tw news-features

Ambassador Blake’s Remarks to the American Chamber of Commerce Lunch - October 9, 2007 Cinnamon Grand, Colombo:

The U.S. and Sri Lanka: Assessing Progress:

Fellow Chamber Members, Ladies and Gentleman,

It is a pleasure to be here to address you again today, approximately one year since my last luncheon with you. I always appreciate an invitation from the Chamber to speak with you.

To the members of the press, let me assure you that the Embassy will release the full text of my remarks right after this lunch. One thing I have learned during the last year is that even my remarks at private meetings seem to end up in the press so getting my side of what I actually said is very important!

[Ambassador Robert Blake - File Pic]

First let me thank and commend the Board, Executive Director Gordon Glick and the staff of the American Chamber of Commerce for your continued outstanding work to promote greater trade and investment between the U.S. and Sri Lanka. I am very proud that AmCham is one of the most, if not the most, dynamic and effective of the bilateral Chambers in Sri Lanka. A special word of thanks and praise to the Chairman of the AmCham Board John Varley who will be stepping down shortly. John has been a constant source of new ideas, encouragement and friendship to all of us and, John, we will sorely miss you.

I was asked to assess today the progress in relations between the United States and Sri Lanka. The last year has marked a period of challenge and change. I, for one, have a much greater understanding not only of this beautiful country, but also the movers and shakers behind it, many of whom are in the room today.

I am often asked what U.S. interests in Sri Lanka are. In other words – why do we care about Sri Lanka and its people, and what are our hopes for the future of the country? Simply put, the friendly relations between our two countries go back almost 60 years. We want to build on those to help Sri Lanka end its long conflict, strengthen its democracy, and promote economic prosperity and free markets so this beautiful country can realize the bright hopes that we all have for it.

Naturally, our focus at present is to encourage a negotiated settlement to the conflict that has bedeviled Sri Lanka for 25 years. That is because progress to end the conflict will have a positive multiplier effect on so many of our other goals. Unfortunately, the hope and promise of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement is, like the agreement itself, all but defunct. As ceasefire violations by both sides have increased in frequency and seriousness and as the security situation has deteriorated, governance and human rights have declined, as have economic growth and opportunity. The country has seen several high-profile assassinations, hundreds of thousands of newly displaced persons, a sharp rise in abductions and disappearances, brazen paramilitary activity including child recruitment, and threats and intimidation of civil society and the media.

I’d like to speak in a little more detail about the conflict; human rights; the situation in the East; trade and the economy; and finally, corruption since all of these are central to all of your operations and the future success of your businesses.

The Conflict

The United States has been a strong and unwavering supporter of Sri Lanka’s fight to defend itself against terrorist attacks from the LTTE. That support takes many forms from military, to law enforcement cooperation, to efforts to help Sri Lanka stop financial flows to the LTTE, to our contributions to enhancing the security of the Colombo Port through the Container Security Initiative of the US Department of Homeland Security and the Megaports Initiative of the Department of Energy.

The Sri Lankan military has achieved important victories in the past year, including the defeat of the LTTE in the east, and the sinking of many LTTE tankers used to deliver military and other supplies to the Tamil Tigers. Such victories and U.S. support for Sri Lanka should demonstrate to the LTTE that they cannot hope to win this conflict.

However, the government’s victories also have come at a very high cost in human lives and suffering. Thousands have died in the last year alone, adding to the toll of around 70,000 in the quarter-century history of the conflict. Hundreds of thousands more have become homeless and endured severe privation. To help relieve the suffering the U.S. has donated food worth $14 million so far this year, with another shipment valued at an additional US$9 million set to arrive later in the year.

But both sides must realize there can be no military solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict. The U.S. welcomes Foreign Minister Bogollogama’s public statement during his visit to Washington last week that President Rajapaksa’s government agrees the conflict cannot be solved through military means. Without equal and parallel progress on the political track, there cannot be an end to the violence. The continued absence of a viable proposal for sharing of power with the country’s minorities is as disappointing to us as it is to most Sri Lankans.

The U.S. has followed closely and with admiration the intensive efforts of Professor Tissa Vitharana, his colleagues in the All-Party Representative Committee, and others of goodwill to break the decades-old logjam on devolution. We hope that these efforts soon reach a successful conclusion and form the basis for a southern consensus. But they must also satisfy the aspirations of the Muslim and the Tamil communities. They also are Sri Lankans, who have an equal right to live peacefully in this country, and to participate meaningfully and constructively in exercising responsibility for their own lives and futures within a united Sri Lanka.

Human Rights

Turning to the sensitive area of human rights, the United States recognizes that there has been a welcome decline in forced disappearances in Colombo and the Western Province. But violations in other parts of Sri Lanka remain as serious as ever. We are particularly concerned about the situation in Jaffna, where the most fundamental rights of people to be secure in their persons and homes are being violated almost daily. The number of extrajudicial killings in Jaffna has risen even higher in recent months. This is disappointing given the firm control the Sri Lankan military has over the Jaffna peninsula.

In his speech of October 4 at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Foreign Minister Bogollogama outlined a series of indictments and arrests of members of the Sri Lankan Police and Armed Services on charges of abduction, murder, illegal detention, torture and other crimes. The U.S. has an active dialogue with the Government of Sri Lanka about our concern over the lack of accountability for human rights abuses. Trials, convictions and jail terms for those found guilty would help demonstrate the Government’s intention to address the climate of impunity that is of concern to human rights defenders.

Another right we track closely is freedom of expression. We believe that the role of the media in all free societies is to act as one of the most important checks on government power. They need to be able to write and broadcast without fear of harassment or reprisal. The killing of journalists, especially Tamil journalists, and other threats to freedom of expression are a blemish on a country with Sri Lanka’s proud democratic traditions, and must be stopped.

Situation in the East

With the defeat of the LTTE in the East, the government now has a major opportunity to lay the groundwork for a democratic, participatory, multi-ethnic governance structure in the East. The U.S. and other members of the international community are looking for ways to support financially such an outcome.

In our dialogue with the government on the east, we have emphasized several principles that will help lay the groundwork for our support of a successful stabilization and reconstruction program.

First and foremost, the Government must establish security and bring paramilitaries under control. The government is committed to this goal but more progress is needed.

Second, all stakeholders but particularly the Government must be vigilant to ensure that the stabilization and reconstruction programs do not alter the ethnic and demographic balance that underpins stability now.

Third, the government needs to develop civilian institutions to allow all communities to have a say in decisions on major issues, such as the distribution of local resources for development, the allocation of land, and the structure and composition of local civilian police authorities. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa has made a promising start in consulting stakeholders that we hope will be sustained and broadened.

A successful and participatory stabilization and reconstruction effort in the east could serve as a template and confidence builder for a future solution in the north. Devolved power will not mean the end of the Sri Lankan State nor will it lead to separation of the Tamil-speaking areas from Sri Lanka. Rather, the success of the principle of autonomous action in carefully circumscribed and appropriate fields of endeavor by empowered local and regional governments will reinforce the sense of belonging among Sri Lanka’s minority communities. It is essential to demonstrate to these communities that the majority wishes to live with them in peace and mutual respect.

Giving the minorities a stake in their own affairs is critical to win their support, and bring about a new perspective that their lives are better under Government rather than terrorist control. It will show them that they have a much brighter future within a united Sri Lanka than they ever could under an LTTE dictatorship. Giving Tamils and Muslims this hope will undermine Prabhakaran and the LTTE in a way nothing else could. Withholding this hope would condemn the country to more decades of ethnic strife and suffering.

Trade and the Economy

Turning to trade and investment, the United States would like to see increased trade and investment between the United States and Sri Lanka. While bilateral trade in most sectors has remained stable, there are still too few U.S. exports of our unequaled machinery and technology. Sri Lanka is growing at 6% a year, but were it not for the conflict that growth rate could easily be 8% or more. If that were the case, I am confident that we would be able to improve the persistent ten-to-one trade surplus that Sri Lanka runs with the United States. Similarly, there has not been a significant amount of new U.S. investment in Sri Lanka during the past year. We believe that there are significant opportunities here for U.S. companies. The possible growth in the energy sector, new infrastructure projects that will speed development country-wide, as well as the ever-growing IT-sector, are just a few examples.

We want to do all that is possible to encourage new investment while working with our partners in government to ensure that current investors and stakeholders in Sri Lanka are treated fairly and receiving a good return on your investments. I made an enormous effort last year to encourage U.S. businesses to come, personally writing to more than 200 companies. I also traveled to Houston with Petroleum Minister Fowzie to urge American and other investors to look at oil and gas exploration opportunities in the Mannar Basin. I’ll continue to reach out to U.S. companies, and to encourage especially those who are already operating in South Asia to consider Sri Lanka as an investment destination.

In conducting this outreach, I and my highly capable economic team at the Embassy got valuable feedback on the concerns many US investors have about investing here. Let me share those with you. First and foremost, American companies embody the “capital is a coward” dictum: they tend to shun countries with conflict unless there are extraordinary profits to encourage them.

But the conflict is not the only impediment to new investment. Another important one is contract enforcement. The World Bank recently ranked Sri Lanka 133rd out of 178 countries in the enforcement of contracts. I personally have spent a great deal of time and effort attempting to help U.S. companies here resolve contract enforcement problems. The same World Bank report delivered the good news that Sri Lanka has eased business start-up regulations with the new Companies Act. I know that Minister Amunagama and the Board of Investment are eager to work with companies who are interested in investing in Sri Lanka, and I urge them to make the same kind of progress in contract enforcement as they have in business start-up rules. The Minister has pledged to do so.

Another area that could help boost foreign investment is to enhance English-language and IT training. The US Agency for International Development is doing a lot in both of these fields. But much more is needed. I have strongly encouraged the government and many of you in this room to explore private-public partnerships to increase English and IT education. These will yield benefits in terms of jobs, growth and income not only for the business community but for the country as a whole for generations.

Corruption

Let me mention one other major hindrance to trade and investment: corruption. Corruption damages economic development and reform, impedes the ability of developing countries to attract foreign investment, hinders the growth of democratic institutions, and concentrates power in the hands of a few. A recent Sri Lankan study indicated that Sri Lanka’s GDP would have grown by at least two percentage points in 2006 had government corruption been prevented. The best way to combat corruption is for a government, any government, to be open and transparent.

For the past 18 months, the U.S. and Sri Lanka have been working together to develop strategies to fight corruption. The Sri Lanka Anti-Corruption program was created by the U.S. Agency for International Development after the tsunami, and was designed to help minimize corruption in the distribution of post-tsunami assistance. The program held more than 50 workshops throughout the country to discuss the problem and issues of corruption. The program launched TV and radio spots, published a book for children and conducted the first-ever comprehensive island-wide survey of 3000 persons on perceptions and experiences of corruption at the grassroots level.

It also introduced new methods and techniques of investigative auditing at the Auditor General’s Departments, and assisted the development of a new organization called “Clean Hands,” an association of public sector employees. The Anti-Corruption Program provided technical support to Sri Lankan partners, including Transparency International and the Organization of Professional Associations to produce a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan which aims to mobilize civil society to combat corrupt practices and to promote principles of integrity.

The impact of this program has been impressive. Not only has the capacity of key government institutions including the Auditor General’s Department and the Bribery Commission been strengthened, public awareness of the issue is much greater; citizen participation in monitoring and reporting corruption has increased; and the public has become more engaged in the campaign to combat corruption and promote integrity.

Sri Lanka has taken several other important steps in the fight against corruption. It has enacted a bribery and corruption law and established a Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. It has enacted an Assets and Liabilities Declaration Law, put in place a law to control money laundering, and signed the U.N. Convention Against Corruption. These are good initiatives. The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan contains many others, one of which is to enact and implement the Freedom of Information Act, which has been approved by the Law Commission but not yet enacted by Parliament.

This Freedom of Information Act will increase public accountability and enable Sri Lankan citizens to know what decisions government makes and why, and thereby to hold the government accountable for working in the public interest. This together with the other elements in the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, can have a strong impact on how both the government and private sector do business. A country that fights corruption sends a clear signal to public servants that corruption will not be tolerated, and that it is concerned with protecting the welfare and interest of its people, while also promoting itself positively in the international arena.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I’d like to say that as I assess the progress that the U.S. and Sri Lanka have made in our bilateral relationship, I can note numerous positive steps. However, serious concerns remain. Although Sri Lanka has adapted extremely well to the challenging circumstances you face, you have the capacity to achieve more, much more.

As I travel around this country and meet Sri Lankan and foreign entrepreneurs who are performing world class work in many fields, I remain optimistic about the huge potential for this beautiful country. Few other countries can boast your educational achievements, your high health standards outside the conflict areas, your natural bounty, your entrepreneurial skills, and the advantage you enjoy of free trade agreements with large and fast growing neighbors.

With leadership, and a focus on the national interest above all else, Sri Lanka, like the ancient Egyptian phoenix, has the capacity to rise from the ashes of conflict and create a new era of opportunity and unprecedented prosperity for all Sri Lankans. The United States will continue to be your steadfast friend and partner in this endeavor.

Thank you.

[Source: Embassy News, Colombo, Sri Lanka]

Excerpts from an address delivered by Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Saleem Marsoof at the Islamic Day held at Zahira College, Colombo, Sri Lanka:

In Sura Al Asr, Allah swears by the token of time, which is so precious that it is a crime to waste it. Every day, nay every minute, of our school life is precious, and unless we add value to it by maximising its use we will be at a loss.

Ibnu Sina, one of the most learned men the Islamic world has ever produced, was an illustrious practitioner of time management. By the age of 10, Ibnu Sina memorised the Holy Qur’an and went on to study medicine. By the age of 16, he had mastered the study of medicine, but he had simultaneously studied philosophy, and by the age of 21, Ibnu Sina had become accomplished in all branches of formal learning, and started to serve as a jurist, physician, doctor and administrator.

Coming back to Sura Al Asr, where Allah swears by the token of time, to say that: Innal Insana Lafi khusr “Verily, man is in loss”, Illallazina amanu wa amilussalihathi wathawasaw bilhakki wathawasaw bissabr, “Except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and join together in mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and consistency.” So, if we do not have strong iman, if we do not perform salah on time, if we do not fast during the month of Ramadhan, if we do not give zakath, if those of us who are able do not perform hadj, and generally if we do not practice thakwa or piety, we are definitely at a loss, and we will regret in our later life and hereafter.

Our Holy Prophet, practiced time management so effectively that while he was busy leading his ummah from the front, so to speak, from a suppressed minority in Mecca to a powerful nation, he had time not only to perform the 17 compulsory rakaths per day, but he actually performed about 60 rakaths per day. As you know, salah helps us to keep our body fit and the mind clean, teaches us punctuality, puts into practice notions of equality and brotherhood, makes us remember our creator five times a day, and keeps us away from all sin and helps us to meditate and gain peace of mind, so necessary to keep us in the straight path.

Indeed, it was the need to preserve the Islamic way of life and maintain Islamic values, which brought Zahira College into existence more than a century ago. Zahira really blossomed during what has been described as its ‘golden era’ under Marhoom Dr. T.B. Jayah, Marhoom Senator A.M.A. Azeez, and Marhoom Shafie Marikar. Not only did Zahira become the premier educational institution of the Muslims of Sri Lanka but it was one of the best schools in Sri Lanka.Inspired by this success Zahira Colleges were established in not only Gampola, Aluthgama, Slave Island and Matale but practically in every nook and corner of Sri Lanka.

It is unfortunate that after this golden era, Zahira had a long period of turmoil, but we are now in the wake of a great reawakening, what the present Chairman of the Board of Governors, Al Haj Fouzul Hameed calls the “Renaissance of Zahira.” The Group of 60 is in the process of procuring a vehicle for our teams to travel for their matches.

Apart from the properties in Maradana itself, there are two other properties, one in Maharagama and the other in Sagara Road, Bambalapitiya which could be developed as branch schools or as source of income for the college, which unless we do something now may be taken over by squatters or unscrupulous persons and will be lost to Zahira forever.

So, there is a great deal more that can be done, not only by the Board of Governors and the constituent bodies such as the Trustees of the Maradana Mosque, the Welfare Association, the Parent Teachers Association and the Old Boys Association and various groups such as the Group of 60 and the Group of 80 but by every one of you present here today whether as a teacher, a parent, or a student. We can rally around the college successfully only if we act in unison and not in confrontation, and if all concerned follow Islamic values and practice thakwa and fear Allah the Almighty.

Islam places a great deal of emphasis on education. Nurtured in the Islamic spirit, every one of us too should be willing to face any challenge to develop Zahira to be the best school of all.

Remarks by Ambassador Robert Blake for the Zone 24/7 Dedication at Moratuwa University – September 6, 2007:

I’d like to thank Zone 24/7 for their kind invitation to address you today.

This is my second visit to Moratuwa University, one of Sri Lanka’s finest. In all of the conversations I have with the business community and others about the need for capacity to train students to succeed in working with new technologies, this university always figures prominently as one of the best.I am also very happy that a top American and Sri Lankan company, Zone 24/7, is with us today. Zone 24/7 represents an industry leader in technology development, both in my country and yours. It is a testament to this university that a high-quality, cutting-edge company such as Zone 24/7 has chosen it for this special partnership.

[Ambassador Robert Blake - Pic: File Photo]

The United States, in many ways, pioneered the idea of partnerships between universities and companies. Most, if not all, major U.S. universities have public-private partnerships. These partnerships are with both private and public institutions of higher learning, such as Harvard, Columbia, the University of California and the University of Michigan.

Such partnerships are a win-win for both sides: universities are ensured a flow of income and new ideas from the marketplace that help them promote research while producing students who are qualified and desired by private companies.

These partnerships are also a key reason why the U.S. leads the world in producing new ideas and new technologies. More than 2/3rds of the world’s Nobel Prize winners have been American, many of them rewarded for research done at American universities.

New technologies have always been at the core of our economic strength. For example: Two-thirds of America’s growth in the 1990s resulted from the introduction of new technologies. A new report released on Monday by the International Labor Organization (ILO) showed that the United States has the most productive workers in the world. What makes U.S. workers so successful? Jose Manuel Salazar, the ILO’s Head of Employment, said that America’s productivity “has to do with the ICT (information and communication technologies) revolution…[and] with the high level of competition in the country.”

Simply put — the U.S. actively fosters an environment where technology innovators can succeed. We lead the world because our system of private enterprise rewards innovation. Companies, universities, and the government are working to give our workers the best technology and the best training to make sure that the American economy remains the most flexible, advanced, and productive in the world.

Another key factor in our success is that the U.S. is a leader is intellectual property rights protection. Our strong climate of protecting intellectual property encourages domestic and foreign innovators to create and produce in America. American technology continues to meet the ever-increasing demands of business customers and individual consumers because we can, and do, protect IPR.

Customers, meanwhile, are secure in the knowledge that they are purchasing a real product and not wasting their money or putting themselves or their families at risk by purchasing fake goods. Ensuring adequate IPR protection promotes job creation, increases income in innovative companies and allows for greater revenue collection by governments. I hope that Sri Lanka will do more to promote intellectual property rights.
Today’s partnership between the University of Moratuwa and Zone 24/7 and gthe success of other Sri Lankan companies such as Virtusa and h-Senid demonstrate Sri Lanka’s potential to be a leader in IT services. But there is much to be done to realize that potential.

In a recent survey of IT competitiveness of 64 countries by global industry association Business Software Alliance, Sri Lanka ranked #50. The technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit of Sri Lanka’s IT sector are generating significant opportunities for Sri Lanka to develop the technology portion of its economy.

But Sri Lanka’s IT leaders report they are constrained by the short supply of qualified employees. The demand for creative, English-speaking, well-educated individuals is already larger than the supply, and the shortage is worsening. Staffing the nascent IT sector will be one of Sri Lanka’s most important challenges over the coming decade. Zone 24/7’s efforts today are a step in the right direction to address this shortage. I hope that others will follow in its footsteps.

Again, I congratulate both University of Moratuwa and Zone 24/7 for this impressive project and cooperation. I hope this is just the beginning of a long and productive collaboration, and a model for others to emulate.

Thank you.

[Source: US Embassy News, Sri Lanka]

Speech by the Chief Guest, Robert Gabor at the ANC University College Official Launch of University of Missouri and Northwood University Bachelor Degree Programs - July 11, 2007

[Economic Officer Robert Gabor, delivers his speech]

Mr. Jagath Alwis, honorable deans, CEOs, colleagues and friends,

It is an honor to be here today to launch the Northwood and University of Missouri degree programs at American National College. I am proud to represent the U.S. Embassy to applaud ANC University College and its partners for providing these valuable new management, psychology, and information-technology programs.

These programs will enhance career prospects for Sri Lankan students. They will strengthen the human resources base that is essential for the Sri Lankan economy. And they will improve the educational and economic ties between the U.S. and Sri Lanka. So they are really a great addition to the local educational landscape.

Why are such programs so important? Because knowledge means economic power.

In today’s global economy, a country’s competitiveness depends on its citizens’ capacity to use knowledge and technology to create efficiency. CEOs of Fortune 500 companies say that to compete in the global marketplace they need college graduates who know math, science, and languages, and who have strong problem-solving skills. Basic credentials like the O-level and A-level are not enough to ensure success in the workplace. Fully 90% of the fastest-growing jobs require post-secondary education or training.

So, to prosper, a country needs a great higher education system. Investment in education yields a tremendous return. Educated graduates get better jobs. Trained workers enable companies to compete successfully in regional and global markets. And creative, empowered individuals become entrepreneurs who create new jobs.

So, let’s consider for a moment how the ANC-University College augments post-secondary education in Sri Lanka.

All of us here today believe that Sri Lanka has the potential to play a leading role in the Asian 21st century. Northwood and UMR certainly believe that, and are doing their part to make it happen. Every nation, including Sri Lanka, faces the challenge of how to adapt its educational system to the evolving needs of both the local and global economy. The presence of Northwood and UMR show that Sri Lanka is starting to adapt. But it needs to keep on adapting so it doesn’t get left behind.

Most of you have heard the alarming statistic that 85% of Sri Lankan youth who qualify for university are not admitted because the university system lacks capacity to accept them. That is a tragic loss for the 100,000 A-level graduates a year who miss out on higher education. But it is also a crippling loss for Sri Lanka.

Despite this, Sri Lanka is a rapidly modernizing economy. Services account for half of Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product. That means its people are Sri Lanka’s critical asset. Not surprisingly, in a service economy, one of the most promising sectors for growth is Information Technology, along with IT-enabled Business Process Outsourcing.

Yet, Sri Lanka’s IT leaders report they are constrained by the short supply of qualified employees. Staffing the nascent IT sector will be one of Sri Lanka’s most important challenges over the coming decade. IT firms here such as h Senid and Zone 24×7 are developing globally-competitive software solutions and providing high-end back office services. But to grow and compete, they need a steady stream of graduates equipped with relevant management and IT skills.

I can think of three ways the ANC program helps ensure that the education system here produces those graduates: Through public-private partnerships, international exchanges, and private institutions.

Public-private partnerships

Partnerships among the government, the university system, labor and industry can make enormous advances are the surest way to create a more relevant and flexible education system in Sri Lanka.

How? Take the case of students here who graduate with degrees from the Faculty of Arts. A large percentage of them subsequently struggle to find a job. To remedy that problem, universities should partner with businesses to establish fellowship programs, internships, and on-the-job training to turn out the trained labor that Sri Lankan companies want to hire. Programs that integrate work and training can serve the needs both of students embarking on their initial course of study and of experienced workers in mid-career.

Efforts like this have already begun to prove their value here. For example Virtusa, a dynamic American IT company with offices in Colombo, collaborates closely with the prestigious Peradeniya and Moratuwa Universities. Virtusa invites university staff to attend its in-house IT and management courses. Virtusa also sends some of its best technical experts to teach courses at the universities. Further, the company sponsors and supervises research projects that provide real world challenges for students to tackle. As a result, the grads Virtusa hires are ready to be productive right from the start.
Likewise, UMR embraces this concept. Nearly 2/3 of UMR students complete a co-op, internship or personal research project before they graduate. UMR’s emphasis on students gaining practical work experience as part of their studies is a major reason why over 95% are either enrolled in graduate school or have accepted a job within three months of graduation. UMR grads can expect to be hired by America’s top employers, with starting salaries well above the national average.

International Exchanges

Another way ANC improves the relevance of higher education in Sri Lanka is by increasing the number of international study-exchanges for both students and professors. International business majors need to understand the complex forces of globalization, and a good way to enhance that understanding is by studying abroad. Business and IT skills are not constrained by physical borders. Just look at Northwood, which has over 825 international students from 70 countries benefiting from over 100 international articulation agreements and studying at 5 overseas sites. Northwood’s overseas programs provide its students with exposure to a wide range of international business — from marketing in France, to manufacturing in Thailand, to managing natural resources in Costa Rica.

Private institutions

A final way ANC strengthens higher education in Sri Lanka is by leading the way for foreign universities to come here and partner with local institutions or even operate on their own. I understand that the concept of private or semi-private education at the university level is controversial here, but I think that over time the ANC model will show that competition raises the level of all public and private sector schools.

ANC is a perfect example of how a local, private firm like Ceylinco can make an investment that creates a first-class educational degree program at no cost to the government and no threat to the public universities. That is the power of private investment in the education sector.

What makes ANC’s programs unique among educational options here is that ANC offers the only fully accredited American degrees in Sri Lanka. Those American degrees are recognized and respected around the world. ANC offers a career-focused program that ensures its students are taught and mentored by internationally-educated professors and business leaders. Along the way, ANC students gain meaningful work experience; give back to the community, and learn how to lead. ANC is investing in Sri Lanka’s future by investing in its people today.

To conclude, the United States’ diverse and extensive higher education system gives Americans the skills to compete and succeed at home and abroad. American universities are a pre-eminent factor in the competitiveness of our economy. Sri Lankan students deserve the same opportunities. With ANC and its programs, that is just what they will get, through the private sector-led model that has been so successful in the U.S. and other countries.

So, looking forward, in four years, when the new batch of ANC University College students get their degrees from Northwood and UMR, they will be among the most qualified students of their generation. I am confident that their skills and experience will demonstrate the value of the innovative approach to international business education that ANC, Northwood, and UMR are bringing to Sri Lanka.

I congratulate you and wish you every success with this great program.

[Courtesy: Embassy News, U.S. Embassy Sri Lanka, Colombo]

Remarks by Charge d’Affaires James Moore at the American National College Awards Night - July 10, 2007

Mr. Jagath Alwis, Deputy Chairman, Ceylinco Education Group,
Dr. David Long, Chancellor of Northwood University,
Dr. Henry Wiebe Dean, School of Extended Learning, University of Missouri at Rolla, Faculty, Students, Parents, and Distinguished Guests:

Good evening. It is a pleasure to be here with you to participate in the American National College Awards Night.

I would like to start by congratulating — on behalf of the Embassy of the United States — Ceylinco Consolidated, ANC Education Holdings, Northwood University, and the University of Missouri at Rolla for their hard work and tremendous cooperation in coming together to make American National College a reality here in Sri Lanka.

Let me assure you that Ambassador Blake and all of us at the U.S. Embassy are committed to promoting educational exchange between our two great countries — and to making American-style education available to interested students here in Sri Lanka.

I would also like to warmly congratulate the students who are being recognized tonight for their achievements, including those students who will be the first-ever in Sri Lanka to be awarded a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwood University.

Education is the greatest gift that a country can bequeath its citizens. Education is fundamental to personal growth, economic prosperity, political enfranchisement, and the development of societies. The dedication Sri Lanka has shown to elementary and secondary education has created a literacy rate of nearly 95% that is the envy of this region.

The American National College contributes to Sri Lanka’s efforts to expand opportunities for the kind of higher education that is needed to compete in the increasingly globalized economy of the twenty-first century.

Each year, largely due to capacity limitations, Sri Lanka’s universities are unable to offer places to 100,000 or more qualified Advanced Level graduates. Several thousand of them elect to go abroad. We at the Embassy are pleased that currently more than 2000 Sri Lankans are studying in American universities, and we are working hard to substantially increase that number. Why? Because there is no better way for the peoples of two countries to know one another better, to truly understand the other’s society and values, and to establish relationships that will last for a lifetime than through study abroad.

While the American National College does an outstanding job of preparing its students to transfer to – and succeed in – U.S. universities, it now also provides Sri Lankans an opportunity to remain in Sri Lanka and pursue an American higher education here, an education that will help prepare them to be competitive in the global marketplace.

I’ve been deeply involved in educational exchange throughout most of my 23 years as a diplomat. People often ask me: “What is so different about American higher education? What sets American universities apart?” The answer is simple.

While American-style education helps students develop the tangible skills they need for their professional development as future business leaders or scientists or lawyers, or journalists or in any other career, American education, particularly at the undergraduate level, also focuses on learning capacity. Professors in the American system educate the whole person by helping students learn how to learn.

American-style education promotes critical thinking, leadership, problem solving, independent thought, and effective communication through interactive instruction methods such as discussions, debates, teamwork activities, and community service projects. The goal is to develop the individual and make him or her passionate about learning, not just to prepare them for the next examination.

It is these qualities that attract students in Sri Lanka to the degree programs that are offered by the American National College.

Like Sri Lanka, the United States was once a developing nation and a former British colony. Broad access to our vibrant and adaptable educational system helped the United States transition from an agrarian to a manufacturing economy, and then to a modern service economy.

To expand Sri Lanka’s services sector, which already accounts for half of your country’s gross domestic product, we believe that young people must have access to diverse educational opportunities, such as those offered by the American National College, that develop cutting edge professional skills, while at the same time helping young men and women to grow as individuals.

Educational linkages between Sri Lanka and the United States, such as the ANC program, also play an important role in increasing understanding and friendship between our two countries. This is why the U.S. Embassy applauds the launch of the ANC University College, which offers degree programs from Northwood University and the University of Missouri and makes it possible, for those who choose to do so, to complete an American degree program entirely in Sri Lanka.

Let me close by again congratulating the students whom we are here to honor tonight for their achievements. I wish you every success – and continued learning and discovery throughout your lives.

Thank you very much.
______________________________________________________

[Courtesy: Embassy News, Colombo, Sri Lanka]

Our chief guest the Honorable Minister of Construction and Engineering Services, other distinguished Sri Lankan dignitaries, Excellencies and other members of the diplomatic corps, fellow Americans, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate America’s birthday.

On this day each year, Americans gather with family and friends to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. July 4 is always a happy day for us. It is an opportunity to get together with family and friends, attend a parade on Main Street, perhaps play a little baseball, fire up the barbeque for some hamburgers and hot dogs, and then go watch fireworks at a local park.

But it is also a time for reflection, to remember the challenges our forefathers faced and to recognize their courage and wisdom. On this day 231 years ago, 56 men gathered in Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence drafted by a future President, Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration eloquently set forth their grievances against the British Crown. But such grievances had been enumerated before.

What distinguished this declaration from all others was the bold and final decision it took to assert the independence of 13 free states. As President John Kennedy later put it, “That Declaration unleashed not merely a revolution against the British, but a revolution in human affairs. Its authors were highly conscious of its worldwide implications. And George Washington declared that liberty and self-government everywhere were staked on the experiment entrusted to the American people.”

On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1976 President Gerald Ford traveled to Philadelphia and reflected on the significance of the Declaration. He told his audience that “The signers of the Declaration boldly reversed the age-old political theory that kings derive their power from God and asserted instead that both powers and inalienable rights belong to the people. Furthermore they declared that governments are instituted among men to secure their rights and to secure their purposes, and governments continue only so long as they have the consent of the governed.”

In the final words of the Declaration the signatories pledged “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” Those were not empty words. 5 were later taken prisoner, 12 had their homes sacked, 2 lost their sons and 9 died in the revolutionary war that followed.

Eleven years later in 1787 in that same hall in Philadelphia, another group of representatives of the people and the States met to form a more perfect union, a permanent legal mechanism that would translate the ideals of Jefferson’s declaration into effective self-government. That constitution enshrined the principles of freedom, justice, liberty and equality. It also marked the beginning of what is now hailed as the world’s oldest participatory democracy.

America’s Constitution is a living document constantly refreshed to reflect the needs and will of the people. But throughout America’s history, our basic purposes have been to keep the peace, to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty and dignity among peoples and among nations.

Those principles underpin the more than fifty years of friendship between the United States and Sri Lanka. America was proud to be a partner in helping Sri Lanka during its early years with more than a billion and a half dollars in development assistance. Our young Peace Corps volunteers helped to teach English and other skills that your young nation needed.

Today America is Sri Lanka’s largest export market and world class American businesses such as Citibank, Chevron and AES are investing here to reinforce your dynamic private sector as the engine of growth.

As a member of the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference the United States is a committed partner in Sri Lanka’s quest to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict that has divided your beautiful country for so many years.

As America’s forefathers knew, this will require bold leadership, a determination to set aside narrow party, regional and ethnic considerations so that you also can build a great, united and prosperous nation. In America you will continue to find a strong friend and partner.

Let me conclude with a quote from the Declaration of Independence that is as relevant today as it was 231 years ago.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Thank you all for honoring us today with your presence. I hope you enjoy the party!

[US Embassy News, Colombo, Sri Lanka]