Odds & Ends

Someone once ministerial with ambitions of becoming head of the world body has come crashing down to become just another ambo. He had been pleading for an outing. He was interested in a place where he'd have a chance of getting 'elevated' to another position. Immediate thought had been on London, but that didn't last long since the Commonwealth SG stakes are entering the last lap. By this time, the Big Man alerted his FM over Paris as he had received some negative 'reports' over our lady there. After the FM's visit, which was reportedly bungled, and the impending UNESCO fiasco vis-a-vis our Exec Board candidature (complaint by the educating one) the Big One moved fast and got the ex-ministerial one's name in early also to ensure a quick parliamentary clearance before the end of the budget debate. Is he sort of thinking of the UNESCO DG post (the Japanese guy finishes in 2009) and feeling that a two-year head start could get him there, before the next general elections in SL!

Our man in Brussels is being brought back as he's not well and has not done much thus far, anyway. The last Cabinet memo appointing the seven characters for posts all over the world also included the extension for the ‘world's oldest counsellor’ in Rome until end of this year. It must be noted however that all these posts are in excess of approved cadre positions. In other words the MFA has violated Government regulations by having extra people, incurring massive expenditure. Wonder what our independent Auditor General has to say. Better yet, a junior foreign service officer appealing to SS at SC for redress could be the only way to go. And the poor Foreign Sec. All these happenings are foreign to him.

Did the Government give its hand away during last weekend’s special two-day workshop on the Reawakening of the East held at the BMICH? No Tamil political party representatives had been invited, according to those who were present. But accommodated on the stage with the likes of Minister Ferial Ashraff, Governor Mohan Wijewickrema and newly sworn MP Basil Rajapaksa had been Karuna wing political secretary Pathmini, raising many an eyebrow.

Those going to BMICH beware to guard your cell phones. It only takes a few seconds for a phone to vanish if you lose sight of it. So never leave it out of your sight. Don’t bother to complain either as not one of the hundreds reported lost have been traced or found.

The public servants serving in the East are breathing a great sigh of relief since the liberation of the region from the LTTE. Earlier they were literally caught between the devil and the deep blue sea having to carry out orders from the Government and the LTTE. Now there is only one master to obey, they say.

Mihin Air may have been getting away with lot of violations here, with Director Civil Aviation looking the other way for obvious reasons, but it may be brought down to earth with a thud by Singapore authorities for violating a key rule last week. A Mihin bird with two engines had flown direct to the island state over the sea, when only four-engined varieties are permitted to take such long flights over the sea for safety reasons. Two-engined birds are expected to hug land when taking long hauls, the logic being if one engine fails the other can keep it going only for ninety minutes, just enough time to get to the nearest air port. For once a civil aviation spokesman said they are discussing what action to take against this daring new airline.

The UNP’s abrupt decision to drop federal from its vocabulary appears to be yet another attempt to woo the comrades on to its bandwagon. Rajapaksas should not count their chicks before they are hatched as the Budget is not passed till it is passed.No change.

At least one section of the official website of the Foreign Ministry remains unchanged since the country got a new President. The section dealing with the historical background on foreign relations ends thus. “The assumption of office by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1994, has seen a dramatic transformation in Sri Lanka's foreign relations, giving Sri Lanka a new dignity and a new image within the community of nations.” No mention of her successor and his success in the field of international relations.

The appointment of an acting Director General as head the Fisheries and Aquatic Development Corporation is arising quite a few eye brows. Insiders say he was appointed by the Ministry Secretary but the Public Services Commission has directed that he be removed as he is unqualified to hold the post but he continues to hold the post. There are also rumours that the man collected money to give 50 tsunami-hit fishermen at the rate of Rs. 25,000 each to build houses but has failed to give them the funds so far.