An addendum to “Foreign Ministry restructuring a big farce?

Mar 28, 2016

This is a timely exposure effectively highlighting the farcical nature of so called restructuring of the Foreign Ministry. In fact, there has not been a proper restructuring.

The writer has failed to name the “mid-level powerful lady officer”. She is Mahishini Kolonne, one time Sajin Vass favourite and a member of the four-member axis of evil of the Foreign Ministry during Rajapaksa era. The other three of the axis were Kshenuka Senevirathana, Secretary, Majintha Jayasinghe and Satya Rodrigo who cannot communicate in any language. The retired foreign service Ambassador is none other than Prasad Kariyawasam now serving in Washington DC. Kariyawasam has already settled down in the USA with his family. He is one of the few officers who has benefited immensely from the foreign service. He was appointed as Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi with Ambassador rank in 1999. After that he was sent as Ambassador and Permanent Representative in Geneva. After Geneva he was appointed as Ambassador and Permanent Representative in New Yorkthen High Commissioner to India. After his retirement in 2014 he was sent to the USA as Ambassador and he is still working there.

At the moment there are two foreign ministries in Sri Lanka under Minister Samaraweera. One is headed by ineffective Chitrangnie Wagiswara and the other one is headed by master manipulator Prasad Kariyawasam.

Everything happens according to the dictates of Kariyawasam and his girlfriend Mahishini Kolonne. Minister Samaraweera has become a prisoner of Kariyawasam and Kolonne. The latest example of this tragedy is the Cabinet paper submitted on entering into anti-Landmine convention. Even the President as the defence minister was not aware of this cabinet paper. Samaraweera had blindly submitted it to the cabinet for approval as it was handed over to him by Kolonne. Without consulting any line agency, Kolonne had sent papers to Samaraweera! Timely intervention by the President Sirisena and defence authorities saved the country from a serious national security disaster.

Foreign Secretary Wagiswara has no knowledge in administration. This is the main reason behind lacklustre performance of the Ministry. Taking advantage of this grave weakness Kariyawasam and Kolonne stage managed the so called “restructuring programme” disregarding all recommendations made by the committee sent to study Singapore system. The changes implemented through the restructuring programme shows how Kariyawasam and Kolonne have been able to place their favourites to key positions undermining and sidelining capable officers. Therefore, Singapore model restructuring programme became yet another waste of public funds.

The foreign service officers are a disgruntled lot. Take the example of new foreign service Minute. The Foreign Secretary now has the audacity to undermine a cabinet decision. According to a cabinet decision taken by the previous government all public services such as SLAS, SLPS, Accountants service, Scientific service, SLEAS, engineering service etc were ordered to restructure their service Minutes so that all services comply with salary circular PA 6/2006. Even though 05 years has passed, only the foreign service has not done this. Although the public service commission has approved the new foreign service Minute, secretary Wagiswara has not sent it to the Cabinet for endorsement. This has deprived legitimate promotions of foreign service officers, career advancements and securing of entitled benefits of public servants. This is a pathetic situation and violation of legitimate rights of public servants.

Contrary to its principles Yahapalanya government has not done justice to efficient foreign service officers like Jayantha Palipane. Palipane is a very intelligent and experienced officer with impeccable integrity who was sidelined during MR era due to his straightforwardness. Therefore, he was not given the foreign secretary post during G L Peiris’ time. Now even under Yahapalanya, Palipane has been deliberately overlooked for that post and Wagiswara is being kept even after her retirement. There are a number of other competent serving foreign service officers, including Ranjith Uyangoda, who can be appointed as foreign secretary. However, it is reliably learnt that Yahaplanaya is now considering appointing an outsider to the post.

The foreign service officers, like many other public servants were overjoyed when MR regime was defeated in 2015. They also rejoiced when Samaraweera was appointed as the foreign minister. However, their happiness was short-lived. They have fallen from frying pan into the fire!

Minister Samaraweera should be able to identify his friends out of many enemies around him in the foreign ministry. Better late than never!

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