Dr Nonis assumes office as new Sri Lankan envoy to Great Britain & Northern Ireland
Press Release issued by the High Commission of Sri Lanka- London
(Submitted by: Janaka Alahapperuma)
Dr. Chris Nonis assumed office as High Commissioner for Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom today, 01st September 2011, at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London. Dr. Nonis will also be concurrently accredited to Ireland. He succeeds Justice Nihal Jayasinghe.
He studied medicine at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School, University of London and also obtained a First Class Honours Degree from Imperial College, London. He spent his electives at Harvard Medical School Boston, USA and completed his postgraduate studies at Addenbrooke’s Cambridge, Brompton and Hammersmith, and obtained his M.R.C.P. (UK).
He has lived and worked in both countries, in the public health sector in the UK , academia, international and civil society organisations, and the private sector. He was appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) in 2008, and is the first Sri Lankan to hold this office in the RCS’ 140-year old history. At the time of his being chosen as the Sri Lankan envoy to the UK and Ireland, Dr. Nonis was functioning as the Chairman of the Mackwoods Group of Companies, which was established in 1841.
Welcoming the new High Commissioner, Mr. P.M. Amza, the Acting High Commissioner said that Dr. Nonis would bring in a wealth of experience, gathered over the years working in different areas ranging from international business to international affairs. He recalled Dr. Nonis’ long- term association with the Royal Commonwealth Society, and expressed confidence that his broad experience in multiple sectors in both countries will be of immense help in furthering Sri Lanka – UK bilateral relations at this important juncture.
Upon assumption of duties, High Commissioner Dr. Nonis said he would be committed to further enhance and strengthen the bonds between the two countries, building on their shared commonality of values. He commented that his diverse background developed in him an understanding and respect for the dignity and diversity of people irrespective of their background, and that it has also taught him a degree of empathy and sensitivity and a broader perspective of life.
Making specific reference to the conducive macroeconomic environment and emerging opportunities in post-conflict Sri Lanka, he said he would also attach importance to economic diplomacy while working closely with the host government towards greater collaboration and cooperation in all other areas of mutual interest.
Multi-faith religious observances by the Buddhist, Hindu, Islam and Christian priests were conducted to invoke blessings for the New High Commissioner and for peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka.
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Dr Nonis has a big challenge in facing up to the NKO’s (Nawa Koti Organisations) that are operating freely in the UK despite the EU ban on LTT.
Best of luck Dr, the blessings of the hindu priest in the picture is needed most.
Maybe, the hindu priest can talk to the “Settapochchi” man to spare some kindness on Dr Nonis.
VP is settapochchi and in hell with his comrades-in-arms. He will have Hitler and Stalin for company. Hindu priest can only invoke the blessings of the deities he believes in.
In UK many Hindu temples have been established by the LTTE and run by them, as they are cash cows, generating immense wealth for them, through the gullible devotees who believe in deities to bring them fortune. These temples are better investments for the LTTE than their grocery stores and restaurants.
Congratulations to Dr Nonis at his appt as HC! I hope he will be productive in fighting the immense influence of the LTTE in UK with the politicians of all hues and win them over against the LTTE and Tamil diaspora.
Nicholas, you got my point.
Wonder why the erudite Dr Nonis should invite a hindu priest probably belonging to an LTT sponsored NKO managed hindu temple for blessings?
Can’t we survive without the blessings of the “settapochchi” man and his diaspora tribes?
The challenge facing the new High Commissioner Dr.Chris Nonis is to build on the past traditions of friendship between Sri Lanka and U.K.,engage with all Sri Lankan communities living in Britain and most of all listen to the unspoken voices of the most vulnerable citizens who have now made Britain their home away from home.
Dr.Nonis could well take a lesson from a past Sri Lankan
Ambassador to U.S. Late R.S.S.Gunewardena and empower every citizen of Sri Lanka living abroad in U.K. to represent the respected values of their homeland.
Building relationships is the end game and Dr.Nonis has a proven record not only in the Commonwealth but also in the sphere of business.
Victor Cherubim says, “..most of all listen to the unspoken voices of the most vulnerable citizens who have now made Britian their home away from home”.
How can you listen to voices if they are unspoken? Is VC asking Dr Nonis to imagine these ‘voices’? Does VC assume Dr Nonis to experience auditory hallucinations of these ‘voices’ like a psychotic patient? VC is merely uttering nice-sounding sound bytes. Is VC talikng about diaspora LTTE? Is he a diaspora LTTE/Tamil?
Britain is our enemy. Britain has always been our enemy and will always remain our enemy, especially of the Sinhalese, who they hate, because we are not servile and cannot be subjugated. Let us never forget nor forgive the massacres the imperial British pariah dogs carried out in SL in the 19th C of Sinhalese men,women and children in the Uva-Welassa wars.
Diplomacy is one thing, but Dr Nonis has hard task of combatting disinformation dished out daily by the Tamilnet and other diaspora LTTE/Tamil mud-slinging organisations in UK and EU. He must combat such malinformation by the diaspora Tamils and win over Brtish politicians against LTTE and diaspora Tamils cry for autonomy. He has to boldly expose the hypocrisy of the British and the USA of denouncing SL on false allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity while they themselves are guilty as hell of such crimes, which continue to be committed daily.
Don’t you know that, Unspoken voices means Evils Voice…!
Nicholas Dias says “Britain is our enemy. Britain has and so on….”. If so why not ask all the Sinhalese living in Britain to return to Sri Lanka? Surely they will not Mr. Nicholas because they cannot be without all the benefits they enjoy in Britain which is extended to them generously by the British Govt. without any discrimination of caste, creed, religion, language, origin, etc. Even most of the rich Sinhalese in Britain do not respond to the Sri Lanka Govt.’s call to invest in Sri Lanka due to the corrupt state of affairs in Sri Lanka. For example, a young lady who has money went to Sri Lanka saying that now the threat of terrorism is over she is going there to set-up some venture. She returned after a few months disappointed and said about the terrible situation ending up saying…”I am asked not only to oil the palms (bribe)the politicians but also give my skin (sex) if I have to do something there. I am safer in Britain.