Desi postmaster in England won't serve non-English speakers

[fozzie 41]

Surely learning the local language, if your are there to live and work, will only make your life easier, no?

sure, but struggle builds character

New York must be ranked #1 for character then.

yes, we have lots of characters.

i'm not sure the postmaster by my house speaks English, now that i think about it.

Ahh...a role reversal! Does that mean he can refuse to serve people who only speak english?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

[Niels Bohr 72]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Typical, if you're living in a conservative neighborhood.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Typical, if you're living in a conservative neighborhood.

She's a misfit.

[almaty 19]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Typical, if you're living in a conservative neighborhood.

She's a misfit.

whoa, that lady postmaster needs some nair and hormones..

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Typical, if you're living in a conservative neighborhood.

She's a misfit.

whoa, that lady postmaster needs some nair and hormones..

'she' is my neighbor.

the postmaster fits right in!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Your chop-termagant neighbour is correct on there being a terr'ist in the neighbourhood--it is she!

[Niels Bohr 72]

My postmaster is Sikh, speaks English but wears a big turban with tons of facial hair. My neighbor thinks he might be a terr'ist.

Your chop-termagant neighbour is correct on there being a terr'ist in the neighbourhood--it is she!

LOL!

You are right. She's the terrorist.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Mr. Kumarasiri is a dumbass.

Yep, he is. And considering my dad works for the USPS and I know some of the ways they handle things. I bet this jack@ss won't be working for them much longer.

On the nail, Bootylicious; he got canned (edit: not even fulltime of UK Postal Service, but contractor)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...ire/7967669.stm

Postmaster 'let down' by job loss

Mr Kumarasiri said he had heard from many supporters

A postmaster from Nottingham who refused to serve customers who could not speak English says he feels "let down" after losing his job.

Sri Lankan-born Deva Kumarasiri worked at the sub post office on Sneinton Boulevard before being moved to another branch in Netherfield.

He claimed non-English speakers made it difficult to do his job properly.

On Thursday, Mr Kumarasiri was told by the agency that employed him that his contract would not be renewed.

"I feel definitely let down because it was the 5% of the ethnic minorities who made this fuss," said Mr Kumarasiri.

"They don't want integration and they are the ones that made me leave the Sneinton post office. The other 95% are suffering because of that.

"People are ringing me and sending me e-mails, I have that many fan mails, all helping me out," he added.

His employer, agency Newrose Personnel, was unavailable for comment.

Mr Kumarasiri said he was now in negotiations with a friend who had offered a post office for him to run.

Managers at the Post Office had said the service was for all and they were concerned about the impact on trade.

Mr Kumarasiri's policy had also been criticised by the local Racial Equality Council and MP for Nottingham East, John Heppell.

Mr Heppell said: "This was a little bit strange. What do you do with tourists?

"If I was abroad and if someone refused to sell me a stamp because my French or German was not good enough, I think I would have every right to be offended and I suspect people in this country would be offended by what this man was doing."

Mr Kumarasiri had told the BBC he had turned away about six customers who had wasted his time and annoyed other customers by not being able to understand English.

[Laura+Tom 2]

It was brought up at work would he refuse to serve tourists to the UK who spoke no english if they wanted a stamp for a postcard?

On a side note at my local Royal Mail depot they don't seem to bothered if people don't speak the lingo we have signs in English and Polish.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Laura+Tom

[Ladylethal 12]

He also forgot something else, tourists. Even if it's not a tourist city where he was working doesn't mean they can't get tourists, exchange students, etc.

[Ban Hammer 14,569]

pc strikes again.

[Sandrila 1]

No different than the owner of GENO'S FAMOUS CHEESESTEAKS in PHILLY

He put a sign in his window that said SPEAK ENGLISH WHEN ORDERING

It caused a big stir but I guess he made his point, and headlines

there is one song too, old school if you will, for you hardcore rockers...D.R.I "SPEAK ENGLISH OR DIE!" B)

[Marina-Del 10]

"People are ringing me and sending me e-mails, I have that many fan mails, all helping me out," he added.

Looks to me like he needs some lessons in English as well!!!

"I have that many fan mails" --> I have that MUCH fan MAIL

[thetreble 19]

There was a point made in this thread that all foreigners eventually learn the language of their new country, even if it does take time.

My husband has line cooks working for him at his restaurant that have been here LEGALLY in the US for up to 10 years. They can only speak a few words of English, some speak none at all.

When you go live in an English speaking country, as long as you are living in a neighbourhood that is driven by your ethnicity, which many people do, you rarely have to speak a word. Spanish grocery store near by, spanish gas station attendant, etc.

You have to be willing to learn.