High Commission
Message from the High Commissioner:
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the new website of the Sri Lanka High Commission in Singapore.
This website provide comprehensive details of the services offered by this High Commission and information on Sri Lanka.
The High Commission would be much obliged if comments, observations and clarifications, on any issue, could be communicated to the Mission to enhance the efficacy and utility of the website.
Jayathri Samarakone
High Commissioner for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to Singapore
Ms. Jayathri Samarakone
Ms. Jayathri Samarakone is the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore. She presented her Credentials on 20th November, 2008 at Istana, the President’s Office in Singapore. Ms. Samarakone is a Management Accountant and a Lawyer by profession. In addition to being an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, she is an Attorney-at-Law, with First Class Honors, from the Law College of Sri Lanka and passed the Solicitors in the UK.
For over two decades, Ms. Samarakone has been with the SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of the country. Before assuming the office of the High Commissioner to Singapore, Ms. Samarakone was the Head of the Revenue Department of SriLankan Airlines, which is considered to be a pivotal Management Department of the conglomerate.
Ms. Samarakone has worked and supervised the offices of SriLankan Airlines, on a global basis, with regard to training & recruitment of staff, addressing accounts and finances, selection of General Sales Agents, evaluation of performance, automation & streamlining of accounts, management of credit, implementation of new systems, negotiations and legal proceedings among others in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK and the US in her long career at SriLankan Airlines. She also attended and participated in a number of international conferences and seminars in the realm of airline industry, both in Sri Lanka and abroad.
Diplomatic Staff
Dr. A. Saj. U. Mendis Deputy High Commissioner / Head of Chancery
Mr. Ananda Dharmapriya Minister (Commercial)
Miss. S. I. Panabokke Counsellor
Mrs. S. Rajapakse Counsellor (Employment and Labour Welfare)
Mr. E. M. H. Abeyratne Attaché (Administration)
Sri Lanka Singapore Relations:
Singapore and Sri Lanka are island states and share many commonalties. Both countries have not only fostered good bilateral relations but also shares similar views on many regional and global issues in the international fora.
Sri Lanka and Singapore relations began in the early 1950s, and Sri Lanka was represented by a Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner who were based in Malaysia. Between the periods of 1962 to 1970, there was an Honorary Trade Representative who dealt with consular matters. With the establishment of formal Diplomatic relations in July 1970, Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Myanmar was concurrently accredited to Singapore. This arrangement continued till Sri Lanka established its resident High Commission in Singapore in 1979. The Singapore High Commissioner in New Delhi was concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka till H.E. Mr. Tan Kah Hoe was appointed as the High Commissioner for Singapore based in Singapore. In 1998, Singapore appointed a well-known Sri Lankan business person Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawala as the Honorary Consul-General for Singapore based in Sri Lanka.
It is interesting to note that there are many scholars from Colombo Plan holding high positions in Singapore.
Under the Singapore Technical Cooperation Programme, Sri Lankan officials have participated in various training programmes in the areas of medicine, aviation, information technology and telecommunications.
Sri Lankan professionals have in the past and in the present found fruitful employment in Singapore especially in the fields of education and health.
The number of students who are enrolled in Singaporean Universities and Technical Collages are on the increase.
There are approximately 10,000 to 15,000 workers employed in Singapore, mainly domestic helpers.
Being a free port and a regional trading hub Singapore is an important trading partner to Sri Lanka. Easy access and simplified business practices have helped Singapore to gain popularity as a reliable supply source among the Sri Lankan businessmen. The annual turnover of business between the two countries amounts to millions of dollars. Singapore exports to Sri Lanka are mainly - liquid gas, palm oil, machines, machine accessories, diesel fuel, gold, TV/video etc. whereas Sri Lanka mainly exports seafood, ceramic products, tea, garments, naphtha to Singapore. The trade balance is in favour of Singapore. Both Sri Lanka and Singapore are following market friendly trade policies and share similar views on many international trade issues.Many Singapore companies in their phase of extending activities to overseas have identified Sri Lanka as another destination to setup their branches, manufacturing plants etc. There are also Singapore companies that have engaged in the construction industry and other infrastructure development projects. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka extends maximum cooperation to the Singapore investors to be involved in as many business ventures as possible.
(C) Sri Lanka High Commission Singapore
Last updated on December 2008