| OFFICE OF THE RESTRICTED UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN SRI LANKA |
UNDP/RR/POST/SRL/REV.7 January 1998 |
This edition was prepared in January 1998 by the Office of the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative (Operations) in Sri Lanka and supersedes the previous edition dated March 1995. The office of the DRR (O) will be glad to answer any enquiries which international personnel may wish to make on living conditions in Sri Lanka.
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| UNDP Office mailing address : | United Nations Development Programme P.O.Box l505 Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Fax : | 94-1-58lll6/501396 |
| E-Mail : | fo.lka@undp.org |
| Street address : | 202-204 Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo 7, Sri Lanka |
| Telephone number : | 94-1-58069l (7 lines) |
| NOTES: 1. This report has been prepared by the Office of the Deputy Resident Representative (Operations) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is provided for information purposes only and does not commit the Organization and programmes of the United Nations System in any way. 2. The information in this document is subject to change at short notice. Although corrigenda and addenda are issued as necessary, international personnel are urged to check, before departure, the current Government rules and regulations concerning currency control, customs, etc., as well as the rates (e.g. rents, hotels) which are susceptible to variations because of prevailing circumstances. |
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Sri Lanka is an island endowed with natural wealth and beauty and a rich cultural heritage, situated in the Indian Ocean to the south-east of India. It is a pear-shaped island, separated from the Indian continent by the Palk Strait, which has a width of only eighteen miles at the closest point. The island covers an area of about 64,652 sq.kilometres and is approximately 430 km long and 225 km wide at its maximum extremities. Sri Lanka is situated in the tropical zone. The Central Highlands (in the centre of the southern half of the island) are formed by a series of plateaux and peaks some 900 to 2,500 metres high. The shores are mostly sandy beaches.
By reason of its geographical location and its topography, Sri Lanka has a variety of climates largely dependent on the monsoons and the elevation above sea level. There are no well-defined seasons. Climatically the island may be divided into (a) the Wet Zone, which is the south-west sector of the country, including the western part of the Central Highlands; (b) the Dry Zone of the north and east and (c) the Hill-country or the Central Highlands mentioned above. The monsoons dominate the climate. There are heavy rains both during the south-west monsoon (May to August) and the north-east monsoon (November to January), but all-day rains are exceptional. Atmospheric humidity in the wet zone is high, while in the dry zone it is relatively low. In Colombo the average annual rainfall is about 2,540 mm and the average annual temperature 26 C. The relative humidity averages 76 per cent during the day and 89 per cent during the night. The dry zone experiences heavy rains during the north-east monsoon, with the annual rainfall averaging l,000 mm to l,900 mm. The average temperature varies between 29 C to 35 C. In the hill-country, the average day temperature in Kandy is 2l C and in Nuwara Eliya l4 C; rainfall averages l,400 mm to 2,500 mm.
The estimated population in mid l996 was l8.1 million. According to the l992 census figures, about 74.0 per cent of the population are Sinhalese, who speak Sinhala and are mostly Buddhists, and about l8.2 per cent are Tamils who are predominantly Hindu and speak Tamil. The latter are concentrated in the North and East, except for the Tamils of Indian origin, whose ancestors came to the country during the last century, and who are concentrated on the tea estates. Moslems (Moors and Malays) account for 7.l per cent of the population. Apprximately 0.7 per cent include Burghers (of Dutch and Portuguese extraction). The Veddahs, a very small community of the few remaining aborigines live in the Uva province of the country. Population density is highest in the wet zone of the south-west where about 40 per cent of the population is concentrated. About l0 per cent live in the Jaffna Peninsula in the north and the narrow coastal belt around Batticaloa in the east, the remainder living in the mountainous areas of Kandy, central hill country and the dry zone in the north-west and south-east of the island. The population of the Colombo metropolitan region stands at about 2 million, with the population of the Colombo Municipality itself in l990 being approximately 615,000. In fact, Colombo`s population has declined slightly since l98l, with the expansion of suburbs such as Sri Jayewardenapura Kotte, Dehiwela and Mount Lavinia. Colombo is the financial, commercial and industrial capital as well as the centre of Government and administration, though these latter functions are progressively being moved to the new capital at Sri Jayewardenapura - Kotte, about 5 kilo meters east of the city. A magnificent new parliament building and several administrative secretariats are currently functioning in Kotte. The seaport which is in Colombo and the airport 21 miles from Colombo link Sri Lanka to the outside world. Other major towns with population of more than 70,000 are Jaffna, Kandy and Galle, and in the Colombo region, Dehiwela-Mt.Lavinia, Moratuwa and Kotte.
Buddhism is the predominant religion of Sri Lanka, its adherents comprising some 69.3 per cent of the population. About l5.5 per cent are Hindus, 7.5 per cent Christians and 7.6 per cent Moslems. All towns have Buddhist and Hindu temples, and many have Roman Catholic and Protestant churches as well as mosques.
History, Politics and Administration According to the Mahavansa, the dynastic chronicle of the Sinhalese, an Indian prince named Vijaya landed in Sri Lanka circa 504 B.C. with 700 of his Aryan followers. The island was at that time inhabited by aboriginal tribes, the descendants of whom, known as the Veddahs, are still to be found. Vijaya founded the Sinhalese royal line, which ruled through several dynastic changes for nearly 2,300 years. Following the conversion of the Rulers and the majority of the people of Lanka to Buddhism in about 307 B.C., a great growth of learning and the arts took place. Invasions by the Tamil people of South India and the ravages of malaria in the thirteenth century drove the Sinhalese to the mountains in the Central Highlands. Lanka was thus an easy conquest when the European nations began to open up the sea-way trade with the East. The Portuguese colonised the coast in the sixteenth century and the Dutch in the seventeenth century and the British in the 18th century. Passing through various stages of increasing self government, the country Ceylon as it was then called, reached full independent status within the Commonwealth on 4 February, 1948. The Country became a member of the United Nations on 14 December 1955. In l978 a new constitution changed the form of Government from Parliamentary to Presidential, and J.R. Jayewardene became the country`s first executive President. The Executive President is the head of state and exercises all executive powers, is elected for a period of six years by universal adult suffrage, and may dissolve parliament at will. The National legislature consists of 225 members directly elected for six years by a system of modified proportional representation. The Presidential election and the Parlimentary elections held in December l988 and February 1989, witnessed a change in the executive presidency from J.R. Jayewardene to Ranasinghe Premadasa who was the Prime Minister in President Jayewardene's Government, while allowing the United National Party to remain in power. The change of presidency led to a emphasis on poverty alleviation of the masses and further liberalisation of the economy. Privatisation/Peoplelisation of Government owned business ventures, and the greater emphasis on export based industries could be witnessed in the post elections era. Communal tensions between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils had, from time to time, led to outbreaks of violence. In the late 1970's, armed tamil secessionist groups started operating against the security forces in the northern and eastern districts. In the south, anti-Tamil rioting which had previously been infrequent, occurred several times in the period 1977 - 1983. Under the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord of July l987, a single provincial administration was to be set up in the Northern and Eastern Province, to be followed within l7 months by a referendum in the Eastern Province on whether this should be a permanent arrangement or not. A limited contingent of Indian troops was to accept the surrender of the militants' weapons and ensure security until the provincial administration could be established. The militants did not complete the surrender of their weapons, and fighting broke out between the militants and the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF), whose numbers grew rapidly to 50,000. The IPKF made a phased withdrawal during the 1989/90 period. The subversive activities in the south of Sri Lanka which was dormant since the rebellion in 1971, cropped up again in the eighties and by 1988 the subversive actvities led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) became a problem of national level. The 1989 Government adopted stringent suppressive measures to eliminate the JVP threat and with the arrest and subsequent death of the JVP leader in November 1989, the movement continued to lose its strength. By mid 1990, the Southern Subversion became almost non-existent. At the July 1994 Parliamentary elections, Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga led the opposition Peoples Alliance Party to victory ending 17 years of dominance of the ruling United National Party, and was sworn in as Prime Minister. At the Presidential elections held in November 1994 Prime Minister Kumaranatunga was elected by an overwhelming majority and on 12 November 1994 was sworn in as the fourth Executive President of Sri Lanka. After her landslide victory in the presidential election, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga pledged to abolish the executive presidency and return to a parliamentary style of government. This, however, has still not taken place. An armed conflict between the Government and Tamil separatists fighting for a separate Tamil State has been ongoing for the last 13 years. With an increasing emphasis on a decentralised form of Government, the Provincial Administration system which was introduced in 1987 was effectively established in seven of the nine provinces in Sri Lanka. Each Provincial Council is headed by a governor, appointed by the President, and administered by an elected Provincial Council, consisting of a Chief Minister three or four Ministers, and a number of members. A single Provincial Council was established for the North and Eastern Provinces after an election held in November 1988 in which the EPRLF (Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front) was elected. However, after the withdrawal of the IPKF the EPRLF made a unilateral declaration of independence which compelled the central Government to dissolve the North-East Provincial Council. Since then the Council has been operating through the bureaucratic machinery of the Government and without the elected political representation. The division of power between the Central Government and the Provincial Councils is defined and categorised in three `lists'. List 1 defines the areas under the purview and authority of Central Government. List 2 defines those under the purview and authority of the Provincial Council while List 3 defines areas of concurrent judiciary. The provinces are divided into twenty-five districts, in which the Government Agent (GA) is responsible for most day-to-day government services. Local Government consists of municipal, urban and town councils and village committees. Colombo and other large towns have an elected municipal council and a Mayor. Smaller towns have elected urban councils under a chairman, and in the rural areas groups of villages have town councils or village committees under a chairman. The main political parties are the United National Party, The Peoples Alliance (comprising the SLFP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Tamil Democratic Peoples Liberation Front, CP and LSSP), the Ceylon Workers Congress and the TULF.
The Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka are currently in Security Phase Three. Under this phase, UN Staff are only allowed to visit these parts of the country for essential official missions and following the Designated Official's prior security clearance. Family members are not allowed to visit areas in Security Phase Three. The remaining part of the country is in Security Phase One. Under this phase, all official UN travel to the area (country) requires prior security clearance by the Designated Official (UNDP Resident Representative). While the military conflict primarily takes place in the Security Phase Three areas, terror type actions and attacks have been and may be experienced in the remaining part of the country, including Colombo. A strong presence of armed police and military personnel is a permanent part of every day life as are road blocks, street closures and other forms of access control.It is important that all UN Staff and their dependents carry their UN Identity Cards with them at any time. A UN Security system, including a plan for evacuation, if necessary, is in place, dedicated to ensuring and safeguarding the security and safety of UN Staff and their dependents. It must, however, be emphasized that the best security system cannot but supplement responsible and security conscious behaviour by individuals.
The economy of Sri Lanka has been essentially agriculture based, though only approximately 2.9 million hectares of the country's 6.56 million hectares are under cultivation. Most of the tea, much of the rubber and some coconut is cultivated on Government-owned estates of l00 acres and over. A large number of small private holdings also cultivate rubber, coconut, rice, vegetables, spices and some tea. Sri Lanka has a wide variety of vegetation. Up to an elevation of about 700 metres in the wet zone are large cultivations of paddy which supply people their staple food and also an assortment of subsidiary food crops. In these areas are also found tracts of forest which supply timber for fuel and for the building and furniture trades though deforestation is now becoming a major economic and environmental problem. Coconut palm grows profusely along the coast and in the low-lying lands, rubber is grown at an intermediate elevation; and in the hill-country is Sri Lanka's famous tea and some coffee. The country produces a wide variety of spices including pepper, cinnamon, cardamons, cloves and nutmeg.There are over twenty State Industrial Corporations producing items such as cement, textiles, sugar, paper, chemicals, oils and fats, ceramics, ilmenite, leather goods, plywood, salt, steel, tyre, hardware, flour and other miscellaneous products. A petroleum refinery meets most of the country`s needs. The public industrial sector accounts for about one quarter of the current industrial output. The private industrial sector manufactures a variety of products, mostly consumer goods, the main items being food, textiles, ready-made garments, beverages, tobacco, vegetable oils, desiccated coconut, bakery, cattle and poultry feeds, soap and cleaning preparations and cement products. A surge of economic activity and a large influx of foreign capital were the major highlights of Sri Lanka's economic performance during 1993. The balance of payments was in overall surplus for the fourth consecutive year. In March 1993 all exchange controls on current trade and service related transactions were removed and Sri Lanka became eligible to accept Article VIII obligations of the IMF. Reflecting an economy-wide expansion in production activities, all sectors performed well in 1993. The services sector (including construction) continued to be the main contributor to GDP growth accounting for 53 per cent. The share of agriculture (including mining and quarrying) and manufacturing sectors in GDP growth was significantly high at 19% and 28% respectively. The economy of Sri Lanka during the past decade has shown a slow but steady shift from its traditional agricultural base. Agricultural's share of exports rose by 40 percent while the major impetus to overall export growth was generated from industrial exports which recorded a 20% increase. Higher earnings from textiles, garments, and other industrial products were the major contributory factors for the substantial growth in industrial exports, while increased agricultural exports came mainly from Tea and minor agricultural exports. Inspite of competition and depressed external markets the garment industry continued to sustain itself as the largest gross foreign exchange earner of the country. Export earnings of the garment industry recorded 66,785 million in 1993. The principal imports are consumer goods, petroleum, textiles and clothing, machinery and equipment. Sri Lanka is rich in natural resources. Apart from the natural fertility of the soil and favourable climatic conditions, the country is well endowed with mineral deposits. These include graphite, phosphate, ilmenite, limestone, dolomite, silimanite, glass sands, quartz, felspar, kaolin and precious and semi-precious stones. Salt is recovered from sea water by solar evaporation. Certain geological surveys have suggested the possible existence of oil deposits in the north-west coast of Sri Lanka. The Island's hydro-electric potential has been largely realized with the completion of the major headwork schemes of the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Programme, Victoria, Kotmale, Randenigala and Maduru Oya. A striking feature of socio-economic development in Sri Lanka is the continuing implementation by successive governments of policies designed to bring about an equitable distribution of income and wealth. As a consequence indices of social development such as literacy, mortality rates, life expectancy etc., are very favourable. Sri Lanka has adopted a planning process to secure the maximum utilisation of the country's human and material resources to the best advantage of the nation as a whole. As part of its development plans, concerted efforts are being made by the Government to increase agricultural production to a point of self-sufficiency. Increasing importance is being attached to the industrial sector, where an export-led strategy is being followed. As a part of this strategy the Government is taking steps to encourage private foreign and domestic investment in practically all sectors of the economy. The Board of Investments (BOI) was created with the merger of the former Greater Colombo Economic Commission (GCEC) and the Foreign Investments Advisory Committee to attract foreign private investment. The facilities extended for investors under the BOI and the streamlining of the Colombo Stock Exchange are significant moves in the liberalised economy.
Background Reading For more detailed information about the country, the publications listed in Annex I may be referred to.
International Organizations and Bilateral Mission Activities The Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also acts as Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and Resident Coordinator of the U.N.System's Operational Activities for Development. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) maintain country representation in Colombo. The following countries maintain resident ambassadorial, consular and/or aid missions in Colombo: Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, The Holy See, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Palastine Liberation Organisation, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Embassy of Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and United States of America. Diplomatic relations are also maintained, through missions located outside Sri Lanka by: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Ghana. Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Jordan, Kenya, Democratic People`s Republic of Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Slovak, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen Arab Republic, Yugoslavia, Zaire, and Zambia. Other organizations which have offices in Colombo include the Colombo Plan headquarters, the Asia Foundation, Asian-American Free Labour Institute, Alliance Francaise, APEX, the British Council, Boy Scouts Movement, Co-operative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE), Christian Children's Fund, Freedom from Hunger Campaign, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, FORUT, Girl Guides Movement, German Cultural Institute, International Planned Parenthood Federation, International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), JAYCEES, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, LIONS, OXFAM, Peace Corps, Redd Barna (Norwegian Save the Children Fund), ROTARY, Red Cross Society, International Committee of the Red Cross, (ICRC), Save the Children Fund(U.K), U.S.Information Service, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), World Vision International, Worldview International Foundation (WIF), World University Sevice, Y.M.C.A., Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Air flights are available to Sri Lanka from Australia, Europe, the Gulf States, Hongkong, India, the Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand. Air services are provided by Air Lanka, Air Maldives, Aeroflot Russian International Airlines, AOM French Airlines, Balkan-Bulgarian Airlines, Emirates, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, LTU International Airways, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian Airline, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways International. Air Lanka, the national airline operates to twenty-seven countries. All international flights operate from Colombo International Airport, Katunayake (twenty-one miles north of the capital). There are no scheduled passenger ship connections to Sri Lanka. However, American President and P & O liners occasionally visit Sri Lanka. Passenger-carrying freighters sometimes stop at Colombo. Cargo from Europe and the United States by ship takes four to six weeks. Entry visa is not required upon arrival when travelling with a UN Laissez-Passer on official business. However staff arriving in the country to take up assignments at the UNDP Office or Agency Offices must obtain entry visas prior to arrival. Staff in this category should not proceed to Colombo prior to receiving clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, arranged by the local respective Agency Office. The following information is required to issue a visa :
UN staff are entitled to exemption from residence visas for the duration of their assignments in Sri Lanka. Application for this facility should be made through the UNDP/office of your Agency after arrival.
An extensive railway service which is State-owned links nearly all major towns. On longer journeys, simple sleeping accommodation is available in first and second class carriages. In addition, an Observation Carriage is available on certain longer routes; bookings have normally to be made ten days or more in advance. A network of nearly l3,000 miles of one and two-lane width asphalt-surfaced roads provides access to many of the remote areas in the island. Both public and private bus services are available in all parts of the island, but buses are often crowded. Metered radio taxis are available in Colombo with a computerised central booking system. They are run by reliable companies and are reported to be efficient and safe. There is no pick-up charged if you telephone for these taxis but there is a fairly steep waiting charge. Trishaws (Three wheeler cabs) are very popular and are cheaper than normal taxis. Fares must be agreed on in advance, as they are not metered. Self-drive cars can be hired in Colombo from several companies. Charges for weekly hire of a compact sedan are approximately Rs.6,100/- for the first 560 km and Rs. 10.85 per km thereafter. A cash refundable deposit of Rs.8,500 is required. A chauffeur driven air conditioned passenger car would be available at approximately Rs.1,450.00 per day for a 8 hr period for 80 km with excess mileage costing Rs.l4.50 per km. If the driver is required to spend a night out, an additional charge of Rs.100.00 per day is payable. During the Tourist Season (November to April) it is desirable to make car hire reservations well in advance. Among leading firms providing this service are the Hertz International Agent Quickshaws Ltd, 3 Kalinga Place, Colombo 5, and the Avis Agent, Mack Transport Ltd., llA York Street, P.O.Box 94, Colombo l. The Avis Agent has an office at the Colombo International Airport as well.
As the roads are relatively narrow and winding in the hill-country areas, smaller vehicles are recommended. Traffic operates on the left-hand side of the road, and the importation of left-hand drive vehicles is not encouraged. However, in special circumstances permission may be granted for the importation of a left-hand drive vehicle on condition it is re-exported by the owner on termination of assignment. The popular makes are Japanese vehicles such as Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan. Of the European models, Peugeot, Mercedes Benz and Ford are probably the most common, but due to the cost and limited maintenance facilities European vehicles appear to be less popular. Vehicles can occasionally be purchased secondhand from international or diplomatic personnel who are leaving the island. Four months have to be allowed for shipment and delivery of new vehicles, and therefore, orders should be placed immediately upon arrival, to make use of the six-month duty-free period for importation of personal effects. Personnel assigned for six months or less are not permitted to import a vehicle duty free, nor allowed to purchase one locally, See page l7 for further details. Maintenance and service facilities are not particularly good and the cost of servicing tends to be high since imported spare parts are subject to heavy customs duties. The Government has recently been allowing special duty-free imports of vehicle spare parts by UN personnel upon prior application. Petrol and Diesel are sold at filling stations located all over the country. The single 90 octane grade petrol costs Rs.50.00 per litre and 3 star super grade petrol, Rs. 55.00. Diesel costs Rs.13.40 per litre and Super diesel Rs. 15.20, in and around Colombo. Outside Colombo up to 10% higher prices may be charged. UN personnel do not have duty-free petrol privileges. A Sri Lankan driving licence may be obtained without recourse to a test on submission of a valid national licence. An international driving licence may also be used for the first six months. A registration fee of Rs.l,250.00 is levied on a new vehicle. In addition to obtaining a registration book an annual licensing fee has to be paid. The yearly licence fee for a petrol vehicle weighing a minimum of 762 kg but not exceeding l,0l6 kg is Rs.500.00. For diesel vehicles the fee is Rs.l,000.00 When selling a vehicle, a transfer tax is payable if the sale is undertaken within seven years of the date of first registration in the country; after the seven year period no transfer tax is payable. Third-party insurance is required by law. However, in view of the high accident rate, comprehensive coverage is recommended. The annual premium for such coverage for a normal passenger car would depend on the C.I.F value of the vehicle. UN personnel are offered two options for insurance - either on the basis of the C.I.F. value (without duty) or at the standard rate based on the current market value. If insurance is on the basis of C.I.F.(duty free), value a 33 1/3 per cent surcharge is added to the premium. This is to compensate for the low premium compared to insurance on the basis of market value.
Airmail letters usually take 8 to l5 days between Colombo and North America, 7 to l0 days between Colombo and Europe or Australia and 2 to 3 days between Colombo and air-linked cities in India and Pakistan. An aerogramme or standard air letter can be sent to all countries for Rs.12.00. Mail service in Sri Lanka is regular and satisfactory. There is house-to-house delivery as well as post-office box facilities. UN staff may have their mail addressed to them care of the UNDP post office box (Box l505 Colombo); this is recommended, at least until permanent accommodation is obtained. Parcel post service is not as regular. There is occasional pilferage, and registered post is recommended for payment of bills, etc. Weekly diplomatic pouch services are maintained between Colombo and United Nations Headquarters, New York; UNDP Male Office; FAO Headquarters, Rome; and WHO, Delhi. All pouch services are for official correspondence. However, exceptionally, a limited quantity of private mail (includes periodicals, photographic films) may be forwarded via the UN pouch. Reasonable quantities of medication and prescription drugs not available locally, may also be supplied via pouch if necessary.
Telephone and Telegraph Services Although local telephone services have improved with the installation of new telecommunication equipment in mid-l990, availability of a `loop' is still a problem in highly residential areas. A new private connection takes at least 1 1/2 to 2 months of making an application, and close follow-up action is still required. Cost of installation of a private phone is approximately Rs.l6,000.00. It is therefore advisable not to rent a house without a telephone. Cellular phones are also available with the Sri Lanka Telecom as well as with a number of private firms. Sri Lanka has satellite transmission, which provides direct links to many countries 24 hours a day. Direct dialling facilities are available to many countries. A refundable deposit of Rs.5,000 is charged for this facility. Alternatively a refundable deposit of Rs.l000 may be paid which permits international calls to be booked through the operator. The Government and many donors (including UNDP) are investing heavily in new telecommunication equipment and telecommunication training. The situation with regard to communication facilities is therefore steadily improving. Telegraph service is available throughout the Island and to all parts of the world. Local telegrams may be placed by telephone, and international telegrams sent from most post offices. Delays of a few days can occur due to holidays and breakdowns. Service is slow.
CURRENCY, CONTROLS, WEIGHT AND MEASURES The unit of currency is the Rupee divided into l00 cents. Coins are issued in denominations of l, 2, 5, l0, 25 and 50 cents and 1, 2, 5 and 10 rupees. Paper bills are issued in denominations of l0, 20, 50, l00, 500, and l000. The term `lakh' is used and means the sum of Rs.l00,000.00. The UN operational rate of exchange in January l997 is US$l.00 = Rs.59.30. The rupee appears to be subject to a slow depreciation.
Exchange Control and Banking Facilities The import of Sri Lankan, Indian and Pakistani currency is not allowed, and any such currency imported will be retained by the Customs and returned to the importer at the time of departure. There are no restrictions on the import of other currencies or other forms of money such as travellers' cheques, drafts or letters of credit. On arrival only foreign currency over US$5,000.00 has to be declared, and the Declaration Card `D' should be kept carefully and surrendered at the time of departure. Any currency and other forms of money declared on entry may be taken out of the country on departure if unspent. Encashed and unspent money may be reconverted at the Bank in the departure lounge of the Airport, on production of proof of encashment without Exchange Control approval. Foreign currency or travellers' cheques not declared on entry or not duly purchased from an authorised exchange dealer may not be exported without permission from the Controller of Exchange. Foreign currency in any form can be cashed only with banks or other authorised foreign exchange dealers, such as the foreign exchange counters at the airport, certain hotels, travel agencies and shops. It is suggested that newly arriving personnel buy a limited amount of Sri Lanka rupees from the airport exchange counters to pay tips and for other necessary expenditure. The Resident Representative may also approve conversion of local currency proceeds from the sale of one automobile. Either the purchase price of the automobile less depreciation, or US$ 6,000/-, whichever is lower. In addition to the above, the Government of Sri Lanka by accepting Article VII of the IMF articles of Agreement enables funds received from UN into the Rupee Account of UN Staff to be fully convertible. This is because the UN system receives foreign currency from overseas and therefore in principle, it entails that for all bona-fide reasons the Sri Lankan Rupee is fully convertible to any currency. It may be necessary to submit the original documents evidencing purchase of the items and it is therefore advisable to secure and retain all original invoices and bills. If other means of transferring or exchanging accumulated local currency are not available, UNDP may, subject to certain guidelines, assist personnel departing from the duty station in the disposal of local currency accumulated from savings during their stay and from the disposal of their personal effects. Payment in foreign exchange (whether by cheque or cash) for goods or services obtained locally is strictly forbidden, with the exception of payment for certain classified goods (e.g. batiks and gems) through `certified acceptors' of foreign exchange. These dealers who are `authorised acceptors' will invariably have an official sign and certificate to this effect and this fact should always be checked. Most of the large tourist hotels in Colombo and outstation as well as certain establishments will accept Credit Cards. Accounts may be opened in one or more banks. Some of the Banks in Colombo are the ANZ Grindlays, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Hatton National Bank, Indo Suez Bank, People`s Bank, Sampath Bank, Standard Chartered Bank. These have branches in most of the towns outstation. A number of foreign banks operate in Sri Lanka (based in Colombo). They are American Express Bank, Amsterdam Rotterdam Bank N.V., Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Overseas Trust Bank and State Bank of India.
International personnel are allowed to bring in personal effects such as a laptop computer, camera, typewriter, television etc., as accompanied baggage, in addition to the usual small quantities of cigarettes, perfume, wines and spirits etc. On arrival UN staff and members of their families should declare pure gold jewellery and precious stones brought in either on their person or in their baggage, indicating their value. This information is necessary at the time of departure due to restrictions on the export of jewellery. UN staff having an assignment of six months or more, may bring in a normal amount of personal and household effects as unaccompanied baggage free of customs duty, provided that shipments arrive in Sri Lanka within six months of the staff member's first arrival. They may also import duty free, heavy household appliances like freezers, air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, cookers, stereos, videos, etc., within the same period. Whether these items are used or unused, and shipped as unaccompanied baggage or imported direct from the suppliers, only one unit of each of these items is permitted, except for air conditioners where the limit is two per couple plus one for each family member. A duty-free complex at the Colombo International Airport sells a range of consumer goods such as televisions, refrigerators, cookers, air conditioners, etc. and prices are quite competitive. Payment may be made in travellers' cheques. Credit cards and US Dollar currency are also accepted, but a premium is charged for their use. Staff members may purchase their household appliances duty-free from this source through their bonded stores in Colombo within the first six months of arrival. However, purchasing procedures are somewhat complex. After-sales service may not be available on some items, so careful comparison shopping is advised. During this six months period, appliances may also be purchased at major stores on a duty free basis. Spare parts for household applicances such as air conditioners, cookers, refrigerators, or other equipment may not be imported. However, in special cases, after arrival in Sri Lanka, where standard parts of household appliances brought in to the country are worn out, replacement parts may be ordered with the prior approval of the Government on certification by the local agents that the required parts are not available in Sri Lanka. Staff members with an assignment of six months or more are entitled to import, duty free, a vehicle for their private use, within the first six months of their arrival. They may not import spare parts with the vehicle. However, after arrival of a staff member in Sri Lanka, and after a period of use of the vehicle in the country, special duty-free import of vehicle spare parts which are worn out or defective may be allowed on certification by local dealers that the required spare parts are not available in Sri Lanka. Orders for such replacement parts should not be placed without the prior approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vehicles imported duty-free may be re-exported, sold to another privileged person, or sold locally to the Director, Procurement and Advisory Service (PASU, Government Stores). If the price offered by the PASU is not acceptable to the seller, then the vehicle could, with permission of the PASU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, be sold in the open market, subject to the payment of customs duty. The PASU buys cars at a depreciated price recommended by a Valuation Board. In special cases where a staff member has made heavy use of a vehicle for two years, the import of a second `replacement' vehicle may be permitted, provided the staff member is to stay on for further two years. In the event of the first vehicle being sold to the Government Stores, the sale proceeds may be converted. It must be noted, however, that this second car can be offered for sale to the Government Stores only after two years have elapsed since its arrival in the country. If the staff member leaves the island within two years after the arrival of the second vehicle, it has to be shipped out of the country. In certain cases it may be possible to sell such a vehicle to another person entitled to duty free privileges. However, when the second owner eventually sells the vehicle to the Government Stores, no foreign exchange will be permitted on its sale. Special permission to import replacement items can be obtained, and a few additional items may be permitted to be imported duty-fee after the expiry of the first six-month period. However, such permission is normally given only upon extension of assignment by one year or more or if a short-term contract is subsequently extended by a similar period. Apart from the aforementioned entitlements, UN personnel are permitted to import free of customs duty on a quarterly group basis, tobacco products, liquor, food stuffs, and incidentals up to a total value of US$ 450.00 if single or without accompanying dependants and up to the value of US$ 750.00 if married and accompanied by one or more dependants. Group orders are organised by the UNDP Office. Most of the liquor, wine, beer and tobacco for such group orders is purchased from in-country bonded stores of which there are several.
Shipments should be packed in strong crates suitable for containerisation. At present sea freight by cargo ship from Europe and United States takes four to six weeks. Whenever possible, shipments should be made by ships which follow regular schedules. Colombo Port is one of the most efficient in Asia. Cargo is allowed to remain within the port for three days, after which, demurrage is payable on the consignment. In order to avoid heavy demurrage it is essential to have the documentation processed well in advance, to enable the consignment to be cleared early. To facilitate customs and other clearances of personal effects all shipments and bills of lading should be addressed care of the Resident Representative, United Nations Developmnent Programme, P.O.Box l505, Colombo/ office of your Agency. The same should be done for consignments by parcel post. The UNDP /office of your Agency will process a Certificate of Clearance through customs for all consignments. In case a consignment is expected to arrive before the staff member, a copy of the endorsed bill of lading and/or airway bill should be sent by registered air mail to the UNDP/office of your Agency with a detailed list indicating the value of goods included in the shipment and the number of packages or cases sent.
Televisions, Radios including radios in cars should be licensed annually at Post Offices. Forms for application of licences, may be obtained from these Post Offices. The licence fee for a black and white television set is Rs. 150/- and for a coloured Rs. 250/-. Radio licences whether for cars or otherwise, is Rs. 50/- per set. The importation/possession of firearms is prohibited. Any paintings, pictures or articles of antique value should be registered with the Department of Archaeology upon arrival, so that these items could be taken back on your departure from the Island. Dogs and most other domestic pets may be brought into the country if certificates are produced showing immunisation against rabies where applicable and general good health. No licence is necessary for cats. For dogs, a municipal licence (Rs.5/ for males and Rs.7.50 for females), obtainable from the Officer-in-Charge, Dog Pound, 23 Magazine Road, Colombo 8, must be renewed annually. Periodic rabies inoculation for dogs and cats is required.
Sri Lanka adopted the metric systems in l976 but the British system of inches/feet/yards and ounces/pounds/stones is still often used.
The five star hotels in Colombo are the Galadari, Hilton International, Lanka Oberoi, Renaissance and Taj Samudra which are centrally situated. Cheaper but suitable accommodation is available at Galle Face, Holiday Inn and Renuka hotels. All these hotels have air-conditioned rooms, swimming pools, tennis courts, etc. Most UN personnel staying in hotels for more than a few weeks, prefer good commercial or moderate accommodation. The most popular are the Holiday Inn, Hotel Renuka and the Galle Face hotel, which are situated about 3 km from the UNDP compound. They have swimming pools and air conditioned rooms. Some Colombo hotels are willing to quote substantially reduced prices for longer-term stays. The following standard US $ prices were quoted to UN staff in January 1997:
|
| Transasia inc. taxes |
Lanka Oberoi + | Taj Samudra + | Intercon-tinental + | Hilton + | |
| Room Rate | |||||
| Single | 60.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 90.00 |
| Breakfast | 6.00 | 5.00 | 7.00 | 5.00 | 9.00 |
| Lunch | 8.00 | 8.00 | 10.00 | 7.50 | 12.00 |
| Dinner | 10.00 | 9.00 | 12.00 | 10.00 | 15.00 |
| Holiday Inn + | Galle Face + | Renuka + | |
| Room Rate | |||
| Single | 50.00 | 40.00 | 32.00 |
| Breakfast | 6.00 | 5.00 | 7.00 |
| Lunch | 9.00 | 7.00 | 9.00 |
| Dinner | 10.00 | 7.00 | 9.00 |
(+ = exclusive of service charges and taxes) Some international personnel, particularly those with contracts for between three and six months use a guest-house or furnished room type of accommodation.
Government housing is not provided unless explicitly stated in the staff member's contract. Plenty of private sector housing is available in Colombo and it is not difficult to obtain reasonable standard housing. Inquiries through colleagues, housing agents and newspaper advertisements always bring results and staff need not hesitate to bring their families with them. The most popular residential areas are those in the south of the city notably Cinnamon Gardens, Kollupitiya, Havelock Town, Kotte and Battaramulla. The UNDP Office will assist with advice on request. Housing standards vary. "Bungalows" or detached single-family houses of the old style usually have large rooms, high ceilings, spacious verandas and a garden. They are ideal for a large family but they require modernization and a number of servants to run them. Modern "bungalows" or houses seldom have spacious rooms, verandah or garden space, but they are compact and convenient for a small family and are easily air conditioned. The old style houses are generally less expensive to rent than modern houses or apartments, but care should be taken to ascertain whether the fittings and plumbing are in acceptable condition. Apartments are becoming more plentiful in Colombo and are preferred by some. Furnished accommodation is available and is more convenient for relatively short assignments. Check if a house has both adequate water supply and storage, has been wired electrically with 3 phase wiring, and has a telephone "loop". Rental costs vary according to the district, but generally in the residential areas mentioned, a two-bedroom unfurnished apartment without any utilities will cost a minimum of Rs.15,000.00 per month. A similar apartment, if provided with basic furniture will cost around Rs.20,000.00 or more. An unfurnished old-style bungalow with three bedrooms will cost between Rs.30,000.00 and Rs.35,000.00 while a modern style one will cost approximately Rs.40,000.00 upwards. It is customary to pay six months to a year's rent in advance. If larger advances are requested the advice of the UNDP Office/office of your Agency should be sought. The UNDP/Agency Office will help obtain authorisation from the agency concerned to obtain a salary advance for this purpose. The lease agreement should contain a clause permitting the lease to be broken with short notice in case of transfer or termination of the expert's contract. It should be noted that it is illegal to pay rental in any currency other than Sri Lanka rupees though this is frequently requested. Draft lease agreement forms are available with the UNDP Office and are included in the briefing kit handed to the staff member on arrival.
A very few modern houses have built-in closets. Otherwise "unfurnished" accommodation means bare rooms. Furniture can be hired for a monthly cost of approximately Rs.15,000.00 upwards for an apartment or house with two bed rooms on payment of a deposit. However, furniture available on rental is of poor quality and therefore most people buy ready-made furniture or order it to their own specification. A minimum of two to three months is usual for delivery of ordered furniture. Workmanship of the better-known firms is satisfactory, but prices are not low, and it may cost at least Rs.95,000.00 to furnish an apartment or house with two-bedrooms. If selectively purchased, furniture can be obtained at more moderate prices and it may be possible to furnish the same accommodation for around Rs.70,000.00 with furniture purchased from Moratuwa, a suburban town l2 miles south of Colombo, reputed for producing furniture. But all this is very time-consuming. You are advised to bring as much as you can. Household fittings are available in local stores. A wide range of local furnishing materials, household linen and towels are available. Some electrical fittings such as adapters, three-way plugs and wiring are available but are limited in variety. Houses are often fitted with ceiling fans, but purchase of additional desk and/or pedestal fans is often needed. Air conditioners, dehumidifiers, cooking ranges, kitchen appliances, water heaters, floor polishers, vacuum cleaners and washing machines can all be purchased duty-free in Colombo within the first six months of arrival. Occasionally, it is possible to purchase some appliances from other staff or diplomats leaving the country. The Ceylon Ceramic Corporation sells a range of export quality Noritake crockery in the local market at very low prices. Cutlery and good quality pots and pans are scarce in local stores. Staff who can conveniently bring in these items are advised to do so. It should be borne in mind that with the humid climate and exposure to sea breeze in Colombo, it is almost impossible to prevent rust on metal items. A de-humidifier is very useful if air conditioning is not used. In Colombo, sales of furniture, household equipment, china, cutlery, glassware, etc., are held weekly, with a large sale held generally once in two months. Many buy furniture, china, cutlery and glassware at these sales. However, the prices are not low. Occasionally expatriate personnel dispose of their furniture and household appliances and goods through sales when leaving the country. When articles imported duty-free are sold to persons not entitled to customs privileges, duty is payable as assessed by the Customs Appraiser.
Electric current throughout the country is 220 volts AC, 50 cycles, and moderately expensive. An average monthly bill for a three person household using electricity for cooking, water heating and air conditioning at night only (2 bedrooms) would be Rs.6,000.00 - Rs.8,000.00. Transformers should be brought for sensitive equipment and equipment of other voltages. Wall points and plugs are of the older British type (three-point with round pins). Cooking is normally done on electric ranges or gas stoves. Heating is not necessary in Colombo and hot water is not always available in houses. Sanitary arrangements in houses in the city are usually good though not always so. This aspect should be thoroughly checked. Water should always be thoroughly boiled for 20 minutes and filtered before drinking. Filters are available locally. Water is metered and billed but charges are nominal. The municipal sewerage system is adequate though under some strain. Garbage collection is fairly regular.
It is usual for one or more domestic to be engaged in the household, depending on the size of the family and the house. In Colombo it is not difficult to find household help who can understand and speak English. Some live in, as most apartments and bungalows contain quarters for them. However, many, increasingly prefer to live out for family reasons. For a single person a cook/houseboy or girl will probably suffice. His/her duties include cooking, and general housework. A couple may need both a cook and a houseboy. Those with families will need a nanny both for looking after children and for washing and ironing. Gardeners are available either full or part time. Security guards or "watchers" provided by established security services are sometimes used, especially at night, or on weekends or holidays when expatriate families are away from home. Domestics are given four days holidays per month, which may be taken at one time or in units of days according to the arrangement with the employer. They wear sarongs/trousers and shirts or dresses while working; some employers provide two or three sets of sarongs/trousers, shirts or dresses per year, but there is no fixed rule about this. Arrangements can be made for a dhoby (laundry-man) to come and collect the family washing either once or twice a week, returning it in a few days. A charge of Rs.6/- per piece is usual. However, their methods are rough. Some people engage a washing nanny one or two days a week to operate their washing machine and iron clothes and pay approximately Rs.120.00 per day. Whenever possible references from previous employers should be verified and identity cards or registration books checked before granting employment to domestic staff. Information on the conditions governing the payment of wages, dismissal of domestics for unsatisfactory service, and similar areas where problems might arise should be requested from the UNDP office. It is usual practice to obtain a signed receipt with a revenue stamp on it from domestics on payment of wages. In addition to their salaries, domestics usually expect to receive a weekly ration of tea, sugar, bread and milk. They should receive a regular medical check-up, especially a chest x-ray, when they are in contact with children. It is customary to give a month's bonus to domestics around Christmas time or local New Year's day. Salaries vary according to individual skills and experience, but the standard monthly rates with full room and board are as follows:
A private driver in Colombo is usually paid Rs. 5,000.00 to Rs. 6,000.00 with no allowances, unless it is wished to provide a uniform. Some employers provide breakfast and tea rations for drivers and for various other non-resident domestic staff who work at their homes. Seamstresses are also hired, normally on a part-time basis, but a machine must be provided for their use. Salaries vary based on experience and reputation. Most receive from Rs.l50.00 to Rs.200.00 per day.
The requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka for international vaccination certificates under the WHO International Sanitary Regulations should be checked prior to travel by consultation with the personnel office of the employing organisation. Vaccinations are however required from travellers arriving from infected areas. The United Nations Medical Service recommends immunisation against tetanus, typhoid and poliomyelitis. WHO also recommends vaccination against cholera, hepatitis and Japanese encephalitis, in the latter case only for persons arriving from non-immune countries e.g., Europe, USA, and who will be posted outside Colombo or travelling frequently to the outstations.
Filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever and intestinal parasites are endemic. The incidence of malaria has also increased rapidly in recent years, although Colombo city and its suburbs are considered non-malarious as well as the central hill areas, lying at altitudes above 2,500 feet. Drug prophylaxis in the non-malarious areas is not considered essential. For travel away from these areas prophylactic treatment is recommended. This is in the form of tablets to be taken prior to departure and continued during the stay in the malarious area and for a further period of 4 weeks after return from the malarious area. Chloroquine is recommended by the UN doctors and is usually available in Colombo. Filariasis, which can ultimately produce elephantitis, is widely prevalent in the south-west coastal belt and also occurs at various inland places. If dealt with promptly, a complete cure is possible. If exposed to this disease personnel and members of their family should have blood tests six months after arrival, and then at six-monthly intervals to ensure prompt treatment, if affected. It should be borne in mind that the climate is tropical and that a period of adaptation to the heat and humidity for those not used to it will be necessary. The most common maladies affecting newcomers are intestinal disorders, colds, and fevers such as dengue. The climate also causes heat rash, prickly heat, athlete`s foot and a variety of fungal infections of skin. Stomach-worms and amoeba are also very common. Drinking water should always be boiled for 20 minutes and filtered. The filter should be cleaned and sterilised regularly, preferably weekly. Many people avoid eating all raw vegetables and unpeeled fruit. International personnel should insist that domestic staff maintain high standards of cleanliness to avoid transmission of parasitic or bacterial diseases. They should be given worm pills every six months. Sleeping under a mosquito net is advisable if the bedroom is not airconditioned, in view of the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases. Nets are available locally.
Well qualified general practitioners, surgeons and specialists are available in Colombo. It is not normally necessary to travel abroad for medical consultation except for special and complicated illnesses and those requiring sophisticated equipment. A decision for medical evacuation is made on the advice of UN Examining Physicians. Routine dental services are satisfactory but not first rate. Doctors' fees are moderate. Oculists' services are good and inexpensive. There are a number of private nursing homes/hospitals in Colombo, as well as government hospitals with private wards. Charges are approximately Rs.800.00 per day for an air-conditioned room inclusive of food, with additional charges for doctors' fees, special nursing, laundry, injections, etc. Patients will be attended to by their own doctor. There are hospitals in almost all towns, but it is preferable to come to Colombo when hospitalisation is required. While medical personnel are generally of an acceptable standard, support personnel may be less adequate, and facilities poor. Reliable ambulance service is generally not available. Some drugs are expensive and not all drugs are available throughout the island. Staff members following a long treatment are advised to bring reasonable quantities of the necessary drugs. The UN diplomatic pouch may be used for obtaining prescribed medicines, but it does take time to receive such medicines. A list of recommended physicians and hospitals in Colombo is provided upon arrival.
The general supply of food in Sri Lanka is adequate. Fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit may be purchased at one of the many municipal markets located in the residential districts. Beef and veal are of poor quality, although available. Pork, ham and bacon are usually quite good. Lamb or mutton - in fact usually goat - may be disappointing though excellent imported lamb is available. Poultry (local chicken as well as imported turkey and duck) is readily available. Local and imported butter, yogurt and cheese is available. Basic staples such as oil, rice, flour, lentils, pulses, sugar, salt etc. are all widely available. Local fish (essentially of the warm water variety) is excellent and includes seer (rather like halibut), pomfret (similar to plaice), sole, mullet and blood-fish. Crabs, prawns and lobsters (or cray-fish)_ are excellent and generally available. Because of the climate shellfish should be purchased live. Fish may be purchased either from a market or from door-to-door vendors who will deliver regularly on request. A limited selection of fresh vegetables found in temperate climates is available, but at high price. There is also a wide variety of tropical vegetables. A wide range of tropical fruit is also to be found. Most fruits and vegetables are seasonal. Bread can be ordered from bakers for delivery to one's home, but many families choose to bake at home, using high quality local flour, as weevils are sometimes found in bakery bread. Some of the hotels have excellent bakeries. Fresh pasteurised milk may also be ordered for home delivery, but should be boiled. Powdered milk is also available. Most imported items are available from several supermarkets, but at high prices. Pastries and delicatessen items are available. Locally bottled soft drinks of good quality, including soda water, tonic water, colas and squashes are available. Sri Lankan beer is good. Locally distilled alcoholic drinks, including gin, rum and brandy are reasonably priced and are also of acceptable standard. Staff usually import alcoholic beverages and wine under their duty-free importation allowance. Purchases from bonded stores must be deducted from import entitlements . A fairly wide range of locally made cigarettes and cigars is available. However, most expatriates import such items, as well as smoking accessories such as pipes and pipe cleaners which are not sold locally.
The main hotels in Colombo have good restaurants. The average cost of a meal is about Rs.400.00 per person plus 20% (service charge and tax) without drinks. Many restaurants serving various international cuisines provide eating places to suit the medium and high income segment. Alcoholic drinks are available in most restaurants and hotel night clubs at normal bar prices, although wine may be of limited choice and be high in price. Alcohol is not served on Poya (full moon) days. Even though l0 per cent service charges and 10% BTT are included, a further l0 per cent of the bill is generally considered to be a fair tip.
Except in the hill-country, light weight clothing preferably made of cotton is worn throughout the year. Men's office wear generally consists of long-sleeved cotton shirts with tie and slacks, or sometimes safari suits. Jackets and suits are used only on formal occasions. At many parties and receptions casual, open-necked attire is worn, while ladies wear informal, occasionally full length, cotton dresses/skirts. Even though the climate requires light cotton clothing, there is a lack of good quality cotton clothing so this should be brought with staff members. A good supply of cotton underwear is particularly important. Both men's and women's clothing may be made to measure by local tailors and dressmakers. Their charges are reasonable, however the quality of their work is often only fair. Export quality clothing from local production over-runs is available on the market. Local footwear is inexpensive although limited in style and size. There are shoemakers who will make shoes to measure, but it is nevertheless advisable to bring a few extra pairs of shoes, including one pair of good, sturdy walking shoes with rubber soles. It should be noted that as feet tend to swell in the tropics, it would be useful to bring one pair of shoes half a size larger than usual. Locally made sandals and slippers are inexpensive and comfortable. Raincoats are not essential in Colombo, although they may be useful upcountry where the climate is somewhat colder. Sports jackets, woollen suits, sweaters, stoles, etc., should be brought for travel to the cooler regions. The same comments apply for children's clothing and footwear.
Dry-cleaning of silks and good suits is satisfactory. Shoe repair facilities are adequate. It should be noted that, owing to the humid climate, there is considerable risk of damage to leather goods, woollens, books and pictures. Mildew is quick to form and silver fish are a particular hazard for clothing, cigarettes and books. Airing articles in the sun, storing them in air-conditioned rooms or in cupboards containing heat-producing lamps, and lavish use of dehumidifying crystals and moth preventives will keep damage to a minimum. Imported goods are quite costly but items such as toilet paper, razor blades, shampoo and other hair care products, perfume, cosmetics, face tissues etc., can be bought in shops. Sanitary towels and tampons are available on an irregular basis. Subject to the availability of spare parts, servicing and repair services for household articles and equipment can be found for some makes. Electricians and plumbers can be reached by telephone and the service is of fair quality. Hairdressers and barbers are found in all the principal hotels and their charges are moderate.
Education is provided free through university level for qualified students, by a State system of schools (approximately l0,000) throughout the country. In addition to the State schools there are in Colombo and two or three other towns a few private schools with high scholastic reputation, most of which were initially started by missionaries. Presently about three and a half million out of a population of l7 million are receiving primary and secondary education. The literacy rate, over 90 per cent, is one of the highest in Asia. School attendance is customary for children between the ages of five and fourteen plus, although there are a number of private kindergartens or nursery schools to which children may be sent from the age of three. Regular Primary Education lasts five years, from Year l to Year 5 and secondary education is from Year 6 to Year ll. At the end of Year ll children sit the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination. Collegiate education is provided in years l2 and l3 at the end of which children sit the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, which qualifies them for university education. The media of instruction in schools are Sinhala and Tamil, with English taught as a second language from year 3. Within the last 3 to 4 years, a number of private international schools have opened in Colombo. In these schools, the medium of instruction is English and they provide education from primary to years 12 and 13, at the end of which children sit the local and British Advance Level Examination. A total of 25 Grade I and Grade II Technical Colleges and four affiliated technical units provide a variety of full-time and part-time courses. Additionally, a number of private institutes provide courses in vocational subjects such as Commerce, Company Secretarial training etc. There are eight conventional universities in Sri Lanka, namely Colombo; Peradeniya (near Kandy); Sri Jayawardenepura, Kelaniya; Moratuwa (Colombo suburbs); Jaffna; Ruhuna (in Matara); and Eastern (at Batticaloa). The medium of teaching is either Sinhala or Tamil although in some subjects and courses (particularly in the Medical and Engineering Faculties), lectures are conducted in English. The academic year of the universities is from October/November to July/August. In addition, the Open University of Sri Lanka which conducts `distance Education' programmes offers courses leading to Certificate, Diploma and Degree qualifications, as well as Post Graduate Diplomas and Degrees which are comparable to those of other universities in the country.
Educational Facilities for Foreign Residents Most children of expatriates attend the Overseas School of Colombo, which is a co-educational international English-medium day school serving the expatriate and Sri Lankan communities enroling students from Nursery through Grade l2 for Children from three to eighteen years. Children of more than forty nationalities attend this school. A wide general education is offered in small classes taught by well trained and qualified staff; special attention is given to non-English speaking children. OSC has a handsome well-equipped campus on the outskirts of Colombo. The school prepares students for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations, administered by the University of Cambridge, in grade l0, and, in grade 11-l2, for the International Baccalaureate, which is a two year academic course of study leading to an internationally-recognised diploma providing entrance qualification for Universities worldwide. OSC also awards its own Academic Diploma. The school year begins in September with the first semester ending on 3l January and the second semester running from February through June. Two to three weeks holidays are taken at Christmas and two weeks at the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (mid-April). The fees for the 1996/1997 school year at Overseas School of Colombo in Dollars per annum are:
In addition to the above, there is also payable a Capital Levy of US$ 300/- per annum. Registration Fees, Capital Levy, Activity Fees and Refundable Deposit together with the 1st terms fees should be paid on admission. School fees could be paid in 3 equal instalments. For new admissions to the school the refundable deposit, payable in Sri Lankan rupees, is as follows:
Although the school works on a semester system, the billing periods are three and fees are due on or before: 3l August; 07 December; and 29 March. Students entering OSC within 28 days of the end of a billing period will have to pay l/3 of the billing period's fees for that billing period. Students leaving within the first five days of a billing period will be refunded the fees for that billing period if the fees have been paid in advance. In all other cases, the full fees for the billing period will be payable. There are three other international schools in Colombo. The Colombo International School, founded in l982,Wycherley International School founded in l986 and Elizabeth Moir founded very recently. These are co-educational English-medium schools following a British system of instruction. The class sizes are much larger than OSC. The Colombo International School has a Junior School with classes from Playgroup to Primary 5, and a Middle School with classes from Form l to 5, preparing students for the GCE O Level examinations. Middle School students are prepared for admission into the Senior School which prepares students for A Level examinations. Fees per term at the Colombo International School are:
School fees of Elizabeth Moir School for the academic year 1997/1998 are as follows:
Fees per term at Wycherly International School are:
Also an Admission fee of Rs. 20,000/- and a refundable deposit equivalent to one term's fee has to be paid by all new Entrants to the school. In addition to the International schools, The Institute of Technological Studies (ITS) an approved degree awarding institution which has been accepted and deemed a University by the Board of Investment for Sri Lanka, was founded in 1988 to meet the growing demands for Technological, Professional education and Training. The Institute conducts courses leading to Degrees in Computer Science and Computer Systems Design. ITS also offers the first three years of a four year undergraduate programme from the University of Houston, Clearlake Texas (UHCL) in a number of disciplines. It has also expanded its activities to include the first two years of a majority of the baccalaureate degrees offered in U.S. Universities. Students of Business Administration can pursue all four years of study leading to a Graduate Diploma (BBA Degree) at ITS under UHCL certification.
For children of Japanese parents a small Japanese school is run in Colombo. The Embassy of the Russian Federation also runs a school for Russian speaking students. Hindi classes are arranged for children of Indian parents by the Indian High Commission. The Swedish Embassy arranges Swedish classes for its nationals. There is also a French school for kindergarten, primary and secondary students. The Netherlands Embassy arranges Dutch classes. Places in the above schools are usually limited, and it would be wise to write ahead to the school making application for your children. The addresses of the Japanese and Soviet schools are c/o their embassies as is the Hindi class. The Overseas School of Colombo is at Pelawatte, P.O.Box 9, Battaramulla. (Telephone 864920). The French School of Colombo is at 54 Ward Place, Colombo 7. The Colombo International School is at 28 Gregory's Road, Colombo 7 (Telephone: 597587). The Wycherly International School is at 232 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. (Telephone 588743). Elizabeth Moir School Senior School is at 15, Guildforc Crescent, Colombo 7 and the Junior School is at 100, Park Road, Colombo 5 (Telephone 691552 and 585682 respectively) Some parents prefer to place their children in secondary schools in their own home countries, or in boarding schools in India. Admission to Sri Lanka's Universities, for undergraduate study in particular, is not usually possible for foreign students and because of language difficulties, is not usually practicable.
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES Office accommodation is provided by the Government to experts in the Ministry, Department or Corporation to which they are assigned. Government working hours are 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. with a half hour lunch break around noon, Monday through Friday. The working hours of the UNDP office are 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 pm., Monday through Friday.
If adequate notice is given the UNDP Office informs the customs and immigration authorities of the arrival of U.N. personnel and also sends a car to the airport for transport to the hotel or place of residence. The UNDP Office will make hotel reservations if requested. Hotel reservations are not made automatically but should be requested in as precise terms as possible, giving alternative choices. A letter of welcome is sent to the airport through the chauffeur. The letter will indicate when to call at the UNDP Office for briefing. This letter also contains a preliminary security briefing. Secretarial services are normally provided by the government office to which an expert is assigned unless specific provision has been made to finance this from project funds. Mail may be addressed care of the UNDP Office, where it will be sorted and left in pigeon-holes for collection. Further services provided by the UNDP Office include obtaining exemption from visa requirements (staff should contact the UNDP Office in this connection within a few days of arrival, bringing with them both their National passport and United Nations Laissez-passer), assistance in opening a bank account, advice on housing, processing of customs clearance certificates and vehicle import licences. The United Nations Women's Guild is active in Colombo and has about thirty five members. Approximately one third of them are Associate Members whose spouses at one time worked for the UN system. They meet regularly once a month in a Member's home and listen to a speaker or watch a demonstration. From time to time various outings or events are organised, and there are several on-going activity groups. A `welcoming kit' prepared by UNWG is available for rent for those newcomers stranded before the arrival of their initial shipment. UNWG urges new wives in particular to contact the Welcoming Chairperson, through UNDP, who will assist them in the crucial early stages of settling in. There are some expatriate national groups and associations in Colombo also. Entertainment often consists of invitations to private homes, or to one of the hotels.
EMPLOYMENT POSSIBILITIES FOR SPOUSES Employment opportunities for spouses of foreign nationals (including U.N. personnel) exist in very limited areas, in the mercantile sector, the international schools and in foreign embassies or U.N. offices, usually at local wages. No Government posts are available for spouses of foreign personnel. Even in the mercantile sector, posts may require work permits.
The following is a list of public and bank holidays in Sri Lanka (nine of which are observed by the UNDP Office each year). The dates given are for l998. UN Holidays for l998 are marked with an asterisk.
Although English is widely spoken a smattering of Sinhala or Tamil would be an asset, especially for experts who have to work in the rural areas. Women in Sri Lanka are usually included in social activities, although ladies have a tendency to stay in groups separate from the men. Social occasions are generally very informal. Some persons in Sri Lanka do not drink alcoholic beverages and for social occasions soft drinks should | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||