Thoughts of Manivasager

Manivasger – A multi talented merchant, a native of Valvettithurai, living in Singapore and Malaysia over 5 decades, has given his thoughts on bringing his Village boys toward Aero Nautical. Mr.Manivasager is well known to all in VVT, due to his excellent commitment by bringing up many seafarers in Valvettithurai in various ranks, including number of Master Mariners (Captains), for which he never claimed any credit. What is his thoughts now………

I am aware of the scarcity of qualified candidates for a highly technical field as aeronautical Engineering. Qualifications are not merely "A/Level" or Science subjects.

People doing well in such fields are generally expected to have the 'aptitude'. It is to be remembered that not all Advanced Level or Science subjects students can become Doctors or Engineers, and even all qualified Doctors and Engineers never become the best in each of their fields.

It is the "aptitude" not the 'attitude' that a leader must learn to identify in every candidate.  The 'attitude' is also a basic requirement but it is more  of 'aptitude' that will help every candidate. It is difficult for a layman like me to explain how to identify the aptitude.

If We all would try to recollect 'ART" as a subject in lower schools or higher levels. It is not merely 'drawing' or painting. It is not only the use of the pencil and the brush. It is the  use of the brain and the imagination that brings out the art in a person. 'HANDICRAFT'  again is the same. Here again the use of the knife or tools and the glue and gum is not the only thing that  brings out the best 'handicraft'.

Look at 'COOKING' . The best cooks do not come out of 'science' or 'A' levels or not even best 'home' science graduates. Not even the best 'recipe' books can produce the best "COOKS"

This applies in every field or career. Our youngsters have unfortunately been deprived of basic education but the best way to identify some talent is to look for and locate the ones who have done well under such conditions.  A person like Saba Rajendran may  be the best person to identify one or two candidates. 

Aeronautics is not my field. But I am in the process of learning the field and find that the remuneration is much higher than the other fields. There are NO vacancies or opportunity already secured in my hands.  

I am simply looking around and trying to locate some candidate who is good in repairing bicycles, cars or engines. Or boys  who can use their hands, brains and imagination to produce something out of nothing or who can make toys and kites out of material available and of no significant value.

We should not concentrate only on shipping oriented jobs. There are so many trades that our youngsters can learn. Besides learning from books they have to learn using their brains, imagination and their hands and fingers.

We have to get them involved in existing trade  and industry in the Jaffna scenario. There are Motor car repair workshops, Cycle repair shops, Fishing boat and engine repair workshops, Radio, TV repair shops, Furniture manufacturers , not to forget Computers and internet and telephone maintenance and repair workshops,  hospitals and clinics, Home electrical wiring and repairs to appliances like grinders, liquidizers fans and motors,building construction, welding workshops Boat building yards . There is no end the avenues and  opportunities are plenty.

Let us make a twin pronged approach . 

1) Two or Three of your (Vaiswa) core helpers or committee members must get together and simply visit such workshops or persons involved in the business and discuss with them the difficulties they are facing.

Difficulties in Finance, in source of spares and mostly having no workers to help them is the work. Or the problem that the worker demands higher wages and will not work for their wages.

Simply choose ten such industries in our own area of VVT/ Thondamanaru or Point Pedro. It can be workshops, schools or paddy fields or agricultural ventures.. Anywhere they need workers.

2) Another committee has to assemble the unemployed youngsters boys or girls. Select TEN volunteers for this experiment and send them to work on their own selection of fields. Engine workshop, TV repair shop, tailoring shop, labor of a construction worker, Hospital nurse or Dental nurse , any field that the worker is willing to work.

Let the employer pay the amount he is willing to pay. We will pay a subsidy to the worker. Say Rs1.000/- per worker per month. This amount can be more or less depending on the individual job and the importance of the field or the value of the training the worker is getting.

Out of this Ten volunteers we are bound to identify the worker with a ‘best attitude' and the worker is bound to show his 'aptitude'.

Once we identify and choose the correct candidate we will arrange for further training in the field in India , Malaysia or Singapore or any other country offering such training and MOST importantly the certificate for future employment with better remuneration and careers with a solid future.

I am sending this proposal to another group of VVT who are trying to help youngsters and they approached me last December in Sydney. One of the gentleman who approached me under the name of "Nediyakadu development group". I am not aware of their present activities and progress to which I would like to know in response to this proposal.

Let us see the response and ideas anybody will come up with. We will choose the best path. But I am willing to send a fixed sum to the group every month for the next one Year to see the success.

The quantum of the fixed sum has to be assessed from the exercise chosen. I as an individual can manage to send Rs 50,000/- a month or say even Rs 100,000/- a month. But I am confident that I will be able to muster more funds from others as well, depending on the success of the project.

Manivasager

manivasager@yahoo.com