Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04COLOMBO1255
2004-07-29 07:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

FY-04 VOLUNTARY VISITOR PROGRAM

Tags:  SCUL KPAO OEXC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

290706Z Jul 04
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001255 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ECA/PE/VFA THERESA A. JOHNSON, HELEN MOBLEY, MCAIN;
SA/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: FY-04 VOLUNTARY VISITOR PROGRAM
MRS. PRIYANEE WIJESEKERA - DETAIL BIO DATE


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001255

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ECA/PE/VFA THERESA A. JOHNSON, HELEN MOBLEY, MCAIN;
SA/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL KPAO OEXC
SUBJECT: FY-04 VOLUNTARY VISITOR PROGRAM
MRS. PRIYANEE WIJESEKERA - DETAIL BIO DATE



1. Post submits details bio date of Mrs. Priyanee Wijesekera,
Secretary General of Parliament, for a voluntary visitor program,

SIPDIS
September 10-16, 2004. Post confirms that this nomination has
"full country team approval".


2. Ms. Wijesekera can be contacted in Canada through Sri Lanka's
High Commissioner, Mrs. Geetha de Silva.


START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT):
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables
: automated processing in Washington and should not be
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software.
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.7
POST-EMAIL: tilakawardenac@state.gov
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Colombo
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 2929
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
ECA-OFFICE: E/VFA
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 144
ECA-PROJ-NO:
PROJ-NAME: VOLUNTARY VISITOR -- Priyanee Wijesekera
START MEMO PROJ-DESC:

END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Individual
PROG-TYPE: Voluntary Visitor
FY: 2004
DEPART-POST:
SESSION-DATE: 09/10/2004
RETURN-POST:
NO-OF-PART: 1
RANK-ORDER: 0
START MEMO POST-OBJ:
The secretarial and staff services necessary for the performance
of the functions of the parliament under the constitution are
provided by the office of the Secretary General of Parliament. It
functions mainly under 5 departments, viz., the Department of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, the Administration Department, the Hansard
Department, the Co-ordinating Engineer's Department and the
Catering department.
Sri Lanka is debating with the idea of TV coverage of all
parliament sittings. Presently, only ceremonial and swearing in
ceremonies are covered. Ms. Wijesekera's exposure to the media
coverage of the Congress can influence the predicament the Sri
Lankan Government is faced with.
Ms. Wijesekera's exposure to the working of committees with public
consultation in the congress will also help Sri Lanka to
streamline and expedite passing of important bills. Her hands on
experience at the Congress will greatly improve her working
knowledge of parliamentary procedures. This nomination is in
support of MPP goal "democracy".


END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD:

END MEMO POST-RCMD:
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1029
PROG-AGENCY-ID:

PROJ-TYPE-ID: IND
PROG-TYPE-ID: 30
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 2929
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID:
STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: P
SUBJ-DISC: Federalism/U.S. Government
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mrs
F-NAME: Priyanee
M-NAME:
L-NAME: Wijesekera
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 100
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
GENDER: F
DOB: 03/30/1948
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY: Colombo
BIRTH-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
CITIZ-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
RES-CNTRY: Sri Lanka
START MEMO POSITION:
Secretary-General of Parliament (August 2002 to date)

SIPDIS
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:

END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
May 1994 - Aug 2002 - Deputy Secretary General of Parliament
Sep 1992 - May 1994 - Assistant Secretary General of Parliament
June 1992 - Sep 1992 - Research Officer, Parliament of Sri Lanka
June 1985 - June 1992 - Secretary, Law Commission
Feb 1984- June 1985 - Assistant Secretary, Law Commission
Nov 1974 - Feb 1984 - Legal officer, Bribery Commissioner's
Department
July 1972 - Nov 1974 -Research Assistant, Ministry of Justice
END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
Enroute to Jamaica - to attend the Commonwealth Law Conference,
1985
Enroute to Trinidad and Tobego - to attend the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Conference, 1999
Enroute to Chile -- to attend the Inter Parliamentry Union
sessions, 2003
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Travelled extensively to Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
L.L.B (Ceylon),1969
L.L.M (Colombo) 1986 in Public International Law (Human Rights and
the Law of the sea)

END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
Secretary General of Parliament

SIPDIS
Member , Association of Inter Parliamentary Union
Member, Society of Clerk-at-the Table, Commonwealth Parliamentry
Association
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
Parliaments and Governments in the Next Millenium, 1999
Parliamentary Practice in Sri Lanka
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sinhala
ENGL-READ: 5
ENGL-SPEAK: 5
ENGL-COMP: 5
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: English
OTHER-LANG-ID: EN
READ: 0
SPEAK: 0
COMP: 0
END OTHER-LANGS:
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
The secretarial and staff services necessary for the performance
of the function of the parliament under the constitution are
provided by the office of the Secretary General of Parliament. It
functions mainly under 5 departments, viz, the Department of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, the Administration Dpartment, the Hansard
Department, the Co-ordinating Engineer's Department and the
Catering Department.
Sri Lanka is debating with the idea of TV coverage of all
parliament sittings. Presently, only ceremonial and swearing in
ceremonies are covered. Ms. Wijesekera's exposure to the media
coverage of the Congress can influence the predicament the Sri
Lankan Government is faced with.
Ms.Wijesekera's exposure to the working of committees with public
consultation in the Congress will also help Sri Lanka to
streamline and expedite passing of important bills. Her hands on
experience at the Congress will greatly improve her working
knowledge of parliamentary procedures. This nomination is in
support of MPP goal "Democracy".


END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:

END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ:
to visit the US Congress
-- process of Public Consultation by Committees especially in
relation to Bills and the Services provided by staff to Congress
Members
-- Media coverage of Congress
-- Library of Congress
END MEMO VIS-OBJ:
START MEMO VIS-REC:

END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Angela Gemza
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
Ms. Wijeseker'a legal career has taken her from the Ministry of
Justice to the Bribery Commissioner's Department, to her current
employer, the Parliament of Sri Lanka. Ms. Wijesekera is the
first female Secretary General of Parliament in the 56 year old
post independence history of Sri Lanka. As the Secretary General
of Parliament, she is responsible for the administrative
functioning of Parliament. As evidenced by her past appointments,
Ms. Wijesekera has a strong commitment to clean government and the
rule of law. She has expressed interest in Congressional
consultations with the public, the role of Congressional staff,
media coverage of Congress, and the Library of Congress. This
broad range of interests illustrates her enthusiasm for and
interest in the American legislative system. Ms. Wijesekera will
return with a broader perspective on legislative matters and
practical ideas for enhancing good governance in Sri Lanka.
Post confirms that this nomination has "Full Country Team"
approval.

END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF: Public Affairs
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: Yes
MEDIA?: No
HOME-STAY: Yes
HOME-HOSP?: Yes
E-I-TYPE:
NOMINEE-ID: 188
PERSON-ID: 194
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: CE
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: CE
RES-CNTRY-ID: CE
FIRST-LANG-ID: SI
E-I-TYPE-ID:
NOM-POST-ID: 2929
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 0
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 1
DS2019-SUBJECT: 45.1002
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1:
USGOVT-AGENCY1:
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT: 5
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT:


3. Please accept this nomination.
Lunstead