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My husband died in 1973. Since then I have been drawing his W and O. P. monthly from National Savings Bank, Galle. The Galle Four Gravets Secretariat sends the money, but I have still not received any arrears. The Galle office now says that the files have been washed away in the tsunami, and they have to get copies from Maligawatte. They sent a request to Maligawatte in November 2005, but still there has been no response.

- Rachel de Silva

The Director, Pensions says that action has already been taken to despatch your file to the Divisional Secretariat as required.

I joined the then Post and Telegraph Dept., in June 1936 as a Postmaster and Signaller Class 11, and retired as an Assistant Superintendent of Telecom in June 1972. At the time of retirement I was drawing a salary of one Staff Grade increment above the maximum of the then Special Class.

I received the anomaly rectified pension with arrears in October 2005. A colleague of mine now living in Negombo, who joined the department at the same time and in the same grade as I, and who retired five months before me, and who was only in the Special Class, drawing only two increments in that class, informed me that his anomaly rectified pension was higher than mine.

I could not understand how, I, who retired in a higher grade in the same department, drawing a higher pension, could get an anomaly rectified pension, which is less than that of someone, who retired while in a lower grade.

I sent a letter under registered cover in November 2005 to the Accountant, Pensions at Dam Street, but have not received even an acknowledgement.

- K. Phuranandah

Your letter which we sent to the Director, Pensions, has been forwarded to the Divisional Secretary, Dam Street. The Director has requested the D. S. to look into the matter and take action accordingly.

Unpaid EPF balance

Subsequent to my retirement in 2001, I worked at Expo Lanka Ltd., until November 2005. In order to draw my EPF contribution amounting to around Rs. 180,000, the relevant documents were handed over to the Labour Department, which in turn had forwarded them to the Central Bank for payment.

In February 2006, I received a sum of Rs. 116,910.29 computed as at December 2004, leaving out my contribution for 2005. I wrote a letter to the Superintendent, Pensions Division, but have not received an acknowledgement. A separate form was also filled and handed over to the Central Bank, but the response has been negative. I shall be grateful if you could make inquiries through your newspaper and assist me in this matter.

- J. A. Wijenayake

The People’s Forum forwarded your letter to the Superintendent EPF, at the Central Bank. They informed us that the delay in computing the contributions for 2005 is due to a shortage of staff. However, your balance payment has been sent by cheque on April 28, 2006.

Exemption of income tax

My wife and I are both senior citizens having fixed deposit investments in banks and finance companies, and have not been subjected to Withholding Tax. There are thousands more senior citizens, who have also invested their lives’ savings in this manner, and depend on the income from such investments for their survival.

On behalf of us senior citizens, I request the People’s Forum to kindly obtain the clarification on the exemption of income tax granted on any annuity purchased, for senior citizens, according to the 2006 Budget Proposals.

The People’s Forum contacted the Deputy Commissioner, Inland Revenue Department, and we were informed that interest up to 200,000 acquiring from state banks to any individual who is a citizen and a resident of Sri Lanka, and who is more than fifty nine years old, is exempted from income tax. However, this is not relevant to the monies invested in finance companies.

The Mount Lavinia town does not have a proper bus halt, especially in the busiest point of town. All buses going south, that is with destinations such as Ratmalana, Moratuwa, onward bypass the big busy town with stopping points well before or after the Cargills Mount Lavinia junction point.

The private 155 route buses help many frustrated passengers on the Galle Road stretch from Pettah/ Bambalapitiya, etc.

My many letters have brought no response. Will you please help?

The People’s Forum contacted the Road Passenger Transport Authority (RPTA) Head Office, and were informed that they will look in to the matter, provided you forward a written complaint to the Chairman RPTA, No. 59, Robert Gunawardena Mw., Battaramulla.