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The Government has strictly regulated the process for the issue of diplomatic passports after the previous administration issued a large volume of these travel documents to those who were not entitled to them.

Now, applications for such passports will be scrutinised by a committee headed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Others in the committee will include the Secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary to Ministry of Transport, an Additional Secretary from the Presidential Secretariat (nominated by the Secretary to the President) and an Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Defence.

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should notify by circular to relevant state agencies the names of persons to whom diplomatic passports have been issued.

Strict check on issue of diplomatic passports
The Government has strictly regulated the process for the issue of diplomatic passports after the previous administration issued a large volume of these travel documents to those who were not entitled to them.

Now, applications for such passports will be scrutinised by a committee headed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Others in the committee will include the Secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary to Ministry of Transport, an Additional Secretary from the Presidential Secretariat (nominated by the Secretary to the President) and an Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Defence.

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should notify by circular to relevant state agencies the names of persons to whom diplomatic passports have been issued.

Judicial Council: Questions over Foreign Ministry’s agenda
Did Foreign Affairs Ministry bureaucrats want to please the western diplomatic community or was it an exercise to claim that views were indeed sought from Sri Lanka disaspora organisations?

These questions are being raised in the Foreign Ministry corridors after the ministry issued a circular calling upon heads of missions to consult organisations and individuals on their views for the setting up of a “Judicial Council.”

On the other hand, the deadline set by the ministry for this task is July 28. They were given just ten days to submit the proposals. If the ministry seriously wanted the proposals of the diaspora why then the indecent hurry?
The move came as a relatively junior officer was named to act as Foreign Secretary when the incumbent, Chitranganee Wagiswara, was away in Brussels.

The Minister has been blamed for by-passing senior-most career diplomats in the ministry and setting a bad example in the public service by promoting junior officers, some of whom are no doubt efficient, but some who cannot hold a candle to the by-passed senior men. The operative word here, cracked a retired officer of the ministry was; “holding a candle’ (pandama), the retired diplomat said quite un-diplomatically.

New breed of officers to fight mosquitoes or jobs for the boys?
The Government wants to adopt a novel way to fight the mosquito menace, the cause for the spread of dengue.
It is not intensifying fumigation in mosquito breeding grounds or charging in courts those responsible for not cleaning mosquito-breeding spots in their premises or backyards.

The Government wants to appoint a new breed of officers – Sankya Karya Sahayaka – for “Mosquito prevention in the field.” Their tasks will include collection of statistics.  The move comes on a proposal by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne. Ministers took up the proposal for discussion recently but decided that Mr. Senaratne should discuss the matter with Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and forward a joint proposal.
Like the mosquitoes, the new category of officers will also increase. Who cares as long as there are ‘jobs for the boys’?

Controversy over national security think-tank job
It seems comical if not ironic that the Government has chosen to set up an Institute of National Security Studies (INSS) which is being officially described as a “national security think tank.”This subject was one of the responsibilities tasked to the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS).

Interestingly, the Government has now decided that this new Institute should be headed by the former LKIIRSS boss, Asanka Abeygunasekera. He was asked to quit office at the LKIIRSS after the UNF Government was voted to power.
He will receive a monthly salary of Rs.150,000, the Cabinet of Ministers have decided.

Officials in the Ministry of Defence were also surprised at the appointment. They argue that such a position should have been headed by a senior retired security forces officer well conversant with matters military and national security. “This is the practice worldwide,” a senior official said.

Did FM official block arrest warrant?
Marching orders have gone out to a staffer in the Foreign Ministry’s Legal Division after it transpired that he allegedly misled a court in a case where an arrest order was to be issued.
The man, it is claimed, had argued that the person wanted had an address in a foreign country and hinted that an order to report to Police could be delivered.
The move comes as top Ministry officials are probing whether there was any undue influence on the official that prompted him to take up that position.

Singapore firm  to work with BOI
The Government has entered into a deal with Singapore’s Surbana Jurong to undertake feasibility studies and project implementation in Sri Lanka and abroad.
The firm will work together jointly with the Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka. The projects they will undertake will be subject to clearance by the Attorney General of Sri Lanka.

Laughter: My foot
Kalutara District Parliamentarian Piyal Nishantha, who is supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, thought he would evoke laughter when he told a public meeting in Minuwangoda that the present Government was made up of “Martins and Sootins.” It was his allusion to less important persons being in power.

There were no laughs when he finished speaking. It was National Freedom Front parliamentarian Weerakumara Dissanayake (Anuradhpura District) who chose to tell something embarrassing to Mr. Nishantha. He said the “present Government is like your feet,” he told Mr. Nishantha who sat next to him after his speech.

It was only then that Mr. Nishantha discovered that he was wearing a shoe on one leg and a slipper on the other. The Kalutara District MP offered an explanation. He had gone to Tangalle to take part in a protest. On his way to Minuwangoda, he had fallen asleep. When he arrived at the venue, he had hurriedly worn one shoe and rushed out with the slipper on the other leg.
Even if that was not heard on the public address system, those on the stage who heard the story had a hearty laugh.