Postmaster sacked for refusing to serve poorly spoken

[Mufasa]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5950176.ece

March 21, 2009

Postmaster sacked for refusing to serve poorly spoken

Kevin Dowling

A Nottingham postmaster who refused to serve people with poor English has been dismissed from his position and banned from the Liberal Democrat party.

Sri Lankan born Deva Kumarasiri shot to prominence this week after he refused to serve customers who could not speak fluent English on the grounds that it caused delays for other customers.

When the 40-year-old district councillor turned up for work at the inner-city sub-office this morning he was told he had been moved to another post office in the city.

The owners of the shop at which the Post Office concession is based complained to his employment agency saying outrage over his stance was losing them customers.

Kumarasiri, who has lived in the UK for 18 years and was a Liberal Democrat councillor at Gedling Borough Council, claimed he had attempted to introduce the short-lived policy in order to provide a better service to his English speaking customers.

He remains defiant, insisting he will fight to return to his old post to “get back to my customers” and will serve his community as an independent councillor.

He said: “I am at this different site for the time being and I hope I can then come back.”

He claimed he had been inundated with cards and messages of support from across the UK but admitted he did not “expect everyone to agree” with him.

Tony Gillam, leader of Gedling Liberal Democrats, said Kumarasiri’s opinions meant he could no longer be a member of the party.

Cllr Gillam said: “Deva is not a Liberal Democrat councillor. The views expressed go well beyond what we can accommodate.”

He added that it had not been necessary to officially expel Kumarasiri as he had not paid any subscriptions for 18 months.

A spokesman for Kumarasiri’s employer, Newrose Personnel Limited, was not available to comment.

This is BS. If people come to live in our country, they should be made to learn our language.

[pencilpusher. just because]

If that happened here, Mike Vick would never get any fan mail.

[Jimsmusic™]

oops wrong thread.

[pencilpusher. just because]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5950176.ece

March 21, 2009

Postmaster sacked for refusing to serve poorly spoken

Kevin Dowling

A Nottingham postmaster who refused to serve people with poor English has been dismissed from his position and banned from the Liberal Democrat party.

Sri Lankan born Deva Kumarasiri shot to prominence this week after he refused to serve customers who could not speak fluent English on the grounds that it caused delays for other customers.

When the 40-year-old district councillor turned up for work at the inner-city sub-office this morning he was told he had been moved to another post office in the city.

The owners of the shop at which the Post Office concession is based complained to his employment agency saying outrage over his stance was losing them customers.

Kumarasiri, who has lived in the UK for 18 years and was a Liberal Democrat councillor at Gedling Borough Council, claimed he had attempted to introduce the short-lived policy in order to provide a better service to his English speaking customers.

He remains defiant, insisting he will fight to return to his old post to “get back to my customers” and will serve his community as an independent councillor.

He said: “I am at this different site for the time being and I hope I can then come back.”

He claimed he had been inundated with cards and messages of support from across the UK but admitted he did not “expect everyone to agree” with him.

Tony Gillam, leader of Gedling Liberal Democrats, said Kumarasiri’s opinions meant he could no longer be a member of the party.

Cllr Gillam said: “Deva is not a Liberal Democrat councillor. The views expressed go well beyond what we can accommodate.”

He added that it had not been necessary to officially expel Kumarasiri as he had not paid any subscriptions for 18 months.

A spokesman for Kumarasiri’s employer, Newrose Personnel Limited, was not available to comment.

This is BS. If people come to live in our country, they should be made to learn our language.

100% agreed. It's the same here. almost everything is bilingual here now. use an ATM and it asks you which language instead of being default English.

I bought a DVD player last month and the thing is set to Spanish as it's default language. So I have to put a movie in, go to the language menu and switch to English. The same with subtitles. it infuriates me.It's not that it is that much trouble.. it's that it should not be any trouble at all.

[Maine207]

100% agreed. It's the same here. almost everything is bilingual here now. use an ATM and it asks you which language instead of being default English.

I bought a DVD player last month and the thing is set to Spanish as it's default language. So I have to put a movie in, go to the language menu and switch to English. The same with subtitles. it infuriates me.It's not that it is that much trouble.. it's that it should not be any trouble at all.

Was the DvD player made in spain?

[pencilpusher. just because]

Was the DvD player made in spain?

It's just a little Magnavox I bought to go in the back room. No telling where it was made. I just know it is sold here it should speak 'Murken, dammit. :P

[Mufasa]

100% agreed. It's the same here. almost everything is bilingual here now. use an ATM and it asks you which language instead of being default English.

I bought a DVD player last month and the thing is set to Spanish as it's default language. So I have to put a movie in, go to the language menu and switch to English. The same with subtitles. it infuriates me.It's not that it is that much trouble.. it's that it should not be any trouble at all.

I'm not aware of us being that bad yet, but we've got a massive problem of eastern europeans coming over for a prosperous new life as an asparagus picker (IF they get a job), and not learning our language.

[Maine207]

It's just a little Magnavox I bought to go in the back room. No telling where it was made. I just know it is sold here it should speak 'Murken, dammit. :P

[tim_d7]

I think we should start teaching multiple languages in our schools. There's absolutely nothing wrong with knowing more than 1 language.

[mizzufalcfan]

Awright geeezzaa! I symparfize wiv da postmaster who 'as ter Ian Beal wiv people who can not charlie chalk right. I'm michael owen ter 'ave a missin' link at da local boozer befawer michael owen up da apples n pairs ter bada in da tub. Sorted mate.

[Ton80Kid]

Awright geeezzaa! I symparfize wiv da postmaster who 'as ter Ian Beal wiv people who can not charlie chalk right. I'm michael owen ter 'ave a missin' link at da local boozer befawer michael owen up da apples n pairs ter bada in da tub. Sorted mate.

freakin' cockney smart ***...

[rvrndzombii]

I think we should start teaching multiple languages in our schools. There's absolutely nothing wrong with knowing more than 1 language.

i agree.... but dont they do that already???

maybe that one went over my head

[Mufasa]

i agree.... but dont they do that already???

maybe that one went over my head

I know they do over here, compulsory from 11 to 16 years old. Most schools offer French, German and Spanish.

[The Snellvillain]

If that happened here, Mike Vick would never get any fan mail.

das racist no wut im sayin'

[VincentVanBro]

I know they do over here, compulsory from 11 to 16 years old. Most schools offer French, German and Spanish.

Teaching at that age is completely useless. Its more of a show than anything else. If you don't start teaching at a young age then nothing will stick.

I took Spanish for 6 years in middle and high school and at the end of high school not I or anyone else in class were fluent in spanish.

[Mufasa]

Teaching at that age is completely useless. Its more of a show than anything else. If you don't start teaching at a young age then nothing will stick.

I took Spanish for 6 years in middle and high school and at the end of high school not I or anyone else in class were fluent in spanish.

Yeah, some schools offer it from about 4. It isn't compulsory though.

[btrain5489]

Teaching at that age is completely useless. Its more of a show than anything else. If you don't start teaching at a young age then nothing will stick.

I took Spanish for 6 years in middle and high school and at the end of high school not I or anyone else in class were fluent in spanish.

And you will never become fluent in the language no matter how early you start unless you're immersed in it. Part of the reason little kids are prone to picking up languages is that they're immersed in the language. You can't replicated that by just starting earlier. For some time I've thought that teaching another subject in your foreign language of choice would be a good step in that direction. An english literature class taught in French, a History class taught in Spanish...etc.

If you took another language and I really mean worked at it for that long I have a hard time believing you couldn't go to a Spanish speaking country (more Mexico, not so much Spain since I've been told most schools teach Mexican Spanish not Spain Spanish.) and hold your own.

[Mufasa]

With no more education in French than the time I mentioned, I can easilygo to France a go about daily life. To be honest, they only really teach you the essentials (buying stuff, directions, food, numbers......), but they refine them every year.

Bonsoir mes amis, je m'appelle Mufasa. J'habite en Northampton, Angleterre. Il est un ville de commercial. Je voudrais regardez le football d'amerique, et je n'aime pas le francais.

[GEORGIAfan]

With no more education in French than the time I mentioned, I can easilygo to France a go about daily life. To be honest, they only really teach you the essentials (buying stuff, directions, food, numbers......), but they refine them every year.

Bonsoir mes amis, je m'appelle Mufasa. J'habite en Northampton, Angleterre. Il est un ville de commercial. Je voudrais regardez le football d'amerique, et je n'aime pas le francais.

hello my friends my name is mufasa i live in northampton _______( i think england) It is a commercial home( not sure on ville) I ______ watch american football, but dont like French.

thats what i can remember from 3 years of french, and i made an A each semester. I was a smart guesser and the teacher loved me.

[The Snellvillain]

hello my friends my name is mufasa i live in northampton _______( i think england) It is a commercial home( not sure on ville) I ______ watch american football, but dont like French.

thats what i can remember from 3 years of french, and i made an A each semester. I was a smart guesser and the teacher loved me.

Yeah I got my name is Mufasa out of all of that.

[_XL_]

During the last Olympics, Yahoo! had a chart showing medal counts. It listed the country, and it's national language. For the U.S. it had "None."

[Herr Beast]

During the last Olympics, Yahoo! had a chart showing medal counts. It listed the country, and it's national language. For the U.S. it had "None."

wtf? :lol:

[Norwood32]

This is BS. If people come to live in our country, they should be made to learn our language.

I agree... and I'm an immigrant.

[mizzufalcfan]

freakin' cockney smart ***...

i think you're the only one who appreciated my joke.

[Ton80Kid]

i think you're the only one who appreciated my joke.

one of my best friends several years ago was a limey who, when he got pissin' drunk, would revert back to his cockney roots...could barely understand a word he said... what was really hilarious was the fact that when he was sober, he had a deep southern drawl...his nickname was "Spider" and he had been living in GA for nearly 20 years...sadly, he was shot and killed in his front yard about 5 or 6 years ago..