Dr. Lalith Chandradasa, brother-in-law to the ruling Rajapaksa brothers, is tipped to be the next Sri Lankan Consul General in Los Angeles, US based news website Sri Lanka Express reported.
According to the news report, no date has been set for his arrival in the United States.
Dr. Chandradasa, who has worked with Sarvodaya and has the reputation of being “an NGO guy,” was in Los Angeles in 2008 after attending a seminar in Oregon by Medical Teams International, a Christian NGO.
Sources close to Dr. Chandradasa expressed surprise at his acceptance of the consul general position saying he is not the greatest supporter of the Rajapaksa’s.
They also expressed concern as to how well he would represent Sri Lankan interests since he is known to have been opposed to the 2009 military effort that ended the LTTE war.
The appointment also ends speculation of the closure of the Los Angeles consulate after the departure of Consul General Swarna Guneratne in 2019, it is reported.
The total costs of running the consulate, including staffing and lease of the office on Wilshire Boulevard, is an estimated USD 115,000 per month.
When it was opened nearly two decades ago, thanks to the effort of Ambassador Dr. Warnasena Rasaputra, the consulate was expected to drive American investment in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan visas for tourist, business, and other short-term visits are issued online eliminating the need for contact with the consulate.
In short, there are no tangible benefits to Sri Lanka from this white elephant that drains well more than a million US dollars a year and nothing to justify its continued existence. (Sri Lanka Express)
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