Pasky forgets appointment with US ambassador!

- Dec 04, 2015

New US ambassador in Sri Lanka Atul Keshap recently made an appointment with treasury secretary R. Paskaralingam and went there to meet him. A few minutes earlier, Paskaralingam had gone to Temple Trees, saying he wanted to meet the prime minister. Before leaving, he was told by his secretary about the appointment with the US ambassador, but he just nodded his head absentmindedly. The US ambassador arrived exactly

on time and after getting to know that Paskaralingam was out, spent around 45 minutes in the visitors’ room reading a newspaper. The secretary tried his mobile phone several time to inform him that the ambassador was there, but she got no response.

 

The ambassador left in a temper after wasting nearly one hour at the treasury. Paskaralingam returned around two hours later and was told by the secretary about what had happened. Only then he remembered that he had an appointment with the US ambassador. He immediately told the secretary to speak to the ambassador, tender an apology and obtain an appointment to meet him. However, the US embassy has so far made no response. 

 

The 83 year old Paskaralingam is working at the treasury due to insistence by prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Representatives of the Indian high commission are attempting for around a month now to obtain an appointment from him. Paskaralingam goes to London once or twice a month for medical checkups.