His Excellency Sarath Wijesinghe is known to me personally and professionally for a long time. He is an ideal Diplomat, a good friend, renewed academic and a committed professional. From his school days he has shown his love to the Country’s Nationalist Aspirations and served others. As a student, he has been actively involved in student activities and thereafter engaged in helping the Working Class.
He has a distinguished professional and academic career as an Attorney-at-Law in Sri Lanka, Solicitor/Advocate in the United Kingdom and having obtained post-graduate qualifications at the prestigious University College of University of London on International Law, International Institutions, Public Law and Human Rights. He has spent most of his career and professional life in the UK and the initial professional and academic carrier in Sri Lanka. He has been a leader of the Legal Profession in Sri Lanka, as the Secretary of the Bar Association and shown his commitment to Legal-Aid as the Administrator of the Legal-Aid Commission. He introduced novel ideas, such as the Orientation Seminar for Juniors, and has taken steps for the enhancement and development of the Human Rights and Fundamental Rights to Diasporas in Sri Lanka during his tenure as the Secretary – Bar Association and Administrator Legal Aid Commission.
In the United Kingdom, he pioneered and initiated the APSL, The Association of Sri Lankan Professionals and Sri Lankan Lawyers Association in the UK where he held the position of the first President and in the APSL, the first Vice President. He set-up the SAARC study centre in the UK; in order to enhance the mandate of SAARC, and to develop a close dialog with SAARC academics and professionals. He initiated the UK branch of the Old Boys’ Association of his alma-mater Rahula College Matara and initiated the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in UK & Europe branch in which he was the President for a number of years, and represented the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in the UK & Europe for number of years.
As the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority in Sri Lanka, he brought-about novel changes and introduced new themes and theories on Consumerism. He wrote a book on Consumerism in Sri Lanka and edited consumer pages every week in Sinhala, Tamil & English; assisting the consumers, traders & industrialists to provide the consumers quality items of high standard and to develop a rapport among the Government, the Consumer, Trader and the industrialist. He is now working on the book SAARC to EU based on his professional and academic experience and knowledge acquired during academic professional and diplomatic voyage.
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa the President of Sri Lanka has given the opportunity for His Excellency Sarath Wijesinghe to implement the theory he has acquired at the University of London on International Law, Public Law and International Relations, and to implement the finer points of court-craft and the learning acquired during his professional and social life in diplomacy. He maintains excellent relations with the diplomatic community rulers and the government. It is no exaggeration to note that he is a ”Human Dynamo” as he never gets tired and works nonstop all 7 days. He is currently concentrating on development and enhancing the relationship between Sri Lanka and the Middle East and also to enhance tourism promotion, investment promotion, labour promotion, and generally being an active leader giving leadership to around 250,000 Sri Lankans in the UAE; to help Sri Lanka and His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse to achieve the expected goal of becoming the ‘Wonder of Asia’ at the earliest opportunity.
Introduction by: Dr. Jayatissa De Costa LLB, LLM, PhD.
Presidents’ Council
Chairman Utilities Commission
