It has been reported that the last public examination for recruitment to the Foreign Service has or is to be cancelled on account of certain representations made to the government. Seventeen were to be recruited and those seventeen would without doubt file Fundamental Rights cases in the Supreme Court claiming that they are being denied entry for frivolous reasons without a full inquiry in to the matter.

Coming as it does so close on the heels of the Supreme Court decision in the Police case, one might be forgiven for thinking that the same thing has happened again. In fairness to the officers concerned, an impartial inquiry should be instituted immediately before the government takes any precipitous action which would without doubt result in fundamental Rights cases being filled by the seventeen who have been selected. Such action would without doubt have adverse consequences for the country.

From all reports it is indeed a curious situation. Applications had been called for and an exam had been conducted by the Department of Examinations. Interestingly though, it is the Ministry which knows best the type of Cadet they are looking for, the Ministry had not been consulted on the ‘areas’, that should be covered in the question papers, as is the usual practice. However that may be, what is of interest is that though only 17 were to be recruited (under normal circumstances five times that number would be interviewed) over 200 candidates had been called for the interview. The ‘Interview Board’ had comprised of five senior Secretaries of Ministries. As is the practice, the marks obtained at a written examination had not been made available to the interview Board. The practice is for the interview marks to be sent to the Department of Examinations where the interview marks are added to the exam marks and the consolidated list sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It must be said, to the everlasting credit of Minister Kadirgamar that since he came into office there was no interference in selection. He more than anyone else sought to create a thoroughly professional Foreign Service. Considering the embarrassing record of political interference in recruitment during the ‘Haemed years’, it does not auger well for a new UNP government to be seen to intervene on the basis of mere hearsay. The writer is aware of an accusation leveled by a watchdog body (which is fortunately to be re-constituted soon) on the ludicrous basis that a candidate whose name, (a most common one at that) was the same as that of an official who was on the interview board, had necessarily "a relationship"! (shades of Lewinsky) with the official because the name was the same! God help us and save us from such morons.

The integrity and professionalism of the Foreign Service which are pre 1978 and post 1994 values must be safeguarded. The government should, before canceling the previous examination, hold an inquiry at the highest possible level -with men of integrity such as Mr Bradman Weerakoon, the Secretary to the PM, former Secretary, Mr MDD Peiris and a retired Supreme Court Judge forming a Board of Inquiry before taking any precipitous action to cancel the last selection. Any Investigation or Inquiry need not take more than two days of their valuable time
Concerned Citizen