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’ the retired diplomat said quite un- diplomatically.
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’?