Salary satisfaction among profes-sionals has fallen across the MiddleEast by two percentage points, accord-ing to a new study.

The average monthly salary dif-fered considerably from country tocountry across the Middle East andNorth Africa, research conducted byjob site Bayt.com said.

It said Qatar eclipsed the UAE interms of the biggest salaries, withmore than a third of Qatari profes-sionals, 39 per cent, earning between$3,001 (Dh 11,013) and $8,000 eachmonth. The figure was 37 per cent forthe UAE.

Overall, professionals across theMiddle East said the cost of living hadincreased by 24 per cent, yet the aver-age salary increased by only seven percent – more than two-thirds less.

In the UAE, respondents said livingcosts had increased by 22 per centwhile the average salary increase wasonly six per cent.

Matching the regional average,only five per cent of UAE residentswere found to be highly satisfied withtheir remuneration.

The picture across the rest of theGulf and wider Middle East was simi-lar – with a peak of seven per cent ofprofessionals highly satisfied withtheir salaries in Qatar, while the fig-ure dropped to a low of only two percent in Syria.

Unsurprisingly, the Gulf has thehighest number of professionals earn-ing top tier salaries, in excess of$8,000 each month: 12 per cent inQatar, 10 per cent in the UAE, sevenper cent in Bahrain, six per cent inKuwait and three per cent in SaudiArabia and Oman.

by Don AsokaWijewardena

Natural Resources andEnvironment Minister PataliChampika Ranawaka yesterdaysaid that the United NationsOrganization General SecretaryBan Ki-moon was likely to

appoint a Committee to investi-gate the alleged human rightsviolations in Sri Lanka.

Despite President MahindaRajapaksa’s request last weekthat the UN desist from interfer-ing with the internal affairs ofother countries, the UN would

still go ahead with theappointment of thatCommittee, Ranawakatold a press conferenceat the Mahaweli Centre.He said PresidentRajapaksa had spokento the UN SecretaryGeneral over the phonelast Thursday.

Minister Ranawakasaid the UN was beingswayed by the Eelam

lobby.He said that the UN

would never appointcommittees to investi-gate human rights vio-lations in Afganistanand Iraq, but was inthe process of appoint-ing one to investigatehuman rights viola-tions in Israel. Around2 million refugees in Afganistanhad been suffering from varioushealth complications due to war-fare, he said.

Ranawaka said that the UNCharter did not provide for theappointment of committees toinvestigate the internal affairsof member states.

Petroleum Resources

Minister A. H. M.Fowzie said thatSLMC leader RauffHakeem had madefalse statements aboutthe UPFA governmentto the Muslim commu-nity and as a resultthe UPFA governmentdid not receive someMuslim votes at the

Presidential election. TheMuslim community now hasrealized that they had been mis-led and they vowed to supportthe UPFA at the forthcomingparliamentary elections,Minister Fowzie said.

Construction andEngineering Services MinisterDr Rajitha Senaratne said that

the UPFA government wouldreceive a steamroller majority atthe upcoming election. The gov-ernment had formulated a set ofplans which would develop thecountry. The educational systemwould be changed and gearedfor job opportunities in theinternational job market.

Dr Senaratne added that thegovernment planned to alleviat-ing poverty by 2016 as the coun-try was making headway botheconomically and socially. It wascertain that the UPFA govern-ment would receive a two-thirdmajority to amend theConstitution. Proportional rep-resentation would be scrappedand the old electoral systemreintroduced, he said.

by Lalaji Manawadu

AMBALANGODA: “Ours is theone and only organisation whichgives loans to members even if theyare over 70 years. This is the onlyorganisation which has more than alakh of members islandwide includ-ing areas like Kilinochchi andJaffna. We have given loans the tuneof rupees three billion and havemore than rupees two million asdeposits,” said the Chief Secretaryof the Government PensionersTrust Fund, AriyasenaWidhanapathirana. He was address-ing the 9th AGM of theAmbalangoda GovernmentPensioners Trust Fund held atWarusawithana Elders’ Home,Polwatte. It was chaired by itsPresident B. H. Wimaladasa.

Widhanapathirana said that hedecided to grace the occasion asbecause Wimaladasa had done yeo-man service as a member of theexecutive committee. Otherwise hewould not attend AGMs islandwide.

Even when Prabhakaran wasalive people of Jaffna got member-ship in the trust fund and paid Rs. 20monthly. In nine years this trust fundhad achieved many thing due to theefficient management.

It had even given loans to thegovernment in the way of treasurybills to the tune off Rs. two and halfbillion, he revealed.

Three centres for the conven-ience of the members were underconstruction at Hambantota,Kataragama and Anuradhapuracosting several millions of rupees herevealed.

It had arranged two pilgrimageto Dabadiwa annually at a nominalfees of Rs. 60,000. Although all pil-grimages arranged by private com-panies to Dambadiwa had themotive of earning money, the TrustFund had the motive of pleasing itsmembers.

Galle District President of theTrust Fund, S. Pethangoda, GalleDistrict Committee member,Gunapala Manawadu, AmbalangodaDivisional Secretariat Accountant,Ms D. M. R. Prematunghe,Ambalangoda President B. H.Wimaladasa, Secretary, M. W.Ariypola, Deputy Secretary J.Kariyawsam and Treasury, BertyRanasuriya also spoke.

All office bearers were reap-pointed unanimously for the ensu-ing year.

Home NewsThe Island Page Two2 Tuesday 9th March, 2010

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DEATHS

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JOHN JEBAMANI (Formerly ofSarania Estate). Dearly beloved hus-band of Helen, loving father ofJebakumar (Kumar) Colombo Hilton),Devakumar (Jerry) A.C. Paul & Co.Ltd.), Arulkumar (Jeba) John KeellsComputer Systems Ltd.), preciousuncle of Beulah, Chrishanthy andRebecca, much loved grandfather ofJude, Steffan and Adrian, expired.Cortege leaves residence 5A, JudgesHill Path, Badulla at 2.00 p.m. onTuesday the 9th March, 2010. Burial atSt. Mark’s Church, Badulla.

Pensioners Trust Fund loans to over 70

SILVA - Dr. K. G. (New Castle - UK).Beloved husband of Mala, father ofIndaka Rukmal (New Zealand), father-in-law of Liza, grandfather of Megan,Carys and Callum, brother of Mr. K. N.P. De Silva (Founder Principal ofMahanama College, Colombo), ArlinSilva (Rtd. Vice Principal, WadduwaCentral College), and Badra NandaniSilva (Rtd. Teacher, MahanamaCollege), son-in-law of late Mr. U. C. B.Perera and Mrs. H. K. G. D.Samaratunga (Rtd. Teacher, RatnawaliBalika Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo 8),brother-in-law of Chandra, late Dr.Cyril, Harry, Sarath Nimal (USA),Kanthi, U. S. S. Perera (Bank ofCeylon), Mahinda (UK), Udaya,Chandralal (Asian International) andChandranath, passed away. Cortegeleaves residence on Wednesday 10thMarch 2010 at 3.00 p.m. for Cremationat Borella Cemetery. No flowers byrequest. Donations to Cancer HospitalMaharagama. No. 5, Kavinda Place,Colombo 6. Tel: 2513041.

FERNANDO - FREEDA. Most belovedwife of late Camillus Fernando, pre-cious mother of Commodore ShemalFernando (Sri Lanka Navy), RoshanFernando (Senior Superintendent ofPolice), Nelufer and Trevor Fernando(Attorney-at-Law), loving mother-in-law of Carmel (Air & Marine Travels),Kumari, Rodney (HSBC) and Mela,much loved grand mother of Ruwani(University of Colombo), Shanil (LawCollege), Shalini (St. Bridget’sConvent), Lakshan (St. Joseph’sCollege), Roshini (Ave Maria Convent),Shemal Jnr. (St. Joseph’s College),Elisha (St. Bridget’s Convent), Shenali(St. Bridget’s Convent), Trishela (St.Bridget’s Convent), Yohan (St. Joseph’sCollege), daughter of late Joseph andLeocadia Dabrera, daughter-in-law oflate Francis and Rose Fernando, sisterof Rev. Fr. Bertram Dabrera and Rev. Sr.Mary Lenita, expired. Cortege leavesresidence No. 385/4A, KularatnaMawatha, Kimbulapitiya Road,Negombo at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday,10th March for service at St. Mary’sChurch, Grand Street, Negombo at 4.30p.m. and for burial at Roman CatholicCemetery, Kudapaduwa, Negombo at5.00 p.m.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa participated in the International Women’sDay celebrations held at the Hambantota Siribopura Singapore Hall yesterday (8). Women’s Affairs MinisterSumedha G. Jayasena, Chairman of the Tarunyata Hetak Movement and Hambantota District UPFA candi-date Namal Rajapaksa participated in the celebration. Pic by Nalin Hewapathirana.

A special ceremony was held at the People’s Bank Headquarters yesterday to mark InternationalWomen’s Day. The Vanitha Vasana savings certificates had been issued to the customers and their sav-ings for the month between March 8 to April 8 has been doubled, Deputy General Manager of thePeople’s Bank Dr Nihal Ranjith Jayatilaka said. Chief Guest on the occasion was Director General of theDevelopment Financial Department of the Finance Ministry, Dr Damitha De Zoysa, Director ManagerD.U.S. Wickramarachchi, Director (State Finance Management) Kamala Siriwardena, Senior DirectorGeneral Manager H.S. Dharmasiri, veteran artiste Chandrika Siriwardena, Womens Parachute Team ofthe Sri Lanka Air Force participated on the occasion. Here Chief Guest Dr Zoysa presents a savings cer-tificate to a customer while Director Kamala Siriwardena looks on. Pic by Sujatha Jyarathna

UN likely to go ahead with HR probe against SL - Ranawaka

Salary satisfaction falls in Mideast