Post office boss bans customers who can't speak English
POSTMASTER Deva Kumarasiri has banned customers from his branch who cannot speak English.
Mr Kumarasiri, who runs Sneinton Boulevard Post Office, says all immigrants in Britain should learn the language.
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Deva Kumarasiri
The 40-year-old, who moved here 18 years ago, says it is important to embrace British culture.
"If you come to Britain you have got to speak English," said the father-of-two, who is also a Liberal Democrat councillor on Gedling Borough Council.
"I am from a different country but when I came here I became British. My job is to give a service. I cannot give a service if they cannot tell me what they want."
Mr Kumarasiri, who helped raise thousands of pounds after the tsunami hit his native Sri Lanka, said he had banned about half-a-dozen customers.
"Some of them say 'you are not British'," he said. "I keep telling them 'don't come here or I am not going to help you'.
"One of the Asian ladies said 'you have a different language, why can you not speak that?'
"I said 'When I am in Britain I speak English.' Ethnic minorities came to this country to change their lives. They have to take pride in the country where they live. It shows that they care."
Banned customers who have returned with interpreters have been served.
Mr Kumarasiri, of Carlton, is campaigning for people of all races to feel proud about being British and has started a website – www.britishnessforever.co.uk
He said: "This is about unity among the people in this country who are proud to live here, whether they are Asian, black or white.
"Ninety-five per cent of people are proud to be British but they are scared to show it.
"It is being put into people's heads that you cannot say things to upset the minorities.
"The white person cannot stand up and say anything because they automatically become a racist."
He said people in Sri Lanka were proud to be associated with Britain, stemming from its days as a colony.
"Still we have the pride that Britain left behind," he said. "The laws are still there, the schools are still there. The kids have courtesy. They have discipline. Here all that is gone. Let's bring back all this."
Afzal Sadiq, chief executive of the Nottingham and Notts Racial Equality Council, said: "You are denying somebody a service that is there for everybody. It is not just there for everybody who can speak the language.
"In an ideal world these people would speak English. In the long term I understand the aspiration, but learning to speak English is going to take time.
"I would hate for them to be refused a service from the post office that is meant to be there for everybody. To deny someone a service is wrong.
"What about those people who cannot speak? What about those people from the deaf and dumb community?
"These are equality issues for me."
chris.birkle@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
163 Comments
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by ROGER, NOTTINGHAM
Saturday, March 28 2009, 3:07PM
“Well done Mr Kumarisiri people who come to this country should have to speak the language and before being aloud to stay and pledge alegence to Queen and Country.
I am an ex guvenor of a junior and to much was being spent on teaching assistant "TRANSLATORS" rather than on specialneeds pupils in my mind a waist of OUR MONEY.
EMBRACE THE FLAG COUNTRY LANGUAGE OR INSIST ON YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND LEAVE.
Some of my family died in two world wars for this contry and are turning in their graves with what is happening now THEIR LIVES WERE WAISTED OUR RIGHTS HAVE GONE IN FAVOUR OF OTHERS I AM ENGLISH NOT BRITISH WHITE AND PROUD OF IT!!!!!!!!!”
by Andre, Bingham, Nottingham
Saturday, March 28 2009, 11:26AM
“Well done Deva Kumarasiri you are like most of us born or immigrated here who are proud to be a U. K citizen and making a stand for what I think most people would agree with as just good manners. I don't feel for one minute that the do-gooders or P. C crowed who make most of the fuss and make us look ridiculous to the rest of the world would see your point. I did listen to you on local radio and you made it clear your reasons and as stated the genuine ones who needed help came back with a translator and the others did the usual "I am being discriminated against". I wish more people such as yourself coming to this country would show the respect for the country that has afforded you it's protection and a good possibility we would not be in the mess we have allowed ourselves to get in at the moment.”
by Stewart, Sydney, Australia
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 6:39AM
“Good on him - it's about time someone stood up for British culture, Britain is a great country ruined by people free-loading in and refusing to learn the native language.
To all the ignorant people who say it's racist - would you live abroad and not learn a word of the language and expect to be treated like everyone else? Probably. How long before NO-ONE in Britain speaks english?
I'm a Brit working in Oz and I can tell you it is better here because they would never tolerate ANYONE who showed no effort to learn the language. They would treat the guy like a hero.
Again another example of British political correctness gone mad - no-one can say or do anything without being accused of being racist.”
by Jock, Notts
Saturday, March 21 2009, 9:54PM
“Thats it sad badger, show us how thick you really are by posting your usual cr@p.
Do you know what a fuzzy wuzzy is? i dont think so and what a stupid question to ask, how many have i killed.
Perhaps a better question would be what good have me and many like me done for sh1t like you. You take for granted your freedom and assume you have some right to it, but contribute nothing towards it yet call people like me, but what have you done, nothing.
If terrorists started blowing up parts of the country like some countries you would be the first to whinge and whine, if you couldnt spout your usual bile and cr@p you would again be the one to moan, but its down to me and many many other people like me that allow you to.
You are really thick and selfish EXPECTING EVERYTHING and contributing nothing, and being the little bullying coward with no social skills you really are, you hide like a rat behind your computer screen trying to seek attention.
You are the sort who would sh1t themselves if you were under fire, try anything to get out of it then tell everyone what a hero you are. Do you bother about all those people who died defending this country from threats, do you even bother to have a minites silence on rememberance Sunday, i doubt it.
Expect everthing and give nothing, coward.”
by Julie Webster, Hucknall
Friday, March 20 2009, 10:25PM
“The decision by Deva Kumarasiri to ban customers who do not speak English is outrageous! This policy is xenophobic and racist. A post office, like any other business/organisation should be there to serve its customers and not discriminate on the basis of whether they can speak English or not. I wonder how many people on this thread who say that they support the Postmaster's decision have wandered into a restaurant/shop/post office whilst on holiday or working abroad in e.g. France/Italy/Spain, and have been able to talk to the staff in French/Italian/Spanish? Very few of you I would imagine. How would you feel if the staff staff refused to serve you because you could not speak their mother tongue?”