{"id":118330,"date":"2021-09-19T16:20:55","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T23:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=118330"},"modified":"2021-09-19T16:20:55","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T23:20:55","slug":"sri-lanka-should-close-down-most-of-our-overseas-missions-as-a-step-towards-reducing-public-expenditure-the-island-9-18-2021-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/09\/19\/sri-lanka-should-close-down-most-of-our-overseas-missions-as-a-step-towards-reducing-public-expenditure-the-island-9-18-2021-response\/","title":{"rendered":"SRI LANKA SHOULD CLOSE DOWN MOST OF OUR OVERSEAS MISSIONS AS A STEP TOWARDS REDUCING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE \u2013 The Island 9\/18\/2021 -Response"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anjalika Silva USA<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

The content is also in the attachment. SRI LANKA SHOULD CLOSE DOWN MOST OF OUR OVERSEAS MISSIONS AS A STEP TOWARDS REDUCING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE \u2013 The Island<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a09\/18\/2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The critical countries that are supporting and\ndefending Sri Lanka can utilize the expatriate help that is currently developed\nfar ahead of the official knowledge and capabilities.  With guidance from\nformer senior and articulate diplomats, the service to defend Sri Lanka’s\ninterests can do with some trimming.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in such an exercise trimming should not\nremove officers who are important and efficient. Today with the use of\ntechnology like zoom, official communications, meetings, and guidance can be\nexchanged virtually.  The absolute necessary actions can be carried out\nonsite.  In such operations, written documents can also be exchanged\neasily with the use of current highly developed technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The scant staffing is achievable if the\nstaff and officers follow developed countries and improve their technology\nskills to be self-reliant.  The days for designated secretaries may be\nover.  One or two who serve joint areas with hands on work can replace\noverstaffing.  The appropriate training in language and technology is key.\nElevating communication skills is also extremely important both for diplomats\nand support staff.  Subject matter alone cannot serve a purpose if\ncommunication in conveying, and negotiating is not strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 This idea of using the educated and active\nexpats on a small retainer can be a way to fill a gap with no overheads like\nrent, and other costs that account for the large slice of revenue that takes up\nthe government budgets.  The expat talent will not demand high wages if a\nsupplemental role to utilize talent in a similar way to voluntary help the\ngovernment receives is considered.   This way the country can benefit\nfrom some retirees who enjoyed free education and completed successful\nprofessions.  They can be encouraged to give back instead of being\ncritical of hard times for the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As it is, expats give total volunteer service to\nrepresent Sri Lanka beyond the boundaries that officials can cross.  A\nwell thought out plan can be designed to achieve results and safeguard the\ninterests of Sri Lanka by using quality over quantity with handpicked\nindividuals that fit specific roles with the right skills.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another favorable strategy to help the country is\nto provide retired expats easier dual citizenship services in countries that\nhave such an arrangement. They can serve in situ overseas or bring their\nretirement pensions in foreign exchange to benefit the country.  Any\nchanges to processes or the criteria and timelines are all within the control\nof Sri Lanka.  All it requires is some creative thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the current situation, no one has given\nthought to creative ways to attract retirees to return with dual citizenship\nmade easier and bring their foreign currency retirement income.  Most of\nthe shortcomings and lack of or poor return on investment is due to lack of\ncreativity to maximize the use of expat intellectuals even on a part time basis\nor as contributors by returning home.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The staffing in foreign missions can be reduced\nto those who maintain the government’s complicated regulations and processes\nthe knowledge of which they retain. In the three-year terms served by staff who\narrive in countries that are alien to them, it takes 6 months to a year to\nunderstand how another country works.  They must build their\nnetwork.  all that ends up with a long learning curve and when they get\ncomfortable in their roles, it is time to return.  The investment of staff\ndevelopment is lost.  On the other hand, retaining staff already legally\nand permanently placed in countries where possible with be a substantial\ninvestment for Sri Lanka in saving foreign exchange to import staff and\ntransplant themselves providing all the benefits needed as opposed to those who\nare already resident in countries.  Only question will lay in the\ncitizenship for those who have given up their Sri Lankan identity. \nChanges to that are within the control of the Sri Lanka Government to modify\nand restructure for the advantage of the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a suggestion from an expat on behalf of many\nothers who diligently and generously contribute to serving the country as\nvolunteers helping and supporting the staff in missions with sincere\nintentions.  With difficulties in the country, the time has come to get\ncreative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anjalika Silva USA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anjalika Silva USA The content is also in the attachment. SRI LANKA SHOULD CLOSE DOWN MOST OF OUR OVERSEAS MISSIONS AS A STEP TOWARDS REDUCING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE \u2013 The Island\u00a0\u00a0\u00a09\/18\/2021 The critical countries that are supporting and defending Sri Lanka can utilize the expatriate help that is currently developed far ahead of the official knowledge […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}