The lighter side of life in our diplomatic service View(s):By Thalif DeenUNITED NATIONS – In the Sri Lankan diplomatic service there is never a dull moment. In the US Foreign Service in a bygone era, virtually all diplomats were white males, mostly from prestigious Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Columbia—with hardly any women. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service Association (SLFSA) has continued to voice strong concerns over diplomatic appointments, arguing that most governments have disregarded professionalism, meritocracy, and diplomatic expertise in favour of politically motivated selections. We had a foreign minister whose sister-in-law, brother-in-law and intended daughter-in-law were all assigned diplomatic appointments in different world capitals. Meanwhile, every Sri Lankan delegation included the country’s foreign minister, some impressive and knowledgeable and others not-so-impressive and ignorant of international affairs.
