kariyawasam (Chuyya)’s smiling face. When those pictures gradually fade away , I remembered the famous song by Nanda Malini.

“Ane api kawadaka awidimuda ee sande”
(When can we walk under this moon light?)

Why do they give jobs only on recommendations?

There are some employees in our office who get a really low salary. Same as there are some employees who are exceptionally paid well. Even though the top management says its based on performance , i know there are hidden efforts hidden abilities which don't get scanned to the performance measures. But i have never seen these people on a strike. They some times screams and complaining about their salaries. But i always see these people working even out of their office hours to complete their tasks. Not that anyone orders them to do it. But they do it by heart. Though they get a low salary , they seem to be happy at work. One day i had a discussion with one of our mates on this. His answer was "Simple. We only recruit by recommendations. So we don't have anyone who is strike type". I do not know whether to be happy or sad for his comment. But i remembered this again when i saw a court decision given some week or 2 back.

According to Daily Mirror

"The supreme court has given an interim order restraining a particular minister (Name mentioned in the paper) and his associates from obstructing its factory and business. Petitioner company Sevanagala Sugar Industries Ltd. In its fundamental rights violation petition complained that this minister has, through one of his associates demanded Rs 50 million as gratification from the chairman of the company to ensure the smooth functioning of the factory. Court granted interim relief directing Sevanagala OIC , the IGP and Uva provincial deputy IGP to forthwith take steps to execute the warrant issued by the Embilipitiya Magistrate and act on the complaint to Police headquarters by the petitioner and the farmers. Company said it is considered the peak harvesting period and the sugar cane has to be crushed and processed within 72 hours of harvesting and that if its not processed within the said time period , it cannot be used. The company complained that several complaints were made to Sevanagala police , but the OIC failed to act on the complaints."

I'm a person who never supported our company's policy decision to recruit by recommendations only. I believed that by this we are loosing many potential future employees who do not have connections. But now i seem to understand the theory behind recruiting by recommendations. These employees who made this hunger strike are four former employees whose service had been suspended pending disciplinary inquiry in to allegations of mis conduct. Even though it suppose to be a hunger strike , they were perfectly fine and in good health after 26 days of fasting. They had claimed a crane used in the processing of sugarcane thereby disrupting work in the factory. Police said its impossible to take them down at first place. But after the court order they were taken down without any effort by the police. Its once again proved that its politicians who are in the back of any strike in this country. Its very unfortunate that they have already destroyed the public sector of this country and now they don't let private sector also to perform well. What ever reason they did the strike, ultimately it harms the country as a whole. Crop is ruined and we will have to import sugar. Its paid out from the pocket of all of us.

I don;t want to go in to the extent of discussing why there are strikes. I'm sure most of you'll reading this are aware about that. But my interest is to tell you that there are many companies in the country which politicians cannot encourage strikes. In some of those the main reason is they treat their employees very well. But as you know in hospitals and some other government places, how ever how good the employees are treated it won't prevent them enjoying doing the strikes. Why in some companies we cannot even see trade unions? Because they recruit on recommendations. They recruit based on relationships. An internal trust worthy employee has to recommend a new recruited, it they are to get the job. Then the person who recommend has a responsibility to find the best person. Same as the person who joins has a responsibility to keep the good will of the person who recommend him/her. So its like a mutual agreement. No strikes. Nothing. Work is done. If this country is to be developed and if we are to stand by our own feet without begging other countries to provide us funds , i think the economy should be developed. If economy are to be developed , i guess these strikes should stop and employees should work with the feelings its their duty.

There are 2 sides of any coin. But in this country , under this situation i guess employers has no option than recruiting people by recommendation.

Need graduates who can perform

A friend in the education ministry told me a story last week. In Sri Lanka there's a village call "Atakalampanna”. There is a small school in this small village. Some time back there was an art teacher in this school. He was very talented. In the first year he was appointed to a school in this village, six students from this school received medals from Shankar international art competition. Second year also they received six medals. This news was published in a very tiny invisible slot of a news paper. So in the second year, principal of this school wrote a letter to one of the education directors. Principal mentioned in his letter that their students are very talented and emerged this much of awards. But there wasn't any place in the school to keep at least the awards. So he requested the education director that, if this school gets a building for the students to study, that will be a great help. Now you must be thinking education director might not have replied as usually what could happen in Sri Lanka. No actually he did reply. Can you imagine what the education director's reply was? Just imagine. He replied saying "Please bring all the medals to the education office. There's enough space to keep the awards. No need for a building". Not only that. He transferred that art master in to Ananda College. (I have nothing against Ananda College. Glad they got a good teacher). In the first year after he joined Ananda College, two students from Ananda College won Shankar competition. But news papers gave them half a page publicity compared to the small place they gave to that small school. This art teacher is the one who later become the very famous art teacher of Ananda College. Please don't misunderstand me. This article is not about that art teacher. I'm happy he got a better place with better facilities. Happy for him and I do respect his talent and service. This is about some thing else. When I heard this, for a moment I felt the tragedy of the education system in this country.

In the papers last week I saw one of our famous ministers has made a comment that there are 48,000 graduates in the public sector and 25,000 are idling without having any work to do. What an unfortunate country? Where is the fault? Normally in private sector, they hire people only if there's a vacancy. Most of the top businesses have a career plan for their staff. They invest on their staff expecting to capitalize on their talent. Why these governments don't have such plans? I know one of the ministries submit a paper saying they need 60 odd graduates. They got 600 graduates. What can they do with this extra staff? Ministers can argue that they have to give jobs to people, otherwise people will die from hunger. But just pump graduates in to anywhere will not solve the problem. They will eventually hate this society after all.

But why does graduates have to go behind politicians and beg for a job? They are the so called most brainy people in this country. Who make these students in to such low level situation? Well in Sri Lanka the cream of this country is selected to universities from one of the most competitive exams in the world. Then what happen to these intelligent students? They have to go through very hard time. It starts with ragging welcome. Then for 4 years they have to be in the campus. Some universities don't allow their students to do a job and earn money or get some experience during that period. Because of this, university students has happen to print book marks, papers and go around buses and every where and beg money for their studies from people who didn't even pass their O/Ls . How sad? Our universities still stick to their old believes. They don't like students doing any other exams too. Because some of these lecturers do not have any qualification more than their first degree. They do not specialize on teaching or they neither do much research. So they never allow their students also to exceed them. In some famous universities in the world, only having a 1st class degree is not a qualification to teach. If you are really good in teaching, if you have far superior knowledge, you can teach even without a degree.

Does what we teach in our universities match for today? Can their graduates compete with other similar students who are professionally qualified with various other exams? (Some of course are very much better I do agree.) I feel our politicians and other policy makers bring these students to universities and then humiliate them. I feel they betray the students to take the revenge that they couldn't go to university. Do they really do any skill development? One of my mates who are qualified from University of Moratuwa told me that none of their graduates are unemployed up to now. I don't know how true that it. But if it is the case that is something a university can be really proud about them selves. How many universities in this country can give such a guarantee?

In other hand students also should know that a university is not a place which gives jobs. Just because you have a degree doesn't mean you have a job. Students should be intelligent enough to understand the tragedy they are in. Some students just spent their 4 years of life in the university doing strikes and ragging (please read the book "Giniralla Conspiracy by Nihal De Silva”) and all sorts of foolish work without taking any effort to develop their skills. They always complained that they do not know English. But as students who have a very high brain capacity, if they really want, they could learn English very well. May be better than the English speaking community in this country. They could assess them selves as to whether they are competent. If they are to stand superior to others, I think their degree certificate is not enough. They should grab skills. They should know about the world around. I think more than all, they have to develop their attitudes. Otherwise they could not market them selves and they will never get a chance to show their abilities to the world.

Another thing is I guess if we can categories the universities in this country as to different sections we can reduce the number of unemployed graduates. I think they have to have some universities to develop skills. Some for only academic and research purposes. Some for job oriented degrees. I don't know how the university system works in other countries. But I feel there is something terribly wrong with some of our universities and our systems and the mind set of our people.

In an interview at TV one of the spokes man said that even at a crisis situation, our garment sector develops. That’s because there are skilled labor in that industry to cater the demand at a world class level. But our IT sector does not develop even at good times, because we do not have enough IT professionals to serve. When are we going to fill this gap? Is the education in country is for the glorification of the politicians and foolish education officers who make these policies? Does the exams of this country focus on testing knowledge or failing students? Only less than 1% of the students go to a university in this country. Just look around. Just think. Is there anything we could do to change this?

People often ask me whether I'm a socialist, do I hate this country, why I always blame some one and various similar questions. No I'm not. I'm a very neutral ordinary citizen. I love this country. If we all try, we could make it a really nice place. What ever it is love to live in this country.