- Ousted State Minister for Tourism slammed with a travel ban
- Public demands Gamage pays back everything she gained in an ill-gotten manner
- Possibilities of serving jail time and deportation to UK
In a twist that could only happen in Sri Lanka, the nation recently achieved a world-first by appointing a tourist as the State Minister of Tourism. Diana Gamage, a figure as controversial as she is charismatic, has now been smacked with an overseas travel ban by a Sri Lankan court, just a day after being disqualified from Parliament due to her having no legal binding to the country as a citizen. Despite her claims otherwise, Gamage was proven to be a citizen of the United Kingdom.
It seems the Sri Lankan judiciary wasn’t content to stop at just stripping her of her parliamentary seat. The Colombo Magistrate, Thilina Gamage (no relation), issued the travel ban after attorneys from the opposing side argued that Ms. Gamage’s UK citizenship made her a walking, talking constitutional violation. It’s almost as if they said, “You’ve toured enough, Diana.”
But the fun doesn’t stop there. The Supreme Court, presumably in an effort to ensure everyone got the memo, ruled that Ms. Gamage was not legally qualified to warm a seat in the National State Assembly. This decision was spurred by a petition from social activist Oshala Herath, who must have a keen eye for spotting non-citizens holding governmental positions.
Ms. Gamage, previously known for her support of the current government and her radical suggestions to legalize cannabis, liberalize prostitution laws, and amp up the nightlife to boost tourism, seems to have hit a snag in her political career. Her proposals, as colorful as they are, haven’t been enough to keep her in the good graces of the law or the Buddhist-majority populace.
The irony of a tourism minister who can’t tour is not lost on us. Just 24 hours before the ban, an audio tape caught a frazzled Gamage expressing her distress over the Supreme Court’s ruling. Speaking in what can only be described as ‘panicked legislator’, she admitted, “More than you I am under great stress because this case is a big problem for me. I need to save myself from this case and am trying to find a solution.”
As Diana Gamage stares down at her curtailed itinerary, the whole of Sri Lanka hangs on to the edge of their seats, popcorn in hand, eager to see her next dramatic twist. Will she ditch her British passport in a bid for a political sequel, or has she secured her spot as the latest spectacle in the ongoing circus of Sri Lankan politics? Only time will tell, but for now, Gamage’s journey from tourist to minister has taken a detour into legal limbo.
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