The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe regime’s policy of helping friends and family appears to have spread to the Foreign Ministry with career diplomats being overlooked in favour of loyalists and their kin.
Foreign Minister Managla Samaraweera
Last week Lal Wickremetunge, brother of Lasantha Wickremetunge, the slain Editor of the Sunday Leader, was made Consul General in Sydney. Also, Manoj Warnapala, the son-in-law of Austin Fernando, advisor and confidante of President Maithripala Sirisena and the Governor of the Eastern Province, was appointed yesterday as a consul in Sri Lankan High Commission in UK. Warnapala is a UK citizen.
One of the main pillars of the Maithripala Sirisena campaign was to de-politicize the Foreign Service which was filled with children and relatives of cronies by the previous Rajapaksa administration. Colombo Telegraph understands that key individuals of the Sri Lanka expatriate community are upset by this decision. They argue that it amounts to a continuation of the much-criticized nepotism of the Rajapaksa Era. Some of them, who were very vocal in their support for Maithipala Sirisena, point out that career diploamats continue to be sidelined just like during the Rajapaksa years.
Neither Lal Wickrematunge nor Manoj Warnapala have ever held a diplomatic post before nor do either one of them have any career training or experience in the diplomatic service.
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Truth / October 22, 2015
This Government is on the path of self-destruction by jettisoning good governance in favour of Nepotism. One person earning a monthly salary of Rs 10 million is the height of the abuse power by the kith & kin.
Quick action needs to be taken to bring all government owned businesses under a Holding Company similar to Temasek of Singapore. A nominee of the Temasek Company of Singapore should be appointed as a Non-Executive Director, heading the Corporate Governance Committee of the proposed holding company.. It will help to transfer best practices from Singapore to this vital holding company.
All other foreign ministry and other appointments must go through the high posts committee, with a procedure similar to the EIA process which gives time for public comments, to eliminate the appointment of misfits.
However, I consider Mr Lal Wickramatunga as a fit and proper person, who as the Chairman of the Sunday Leader exposed the corruption of the previous government.
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Piyal / October 22, 2015
You are just another stupido like Mangala. Lal Wickramatunga is well connected to UNP and have no qualifications to work run an embassy. What do you mean he exposed corruption so he’s qualified for the Job? Do we have to appoint gossip newspaper editors to each embassy now?
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Antany Peter / October 23, 2015
Good governance is not in their blood. Therefore, they can’t implement good policies, no matter what political party they are affiliated with. This country has a track record of fighting the longest civil war in Asia. Therefore, don’t expect too much from the current leaders, but do as much as you can to create knowledgeable and honest future leaders. My question is what are you doing to create decent leaders in 10-20 years time?
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