… stresses the need for freedom of choice

British High Commissioner in Colombo Andrew Patrick said that he expected those leaving Sri Lanka due to the ongoing crisis situation to return eventually. The top UK diplomat called it a big crisis.

HC Patrick said so at the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) graduation ceremony held at the BMICH on Wednesday (17).

Referring to the developing political-economic-social crisis, the High Commissioner who has been posted to Colombo since last August pointed out the real possibility in some of the marketing graduates seeking opportunities overseas. Patrick succeeded Sarah Hulton. Having declared that CIM qualification a worldwide passport, he stressed the responsibility on their part to return home where they could contribute to the local economy.

At the onset of his brief remarks, the former Ambassador to Burma (2013-2018) stressed the importance and value of the relationship between the UK and Sri Lanka in the education field. Patrick said that he was very sad to hear some of those whom he talked to wouldn’t want to come back.

Among those present were Chris Daly, Chief Executive, CIM, since 2016, and Maggie Jones, Director Qualifications and Partnership, CIM which has maintained a formal presence here for over two decades.

Having explained the difficult tasks he faced in Colombo as the UK’s top envoy, a smiling HC Patrick asserted that his performance could be judged at the end of his three-year term.

The HC reiterated their stand on open societies in which principles of association and access to information are among the matters promoted and encouraged. The HC made reference to access to information as well as disinformation. Patrick stressed that the UK advocated open societies and democracy. It was meant to ensure free flow of information, the HC said. “It is about individuals being able to make choices on how they want to live their lives and who their government is and of course the crucial part of that is them having access to information to decide about buying some product or voting for a candidate.

Patrick said: “As a diplomat, I have to do some amateur marketing much of the time. I’m probably doing a lot of things wrong. My job is two-fold. One is to try to make sure, at a minimum, the country I’m in understands what the UK thinks about big issues, that they are not going to make a mistake and make a decision and be surprised how the UK reacts.”

“There is another, more difficult part when you try to persuade the country that you are in that the way you think of something is the right way and it is in their interest to think the same way. “You have to judge in three years’ time whether I got the second task right or wrong.”

In her welcome address, Onalie Dissanayake, Country Head (Sri Lanka and the Maldives) recalled the difficulties experienced by all during 2023. Dissanayake referred to continuing economic uncertainty, shifting inflation and political instability at global level have contributed to the developing crisis. She said marketers could use this opportunity to prove and underscore their importance (SF)