-Written by a special correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -07.Oct.2024, 10.15 pm) In recent days, several reports have surfaced in newspapers and social media revealing the political interference in Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service appointments. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has stated during a Cabinet briefing that these politically influenced appointments would be immediately revoked, and those officials would be recalled to the country.
From the outset, Sri Lankans who believed in a new political direction have urged the new government to create a more just society, free of corruption and fraud. As a step in this direction, the decision to cancel these political appointments and bring back the officials is a commendable and just move.
However, it has also come to light that a group of people who have been unfairly treated in this process has not been discussed. This group consists of candidates legally qualified for the Sri Lanka Foreign Service’s Grade III, where only 20 out of 40 qualified individuals (2020/2024) have been appointed, leaving the remaining 20 candidates without positions.
In line with the Government Gazette on 09/04/2021, an examination was held in 2021 to fill 40 vacancies in the Grade III level of the Foreign Service. Candidates were required to undergo both a written exam and a competency interview.
The written examination was held in two stages:
1. Intelligence Test (1 hour 30 minutes, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
2. Comprehension Test (2 hours, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
The first part of the exam was held on 19th May 2022. Those who passed the first phase by securing at least 40 marks in each subject, along with a total score of 100 or more, were eligible for the second stage.
The second stage of the written exam consisted of:
1. General Paper (3 hours, 700 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
2. World Affairs 1 (3 hours, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
3. World Affairs 2 (3 hours, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
4. Summary Writing (1 hour, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
5. Language Proficiency (3 hours, 100 marks) with a minimum passing score of 40
Approximately 15,000 applicants participated in the first stage, while around 1,100 were shortlisted for the second stage. After completing the written examination, those candidates with a total score of at least 350, as determined by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, were invited to the competency evaluation and interview. These interviews, worth 100 marks, were conducted from 19th to 21st October 2023.
A total of 117 candidates qualified for the interview, and after their scores were submitted to the Department of Examinations, the final list was prepared, ranked by merit. The list of the top 40 candidates was then forwarded to the Public Service Commission for the filling of 40 vacancies.
On 10th June 2024, the Public Service Commission only appointed the first 20 individuals on the list, leaving the remaining 20 vacancies unfilled with no further notice or interest shown by the authorities, much to the dismay of those affected. When inquired, the Public Service Commission claimed that if the Secretary of Foreign Affairs made the recommendation, they had no objections to appointing the remaining 20 candidates.
The last time appointments for Grade III of the Foreign Service were made was in 2018, and no further appointments have been made through examination until 2024. Despite the Cabinet’s approval for filling over 40 vacancies, including more than 106 identified by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the process was halted.
Even though inquiries were made with both the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and officials at the Public Service Commission, no satisfactory responses have been given, leaving the remaining 20 candidates without appointments.
One key issue highlighted is the improper influence of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, who has recommended only the top 20 candidates for appointment, despite the fact that the Public Service Commission had rejected her earlier proposal to appoint 25 individuals based solely on interview scores. Furthermore, financial provisions allocated for appointing all 40 candidates were instead diverted to purchase vehicles for eight embassy offices, revealing mismanagement of resources.
This situation highlights the unjust actions and external pressures on the Public Service Commission, with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs playing a significant role in undermining the merit-based appointment process.
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by (2024-10-07 16:49:27)
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