Foreign Service POLITICIZED
By Zahrah Imtiaz-August 7, 2014
Of the 49 posts, 35 heads of diplomatic missions are filled with political appointees, and this practice has turned the Foreign Service into a branch of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake charged in Parliament yesterday (06).
He added that politicization of the Foreign Service has led to the current dismal state in the foreign relations sphere in the country. Dissanayake blamed the Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris for the collapse of the Foreign Service and said the minister was fast losing control over the administration of his ministry.
The MP accused the ministry of having appointed relatives of ruling party politicians, friends and close associates of the government to high positions in the Foreign Service who were totally incompetent to handle such responsibilities.
"Our diplomatic mission in Canberra, has a staff of 20, of which 19 are political appointees," Dissanayake lamented. He then named the officers who were political appointees.
UPFA MP Azwer at this point raised a Point of Order and asked that all references to the President be expunged from the parliamentary proceedings.
Dissanayake revealed the following list to the House; "Ambassador to Netherlands, Buddhi Athauda (son of Minister Athauda Seneviratne), Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga (....cousin), Ambassador to Washington, Jaliya Wickramasooriya (....cousin), High Commissioner to the Maldives, Dixon Dela (father of Nilanga Delage,....friend), High Commissioner to Nigeria, A.S.P. Liyanage (....friend), Ambassador to Sweden, Oshadi Alahapperuma (brother of Minister Dulles Alahapperuma), Consulate Sydney, Yasara Abeynayake (granddaughter of late actor and Deputy Speaker, Gamini Fonseka), Ambassador to Turkey, Bharathi Wijeratne (wife of late Minister Mano Wijeratne), Ambassador to Vietnam, Prof.
Ivan Amarasinghe (....friend), Ambassador to Germany, Sarath Kongahage (former chairman of Rupavahini), High Commissioner to Singapore, Ferriel Ashroff (former SLFP minister), Ambassador to Jordan, Gamini Rajapaksa (former minister in UNP Government), Second Secretary in London diplomatic office, Muthu Padmakumara (daughter of Lake House Chairman), First Secretary in diplomatic mission in Melbourne, Osada Yapa Abeywardene (son of Minister Lakshman Yapa), Second Secretary in diplomatic mission in New York and Chamithri Rambukwella (daughter of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella),".
He cited the recent diplomatic fiasco with Tamil Nadu over an article published on the official Ministry of Defence website as a prime example to claim the incompetency of the ministry in handling such issues.
"This is the official website of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which comes under the purview of the President. How did they make such a huge blunder? Did the Ministry of External Affairs not advise the MoD on this?" asked Dissanayake. Dissanayake further stated that with the appointment of the political stooges, those who were qualified for those job had been sidelined. Hence, the government had to resort to hiring expensive foreign companies to get the job done.
"The government has hired so many foreign consultants, how much was paid to them? Where did the money come from? Why was Parliament not consulted on this?" queried Dissanayake.
The government, he said had paid the PR Firm Bell Pottinger, Rs 8.8 million to write the President's speech at the last United Nations sessions. In addition, The PR Firm Thompson Adversary was paid Rs 90 million to write two letters for the Governor of the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the JVP Leader mentioned.
"Who paid for all this?" asked Dissanayake.
Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera who replied Dissanayake's question, said the appointment of close associates of the government to high positions of the Foreign Service was nothing new, "every government in power has done this, so as to be able to project the government's stance in foreign countries."
He added, if those appointed were found to be unsuitable or not performing, they would be immediately recalled.
By Zahrah Imtiaz-August 7, 2014
Of the 49 posts, 35 heads of diplomatic missions are filled with political appointees, and this practice has turned the Foreign Service into a branch of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Democratic National Alliance (DNA) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake charged in Parliament yesterday (06).
He added that politicization of the Foreign Service has led to the current dismal state in the foreign relations sphere in the country. Dissanayake blamed the Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris for the collapse of the Foreign Service and said the minister was fast losing control over the administration of his ministry.
The MP accused the ministry of having appointed relatives of ruling party politicians, friends and close associates of the government to high positions in the Foreign Service who were totally incompetent to handle such responsibilities.
"Our diplomatic mission in Canberra, has a staff of 20, of which 19 are political appointees," Dissanayake lamented. He then named the officers who were political appointees.
UPFA MP Azwer at this point raised a Point of Order and asked that all references to the President be expunged from the parliamentary proceedings.
Dissanayake revealed the following list to the House; "Ambassador to Netherlands, Buddhi Athauda (son of Minister Athauda Seneviratne), Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga (....cousin), Ambassador to Washington, Jaliya Wickramasooriya (....cousin), High Commissioner to the Maldives, Dixon Dela (father of Nilanga Delage,....friend), High Commissioner to Nigeria, A.S.P. Liyanage (....friend), Ambassador to Sweden, Oshadi Alahapperuma (brother of Minister Dulles Alahapperuma), Consulate Sydney, Yasara Abeynayake (granddaughter of late actor and Deputy Speaker, Gamini Fonseka), Ambassador to Turkey, Bharathi Wijeratne (wife of late Minister Mano Wijeratne), Ambassador to Vietnam, Prof.
Ivan Amarasinghe (....friend), Ambassador to Germany, Sarath Kongahage (former chairman of Rupavahini), High Commissioner to Singapore, Ferriel Ashroff (former SLFP minister), Ambassador to Jordan, Gamini Rajapaksa (former minister in UNP Government), Second Secretary in London diplomatic office, Muthu Padmakumara (daughter of Lake House Chairman), First Secretary in diplomatic mission in Melbourne, Osada Yapa Abeywardene (son of Minister Lakshman Yapa), Second Secretary in diplomatic mission in New York and Chamithri Rambukwella (daughter of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella),".
He cited the recent diplomatic fiasco with Tamil Nadu over an article published on the official Ministry of Defence website as a prime example to claim the incompetency of the ministry in handling such issues.
"This is the official website of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which comes under the purview of the President. How did they make such a huge blunder? Did the Ministry of External Affairs not advise the MoD on this?" asked Dissanayake. Dissanayake further stated that with the appointment of the political stooges, those who were qualified for those job had been sidelined. Hence, the government had to resort to hiring expensive foreign companies to get the job done.
"The government has hired so many foreign consultants, how much was paid to them? Where did the money come from? Why was Parliament not consulted on this?" queried Dissanayake.
The government, he said had paid the PR Firm Bell Pottinger, Rs 8.8 million to write the President's speech at the last United Nations sessions. In addition, The PR Firm Thompson Adversary was paid Rs 90 million to write two letters for the Governor of the Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the JVP Leader mentioned.
"Who paid for all this?" asked Dissanayake.
Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera who replied Dissanayake's question, said the appointment of close associates of the government to high positions of the Foreign Service was nothing new, "every government in power has done this, so as to be able to project the government's stance in foreign countries."
He added, if those appointed were found to be unsuitable or not performing, they would be immediately recalled.
