Sri Lanka Overseas Service

The Sri Lanka Overseas Service (SLOS) which is most commonly referred to as the Sri Lanka Foreign Service is the foreign service of Sri Lanka. It is the body of career diplomats of Sri Lanka. The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also the head of the foreign service.

History

Established on 1 October 1949 after the independence of Ceylon in 1948 as the Ceylon Overseas Service with the recruitment of its first batch of cadets. The service was dealt with foreign affairs, as opposed to the older Ceylon Civil Service, which dealt with domestic affairs. Following Sri Lanka becoming a republic in 1972 the service changed its name to Sri Lanka Overseas Service.

Selection & Training

Members to the foreign service are selected every few years after an exam carried out by the Department of Examinations. The select recruits undergo training at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute and the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration^[1]

Grading schemes & structure

Sri Lanka Overseas Service has three grades, such as:

• Grade I officers
• Grade II officers
• Grade III officers

Based on their duty station they may hold one of the following positions;

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Appointed by the President) Additional Secretary (Appointed by the Public Service Commission) Director General (Grade I) Director (Grade II/Grade III) Deputy Director (Grade III) Assistant Secretary (Grade III - entry level)

At a Diplomatic mission: Ambassador//High Commissioner /Permanent Representative in UN (PRUN) (Grade I) Deputy Chief of Mission/Deputy High Commissioner (Grade II) Minister (Grade II) Minister-counselor (Grade II) Counselor (Grade II) First Secretary (Grade III) Second Secretary (Grade III -conformation of service) Third Secretary (Grade III - entry level, probation)

At a consulate: Consul General (Grade II) Consul (Grade III) Vice Consul (Grade III)

Criticism

In the recent past the foreign service has come under heavy criticism over many issues. These include appointment of non-career diplomat persons to diplomatic posts and the inactivity of it members. Due to the lack of help provided by foreign service personal to Sri Lankans in overseas countries they have been calls for posting SLOS offers local government departments such as divisional secretariats for long periods of time to interact with the public and the abolition of the service altogether with its functions being transferred to the Sri Lanka Administrative Service.^[2]

Former members of the SLOS

• Dr Vernon Mendis
• Yogaraj Yogasundram
• Bernard Tilakaratna
• Wilhelm Woutersz
• H. M. G. S. Palihakkara
• Dr Jayantha Dhanapala
• Nihal Rodrigo
• Dr Susantha De Alwis
• Gamini Seneviratne
• Yogendra Duraiswamy
• B.A.B. Goonetllike
• Ben Fonseka
• Arthur Basnayake
• M.R. Perera

See also

• Ministry of External Affairs
• Public Services of Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka Administrative Service
• Ambassadors and High Commissioners of Sri Lanka
• Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats
• List of diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka
• Diplomatic missions of Sri Lanka
• Foreign relations of Sri Lanka

References

1. Overseas Administration Division
2. The fall of Lanka's Foreign Service

External links

• Ministry of External Affairs
• Foreign Service: Who’s in and who’s out?
• Invest further for a fruitful harvest