official languages commission - sri lanka...341/7, kotte rd. , rajagiriya . - 2-the honourable...
TRANSCRIPT
- 1 -
Annual Report
Official Languages Commission
4th
Floor
“Basha Mandiraya” ,
341/7, Kotte Rd. ,
Rajagiriya .
- 2 -
The Honourable Minister of Constitutional Affairs & National Integration
Hon. Minister,
The Official Languages Commission
Presents
the
Annual Report
for the period of
January the first, 2006 to
December the thirty first, 2006
to the parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
through your good office
pursuant to the
Section 32 of the
Official Languages Commission Act
No. 18 of 1991.
Yours respectfully,
Raja Collure
Chairman
Official Languages Commission
- 3 -
Annual Report for Year 2006
1. The Official Languages Commission of Sri Lanka was appointed by His Excellency
the President under the Official Languages Commission Act No. 18 of 1991, to monitor and
supervise compliance with the Language provisions of chapter IV of the Constitution of the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
2. OUR MISSION
Is to see a Government Service consisting of Officials who are capable of transacting
business with any citizen of the state in any one of the two Official Languages or the
link language on any given day at any given location.
3. OUR VISION
3.1 Accordingly, the Commission's mandate is to monitor and supervise the compliance
of the constitutional provisions regarding the use of language by the Government,
to advise the Government on measures necessary to ensure such compliance and to
take punitive action against those responsible when such compliance is deliberately
prevented or perverted. The Commission is also empowered to accept and
investigate complaints from citizens who believe their linguistic rights have been
violated and to give them redress.
3.2 Since 1956 Sinhala has been the Official Language of Sri Lanka, made effective by
the Official Languages Act No. 33 of 1956. Provision was made for the reasonable
use of Tamil Language by the special provisions Act of 1958. The Constitution of the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka passed on 31st August 1978, made
Sinhala and Tamil as National Languages. The 13th
Amendment to the Constitution
passed on November 14th
1987, made Tamil also an Official Language in addition to
Sinhala, which had been the sole Official Language since 1956. This same
amendment gave sanction to the use of English as a 'link ' language.
- 4 -
3.3 Through the 16th
amendments to the constitution chapter IV on Language was further
defined and elaborated. Among other things these provisions made Sinhala the
language of record and administration in the seven provinces in the south and gave
Tamil the same position in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. By virtue of the
powers vested by article 22(1) of the constitution, President has directed by
notifications published in the Extra Ordinary Gazettes that both Sinhala and Tamil
Languages be used as the Languages of administration in 29 Divisional Secretaries
Divisions .
4. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:
The members of the Official Languages Commission are appointed by Her
Excellency the President .The members of the present Commission were appointed
for a three year term with effect from 15.03.2004
Over the year under review the Commission consisted of following members.
Mr.Raja Collure (Chairman ) - from 01.01.2006 to 31.12.2006
Prof. S.Thillainathan (Member ) - from 01.01.2006 to 31.12.2006
Mr.N.P.M.Saifdeen (Member ) - from 01.01.2006 to 31.12.2006
Prof. Somarathne Balasooriya (Member ) - from 01.01.2006 to 31.12.2006
Prof. J.B.Disanayaka (Member ) - from 15.03.2006 to 31.12.2006
Prof. A.V.Suraweera (Member ) - from 15.03.2006 to 31.12.2006
Mr.Senarath Gunasena S.L.A.S Class I , functioned as the Ex - Officio Secretary of
the Official Languages Commission from 01.01.2006 to 31.12.2006
- 5 -
5. STAFF
Staff of the Commission as at 31.12.2006
Designation Approved Actual Comment
Cadre Cadre
1. Asst. Secretary 01 *
2. Administrative Officer 01 01 Contract basis
3. Language Officer (Trilingual) 01 01 Contract basis
cum Research Officer
4. Finance Asst. 01 01 *
5. Research Assts. 03 01 02 Posts vacant
6. Coordinating Assts. 05 * 05 Posts vacant
7. Chief Clerk 01 *
8. Senior Clerk (Sinhala ) 01 01
9. -do- (Tamil ) 01 01
10. -do- (English ) 01 01
11. Book keeper 01 *
12. Computer Operator 01 01
13. Translator (Sinhala / Tamil) 01 *
14. Stenographer (English ) 01 *
15. Steno /Typist (English ) 01 *
16. Typist (Tamil ) 01 01
17. Drivers 03 03
18. Office Aides 03 03
Total 28 14
* Vacant
6. ADVISORY WORK OF THE COMMISSION
For the first time in the history the present Official Languages Commission after
making a full study of the situation analyzing and researching on the use of the
Official Languages in terms of section 6 (a) of the Official Languages Commission
Act No. 18 of 1991 made special recommendations to the government in 2005.
It is with gratitude we mention here that the statement made by His Excellency the
President on January 14th
, 2006 ( Thaipongal Day) that the Government will
implement the Recommendation of the Official Languages Commission.
The Commission also prepared Recommendations of the year 2006 after completing a
study and analyzing the position with regard to the implementation of the Official
Languages Policy of the Government.
- 6 -
LANGUAGE AUDITS :
In terms of the recommendations of the Commission, delegations of the Commission
including the Chairman, Secretary, members and officers of the Commission visited
a considerable number of Divisional Secretariats declared as bilingual administrative
Divisions as well as Divisional Secretariats where more than 12.5% of the population
speaks 2nd
Language during the year 2006.
OBSERVATIONS OF THE LANGUAGE AUDITS
Divisional Secretariats where Language Audits were conducted , it was observed that
there was a severe dearth of Officials who can communicate with Tamil speaking
public in Tamil Language.
We found at the Language Audits conducted during the year that the majority of the
Divisional Secretaries and Assistant Divisional Secretaries have difficulties in
transacting business with Tamil speaking people of the area. More than 50% of the
officers represented matters at the Language Audits were not aware of the
Constitutional Provisions with regard to the Official Languages Policy or the
directives issued by the government on the subject. Due to this reason name boards,
sign boards, direction boards etc….. appeared only in one language in most of the
Divisional Secretariats audited. It was also observed that the forms which are
prepared by the Divisional Secretariat were mainly in Sinhala only. It was observed
facilities available in these offices to handle administrative matters of the Tamil
speaking public in the Tamil Language was greatly inadequate. Although Official
Languages Commission and the Department of Official Languages taken steps to
overcome this difficulties it was not 100% successful.
It was revealed that the Tamil speaking people prefer to write letters in Sinhala
because they fear that the letters addressed in Tamil will not get due attention of
Tamil speaking people . Due to this reason we observe that there is a problem with
regard to the usage of Tamil Language even in bilingual Divisional Secretariats.
- 7 -
After the Language Audit it was followed by a seminar cum work-shop for awareness
creation among officers of the Divisional Secretariats . These seminar cum workshops
were very useful for the officers because the Commission provided set of relevant
documents, government circulars regarding language rights including a extract of the
part IV of the Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in which
the Language Rights and responsibility of the public servants are mentioned very
clearly.
LANGUAGE AUDITS
Conducted from 01.01.2006 – 31.12.2006
1. Language Audit, Wellawatte Police Station - 24/01/2006
2. Language Audit, Colombo Divisional Secretariat - 31/01/2006
3. Language Audit ,Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat - 06/02/2006
4. Language Audit, Keselwatte Police Station - 14/02/2006
5. Language Audit, Kalpititya Divisional Secretariat - 27/02/2006
6. Language Audit, Puttalam Divisional Secretariat - 27/02/2006
7. Language Audit, Department of Pensions - 06/03/2006
8. Language Audit, Kotahena Police Station - 09/05/2006
9. Language Audit, Badulla Municipal Council - 08/06/2006
10. Language Audit, Soranathota Divisional Secretariat - 09/06/2006
11. Language Audit, Dehiwala Divisional Secretariat - 28/06/2006
12. Language Audit, Wattala Divisional Secretariat - 05/07/2006
13. Language Audit, Bandarawela Divisional Secretariat - 24/07/2006
14. Language Audit, Panwila Divisional Secretariat - 31/07/2006
15. Language Audit, Ukuwela Divisional Secretariat - 01/08/2006
16. Language Audit, Department of Traffic - 02/08/2006
17. Language Audit, Rattota Divisional Secretariat - 07/08/2006
18. Language Audit, Ambanganga Korale Divisional Secretariat- 08/08/2006
19. Language Audit, Kolonnawa Divisional Secretariat - 14/08/2006
20. Language Audit, Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat - 01/09/2006
21. Language Audit, Negambo Divisional Secretariat - 27/09/2006
22. Language Audit, Matale Divisional Secretariat - 04/10/2006
23. Language Audit, Kotapola Divisional Secretariat - 19/10/2006
24. Language Audit, Beruwala Divisional Secretariat - 17/11/2006
25. Language Audit, Nagoda Divisional Secretariat - 18/11/2006
26. Language Audit, Ratnapura Divisional Secretariat - 20/11/2006
- 8 -
AWARENESS CREATION PROGRAMMES AND USAGE OF SINHALA
AND TAMIL AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGES :
It was observed at Language Audits carried out during the year lack of awareness and
lack of commitment of the officials has created the unsatisfactory situation with
regard to implementation of Tamil Language outside the North –East and
implementation of Sinhala Language in the North-East . Although the direction from
the Government have been given to all the Ministries, Departments and other
Government institutions no positive actions have been taken by the most Government
institutions to implement the Official Languages Policy of the Government . More
than 50% of the staff surveyed at the Language Audits admitted that they had never
attended the Seminars or Training Programmes conducted on the Official Languages
Policy. Therefore it was essential for the Official Languages Commission to conduct
awareness creation programmes through out the country. Allocation of funds for these
programmes were not sufficient as the funds have been restricted. Fortunately the
Official Languages Commission was able to obtain funds for this purpose from the
Asia Foundation . With the sponsorship of the Asia Foundation we were able to
conduct 18 awareness seminars cum workshops during the year 2006 and create
awareness among 1918 officials attached to 13 Divisional Secretariats, one Police
Station, One Government Department and one Municipal Council.
AWARNESS CREATION PROGRAMMES HELD IN THE YEAR 2006
No. Date Event Place No.of
participants
1 2006.02.25 ACWS* Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat 66
2 2006.03.04 ACWS Colombo Divisional Secretariat 126
3 2006.05.24 ACWS Kotahena Police Station 74
4 2006.06.03 ACWS Department of Pensions 161
5 2006.06.05 ACWS Puttlam Divisional Secretariat 84
6 2006.06.12 ACWS Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat 74
7 2006.07.18 ACWS Dehiwala Divisional Secretariat 64
8 2006.07.23 ACWS Badulla Municipal Council 73
9 2006.08.04 ACWS Wattala Divisional Secretariat 128
10 2006.09.05 ACWS Kolonnawa Divisional Secretariat 143
11 2006.09.08 ACWS Ukuwela Divisional Secretariat 219
12 2006.09.09 ACWS Rattota Divisional Secretariat 164
13 2006.09.26 ACWS Panwila Divisional Secretariat 82
14 2006.10.03 ACWS Ambanganga Korale Divisional
Secretariat
72
15 2006.10.13 ACWS Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat 141
16 2006.11.26 ACWS Matale Divisional Secretariat 151
17 2006.12.01 ACWS Soranatota Divisional Secretariat 91
Total 1913
* Awareness creation and workshops out of these workshops No. 5 to 17 were
conducted with the support of the Asia Foundation
- 9 -
II TRAINING POLICE OFFICERS IN THE SECOND OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
As was in previous years special attention was forcussed on training of police officers
in the Second Official Language in the year 2006 too. More than 95% of the entire
Police force are not conversant in Tamil . Therefore need for Training of Police
Officers who closely interact with the general public in areas where there are large
Tamil speaking minorities living considered priority basis. The Tamil Language
training programmes were conducted during the year 2006 as an islandwide
programme . Places where such programmes were carried out and the number of
police officers who attended the programmes are mentioned below. In the year under
review the Commission has taken action to increase the number of such programmes
to cover new police divisions . These programmes covered all districts except Jaffna,
Mullathivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar . Preliminary discussions have been held with
authorities concerned for organizing Second Official Language programmes for
police officers serving in police stations in the Northern Province.
III COMPILATION OF TEXT BOOKS
Copies of the Spoken Tamil Text Book compiled by the Special Committee appointed
by the Commission was given to Official Languages Department to train the Instructors
who are engaged for Tamil Language Classes.
IV PREPARATION OF PHRASE BOOKS
(a) The Trilingual Phrase Book for Police Officers
Preparation of Trilingual Phrase Book for Police Officers was completed and
ready for publications.
(b) The Trilingual Phrase Book for Health Sector Personnel
Editing of the Trilingual Phrase Book for health sector personnel prepared by
the sub committee appointed for the purpose, is in progress as at 31.12.2006.
- 10 -
( c) The Trilingual Phrase Book for Officers at front line offices of
government institutions.
Compilation of the Phrase Book in Sinhala was completed and handed over to
the Chairman of the Commission. It will be published after editing and
translating into Tamil and English.
VI REVISION OF CURRICULA AND TEXT BOOKS
The present curricula and text books were prepared over ten years ago and needed
revision. Therefore the Commission initiated action to develop a modern curricula
Sinhala and , Tamil as a second official languages at two levels - the Basic and
Advanced. For this purpose the Commission has appointed two special Sub
Committees ( i.e for Sinhala and Tamil ) comprising of linguists and experts form
related disciplines . The objectives of these subcommittees are as follows :
i. Evaluation of the current language teaching programme and the material
used.
ii. Developing training aids - (includes use of modern technology) and
Making proposals for the improvement of the print and audio-video material
used for teaching /learning
Particulars regarding Advanced and Basic Tamil Language Training classes for Police
Officers , held in 2006
Advanced Tamil Language Programmes for Polilce Officers held in 2006
No Police Inservice Training Institute No. of
Classes
No. of
Participants
1 Badulla Police Inservice Training Institute 3 90
2 Anuradhapura Police Inservice Training Institute 3 87
3 Gampaha Police Inservice Training Institute 2 68
4 Galle Police Inservice Training Institute 2 81
5 Vavuniya Police Inservice Training Institute 1 43
6 Trincomalee Police Inservice Training Institute 2 84
7 Ampara Police Inservice Training Institute 2 90
8 Kurunegala Police Inservice Training Institute 2 69
9 Kirulapana Police Inservice Training Institute 2 110
10 Batticaloa Police Inservice Training Institute 1 41
Sub Total 20 783
- 11 -
Basic Tami Language Programme
No Police Inservice Training Institute No. of Classes No. of
Participants
1 Criminal Record Division 1 22
Sub Total 1 22
Grand Total 21 805
5. TRAINING HEALTH SECTOR PERSONNEL IN TAMIL AS THE SECOND
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
During the year 2005 the OLC expanded it’s training programmes for the training of health
sector personnel in the Official Languages particularly in areas where there are large
linguistic minorities. These include Welimada, Haputale in the Badulla District
commencement of Second Official Language Training Programmes for Nursing Training
schools in centres hereto uncovered was another achievement . These include the Nurses
Training Institute at Anuradhapura, Badulla, Kandy and Ratnapura.
6. Basic Tamil Languages Programme for Health personnel
No Nurses Training Schools/
Hospitals
No. of Classes No. of Participants
1 Badulla NTS 2 56
2 Colombo NTS 3 107
3 Ratnapura NTS 3 98
4 Kandy NTS 4 121
5 Anuradhapura NTS 2 40
6 Awissawella Hospital 1 18
7 Badulla General Hospital 2 49
8 Haputale 1 06
9
10
Sub Total 18 495
- 12 -
Basic Sinhala Language Programmes
No Nurses Training Schools/
Hospitals
No. of Classes No. of Participants
1 Batticaloa NTS 2 81
2 Batticaloa General Hospital 1 69
Sub Total 3 150
Training of doctors in the use of the Tamil language has also been given priority. Since there
was a difficulty in arranging separate programmes for Doctors, they were invited to attend
the programmes conducted for nursing personnel. It is observed that owing to the variance of
their duty rosters they often find it difficult to attend these programmes regularly. In areas
where the Tamil linguistic minority is spread out proficiency of the Tamil language is of
paramount importance to health sector personnel . Taking into consideration of these facts
doctors attached to hospitals in the Uva Province were allowed to follow the Tamil Language
Programmes according to their convenience.
COMPLAINTS
The Commission has received only 14 written complaints during the year 2006 and
investigations have been held and necessary instructions were given to the respondents to
comply with the Language Law. Several complaints received over the telephone, through the
print and electronic media were investigated and redress were given to the affected parties
and remedial action have been taken to prevent repetition of such incidents.
The Commission is of the opinion that the paucity of complaints is due to insufficient
awareness among the public of its existence and powers. A publicity campaign is therefore
being launched to raise the level of awareness.
LEGAL ENFORCEMENT
The Commission has the power to take legal action on two circumstances with regard to the
Implementation of Official Languages Policy :
- 13 -
a) When the Head of a Government institution fails to give effect to the
recommendations made by the Commission , upon an investigation made on a
complaint by public with regard to the violation of language rights.
b) When a public officer required to perform official duties in any relevant
language, willfully fails or neglects in such duties.
With regard to (a) and (b) above, no legal suit has been instituted hitherto against any
Government institution or any public officer.
NATIONAL AUDIT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OFFICIAL
LANGAUGES POLICY
1. In 2005, the Official Languages Commission decided to conduct a survey in
regard to the competence of public servants in the two Official Languages and the
Link Language (English). However it was not possible due to various reasons.
2. In order to carryout this survey the Official Languages Commission sought the
services of the Deputy Director, Census and Statistics Department who was one
of the officers responsible for a survey carried out in respect of language
competence by the Department of Census and Statistics in 2000.
3. In March, 2006 the Chairman discussed the matter over the telephone with the
Director General Census and Statistics Department in regard to the matter of
obtaining the services of the officers concerned. He informed the Chairman that
they would be conducting a survey on competence of public servants in the
Official Languages in due course and hence there was no necessity to conduct a
separate survey. He agreed to insert any questions that we though were necessary
to be contained in the questionnaire for the survey. The Official Languages
Commission submitted certain questions which in its opinion were pertinent to the
survey.
4. In July 2006 the Census and Statistics Department conducted a survey titled
“Census of Public and Semi-government Sector Employment 2006”. The
relevant questions appear in cage 11 of the questionnaire, issued by the
Department of Census and Statistics suitable action will be taken on the results of
the Survey.
- 14 -
5. FUNDING FROM CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY
The Official Languages Commission has also sought funding from the CIDA the
Canadian aid agency to carry out a Need Based Assessment Across Selected State
Institutions in 9 provinces in Sri Lanka.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMISSION
A Memorandum of Recommendation 2006 of the commission is ready for submission to His
Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksha . A copy of the Memorandum is annexed
hereto .
As recommended by the Commission Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration has
taken steps to issue circulars with concurrence of the Official Languages Commission
regarding the increase of payment of incentives to Public Servants who acquire proficiency
in the second official languages and give preference at promotions or elevate to higher
positions by creating new categories of cadre for those who gain proficiency at levels II and
III of both the second languages so that the Government will be able to Implement the
Official Languages Policy more effectively.
- 15 -
- 16 -
- 17 -
- 18 -
- 19 -
- 20 -
- 21 -
- 22 -
- 23 -
- 24 -
- 25 -
- 26 -
- 27 -
- 28 -
- 29 -
- 30 -
- 31 -
- 32 -
- 33 -
- 34 -
- 35 -
- 36 -
- 37 -
- 38 -
- 39 -
- 40 -
- 41 -
- 42 -
- 43 -