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Sri Lankan Women Energized to Advocate!
August 11, 2007

Representative Leslie Waters, Speaker Pro-Tempore, who served in The Florida Legislature from 1998-2006 before term limits took effect, just returned from a “democracy training” assignment in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, the island country at the tip of India.

She conducted workshops in the Central Province cities of Kandy, Matale, and Nuwara Eliya with 80 activist women who were interested in learning the tactics behind advocating and establishing business contacts with their governmental authorities.  The mission statement as set out by International Republican Institute, a non-partisan organization, focuses on advancing democracies world-wide.

Wearing beautiful flowing saris, many of the attendees arrived to the workshops after long bus rides from their homes in rural areas.  Their positive and participative attitudes sparked lively interactions.  Training was translated in two languages, Sinhala and Tamil, during the sessions.

Political participation in Sri Lanka is driven largely by patronage and personal gain rather than representation, which just serves to disengage the majority of the population from the democratic process.  The women participants said “Enough is enough; our elected officials must learn to listen to the people, and we must educate them!”

At the conclusion of the third workshop one of the key lady activists expressed appreciation for the training, and that Leslie Waters had brought them 100 years forward!

“I have conducted ‘democracy training’ sessions in Indonesia, India and Thailand in recent years” reflected Leslie Waters, “but these beautiful Sri Lakan women touched my heart with their intenseness, their personal sacrifice and their commitment to helping to make their government more responsive to all Sri Lankans.”  “Unlike in the United States where so many take so much for granted, and get annoyed at everything political, it was wonderful to witness these ladies eagerly embrace political action advocacy.”

Leslie Waters is available to present “democracy training” presentations to interested community and civic groups.  Americans can be proud of the assistance our citizens at all levels of government provide to new and evolving democracies around the world.  Ms. Waters can be reached at (727) 546-5644.


Visaka (L) helped coordinate and welcome attendees to the "Advocacy Strategy and Tactics for Civil Society Activists" workshop in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka


Sanjeewa Kaviratne, Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament, joins the enthusiasm for improving the lives of his country's citizens.


Sri Lankan women activists in Kandy catch the Waters Wave for Better Government!

In the summer of 2004, Representative Waters had a two-week assignment conducting training seminars for newly elected Indonesian officials. The trip was organized by an international democracy building organization, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and funded through the National Endowment for Democracy.

Representative Waters instructed 60 newly elected officials from the local through the Parliamentary levels of government on the basics of communicating with the public, organizing a civil society, managing the political process, good governance, budgeting, ethics and the importance of transparent representation.

Both a heart warming and exhilarating experience, Representative Waters said the Indonesian leaders were eager, inquisitive and excited to receive ideas and suggestions on how to implement a representative democracy.


Representative Waters observing participant presentations.


Indonesian elected officials "Catching the Waters Wave on How to Be Effective!"



In April 2005, Leslie hosted a reception for a delegation of Indonesian women at her district legislative office. The American Council of Young Political Leaders sponsored their trip. During their visit, Representative Waters provided a warm Florida legislative welcome, and tour of her beautiful office.


Representative Waters and friends greet Indonesian visitors. Roses were
presented to each, and refreshments served.





Representative Waters joined legislative leaders from eight other states on a ten-day, July study tour to China. This study mission was hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures and sponsored by E-Bay, EDS and the International Conference of Shopping Centers. After a US State Department briefing, meetings were held with government and political officials, and trade, cultural and historical experts in Beijing, Chongquing, Chengdu and Shanghai.

"It is clear that mainland China is going all out to build an increasingly affluent society, and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between U.S. and China," reflected Representative Waters. "Also, more and more Chinese people are eager to travel and see other parts of the world. I can see tremendous potential in VISIT FLORIDA allocating significant resources in marketing to the Chinese tourist market."


Representative Waters de-planing.


Representative Waters (L) observing a gracious Chinese welcome.






Representative Leslie Waters, Speaker Pro-Tempore of The Florida House of Representatives, on August 31, 2006, hosted a delegation from the Civic Party of Kazakhstan at her St. Petersburg legislative office.

An overview of state government, the role of The Florida Legislature, and the experience of participating in the excitement and frenzy of the election process was all part of a week long democracy training mission.

Leaders of the Civic Party were focused on Florida’s Primary Election for most of their visit, especially to observe the numerous intra-party contests, to watch the process of absentee and early voting, and to tour the Supervisor of Elections office. They personally became involved in a political rally for Gubernatorial Candidate and subsequent Governor Charlie Crist, wearing campaign stickers, waving campaign signs along the roadway, and meeting the candidate as he greeted campaign supporters. They observed the involvement of the press, important for citizens new to “freedom of the press.” These Civic Party leaders even participated in some door-to-door canvassing, providing campaign materials to local voters during their week visit to the United States.

“To get a glimpse of all the hard work that goes into the campaign process” says Representative Waters “was a terrific learning experience for these Kazakhstan political leaders. It was my honor to share with them a most basic democratic process, and that is the election of our government leaders.”

The self-funded delegation came to Florida under the direction of Josh Burgin of Plant City, the current Kazakhstan Country Director for the International Republican Institute.


Representative Waters and Kazakhstan political leaders "Catching the
Waters Wave for free elections."

Invite Leslie Waters to speak on "Democracy Training in Southeast Asia"