French Embassy opens consulate in Kandy

14 October 2015 06:30 pm Views - 3731

French Ambassador Jean-Marin Schuh is scheduled to declare open the French Consulate in Kandy today on the invitation of the recently appointed Honorary Consul for France in the Kandy District.

The focus of the honorary consul is primarily to serve French citizens who live and come as tourists, in their hour of need. 

Honorary Consul Ravana Wijeyeratne, who is also the Managing Director of Sinhaputhra Finance PLC, commented that it is a great honour for him to receive this appointment. 

He commented that on a much humbler level to walk in the shadows of his father, Barrister-at-law H/E Tissa Wijeyeratne, who was the former Ambassador to France, was truly a privilege. 

He remarked, especially to be helpful to the citizens of a nation where he spent the first four years of his life and returned frequently to renew friendships, is an opportunity he looks forward to.

Wijeyeratne further stated that whilst his role is defined and restricted, he hopes to liaise with the Embassy in Colombo for the promotion of bilateral trade, cultural and knowledge exchanges, promoting French franchises in Kandy and mutual investments in the respective countries, including the possibility of university education for Kandy students in France. This he said is now possible, as over 700 programmes are now on offer at master’s level with an option to take them in English (www.srilanka.campusfrance.org).

The secretarial functions of the consul will be from the Sinhaputhra-owned property adjoining its head office premises on Hill Street, presently leased to Clock Inn, a city hotel cum hostel.  The French and European Union flags will adorn the premises to identify the location to all French citizens, who as tourists count in excess of 80,000 annually.