JHU’s Champika complains of harassment by Canadian HC

Environmental Minister Champika Ranawaka has angrily cancelled a visit to Canada, accusing the High Commission here of humiliating him by delaying the visa for him to receive an environmental award in Montreal. A spokesman for the Minister said he had complained to the Canadian government through the Foreign Ministry here that the High Commission had acted in a manner compelling him to cancel his visit.

The spokesman said Mr. Ranawaka was scheduled to fly to Canada on Saturday September 15, but the visa was not ready even by September 14. Explaining the incident the spokesman said the invitation to attend the ceremony was received in the first week of September from the Canadian Environmental Minister John Baird to receive an award for measures taken by Sri Lanka to protect the ozone layer and the Canadian High Commission was informed about the event.

On September 11, the passports of the minister and his coordinating secretary were handed over to the High Commission and during the week they were told that the visa was being processed. However on Friday when they made inquiries, they were told the visas had not been stamped and the minister gave orders that the passports be sent back.

Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona had also called the High Commission requesting it to expedite the issuing of the visas. Minister Ranawaka was scheduled to leave at 6.10 am on September 15 but eventually cancelled the trip.However on Saturday around 10 a.m., four hours after the flight had left without the minister, the High Commission called the ministry to say the visas were ready.

The High commission official was told that the minister had decided to cancel his proposed trip. The Canadian High Commission official had suggested the minister could visit Canada and take part in the second session, but ministry official retorted that that the Canadian High Commission could not decide about the minister’s programme.

The minister has lodged a complaint, saying it was a ‘humiliation’ and wants the Canadian government to inquire into the matter. Meanwhile, Mr. Ranawaka accompanied President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the UN General Assembly sessions in New York yesterday. The Canadian High Commission was not available for comment.