Ernest Corea

Ernest Corea (1932–11 May 2017) was a Sri Lankan journalist and a diplomat noted for his work to maintain a free and independent press and for negotiations involving Sri Lanka's development programs.[1]

Ernest Corea
Sri Lanka Ambassador to the United States
In office
April 1982 – September 1986
PresidentJ. R. Jayewardene
Preceded byP. M. D. Fernando
Succeeded bySusantha de Alwis
Personal details
Born1932
Kurana, Katunayake, Sri Lanka
Died11 May 2017
NationalitySri Lankan
Spouse(s)Indra
ChildrenLester, Andy
Alma materRoyal College Colombo
OccupationJournalist, Diplomat

Early life

Corea was born in 1932 in Kurana, Katunayake, Ceylon.

His parents were Reverend Ivan Corea and Ouida Corea. His brother, Vernon, was a pioneering broadcaster with Radio Ceylon/SLBC and Ethnic Minorities Adviser to the BBC. His father was Rural Dean of Colombo in the Church of Ceylon, Vicar of St. Luke's Church Borella and St. Paul's Church, Milagiriya.

His family hailed from the west coast town of Chilaw in Sri Lanka and were direct descendants of King Dominicus Corea, also known as Edirille Rala who was crowned King of Kotte and Sitawaka in 1596.

Corea was educated at the Royal College, Colombo and the University of Peradeniya.

Media

He was a journalist with the Lake House Group in Colombo, rising to the top as Editor of the Ceylon Daily News and The Ceylon Observer. Corea was appointed Features Editor and a Foreign Affairs Columnist at the Singapore Straits Times in the 1970s.

Diplomat
Ambassador Ernest Corea was present at the White House when Sri Lankan President J.R.Jayewardene gifted a baby elephant to American President Ronald Reagan and the American people, on a State Visit to the US in 1984.

In April 1982 he was appointed Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in Canada and served as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States, Cuba and Mexico. Corea presented his credentials to U.S. President Ronald Reagan at the White House, in Washington D.C. He spearheaded the first ever State Visit to the United States of a Sri Lankan Head of State when President Junius Richard Jayewardene was invited to the White House by President Reagan in 1984.

When he left the diplomatic service he joined the World Bank in Washington D.C. as a consultant. After retirement, he worked for IDN-InDepthNews and the Berlin-based Global Cooperation Council.

He died on 11 May 2017 at his home in Springfield, Virginia, USA.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. "In Memoriam: Remembering Ernest Corea". IDN-InDepthNews. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/notable-deaths-in-the-washington-area/2017/06/07/95c10aa0-4bb5-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html
  3. Silva, Subodha de. "Beyond excellence". Daily News. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
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