By Diplomatic Correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -28.Feb.2025, 11.00 PM) Diplomats are supposed to be masters of perception—trained to read between the lines, navigate political minefields, and most importantly, avoid embarrassing photo ops. Yet, Australian High Commissioner in Colombo, Sri Lanka, H E Paul Stephens seems to have stumbled headfirst into a diplomatic sitcom, complete with a lead character straight out of a political comedy: Sajith Premadasa.
If Stephens had done his homework, he would have quickly realized that Sajith is not just Sri Lanka’s opposition leader—he’s the nation’s reigning champion of parliamentary theatrics. Standing Order 27/2? To most, it's a procedural rule. To Sajith, it’s a golden ticket to ask completely unrelated questions, derail discussions, and turn Parliament into his personal variety show. If Sri Lanka’s parliamentary sessions were broadcasted globally, they’d probably be filed under “Stand-up Comedy” on Netflix.
And let’s not forget Sajith’s brief yet eventful tenure as Minister of Cultural Affairs, where billions from the Central Cultural Fund mysteriously vanished—faster than a taxpayer’s hope during budget season. Treasure hunting, a harmless childhood fantasy for most, allegedly became a lucrative side hustle for him. Whether it was lost relics or lost public funds, Sajith seemed to have an eye for discovering things—and by that, we mean making them disappear.
Which brings us to the real question: What exactly was Paul Stephens hoping to discuss with Sajith? A diplomatic masterclass in financial mismanagement? A joint initiative on How to Lose Billions and Still Smile for the Cameras? Or perhaps an exclusive tutorial on forging unbreakable bonds with controversy?
One can only hope that during their chat, the High Commissioner asked the truly pressing questions:
“What happened to those billions from the Cultural Fund?”
“Did your sister really run a counterfeit money-printing side business?”
“How does one attend the London School of Economics and leave with a degree that allegedly isn’t, well… real?”
Of course, no conversation with Sajith is complete without revisiting his father’s legacy. Former President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s name is etched in Sri Lanka’s history books, albeit in a chapter most would rather skip—one that involves a controversial presidency, an impeachment attempt, and an alleged body count of over 60,000. A true family tradition of making history, though perhaps not in the way one would hope.
So, to the Australian government and the diplomatic corps in Sri Lanka, here’s a friendly piece of advice: Maybe invest in a background check before scheduling your next political meet-and-greet. After all, diplomacy is about building bridges, not walking into PR nightmares.
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by (2025-02-28 18:47:37)
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