Features | Online edition of Daily News

Volunteerism is the life blood of civilized society. Human beings as social animals are engaged in a journey of life time volunteerism. At individual and family level, we attend to numerous unpaid chores, such as, cleaning, caring and child raising without payment as volunteers. So are the family functions relating to birth, marriage and death. We participate in Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) of school and different Shramadana activities for the welfare of the school without a murmur. In point of fact, without volunteer fund raising activities of parents and past pupils associations, our educational system would be in serious trouble. This individual family and school volunteerism get extended to other spheres of social life.

Senior Council Prasantha Lal De Alwis, AAL and LAC Commissioner J.M.Goonathilaka addressing Legal Officers at the Capacity Building and Training Programme organized by the Legal Aid Commission (LAC). LAC Consultant Nelum Gamage, LAC Anuradhapura Regional Director Asoka Mahadeulwewa, LAC Kandy Regional Director U.R.N Ranatunga and LAC chairman S.S.Wijeratne were also present. Picture by W. Chandradasa

Volunteerism could be described as second nature to human life. Historically, common and collective security was the sinews by which human progress was achieved. With the evolution of modern socio-economics, specially with dawn of Capitalists, Marxist doctrines, a financial value was assigned to every human endeavour. Wages, salaries, cost of capital and profits replaced the volunteerism of the human family. Even in the modern context, volunteerism still pervades many aspect of human life and is now considered a human value that needs perpetuation.

Volunteerism is defined as the “willingness of the people to work for others without being motivated by financial gain”. The majority of people has an altruistic streak in them. Volunteerism is the method through which this human streak reaches fruition. The dominant social theme in any society is volunteerism and they take different forms – i.e. Ad-hoc Volunteerism. This is the most common form where individuals and families participate in different social functions and organization as when the need arises. Women’s groups, School Societies, PTA’s, Death Donation Societies are some of the examples of the ad-hoc or impromptu volunteerism which is the commonest form.

Faith Based Volunteerism: The religion based volunteerism is one of the oldest and long lasting form of volunteerism. Buddhism and Buddhist practices are based on the fundamental precept of volunteerism. So are the other religious orders – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Zoroastrianism. The intermittent religious crisis arising out of militarily or economically forced conversion goes against the core grain of volunteerism.

Professional Volunteerism: Volunteer Associations of professionals, such as lawyers (BASL), doctors (GMOA) or Accountants are a dominant influence in the modern society. These societies will develop the internal rules and could become members of umbrella organization such as the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA).

Service Volunteerism: As illustrated in the definition, the key element of volunteerism is the service to others without motivated by money. Service organizations are national and international. Among the national volunteerism organizations is the Child Protection Society founded in 1928 by Sir John Parsons when the government was not involved in child protections.

The Rotary and Lions Movements illustrate national and international volunteer movements of the world. United National Volunteers (UNV) and Voluntary Services Overseas Organization (VSO) are leading international voluntary movements.

Statutory Volunteerism:. Volunteerism fins its legitimacy and legal person more often through statutory recognitions. Thus many Voluntary Organizations in Sri Lanka are registered under Voluntary Social Services Organization Act No.31 of 1980 or incorporated under acts of Parliament. Non profit voluntary societies are also incorporated under the Companies Act of 2007. Cooperative Societies Act, Elders Law No.9 of 2000 and the Trusts Ordinance.

Volunteerism should be included in the educational curricular as a subject that will underpin peace and development of Sri Lanka. -S.S.Wijeratne

Ruhunu Rata Neethi Udanaya

The Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka (LAC) has been conducting Legal Awareness programmes for a number of years. Today, the service provided by the LAC in the form of “Legal Aid”,which comprises both court - based legal aid (consultation and litigation) and community - based legal aid (awareness programmes targeting public officers and general public), has risen to a remarkable and unparalleled standard.

In 2011, special programmes were conducted, particularly focusing on the Northern and Eastern Provinces. A special awareness programme (The Rajarata Neethi Udanaya) was conducted in the North Central Province to coincide with the Deyata Kirula programme.The LAC has decided to conduct the Ruhunu Rata Neethi Udanaya, Maya Rata Neethi Udanaya and Kandu Rata Neethi Udanaya in other parts of the country also in 2012/2013, under the theme “Neethi Udanaya (Legal Awakening). President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2012 budget speech, has mentioned the LAC’s contribution at village level .

“The Legal Aid Commission also conducts legal aid clinics at village level with the objective of providing legal aid to low income earners. I propose to allocate Rs. 100 million in this regard”. Each “Neethi Udanaya (Legal Awakening) programme will concentrate on two basic aspects that strengthen legal empowerment. The Ruhunu Rata Neethi Udanaya will be conducted focusing the Divisional Secretariats in five districts, namely, Galle, Matara, Hambantota and some parts of Monaragala and Ampara. The inaugural awareness programme will be conducted in Hamabantota on February 25, 2012. Participants will include the public and public servants.

[Questions and Answers]

Institutions

Question: We are a well established Catholic organization which offers several services to the public . We have decided to start a English training institute for poor students in our area. Is it necesssary to obtain prior approval before starting a Vocational Training Center ?

Answer : Yes . You have to obtain the prior approval from the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission. The Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission(TVEC) was established in 1991 under the Tertiary and Vocational Education Act No. 20 of 1990 and reconstituted as a statutory body by the TVE (Amendment) Act. No 50 of 1999.The Commission is the apex body in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Its primary responsibility is policy formulation, planning, quality assurance, coordination and development of tertiary and vocational education in the country.

Nipunatha Piyasa’, 354/2 Elvitigala Mawatha, Narahenpita Sri Lanka
Phone +94(0) 115849291Fax -+94(0) 112555007 info@tvec.gov.lk

Consumer complaints

Question: How do I make a complaint to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission ?

Answer : As with all complaints involving telecommunications services, you should approach your telephone operator first. You should also ensure that you have been through all the complaints process with your telephone operator. If not you can contact the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

TRCSL - General
No. 276, Elvitigala Mawatha,
Colombo 08
+94 112 689345
Short Code 1900

Death Certificate

Question: If a person is missing for six years, is it compulsory to go to court to get his death certificate?

Answer : No. It is not necessary to go to courts to get the death certificate of the person .The next of kin of such a person can apply for a death certificate without going to courts .The next of kin of such person has to provide the details about the missing person to the Police and the Grama Niladari in the area, prepare the application mentioned below and hand over it over to the Registrar-General or the District Registrar of Births and Deaths of the district in which the missing person was last resident or had his or her permanent residence.

Section 2 of the Registration of Death (Tempaporary Provisions) Act ,No 19 of ?’92010 ?tates53?s follows.

2.(1) Where any person is reported missing and he has not been heard of for a period exceeding one year by those who would naturally have heard of him, had he been alive and his disappearance is attributable to any terrorist orsubversive activity or civil commotion which has taken place within Sri Lanka, a next of kin of such person if he verily believes such person to be dead, may apply in the manner hereinafter provided, to register the death of such person under the provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Act and to have issued to him, a Certificate of Death in respect of such person.

Every application under this section shall be substantially in the Form specified in the Schedule to this Act and shall be forwarded to the Registrar-General or the District Registrar of Births and Deaths of the District in which such missing person was last resident or had his permanent residence.

1. Full Name of missing person :
2. Sex and race ;
3. Age :
4. Date of Death (approximately) :
5. Address of last known residence:
6. Address of permanent residence :
7. Rank or profession :
8. Applicant’s full name and residence :
9. Applicant’s relationship to missing person :

I......................................................... of..................................................................... do hereby state that the said................................................................... (name of the person missing).......................................................................... has been missing for a period of over one year, and I verily believe that the said.............................................................. is dead. I therefore request that the death be registered under the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Chapter 110) and a Certificate of Death in respect of such death be issued to me. ........................................

Vocational Skills for Public and Private Sector Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3)

Question: Is there any Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3) that has been established at the Police Headquarters? If so, what kind of crimes that we can complain about?

Answer : Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3) has been established at the Police Headquarters with the collaboration of the Cirminal Investigation Department &amp; the Information Technology Division to receive and investigate criminal complaints in the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime.

Top Listed Current Scams

LOTTERY SCAMS

These include scams which can go under the name of genuine lotteries like the UK National Lottery and the El Gordo Spanish lottery. Unsolicited email or telephone calls tell people they are being entered or have already been entered into a prize draw.Later, they receive a call congratulating them on winning a substantial prize in a national lottery . But before they can claim their prize, they are told they must send money to pay for administration fees and taxes. The prize, of course, does not exist. No genuine lottery asks for money to pay fees or notifies it’s winners via email.

INTERNET AUCTION FRAUDS

Auction frauds (commonly called Ebay or payPal scams, after the two largest venues) is a misrepresentation of a product advertised for sale through an Internet auction site or the failure to deliver products purchased through an Internet auction site

PHISHING AND PHARMING FOR IDENTITY THEFT

The victim receives an email that appears to be from a credible, real bank or credit card company, with links to a website and a request to update account information. But the website and email are fakes, made to look like the real website.

PASSIVE RESIDUAL INCOME” SCAMS

Get rich scheme and scam websites -

LOTTERIES AND OTHERS THAT SEND YOU A COUNTERFEIT CHECK You receive a check in the mail - either from a lottery you “won” (without buying a ticker) or from an EBay buyer or other source. It looks real. .. but after you try to cash it, you find out it is a fake; and you’re arrested for passing a counterfeit check! Read more about scam checks on this page and here about the EBay check scam.

MATRIX I MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING AND PYRAMID SCHEME

.These schemes are promoted through websites offering expensive electronic gadgets as free gifts in return for spending about $25 on an inexpensive product, such as a mobile phone signal booster.

Consumers who buy the product then join a waiting list to receive their free gift. The person at the top of the list receives his/her gift only after a prescribed number of new members join up. The majority of those on the list will never receive the item. Pyramid schemes offer a return on a financial investment based on the number of new recruits to the scheme. Investors are misled about the likely returns. There are simply not enough people to support the scheme indefinitely.

PROPERTY INVESTMENT SCHEMES

Investors attend a free presentation, which aims to persuade them to hand over large amounts of money to enroll on a course promising to make them a successful property dealer, usually involving “no money down”.

Schemes can involve the offer of buying yet-to-be built properties at a discount. Other variations include a buy-to¬-lease scheme where companies offer to source, renovate and manage properties, claiming good returns from rental income. The properties are generally near-derelict and the tenants non-existent.

900 PHONE NUMBER SCAMS

Postal notifications of a win in a sweepstake or a holiday offer in this scam include instructions to ring a premium rate number. This is generally an 900 toll number. Calls to the number incur significant charges, the recorded message is lengthy, and the prize often does not exist. It is a scam that has been around a long time, but it is still in use.

WORK-AT-HOME SCAMS

Work-at-home and business opportunity scams are often advertised as paid work from home. After the would-be worker applies, they are asked for money up-front to pay for materials and, after paying, they hear nothing back. A variation of this is, people are asked to invest in a business that has little chance of success

FREE CREDIT REPORT.COM

What a scam this one is! The name of the website’ is freecreditreport.com, but you’ll only get a credit report when you sign up for their paid service. And worst of all there IS a government mandated website where you CAN get a free credit report!

Emergency: 119, Police Headquartes: +94 11 2421111Child &amp; Women Bureau:+94 11 2444444Information Room:+94 11 2854931

Telecommunication services

Question : Is it nesessary get the aproval from the Governement to operate a telecommunications system in Sri Lanka.

Answer: Yes, In terms of the Sri Lanka Telecommunication Act No. 25 of 1991 as amended Government Statutory clearance is required for the operation of a telecommunications system to provide services to the public. The Commission will make recommendations to the minister on the issue of Licenses under Section 17 of the Act

Public retail switched access networks companies wishing to engage in the provision of these services after the exclusivity expires may apply for Commission authorization, without regard to the nature of the technology to be utilized, including fixed wire line, WLL, or Internet Protocol. Services may be provided over facilities-based networks, or via resale of other network services, or a combination of both.

Dedicated transmission networks. Companies wishing to provide any or all of these networks and services will be encouraged to enter these markets with a minimum of regulatory burdens.

Other Licenses general authorizations or class licenses for networks and services which do not require access to scarce resources and which carry a limited number of rights or obligations; and individual licenses for networks and services which require access to scarce resources and which have more comprehensive rights and obligations attached to them. Conditions attached to licenses and authorizations may include the following: requirements related to the effective and efficient use of scarce resources such as radio frequencies, numbers and rights-of-way Universal service obligations.

Obligations related to interconnection of networks and interoperability of services;

Obligation to maintain network integrity, interoperability of services, data protection, and avoidance of harmful interference.

Obligation to provide certain information to the regulator for regulatory and statistical purposes

Obligations related to consumer protection (such as billing, disputes settlement, change of access, tariffs, and other conditions)

Obligations to provide customer data base information for a universal directory;

Any proposal to obtain license should interalia include following as applicable:

Project proposal (including network configuration, details and cost of network equipment, proposed investment, projected cash flow statement, business plan and sources of funding the project, implementation schedule, tariff structure)

Certificate of Incorporation certified by Department of the Registrar of Companies

Memorandum and Articles of Association ( A True Copy certified by Department of the Registrar of Companies)

[ Repatriation]

Answer: The Consuler Division of the Ministry of External Affairs makes necessary arrangements with the assistance of the Sri Lankan Missions abroad to repatriate the human remains of Sri Lankan .

Those who are forced to work even after the completion of their contract period.

Those who have completed their period of sentences in case had they been convicted by a court of law abroad.

If it was premature recall, the NOK or employee has to pay the sponsors the full/ part of the money he spent to employ him/her.

Note: This repatriation possible only when the sponsor agrees to send the employee before the termination the contract period.

However our Officials at the Missions will do their level best to convince the sponsor’s concerned to repatriate the deserving cases.

The NOK has to visit the Repatriation Section/ Consular Division and fill up a form.

If detained abroad by the law enforcement authorities, details of the detention Camp/Prison etc.

The money should be deposited with the Accounts Brach of the Ministry of External Affairs which is located at the 4th Floor of the building where the Consular Division functions.

Legal Aid Commission

Volunteerism/Shramadana