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Bawa: Glittering example of a rotting Foreign Service
View(s):The Government has picked a gem of a candidate for the post of Ambassador in Sri Lanka’s new Afghan mission. The official curriculum vitae of Shah Nawaz Marikar Bawa reveals that he has some experience in the gem and jewellery sector — but none in the field of diplomacy or international relations.
His three-page bio-data does, however, talk a great deal about his politically connected family members. It states that he was “actively involved in all political campaigns during the elections held since 1970 to date.”
Under the subheading ‘Political Background’ (a rarity in the curriculum vitae of trained, professional diplomats), Mr. Bawa says he had been appointed assistant secretary to the Democratic United National Front (DUNF) formed by the late Lalith Athulathmudali and the late Gamini Dissanayake in 1992. He also served as the DUNF’s Colombo District treasurer.
In what is likely to prove useless in his role as Sri Lanka’s chief representative in Kabul, Mr. Bawa once contested as a DUNF candidate at the Western Provincial Council election of 1993 and received “almost 15,000 votes”. In 2002 and 2004, Mr. Bawa was electoral coordinator for Parliamentarian Milinda Moragoda. Crucially (for him), he campaigned for Mahinda Rajapksa “at the Presidential Election held in 2004, and again in the Presidential Election held in January 2010″. Had Mr. Bawa checked his facts, he might have been pleasantly surprised to discover that there was no Presidential Election in 2004.
Be that as it may, Mr. Bawa declares proudly in his official CV — the one which will be presented to the Government of Afghanistan — that he had even been assigned to function from the campaign office at No. 405, 4th Floor, President’s Office, Temple Trees. “I was also actively involved in the Western Provincial Council Election in 2009 and the Parliamentary Election in April 2010,” the delightful document continues. It says he “assisted Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala’s political campaign as Manager/Coordinator for the Colombo East and West Electorates.”
“At the request of His Excellency, Hon. Mahinda Rajapakse, President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, I submitted a Report highlighting the reasons for the failure of the minorities to extend their support to the President at the Presidential Election held in January 2010,” the bio-data states. “In this report I have given suggestions to His Excellency to implement short and long term measures to overcome this situation in the future”. “Conversant in all three languages (English, Sinhala and Tamil) and having the experience and expertise in campaigning with a cross section of the middle class voters in the Colombo District,” it concludes.
How any of this is relevant to the Government of Afghanistan remains a mystery. The CV has just three lines under ‘Academic Qualifications’, one of them being that Mr. Bawa had worked at Vauxhall Motors Ltd, Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. It does not say what position he had held or how this could be interpreted as an academic qualification. He has fortunately studied up to GCE A/Level although the document does not specify his grades.
There are also two lines under ‘Professional Qualifications’, both of them related to the gem industry. Mr. Bawa does not even have a basic degree. His political connections are clearly expected to compensate for what he lacks in educational and professional background. For instance, he (according to his CV) is a nephew of Dr. M.C.M. Kaleel, a past chairman of the United National Party, Member of Parliament and Colombo Municipal Council. Faleel A. Cafoor, MP, is “closely related to my family” while “His Worship Hilmy Careem, Mayor of Matale Municipal Council is my Brother in Law”.
With the situation being what it is, forget about selecting educated, professional individuals to Sri Lanka’s diplomatic corps! The Government had better start at the bottom and run a course in CV-writing first. But who cares? There is nothing called an elite foreign service anymore!!
Mervyn gets petrol money at funeral
“Machang mata thel gahanna salli nehe. Rupiyal daha dahak wath oney venawa, (Chum, I have no money to pump petrol. I will need at least ten thousand rupees),” complained Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister Mervyn Silva to former UNP Parliamentarian Vajira Abeywardena. The remarks came when Minister Silva attended the funeral of Mr. Abeywardena’s mother in Colombo.
The one-time Galle District MP dug into his pocket, pulled out a wad of currency notes and handed it over to Mr. Silva.He began counting them in the presence of other visitors. There was Rs. 14,000 in one thousand rupee notes. Mr. Silva put the money in his front pocket and walked away much to the amusement of those present.
Grave blunder with floral tribute
A sports body decided it was nothing but right that it sends a floral wreath for the funeral of the sister of one of its key officials.
So a man was tasked to carry out the job. He found he had delayed on the job so much that he took the floral wreath to what was described as the burial site. To prove the task was completed, he used his smartphone and took a picture of the floral tribute lying there.
However, the embarrassing news has come late. The lady in question was not buried. She was cremated.
Fonseka not among war heroes at Deyata Kirula
Since the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas in May 2009, the UPFA Government’s successive Deyata Kirula exhibitions have been drawing larger crowds.
The reason was the allotting of a section to the military to display their hardware to give the public an idea of how the guerrilla cadres were defeated. Even the weapons captured from the LTTE are exhibited.
This was the case at the Deyata Kirula exhibition that was held in Kuliyapitiya last month.
Placed on display, among other things, were portraits of different Commanders of the Army.
However, the photograph of the man who led troops to victory, former General Sarath Fonseka was conspicuous by its absence.
Mr. Fonseka is now the leader of the Democratic Party.
ICT show: Minister wakes up after 751 clicks
“Sir meka palaveni para neyda. Meka honda deyak. Meka rata watey ma thiyanna oney, (Sir, isn’t this the first time? We should have these events all over the country),” Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe exhorted to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The occasion was the opening of a Nena Sala (Knowledge Hub), in Matugama, part of the Government’s programme to develop ICT or integrated communications technology. The event took place two weeks ago.
“Oya koi lokeda inney. Meka 751 veni eka, (In which world are you? This is the 751st Nenasala),” replied President Rajapaksa.
Promotions skywards for Air Force chiefs
Retired Air Force Chief Harsha Abeywickrema has been promoted to the rank of Air Chief Marshal.
He is presently the Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon.
The new Air Force Commander, Kolitha Gunatilleke has been promoted to the rank of Air Marshal. He held the rank of Air Vice Marshal.