Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s younger brother Srimal Wickramasinghe has been appointed Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Seychelles.
Sri Lanka established relations with Seychelles during the second term of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010-14. During that time, a Sri Lankan High Commission and a Bank of Ceylon branch were established in Seychelles. The establishment of an embassy and a Bank of Ceylon branch in the Seychelles, a country where very few Sri Lankans live, was a matter of great concern at the time.
By 2020, the Seychelles had a total population of 98,000 and 2,200 Sri Lankans living there. Many Grama Niladhari divisions in Sri Lanka have a larger population.
Therefore, the appointment of a Sri Lankan High Commissioner to such a small population is a dubious event. This small East African state is known around the world as a money laundering center.
Shiranthi Wickramasinghe’s elder brother Nishantha Wickramasinghe was the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka during 2010-14. He has been charged with a number of offenses and misappropriations of power by SriLankan Airlines.
As soon as Gotabhaya Rajapaksa became President, he stated that he would seek the recommendations of an expert committee in appointing persons to important government institutions and diplomatic posts in the country. It was also stated during the election campaign that relatives would not be appointed to higher posts
