INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Sri Lankas Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath states the accusations levelled against the previous Deputy High Commissioner of Sri
Lanka to Australia Himalee Arunatilaka, are completely false.Arunatilaka, who presently works as Sri Lankas Permanent Representative to the
UN in Geneva, was recently fined more than $100,000 in the Australian federal court, in addition to more than $500,000 in unpaid earnings
and interest to a Sri Lankan domestic worker for breaches of employment laws, while she was functioning as the island countries Deputy High
Commissioner in Australia.However, speaking at an unique interview held at the Department of Government Information today (20 ), the Foreign
Minister declared that Ambassador Arunatilaka had not dedicated any offense concerning the payment of salaries to the worker in
question.Minister Herath likewise specified that Ambassador Himalee Arunatilaka is presently serving as Sri Lankas Permanent Representative
to the United Nations in Geneva and continues to serve the country.In action to a journalists question regarding the matter, the Minister
mentioned that Arunatilaka had not personally devoted any fraud, which the Sri Lankan government is accountable for paying the wages of
those in the service of its diplomats.Herath even more described that the Sri Lankan federal government is responsible for paying these
salaries of staff members based upon Sri Lankas salary scales, which are lower than those in nations like Australia.Therefore, the Minister
specified that the federal government regrets the hassle faced by Ambassador Himalee Arunatilaka, noting that the problem arose due to Sri
Lankas lower wage scales.The wages of employees who accompany an ambassador, high commissioner, or diplomat are paid by the Sri Lankan
If we consider the wage scale of the Sri Lankan government, we pay the wage which supports the Sri Lankan economy
This amount is notably lower compared to the wage scales in countries like Europe and Australia
The issue occurs with that
The wage she paid was the one supplied by the Sri Lankan federal government
That is lower than the income scales in Australia
As a result of that, the Australian government had taken legal action against her
Here I would like to state really clearly that Himali Arunathilake has not committed any wrong
The court has taken legal choice according to the law of that country
We as a federal government need to make a policy choice about this
On the other hand, the scenario in African nations is different
That is the true story, the Minister added.
