Defeated NPP candidate to be Sri Lanka’s envoy to Cuba

Journalist Sunanda Deshapriya claims that the government has appointed another politician as the new Sri Lankan ambassador to Cuba.

Deshapriya revealed in a Facebook post that Mahinda Ratnayake, who worked as a journalist for the ‘Ravaya’ newspaper, contested from the National People’s Power (NPP) for the Colombo district and was defeated at the last general election.

This development comes in the wake of media reports alleging that a number of individuals who have been nominated by the government to take up posts in Sri Lankan missions overseas are not career diplomats, a practice which the Jantha Vimukthi Peramuna led NPP had heavily criticised when enacted by previous governments.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Foreign Service Association (SLFSA) expressed deep concerns over the recent appointments that have been made outside the Sri Lanka Foreign Service.

“There is a longstanding and regrettable precedent of ambassadorial and diplomatic positions being awarded as political favours by successive governments. The SLFSA had hoped that this practice would end, allowing for a stronger, more independent Foreign Service that serves the best interests of Sri Lanka rather than political affiliations. The continuation of this trend is a matter of grave concern, not only for the Foreign Service but for the country as a whole. The SLFSA strongly urges the Government to reconsider these appointments, prioritise merit-based selections, and uphold its commitment to a professional, independent, and effective Foreign service,” they said in a statement.