Are chairmen of state corporations of a higher breed than ordinary civilians?
I had some work to do at the Lanka Cement office which is housed in the State Engineering Corporation building at Ramanayake Mawatha (opposite Bishops College) in Colombo.
I proceeded to the 7th floor office and having completed my business took the public lift to the ground floor. It stopped on the 6th floor and a security guard told me to step out. I asked why and the response was “the chairman has to use the lift”.
I stepped out and then took another lift. Where in the world does an individual holding this position exclusively use a public lift? I believe even the President or the Defence Secretary (notwithstanding his security concerns) wouldn’t want to eject others in a public lift if they (VIPS) happen to use it at the same time! Aren’t these officials’ servants of the people, not the other way round?
T. Veda Manickam
Colombo