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Meritocracy and Cricket

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Meritocracy and Cricket The Island OPINION Views LETTERS Thursday 10th June, 2010 9 ex Clementine wrote in term for the Education The Island of June 5, “All Secretary. At the end of that Sir Arthur C Clerk Rleading institutions in the term I was asked to appoint a country to maintain efficiency Sri Lankan student in Moscow and transparency conduct inter- to that post. I managed to get and Rebirth views before recruiting even that put off on the ground that peons”. This is factually mis- he had not even completed his read with much interest what he tells. “Lord Buddha leading. I must recount some degree in Moscow, but later he the article written by is the teacher, I am the disci- experiences I had when I served was appointed to that post on IProf. Carlo Fonseka ple. Lord Buddha knows, I do as Ambassador in Moscow from graduation. I must emphasise which appeared on 9th June not know” (Keetagiri Sutta). 1995 to 1998 to illustrate the that there was no question of 2010 in your In other words the extent to which pretensions to interviews or other mecha- opinion col- disciple should the making of appointments on Meritocracy nisms to assess comparative umn. I have a have the quality of merit in the public sector were merit. All that was unneces- deep respect humbleness. But it abandoned long ago. sary because he was supreme- for Prof Carlo is not a mere confi- From 1977 to 1994, the ly qualified by virtue of being who is always dence. Next you abandonment of the principle of the nephew of a Deputy having an open have to contem- making Ambassador appoint- Minister. I must mention also mind for mat- plate on Dependent ments on merit was taken to a that suddenly a post of ters which he Origination and Cricket is not con- (Paticca bizarre extreme. One Minister Counsellor was creat- Ambassador in a Western capi- ed in that Embassy for a peri- vinced of. It is Samuppada) wisely. tal kept poultry and offered to od of three months. The quite clear that Also to know sell eggs to his fellow appointee, a senior administra- both Sir unwholesome Ambassadors there, while tive officer, proceeded from Arthur and (Akusala) and another in a Middle East capital there to a post in our London Prof Carlo wholesome ran a highly lucrative employ- High Commission. Again there have not gone (Kusala) deeds and ment agency.Appointments at was no question of interviews through the to know for your- non-Ambassador levels were and that sort of thing because Buddhist self you ought to even more bizarre. The then the appointee was regarded as Doctrine ade- study the Suttas. Foreign Minister used to supremely qualified by virtue quately. Prof Because it is Lord appoint females to our of being the nephew of a polit- Carlo has Sir Arthur C Clerk Buddha who Embassies abroad in exchange ical big shot. openly accept- revealed whole- for sexual favours. I have been I come now to the con- ed that he has not studied some and unwholesome assured that visitors to his elec- tretemps in which our new the Buddhist doctrine in deeds after his marvellous torate are still shown the prem- Sports Minister has been depth. There are instances investigation (Kin Kusala ises where the sex merit tests involved, drawing unto himself where Lord Buddha has stat- Gavesi). So my Dear Sir, I were carried out. The same much unfair criticism. It is ed that for the person who would like to invite people Foreign Minister – I have been useful by way of analogy to would like to see himself like you to study in depth the told on absolutely unimpeach- draw attention to the role of what Buddha has told marvellous realisation of able authority – offered to Kadirgamar under the 1994 (Including rebirth) there Rebirth. recruit a female stenographer Government. As an appointed should be a confidence over Dr. Padmaka Silva into the Foreign Service in MP, he had no electorate to exchange for sex – not just as a nurse, and therefore he was probationer mind you, but under no compulsion to straight away as First appoint kith and kin and polit- I am a Diaspora Tamil Secretary! It should be recog- ical supporters regardless of nised that the anti-meritocratic merit. But he was evidently left the country near- other country. principle in making appoint- not prepared to oppose such ly thirty years ago Those who are ments in our state sector has appointments. Had he done so, Idue to the fact that keen to explore, will find been deeply entrenched in our he would have been summarily after getting high grades abundant opportunities political culture over many given the boot. Our new Sports I could not do engineer- for investment in Sri decades. Minister has rendered a great ing in Sri Lanka as I val- Lanka. The scope is It is quite understand- service to the nation by ued it so much. immense from infra- able therefore that when the appointing a new Board of I went to a west- structure, to agri-busi- Chandrika Kumaratunga Selectors and that has been ern country and graduat- ness, to manufacturing Government made its first allowed to stand. Probably the ed in engineering and and to a range of servic- Ambassador appointments, con- reason is that the Government after working there for es such as in hotel sector, sisting of persons who were bears in mind the 1999 World four years, moved to a engineering services, south East Asian coun- manufacturing of parts widely recognised as well quali- Cup debacle when an absurd try and worked as an equipment etc. Sri fied for their posts, there was team of old-timers was fielded. engineer for 28 years. Lanka has 20Mn popula- much resounding praise from But the same alleged miscre- I returned to Sri tion and an access to the the public. I recall Foreign ant have been reappointed to Lanka four years ago to second most populated Minister Kadirgamar telling me top posts in Sri Lanka Cricket. set up a manufacturing country in the world – and others that he and the The Sports Minister has not concern and I got myself India with 1 Bn popula- President had been receiving an challenged that. The reason is actualisation needs satis- tion. You can do that in a endless spate of letters express- that no more than Kadirgamar fied and it gives me simple straight forward ing admiration and gratitude Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket’s Interim Committee D.S. de Silva can he change a deeply immense satisfaction in way without going over the appointments. The ria when I assumed duties in ing someone on to the streets entrenched political culture? my old age to practice through any red tape. truth is that by 1994 a wide seg- Moscow in 1995. A rude awaken- with a wife and two small chil- The underlying problem what I learned for the Please note that ment of the public had come to ing followed within weeks. I was dren at very short notice struck is that the Sri Lankan power last 40 years or so. I the present Sri Lanka is feel that the bizarre goings-on asked to dismiss the Education me as morally indefensible. elite is not willing to accept employ 70% Sinhalese very different from the in the Foreign Relations sector Secretary at very short notice. Besides, he was superbly com- the principle of meritocracy 25% Tamils and 5% Sri Lanka in the eight- over a period of seventeen years There was nothing technically petent, and crucial for work of that is required for full moder- Muslims and all of them ies. If you miss that the – except for the two-year period wrong about that instruction a highly confidential nature nity. I will conclude by point- work together as one vacuum may be filled by under Premadasa – had brought because the incumbent of that that was my main responsibili- ing out that until that changes family. I always empha- others. I think it is the sise that the future of all duty and responsibility Sri Lanka into international post was a political appointee of ty at that time. Fortunately for all talk of our catching up of them are intertwined. of every Sri Lankan to contempt. The new Ambassador the preceding UNP me, the late Minister Kingsley with Singapore and putting it They are a pleasant lot do this. appointments were therefore Government. But the cold inhu- Wickremaratne was visiting in the shade will amount to taken as signaling the dawn of a just this: Bull! and let me tell that it is a I urge all Sri manity of Moscow at that time and pleasure to work with Lankans who left the new era. throw- through his intervention I I shared in that eupho- Izeth Hussain them. They are obedient, country years ago, to managed to get an extension of hard working and above come and explore and all, creative. I always employ Sri Lankans and ensure that they are paid offer transfer of technol- above the market rate ogy and this is the only and we arrive at a win- way you can help your Airline neither win situation. There are fellow citizens. National flag and national athem good educated engineers I would like to and accountants also think as a Sri Lankan going green was horrified National Heritage and of Sports al flags in the whole world. available at good rates first and then a Sri to witness vari- to draw-up a code of conduct All children in schools when compared with any Lankan Tamil and I hope Ious people at during the playing of the should be taught not only to sing that a day will come nor blue! the SSC Grounds on the occasion National Anthem.
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