Foreign Ministry urgently needs revamping

"Will the changes in the Foreign Ministry be limited to Dr Kohana and Dayan Jayatillake? It is widely believed that the President will go further and transfer Rohitha Bogollagama to another Ministry and replace him with Mahinda Samarasinghe."
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EDITORIAL

(August 20, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The post war governance in Sri Lanka must transform to reflect transparency, wider engagement, respect for talents and ability and must be free from the rule of bureaucracy, unnecessary political interference and corruption. The President is showing signs of changing the structure of governance in some way and how far he will go in the transformation process is a million dollar question even the poor and frail Simple Simon in the street has to ponder. His stand on bringing changes to the military structure recently despite strong concerns being aired is a well thought decision. He must be given the credit for his assertive stand.

The President has already indicated changes to the Foreign Ministerial positions. Recalling Dayan Jayatillake from the UN mission in Geneva and appointing the Foreign Secretary Dr Palitha Kohana as the country representative at the UN mission in New York must be considered as right moves. There are stories within Foreign Office circles that Dr Palitha Kohana has become a troubled man recently, in particular since the end of the war with the LTTE. In addition to the deep rooted conflict with the Foreign Minister Bogollagama, Dr Kohana is said to be frustrated over some aspects of governance involving influential circles that was undermining a fair process in the dealings.

Dr Kohana’s role in dealing with the International Community is laudable and he has not come under any critical review by the media unlike the Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollogama. In this context, what has been rewarded to Dr Kohana is a timely action and a gesture and could only help strengthen the image of Sri Lanka internationally.

Will the changes in the Foreign Ministry be limited to Dr Kohana and Dayan Jayatillake? It is widely believed that the President will go further and transfer Rohitha Bogollagama to another Ministry and replace him with Mahinda Samarasinghe. Mahinda Samarasinghe is the minister of disaster management and human rights of Sri Lanka since 2006 and he has proved his capabilities beyond doubt when he dealt with some serious international issues proactively. His effort to stall a decision against Sri Lanka in the UN is the testimony no one can underestimate. Such high profile effort must be rewarded positively and Mahinda Samarasinghe’s talents must be fully recognized and rewarded accordingly.

Mahinda Samarasinghe did not shy away when he told the Sri Lanka Guardian that he would like to become the Foreign Minister one day. The Minister with such credentials must be accommodated and rewarded with the task of Foreign Minister which he wishes to cherish. If appointed, we are sure Minister Mahinda’s tireless effort will transform the declining path of the Foreign Service which is proving unable to function as a body and from top to bottom no one realize the very meaning of its international mission. Promoting political pandankarayas, unaccountability and financial mismanagement have become inherent part of the culture in the Foreign Ministry, needing serious overhaul of the Ministry. The present Foreign Minister does not give a good image and respect, as he is riddled with accusations of mismanagement and corruption.

The President must recognize the talents of men who can contribute positively for the betterment of Sri Lanka. Dayan Jayatillake has the popular support for his outstanding work in Geneva until he was removed prematurely recently. His talents will be very useful to clean up the Foreign Ministry and our Foreign missions. It will be a wise move if Dayan is roped into take on a senior position such as the Foreign Secretary as an able person, he will immensely contribute to the progress the Foreign Ministry in the right direction.

-Sri Lanka Guardian