Mangala Samaraweera was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chandrani Bandara was appointed as the Minister of Women’s Affairs in the latest cabinet. 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. Interestingly one such political appointment given was to the son of then UNP Parliamentarian Chandrani Bandara. In an exclusive story Colombo Telegraph revealed how her son was given a diplomatic posting by the Rajapaksa Government even though he had not passed the Sri Lanka Foreign Service exam or gone through the appropriate selection process.
Rukshan Jayasinghe, Chandrani Bandara’s son now serves at the Sri Lankan Consulate in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. At the time, the posting was believed to be a reward to Tissa Attanayake who was playing a double game while staying with the UNP. Chandrani Bandara is believed to be on intimate terms with Attanayake over a prolonged period, even though the latter is also married. Attanayake later left the UNP to formally join the Rajapaksa administration.
All eyes are now on the new Foreign Minister as to whether he would recall political appointees which would include the son of his fellow cabinet colleague. If not this would be the beginning of the same old crony politicization of the Foreign Service.
At one point UNP MP Rosy Senanayake had an offspring working for the Foreign Ministry through political connections. Her daughter was inducted to work for CHOGM as previously revealed in Colombo Telegraph and was to be sent as a diplomat. However after revelations about the appointment Senanayake is believed to have withdrawn her daughter from the group.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Chandrani Bandara was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Employment.
Amarasiri / January 13, 2015
RE: Will Mangala Recall Chandani Bandara’s Son
Mangala Samaraweera was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs
Please make it a meritocracy, for a Family Cronyism Service, as it is right now.
It the candidates are qualified and NOT Mara crooks and stooges, then they should be all right.
Meritocracy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy
Meritocracy (merit, from Latin mereō “earn” and -cracy, from Ancient Greek κράτος kratos “strength, power”) is a political philosophy which holds that power should be vested in individuals almost exclusively according to merit.[1] Advancement in such a system is based on intellectual talent measured through examination and/or demonstrated achievement in the field where it is implemented.
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Amarasiri / January 13, 2015
Mangala Samaraweera
“At one point UNP MP Rosy Senanayake had an offspring working for the Foreign Ministry through political connections. Her daughter was inducted to work for CHOGM as previously revealed in Colombo Telegraph and was to be sent as a diplomat. “
Are they qualified or not?
Who were the other candidates?
If it is fair, no corruption, then fine.
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Snowden Edward Asange / January 13, 2015
Thanuja Fonseka’s ( daughter of Gamini fonseka’s daughter was the ex Girl friend of Yoshita. He got his dad to appoint her to a diplomatic post to Australia after her break up coz he was scared that she would expose Yoshita..some graphic photos were published for all to see, She didnt go through the process nor pass the exams. So was Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s niece, who is posted to the Embassy of SL in WASHINGTON D.C., she too was a political appointee who did not pass the exams BUT was given an appointment to work at the embassy. Keheliya Rambukwella’s daughter too is a political appointee who works at the SL embassy in New York. Will Mangala have the balls to nullify their appointments and get them back to SL? will it be a case of you scratch my back I scratch yours?
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Navin / January 13, 2015
These are three tests for you here Mr President given by Snowden. Additionally, as you were fully aware of the closeness of Chandrani Bandara to Tissa Attanayake, you will be seen as insane to have appointed Chandrani Bandara as a Minister in your Government,for no apparent reason as a Minister. And you will get accused of engaging in nepotism if you do not cancel the diplomatic appointment of the daughter. God only knows how many more tests are awaiting you.
Mr President when you canvassed for Office your declared intention was to function as President for a period of 100 days to fix the broken constitution and reintroduce the rule of law. Why don’t you concentrate on doing that including revoking unsavoury appointments?
If after doing the right thing, things work out for you, you continue as President; otherwise you chuck it and go home. Isn’t that the honorable way?
Mr President, why do you seem so reluctant to do the right thing? Or is it that you have left your balls behind in Polonnaruwa?
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BBS Rep / January 13, 2015
Good work CT. Keep the bastards honest. Expose, expose, expose.
Mangala is not the cleanest of men. He is a famous ship jumper.
Sri Lanka has a dearth of honest men. It is almost an impossible task to find honest men among Sri Lankans to fill any post, politicians or not – all are rogues.
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Soma / January 13, 2015
Mangala Samaraweera is another opportunist.
If you are expecting any sort of justice then you don’t know who is Managala
Beginning of the same old crony has started on the very first day when the new President took oath.
Hope you have contacts among the politicians in Colombo.
Let us wait and see.
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shankar / January 13, 2015
“In an exclusive story Colombo Telegraph revealed how her son was given a diplomatic posting by the Rajapaksa Government even though he had not passed the Sri Lanka Foreign Service exam or gone through the appropriate selection process.”
He should be recalled as he is depriving another person who may have passed the exam.Rules are rules for everybody if you want to have good governance.In the west the white people will patiently wait in a queue but if you have a sri lankan or indian queue in the west for some function you will always see some people trying to jump ahead and get what they are waiting for using some catchers of theirs.When i went to the west initially i was puzzled at these two types of behavior,but now i know why we all have to go to the west leaving the country we love.
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Wera / January 13, 2015
There are far more important fish to tackle before Chandrani Bandara’s son. The man just took his oaths as Foreign minister. Give him a break.
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Snowden Edward Asange / January 13, 2015
Now that Chandani who was NOT a prominent figure in the run up to the election has been appointed to a important Ministerial post, will Tissa Attanayaka be safe and come back with his tail tucked between his hind legs? If such things happen. sorry to say. MY3’s govt too will face teh same fate as MR’s sooner than later…. They got to understand there is a Parlimentary election round the corner. They need to take action in regard to all corruption ( especially against MR, GR, NR, BR, Sajin Vaas, Tissa who had forged signatures also against Vaas Gunawardana the murderer D.I.G) to start with and proceed with Nivad Cabral, Keheliya, Johnston,Aluthgamage, and more…
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Uthungan / January 13, 2015
That sort of attitude to delay is an excuse to let things drift without anything being done.
A stich in time saves nine goes the proverb, Mangala will neglect to do what ought to be done.
It is now or never.
Otherwise the same rot will start all over again because Mangala is a slimy character and should be watched.
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Wera / January 13, 2015
Agree with the both of you
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Pakis Pettiya / January 13, 2015
How come Mangala a dress designer with no University education is the Foreign minister under Yaha paalanaya? He would have stayed with MR if MR agreed to his demands two weeks before the election period. Mangala demanded FM and other things and if MR gave it to him he would have come back to MR. But CBK in whose cabinet he was one of the closet confidantes(also a key member of the Kitchen cabinet) talked him out of crossing over in confidence of a victory; she was proven right.
He speaks English and he gets things done but how can we put him in the same seat with Kadirgamar or Ranil or Rajiva Wijesinghe? This is for caste based loyalty and delivering Matara seat for My3 and because CBK probably wanted him. I guess he is better than most 10th grade failed clowns in MR’s govt and also in RW’s parliamentary group..
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dcn / January 13, 2015
Will Mangala withdraw Chandrani Bandara’s son is good question. Similarly it was reported in the CT that Cardinal Malcom Ranjit’s niece was also posted in our embassy in Paris and that she too did not qualify for same post and this was a backdoor favour.
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Valagambahu / January 13, 2015
Mangala also needs to recall tons of other political appointments, such as Wasantha Kannagoda, who after spending one month’s holiday in Sri Lanka (to attend his dogs funeral) just got back to work !
Kanna has 5 navy cronies as support staff, they only do his personal work. Not even American Ambassador in Japan(I know through a friend) have 5 personal bodyguards ! May be Japanese terrorists are after this great war hero and he cried(again) for security !
And in this highly amusing Embassy, we also have his deputy, the person who dragged Sarath Fonseka away(that’s how he qualified for his post).
These “heros” A.K.A crying babies live in Palaces because they seem to have no upper limit for rents. They do banquest, because all are claimed.
They seem to have everything here but BRAINS.
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Vibhushana / January 13, 2015
Well, the idea of My3 is to stop further moral decay. Its a good beginning.
Eventually everyone will have to fall in line giving up earlier bad habits.
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crazyoldmansl / January 13, 2015
I very much doubt it. Going by Mangalas ranting on the votes of the minorities that brought this victory, he will be no different from the previous government.
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rashad uvais / January 13, 2015
look like its not going to happen as Mangala S himself is not a clean politician as we know his connections with Kamil kutubdeen the vat kingpin.
so it might come as let it be,even before the 100 days kick off there are few corrupted politico’s in the new cabinet god knows where we heading this time
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Matilda Ellepola / January 13, 2015
This Chandrani female was a bad choice and Rosy should have given this ministerial post as Rosy is someone have brains together with beauty and should have done a better job than most of the male colleagues in this cabinet.
Tissa A and Chandrani are a blessed couple as Tissa got 250M for the jump and then cowardly came on with a fake agreement which need him to send to the prison in any other democracy.
I was told by Tissa A’s family members that he was struggling with his children study in UK for the expenses and had to do that crossover just for monetary issues as he may not be able to elected in a future election as the last he got only 20,000 votes and Ranil appointed on the National list quite shameless.
So., Tissa got away with 250M and then this Chandrani now going to have attendance with Arab Sheikhs to solve the migrant workers issues and wonder how long will it take her to get into her 250M in this Maithree-YahaPalanaya.
This is like Unooth Ekai… Moonuth Ekai !!
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Indra / January 13, 2015
Recall the man, Mangala, if nothing else, as an affirmation of faith. You have no choice; that’s the right thing to do.
Also, there are many others to be recalled. That’s a job you will have to start and carry out immediately without fear or favour.
Let’s see what you are made of!
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Bethune / January 13, 2015
They must be appointed according to their qualidications and status;;they are representing srilanka and be selective;if not srilanka can be tarnished with just one family way of life;bring alllllll the cronies back
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Sengodan. M / January 13, 2015
The clean up should begin at home!
Sengodan. M
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anonymous / January 13, 2015
Mangala is a genuine statesman. He does not need advice from anyone in the cabinet or even RW to carry out the actions required by the foreign office. Sri Lankans as a nation have lost credibility among the international community and needed this man for the job to regain lost ground badly. Wish you all the best Minister!
Metta!
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justicia. / January 13, 2015
Principles should upheld, it should not be mere gibberish.
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K.A Sumanasekera / January 13, 2015
It depends, I guess, FM may take a liking to the boy and keep him…
BTW, did Rosy get anything, at least from Sira?….
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / January 13, 2015
Walk the walk. Talking and blaming time is over.
Dr.RN
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Samuel Jayaweera / January 13, 2015
You are one of the gentle kind of person to add valuable comments to this forum. Please explain them – change in the society cant be made within a weekstime. – it is not easy for MS to achieve everyting within shorter period of time, but if he would achieve atleast a large part of the promises made before the nation – people will grasp it finally – outsting MR is a need of the hour though made MR would make every effort to paint an another picture about his fall these days.
As the very same Soysa who worked hard to appoint MR, now says – both secretary and president of SLFP contested for prez election- Secretary won the election, so presidency of the part should go to MS while MR s supporters telling totally unacceptable in terms of the issue arguing MR to move on. However, day to another parliamentarians seem to be changing their views and jumping to support MS rather stay away.
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Amarnath / January 13, 2015
Ms. Bandara is not Foreign Employment minister. That’s Thalatha Athukorala. Ms. Bandara is Women’s Affrs minister.
AS
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Dinesh / January 13, 2015
Good questions will he? We need to see the Yahpalanya…people voted MS in for that and not for CBK and MS to dance the devil as they did from 1994 to 2005
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Sharmini Serasinghe / January 13, 2015
I believe Minister Mangala Samaraweera has far more serious issues to deal with at this stage.
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shankar / January 13, 2015
“Foreign Service which was filled with children and relatives of cronies by the previous Rajapaksa administration.”
what is more serious than this?We can see the quality of the foreign service from the results that they produced.Do we want the same results from the same people? When Kathirgamar took over it produced results.
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Paul / January 13, 2015
Well done CT. MR, Maithri, CBK, Ranil, SF…… may be up to all sorts of skulduggery but you just keep on publishing everything without fear or favour. Je sui CT!
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Orpheus / January 13, 2015
Useless Gossip!
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shankar / January 13, 2015
idiot,you can’t see the bigger picture.no wonder we will always be a part of the developing world as there are so many of you in this country.
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shankar / January 13, 2015
orpheus,on second thought due to your diminutive IQ i felt i might even have to explain the bigger picture to you.It is merit,you donkey,without a merit system we ain’t going anywhere.At one time it was all talk about becoming a singapore. Now we have given that up because merit system is too hard.Now we are eyeing peeking,and the spelling is not a mistake.
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Niroshana Chaminda / January 13, 2015
Please note that Chandrani is a Minister for Women Affiars not the Foreign Welfare. If a person posses enough qualifications to enter foreign service then no issues with that. No politics for disqualified people for important funtions.
Is Mangala the most suitable for Foreign Affairs ???
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Eshta / January 13, 2015
Please get your facts right Colombo Telegraph – Chandrani Bandara was sworn in as minister for
Women’s affairs and not foreign employment. You need to be more
Vigilant about the facts if you are aspirig to be a news site
And not just a gossip corner.
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CT Monitor / January 13, 2015
Eshta, Niroshana Chaminda and Amarnath,
I suggest all three of you should read the opening sentence of the above report AND, get YOUR facts right!
This is what it says-
“Mangala Samaraweera was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chandrani Bandara was appointed as the Minister of Women’s Affairs in the latest cabinet.”
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punchinilame / January 13, 2015
Mangala s pedigree does not matter – he has an enormous task to
accomplish – let him get on with it first:
This list is an indicator of the MR nepotism –
“Among the political appointees Mr. Dissanayaka revealed in Parliament are: Sarath Kongahage – Ambassador, Germany – Former Chairman of SLRC Nawalage Bannet Cooray – Ambassador, Italy – Former SLFP organizer for Kolonnawa Gamini Rajapaksa – Ambassador, Jordan – Former Deputy Minister of the UNP government H.R. Piyasiri – Ambassador Myanmar – Former Parliamentarian of the UNP Buddhi Athawuda – Ambassador, Netherlands – Minister Athauda Senevirtna’s son Udayanga Weeratunga – Amabssador, Russia – Presidents brother in law Jaliya Wickremesooriya – Ambassador, USA – President’s brother in law Dikson Daala – High Commissioner Maldives – father of Pradeep Nilanga Daala, Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth, a close friend of the President. ASP Liyanage- Ambassador Nigeria – a property trader and a close friend of the President Oshadhi Alahapperuma– Ambassador Sweden, Younger brother of Minister Dulles Alahapperuma Yasara Abeynayake – Consular in Sydney – Gamini Fonseka’s daughter Bharathy Wijeratna – Ambassador, Turkey – Former Minister Mano Wijeratne’s wife Dr. Yvonne Amarasinghe – Ambassador, Vietnam – President’s close friend Srimal Wickremesinghe – Deputy Head, Vienna – Brother of Ms. Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of the President Waruna Epasinghe – Embassy in Washington – A son of a government adviser Karaunaratna Pranavithana – Consul General, Canada – former Chairman of SLRC, a defeated candidate at an election WKS Dissanayaka – first Secretary , Abu Dhabi – a relative of the President Lalith U. Gamage – Indonesian Embassy – a SLFP politician from Galle HNB Ratnayaka – Second Secretary, Russia – Minister C,B, Ratnayaka’s son Lionel Premasiri – Deputy Secretary General, Canada – Former organizer of the SLFP in Galle Harshana Herath – Second Secretary, Singapore – Chief Minister of Sabaragamuwa PC Mahipala Herath’s son Chamithri Rambukwelela – Second Secretary, New York – Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s daughter Muthu Padmakumara – Second Secretary, London – the daughter of Chairman of Lake House Bandula Padmakumara Methsiri Cooray – Ambassador, Netherlands – President’s close friend Dr. Crtin Waidyarathna, High Commissioner in London – wife of Dr. Ajith Ratnayaka Umayangana Randeniya – Second Secretary, Singapore – Daughter of Ravindra Randeniya, adviser to the President Commander JM Bandara – Second Secretary, Kuwait – Bother of National list MP Janaka Bandara Dixon J. Perera – Consul General, Nepal – Former Secretary of the SLFP MI Kudukewaththa – First Secretary, Beijing – The daughter of the head of the Presidential Security Division Rathna Ranaweera – Second Secretary, Canberra – The daughter of the Additional Secretary to the President Farial Ashroff – High Commissioner, Singapore – Former Parliamentarian”
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douglas / January 13, 2015
This is a “Perennial” and a “National” weakness of us. We are quick to talk of one “germ” of the body of politics and completely forget to address the “core” disease that affect the whole nation and the country. It has come to know how this entire “Foreign service” has been used to fill with unqualified and unsuitable “relatives” and “cronies”. Everyone, including the Parliamentarians have expressed their “disgust” and pinpointed the “stinking” nature of that service.
So it become among many other matters in the Presidential election that the “Foreign Service” will be restored to its glory and proper and suitable personnel will be appointed. That “OVERHAUL” is a MUST and, on our part let us “demand” that it be done, swiftly and smoothly, without targeting one or two square “pegs” put on round holes. That, I believe, must be the CRY and not deal with particular individuals. Let us begin that DEMAND.
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