- President Rajapaksa has himself delivered stinging strictures upon career diplomats, implying that they are self-serving, lazy, haughty and less than industrious. Addressing them in October 2006, Rajapaksa said: “To the best of my knowledge I cannot say that our foreign service has carried out this task very well. I regret this.” He added: “Our government has not sent you and your families to foreign countries only to attend evening parties and provide a good education to your children.”
by Namini Wijedasa
(October 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS) and the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) are gearing to battle it out over a proposal from the latter that the two services be merged as one.
The Sri Lanka Foreign Service Association (SLFSA) met urgently last week to draft an argument on why the two services should not be amalgamated. After holding initial discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, they also sought a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. An appointment is yet to be granted.
SLAS is the oldest service, with a history of over 200 years.” The member, who had been present at the meeting with Rajapaksa, said: “We put forward this request for the benefit of the country. Even he did not reject our proposal. He said it was good idea and that he will consider it.” This member claimed that five senior, efficient SLAS members were assigned to the foreign ministry last year after a competitive interview.
“They kept them in the ministry for one whole year without work and they were not even given a seat. The only thing the Foreign Service officers have is English and other languages, nothing else.”
(The feature originally published by Colombo based weekly the Lakbima News) - Sri Lanka Guardian
by Namini Wijedasa
(October 19, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS) and the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) are gearing to battle it out over a proposal from the latter that the two services be merged as one.
The Sri Lanka Foreign Service Association (SLFSA) met urgently last week to draft an argument on why the two services should not be amalgamated. After holding initial discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, they also sought a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. An appointment is yet to be granted.
Meanwhile, the SLAS has beaten them to it. The idea of a merger had first been discussed at a meeting between the SLAS and President Rajapaksa on September 10. The union later made written submissions justifying their proposal. Among the reasons given was that they were leading some of the country’s most challenging development projects and that they are well positioned to secure foreign assistance for Sri Lanka. They also said they had a clear understanding of the country and would, therefore, be able to project a favourable image to the international community.
Elitists
It is learnt that the Rajapaksa administration, which has shown animosity towards the SLFS in the past, is considering the proposal. Some sources say that a cabinet paper may shortly be presented in this regard.
Elitists
It is learnt that the Rajapaksa administration, which has shown animosity towards the SLFS in the past, is considering the proposal. Some sources say that a cabinet paper may shortly be presented in this regard.
President Rajapaksa has himself delivered stinging strictures upon career diplomats, implying that they are self-serving, lazy, haughty and less than industrious. Addressing them in October 2006, Rajapaksa said: “To the best of my knowledge I cannot say that our foreign service has carried out this task very well. I regret this.” He added: “Our government has not sent you and your families to foreign countries only to attend evening parties and provide a good education to your children.”
“They think of us as a bunch of elitists but this is absurd,” said one career diplomat, on condition of anonymity. “I must tell you that the present setup represents all communities and consists predominantly of officers who studied in local colleges and at maha vidyalayas.”
“We need to have a separate foreign service,” he emphasised. “Even countries like the Palestinian authority have now established a separate foreign service.”
Outsiders
“We want to emphasise that the SLFS is a distinct, separate and unique service,” said Rodney Perera, president of the SLFSA. We will make our submissions soon. We have already voiced our concern in a letter.”
Outsiders
“We want to emphasise that the SLFS is a distinct, separate and unique service,” said Rodney Perera, president of the SLFSA. We will make our submissions soon. We have already voiced our concern in a letter.”
The SLFSA holds that SLAS officers who want to enter the service should sit the Foreign Service exam. They are concerned that an amalgamation might spell an end to professional diplomacy in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, it is not new for SLAS officers to be seconded to the foreign ministry but attempted mergers have never been successful. At present, there are 25 officers from the department of commerce posted in Sri Lanka’s missions abroad and seven officers from the ministry of labour and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Altogether, the number of appointments from outside the SLFS is 93 while the number of SLFS officers serving in missions is just 94.
It is claimed that 70 per cent of the expenditure of missions is spent on people appointed from outside the SLFS. “Allegations levelled against SLFS on spending are farcical, a sham and untrue,” said one incensed career officer.
Other officers pointed out that SLAS and SLFS had different scopes of work and spheres of responsibility. One is involved in development administration while the other conducts diplomacy. The SLAS has a cadre of over 2000 personnel and the SLFS has less than 200 - it is feared, therefore, that an amalgamation would result in a devouring of the Foreign Service.
“There had been several attempts to merge SLAS with SLFS in the past but all governments of the day resisted this move at the highest levels, realising the gravity of such an amalgamation,” commented a diplomat.
Fighting back
The SLAS union is fighting back. A member who did not wish to be quoted said: “The country is depending on just 158 people for its foreign relations but all they try to do is put their children to schools abroad. What have they done for the country?”
Fighting back
The SLAS union is fighting back. A member who did not wish to be quoted said: “The country is depending on just 158 people for its foreign relations but all they try to do is put their children to schools abroad. What have they done for the country?”
“The SLAS has more than 2,000 people,” he said. “If one officer is not fit for the service, he can return and work in Ampara or Moneragala as a government agent or something.
SLAS is the oldest service, with a history of over 200 years.” The member, who had been present at the meeting with Rajapaksa, said: “We put forward this request for the benefit of the country. Even he did not reject our proposal. He said it was good idea and that he will consider it.” This member claimed that five senior, efficient SLAS members were assigned to the foreign ministry last year after a competitive interview.
“They kept them in the ministry for one whole year without work and they were not even given a seat. The only thing the Foreign Service officers have is English and other languages, nothing else.”
(The feature originally published by Colombo based weekly the Lakbima News) - Sri Lanka Guardian 
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