Lal Wickrematunge Archives

Home ⁄ Tag Archives: Lal Wickrematunge

Anton’s Swan Song – by Lal Wickrematunge How does one capture in a few paragraphs thirty three years of unparalleled service to a community? Impossible and grossly inadequate but let me try, Anton Swan’s colossal effort must not go unrecorded. I had the pleasure of meeting Anton Swan in 2015 on being appointed Consul General of Sri Lanka for New South Wales and Queensland. He was by then a veteran and more so a legend. Being a rookie at Diplomacy it took me a few weeks before I could drum up courage to telephone him. I knew that Anton had by then seen many a High Commissioner and Consuls General come and go. I finally did call him. ” Anton Swan speaking,” he said. I stood up from my chair and words betrayed me. I stuttered and stammered, finally saying who I was. ” How have you settled in? ” he ...

Jul 19, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Anton Swan, Lal Wickrematunge, New South Wales, Queensland, Queensland Hon Consul

The Sunil de Silva I Knew – by Lal Wickrematunge I came to know Sunil when he was at the Attorney Generals Department. I was a young Police Officer drafted into the Criminal Investigations Department ( CID ) which was made famous or ” in” according to which side of the law one fall upon. Keen as I was in investigations it was Tyrell Gunatilleke who was the then Director of CID who honed and led me through the intricacies of a proper investigation. Having done that I had to prepare a comprehensive file and jog to the Attorney Generals Department to confer with a State Attorney to file an indictment. I came before Sunil. If Tyrell was J Edgar Hoover Sunil was Robert Kennedy. He sharpened the loose ends and taught me the other end, which was to satisfy an independent judge of criminal liability. He became my mentor and was ...

Mar 3, 2021 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Lal Wickrematunge, Sunil de Silva

Australia Day 2021 Honours List – Mr Anthony Phillip SWAN (Honorary Consul for for Sri lanka in Queensland Australia) r Source: The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia The Governor-General is pleased to announce the following awards: Mr Anthony Phillip SWAN Carseldine QLD 4034 For service to the Sri Lankan community of Queensland. eLanka and all its members are so proud of this achievement! Here’s a congratulations note from the former Hon Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Sydney Mr. Lal Wickrematunge My dear Anton, My sincere wishes and congratulations are extended to you on being conferred with an OAM award. There is no gainsaying that you richly deserve such honour. I am delighted that your services have been recognised by your adopted country though deservedly you should have been acknowledged for high merit by your country of birth, where the larger part of your services has been targetted over many ...

Jan 26, 2021 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Anthony Phillip SWAN, Anton Swan, Lal Wickrematunge

Sydney Bens donate $3000 to Cardinal Ranjith’s fund for Easter Bomb victims Excess Funds From Farewell to Lal Wickrematunge by Sydney Bens were donated to the Cardinal’s Fund. Lal Wickrematunge with Deli Fernando handed over the cheque to His Eminence Proceeds from the Farewell Felicitation for Mr. Lal Wickrematunga – Reporting from the Event Desk (Photos thanks to Janine Sebastian) – Click here to see the event photos held on 14th Spet 2019 ...

Jan 24, 2020 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Cardinal Ranjith, Deli Fernando, Lal Wickrematunge, Sydney Bens Comments 0

eLanka Newsletter: December 2019 5th edition: Sri Lankans in Australia – Merry Christmas! Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter STC OBA NSW/ACT Carol Service Report 2019 “FUTURE KING GEORGE VII” – By Des Kelly Sri Lanka oarswomen bring home first Asian medal Christmas Day Lunch – Presented by the BLUE ELEPHANT – X ‘MAS LUNCH WITH HOPPERS – video by Harold Gunatillake Seasons Greetings from Former Consul General – Lal Wickrematunge Australia’s Different starts operations in Sri Lanka Health & Views –December 2019 – 3rd issue By Harold Gunatillake High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canberra Celebrates Christmas Hume Sri Lanka Senior Association Gladstone Park – trip to Nagambie Click below for events ...

Dec 30, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, eLanka Newsletters Tagged Association Gladstone Park, Harold Gunatillake, Lal Wickrematunge Comments 0

Seasons Greetings from Former Consul General – Lal Wickrematunge I wish all Sr Lankan expatriates and their families the very best in the New Year. Whilst I wish everyone Happy Holidays I am concerned over those who have been affected by the raging fires In New South Wales and Queensland and Do hope that they are brought under control Speedily. A big Thank You to those brave firefighters Working to keep everyone safe. Lal Wickrematunge Former Consul General ...

Dec 23, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged Lal Wickrematunge Comments 0

Click here or on the image below to read this week’s elanka Newsletter Lal Wickrematunge bids Adieu – By Dilip Kumar “A CHANGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE” – By Des Kelly Photos – “Golden Ball”, the cruise dinner dance organised by University of Colombo Alumni Association of NSW – Photos thanks to RoyGrafix Sri Lanka Business Networking Event in Sydney 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians 2019: Indian links Watch Cricket Highlights – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2019 ODI Series Deepavali Celebration has gone Global !!! – By Vasu Vasudevan Health & Views 2019 September 3rd Issues – By Harold Gunatillake Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2019 – T20 Cricket Highlights Click below for events ...

Oct 6, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, eLanka Newsletters Tagged Deepavali Celebration, Lal Wickrematunge, Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Comments 0

Lal Wickrematunge bids Adieu – By Dilip Kumar Australia is an important ally of Sri Lanka and diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1947. Sri Lanka by such consideration picked their diplomats to Australia and more so to the business capital of Sydney, after much consideration. When Lal Wickrematunge was posted to Sydney, late 2015 there was but curiosity among the vast group of Sri Lankan origin people who had heard of him as a student of St Thomas’ Prep School and St Benedicts College, Newspaper Publisher and former Cricketer, administrator and not as a Diplomat. Sri Lankan Australians watched him carefully. Lal hit the deck running. Within months many asked if our new Consul General slept at all.He was present at the Buddhist Temple, Catholic Church, Hindu Kovil and the Mosque. He was on the Cricket pitch and Golf Course. No musical entertainment show, drama or a ...

Oct 4, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles Tagged dilip kumar, Lal Wickrematunge, Pramuditha Manusinghe, Shemara Wikramanayake Comments 0

Press Release Sri Lanka Business Networking Event in Sydney The Sri Lanka and Australia Chamber of Commerce (SLACC) together with Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Sydney and Gilbert and Tobin Lawyers organised a Business Networking Event to explore business and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka on Tuesday 1st October 2019 in Sydney CBD. Welcoming the guests, the President of Sri Lanka-Australia Chamber of Commerce, Kalum de Silva emphasised that major objective of this programme was to disseminate information on Sri Lanka’s business potentials among the Australian entrepreneurs. Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Canberra J.C. Weliamuna, in his first meeting with the business community after assuming duties in Australia, remarked the importance of trade and economic collaborations between Sri Lanka and Australia. He said more opportunities are open for Australian businessman to explore the Sri Lankan market and also to expand into the regions, as well as the global destinations. ...

Oct 2, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Photos Tagged Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Sydney, Danny Tobin, Gilbert and Tobin Lawyers, J.C. Weliamuna, Kalum de Silva, Lal Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka and Australia Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka High Commissioner Comments 0

Fare thee well Lal Wickrematunge – diplomat extraordinaire By Aubrey Joachim Diplomacy – the art of dealing with people in a sensitive and tactful way. Lal Wickrematunge epitomises this definition to the letter. It is for this reason that he is being felicitated by hundreds of Sri Lankans from multiple groups and social organisations in New South Wales leading up to his departure from Sydney mid-October. His four year stint as Sri Lankan Consul General in Sydney has come to an end all too soon. There has not been a predecessor who has achieved as much as Lal has during his time in office. Perhaps the most important on the list of achievements has been his attempt to bring the whole community together and projecting a united Sri Lankan diaspora. Let’s hope that what he started will continue. Lal had the uncanny ability to engage with every Sri Lankan ...

Sep 22, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Aubrey Joachim Tagged Aubrey Joachim, Lal Wickrematunge, St. Mary’s Cathedral Comments 0