Statement by the United National Party

Serious deterioration in the foreign ministry affairs and the treatment meted out to officials of the ministry prompted us once again to call for urgent and radical reforms in its policies.

It is with dismay we note the blatant attempts made by this administration to destroy the professional diplomatic corps of this country. President, as Minister of Finance, recently submitted a Cabinet Memorandum to slash the salaries of the officers of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service. This comes hot on the heels of the curtailing of medical allowances, educational allowances and the rent ceiling of the officers serving abroad.

The government claims that these measures are being taken to curb the unnecessary spending at the Foreign Ministry, forgetting that enormous amount of money has been wasted on unnecessary travel taking large delegations of friends, relations and cronies. This waste of public funds at the expense of the tax payer have left the foreign ministry funds stretched to their limit.

Career diplomats, members of the Management Assistant Service (former Clerical Service) who serve as Attachés’ abroad and Stenographers are now undergoing enormous hardship due to these curtailments which seem to be taking place at a frantic pace. Many have opted to send their children home since they can no longer pay for their education, especially in Europe and other Western countries. Many others dread the possibility of falling sick since they would have to pay a considerable portion of their medical expenses while others are forced out of their place of accommodation because of the sudden decision to cut officers’ rent ceilings by no less than 25 percent. Needless to say, the officers are in a desperate position, while also attempting to do their part to serve Sri Lanka’s interests abroad.

While these so-called cost cutting measures are being implemented at the expense of the lowest ranked members of the Foreign Service and the other support services, who bear the brunt of this inhuman treatment, the administration has not shown any restraint with regard to the ongoing appointment of its loyalists, family and friends and many other political stooges to plum diplomatic positions, often over and above the approved cadre positions.

If sacrifices are being called for by our professional diplomats abroad in an environment where such restrictions are not applicable to the selected few political appointees, it will no doubt leave the professional services in disarray and the cadre extremely disgruntled.

Now more than ever when we need to concentrate our resources abroad to ensure that the LTTE and its sympathizers would not raise their ugly heads once more, when a gigantic task of building Sri Lanka’s image remains an enormous challenge and while we need once again to engage with the rest of world and become a respected member of the community of nations rather than drift towards isolation, the current administration has taken a policy to destroy the very means of making these things possible – our professional diplomatic corps.

The President has repeatedly demonstrated his contempt for the implementation of the Constitutional Council as envisioned by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. While all other hurdles have now been removed, the sole obstacle preventing the reconstitution of the CC remains the President’s unwillingness to approve the names nominated by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to the Constitutional Council. We now see an attempt to politicize all appointments in the absence of the Public Service Commission, Police Commission etc. This deterioration is seen in some of the recent unfortunate incidents such as the Angulana murder of two youths and the brutal assault on the IT student. Such incidents continue, unless spotted by the media and highlighted in time.

The rapid politicization and the consequential deterioration of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service is just a mild symptom of the greater disease that is causing the very fabric of our administration to be broken down due to blatant nepotism and politicization. The legal and constitutional framework to arrest this situation is well established in the 17th Amendment. What is lacking is the political will to implement it.

We demand that the Foreign Ministry and the Government disclose the eligibility of the numerous kith and kin arbitrary posted to our Missions abroad and to inform the public on what basis they have been given these extraordinary appointments. We implore the Government to recognize the services of our able diplomats who have rendered yeoman service particularly in the last two decades when our country was facing many obstacles in the international arena. We request the Government to immediately stop the politicization of the Foreign Service and to restore the professionalism in our Missions abroad.

United National Party stands for a professional and an independent foreign service where career diplomats are recognized and given the rightful place whilst fully agreeing that all appointment outside the service should reflect high standards in chosen fields.

Karu Jayasuriya

Deputy Leader UNP