When Rome is Home

Foreign Ministry high-ups are repeatedly scratching their collective heads wondering and pondering how to put up a Cabinet paper requesting an extension for Sri Lanka’s counsellor at the Embassy in Italy. He is 77 years old; 22 years past retiring age. The counsellor, a resident in the Gampaha District was appointed to the post on a two-year contract in 2005. In the absence of an ambassador he even heads the mission now though rarely seen.

A Cabinet minister from the district, one who dares challenge even the Prime Minister making contradicting public statements, is his main political backer. Foreign Ministry officials say the Minister had threatened the powers-that-be-with resignation if ‘apey minissu’ (our people) cannot be ‘looked after’. In a shaky coalition Government the President’s office had winked and given its word to the Foreign office to let the septuagenarian Counsellor stay.

A Foreign office wag was to remark, ‘When in Rome do as the Sri Lankans do’ Meanwhile, the neighbouring state of the Vatican is reported to have sent a signal to the Sri Lankan Government that they find it difficult to grant Geneva based Ambassador Dayan Jayathillake accreditation to the Roman Catholic state.

The reasons have nothing to do with Mr. Jayathillake’s religion, but his marital status. The conservative theological state has requested another ambassador be accredited. President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited both Italy and Vatican last April.