Most countries have a separate Foreign Service as distinct from the domestic Administrative Service. But it may be necessary to allow specialized personnel from other services to be given limited period assignments in the Foreign Service. But this should not be made a pretext to engage in political patronage for particular Administrative Service officers.

It is of course preposterous to amalgamate the two services. The former Civil Service examination was used to recruit for both the Foreign Service and the local Civil Service, but was done away with. Actually the Foreign Service must be supplemented by a Commercial Service as in other countries. Currently, I believe officers from the Department of Commerce are assigned to the Foreign Service on assignment. It may be better to have a separate Commercial Service for posting abroad. Commercial work was the most important segment until the Tamil separatist struggle began.

The need for specialization is too obvious to be ignored. The key functions of the Ministry are "Implementation of Policies, Plans and Programmes in respect of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Government and International Organization, representation in Sri Lanka. International Agreements and Treaties, External Publicity, Consular Functions, Diplomatic Immunities and privileges".

Surely these functions require a degree of specialization acquired primarily on the job, but also through the study of international Diplomatic Practice and Laws governing Foreign Missions.

But the bigger problem facing our Foreign Service today is the extensive exercise of political patronage by the present regime.

The Foreign Service Minute is being flagrantly violated by the present Minister of Foreign Affairs. Well experienced diplomats have constantly shown serious concern about the deterioration of the Foreign Service due to politicization, especially owing to the appointment of unsuitable political appointees to cadre positions of the Foreign Service by respective governments. Among the issues so highlighted were the following:

a) A large number of political appointees connected to the politicians of the government or their political party were appointed to many diplomatic positions, including Counsel General, There seems to be a breakdown of the Personnel Management system in the Foreign Service.

Consequent to the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, all appointments to the public service, including the appointments of SLFS , are required to be made by the Public Service Commission. Further, notwithstanding the fact that the appointments of Heads of Missions and Diplomatic Agents are required to be appointed by the President under Article 33 of the Constitution. All other appointments in the SLFS and Missions are required be made by the PSC. We do not know whether this requirement is being complied with by the Minister of Foreign Affairs since no gazette notifications seem to be issued with regard to recent appointments to cadre posts in the Foreign Service Minute.

I am afraid Austin Fernando is writing from a self-serving point of view.