Features
Improving mental health and well-being through healthy development policies
32nd Professor J. E. Jayasuriya Memorial Lecture February 10, 2023
By Professor Emeritus Nalaka Mendis
Formerly Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colombo
J. E. JAYASURIYA MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
(ichpl@hotmail.com)
It is a great privilege to deliver this oration in memory of Prof J E Jayasuriya. He was a highly accomplished person, but I shall not dwell on his list of achievements because past orators have referred to these at great length. Instead let me say that he was a highly respected academic, intellectual, psychologist, population educationalist, administrator, and a pioneer in educational development in Sri Lanka. He was a person of international repute. I had the great fortune and privilege of meeting Prof Jayasuriya in Colombo in 1981 and later in Bangkok when he invited me to dine with him. Let me thank the organizers of this event for providing me a platform to speak on mental health, a subject which is central to being human and to the core of life itself.
The topic of mental health was close to the heart of Prof Jayasuriya, who, during his life repeatedly referred to the importance of issues related to mental health either directly or indirectly in his writings and work. He has stated that “third world countries would be well advised to focus their attention on the achievement of a high-quality life through enjoyment of simple and modest standards of material satisfaction and ennobling of the mind by humanistic reflective and spiritual pursuits”. He has been greatly influenced by the philosophy of humanism. He has referred to the importance of the mind, rational thinking, creativity, innovation, and the need for equality in relation to human activity in many of his works.
“Mental health” and “well-being”
Especially in the past, and many, even today consider “mental health” as being synonymous with “mental illness”. The field of mental health, however, embodies far more than illness, and relates to more positive attributes of the state of being human. Mental health is a foundation for “wellbeing” – a concept that is increasingly receiving attention as an indicator of personal, social and economic development.”
Globally, and at national levels there has been increasing reference to “mental health”, “well-being”, “well-being economy”, and “happiness”. Discussions on these topics are currently taking place at political, academic, United Nations and community levels. Increasingly, the term “mental health” is being used to address issues of not only mental illness but of related and wider health issues such as physical, social and psychological wellbeing. This is a continuing discussion on “what is a good life” and “what kind of society do we like to develop” which has been going on for centuries past. I wish to discuss mental health in its broadest context and talk about its implications to individuals, communities and society as a whole.
The present understanding and models of mental health have been developed on the basis of evidence from academic fields including psychology, positive psychology, sociology, economics, neurochemistry, epidemiology and clinical psychiatry. Apart from these, humanistic approaches derived from the philosophy of “humanism” have had a significant influence on thinking about mental health and wellbeing as well as on development .
In this presentation I use the term “mental health” in its broadest meaning to describe two dimensions of health: “wellbeing” and “mental illness”.
The model I use to explain mental health has it’s basis in three factors: One, the innate potential of the individual – meaning desires, aspirations, needs and wants of the individual. Second, the mental attributes of an individual such as cognition, motivations and emotions. And third, “well-being” as a subjective measure of an individual’s experience and assessment of his/her state of being. Mental health and wellbeing are very closely related concepts, and in this presentation, I will use these terms interchangeably.
“Mental health” of an individual is increasingly seen as an asset or a resource also referred to as the “mental capital” which enables one to use his/her abilities to realize the full potential of one’s life. Components or domains of mental health include cognitive, emotional and motivational aspects of a person which enables that person to make decisions, solve problems, develop social interactions and sustain relationships. Attributes such as flexibility, tolerance, empathy, self-control, the ability to compromise, endure stress, being creative and being productive adds to the mental capital of an individual.
The term “well-being” is a very old one, but it is now being taken to mean a person’s subjective assessment of his/her feelings, and functioning in relation to what he/she values. The experience of wellbeing is subjective and is based on the value the person attaches to a particular aspect of life eg. positive emotions, relationships, engagement in certain activities, creativity, generosity, knowledge, health security, spirituality and meaning and purpose of life. It is influenced by culture, and is a dynamic life-long experience.
“Mental illness” on the other hand, is a term used to describe a state of mental dysfunction based on international diagnostic criteria resulting in impaired behavior, and/or disability.
Positive mental health is a critical requirement for “well-being”. It is also the foundation for wellbeing. Conversely poor mental health impairs well-being. Positive emotion is much more than mere ‘’. Positive emotion includes hope, interest, joy, love, compassion, pride, amusement, and gratitude. Enhanced wellbeing is referred to as “thriving” or “flourishing”.
Health-related quality of life is another closely related concept which came up as many realized that advanced medical technology did not necessarily improve the life of people. WHO defines the quality of life as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns”
The link between mental health and development
“Development” is the gradual functional change in skill-sets, behavior, and habits of an individual or society. Development changes the character of a person. And it takes place throughout life. At a personal level development is acquiring new skills, abilities and capabilities to lead a life and to realise one’s potential – for example in learning, being creative, developing and fostering social relationships etc.
At a social level development entails enhancing the social capital and the resourcefulness of the society. Social capital refers to the cohesiveness of society, trust amongst the members, and a sense of belongingness or inclusiveness to the society. Social capital is built on relationships, values, attitudes, and practices of its members and is determined by culture, history and sociopolitical factors. Some elements of social capital promote mental health and wellbeing.
Increasingly the aim of socioeconomic development is seen as to create an environment to promote mental health and wellbeing. Enabling freedom, capabilities and choices in a society promotes realisation of the human potential to lead a life that they value. The term economic development is therefore now being superseded by the term “human development” and “well-being’.
Determinants of mental health
Biological, social and environmental factors are determinants of mental health. Genetically inherited factors determine about 50% mental health attributes. Early childhood and adolescent experiences, including those during pre-natal life also have a significant influence on health and mental health in later life. The rest of mental health components are acquired and develop during one’s lifetime. During this period mental health is influenced by the environment in one’s home by protective factors such as affection, security and love or lack thereof. Adverse childhood experiences such as trauma and abuse may result in long-term mental and physical health problems. Learning and acquiring of skills continues and there is progressive development of mental health influenced by family, school, work place, community and the environment.
Certain elements of social capital are known to facilitate the development of positive mental health. These include caring, fairness, equality, belongingness, peace, security and trust. Conversely neighborhoods of violence, unemployment, drug use and social inequality give rise to poor mental health.
The environment created by government policies such as those which provide access to basic services, health education, housing and promote values such as respect, dignity, human rights, opportunities to make choices are all important in promoting mental health and enhancing the mental capital. Economic policies play a significant part in mental health and wellbeing because material resources are needed for the development of communities and individuals.
Emerging mental health and socioeconomic issues
During the last few decades there have been significant changes in mental health problems as seen in clinical practice, including in my own practice. Addictive behavior, substance-abuse, relationship problems, inflicting self-harm, anti-social behavior, and violence are increasingly seen in clinical practice today. There is also a significant increase in requests by people for psychological services.
Social problems including ethnic divides and conflicts, and insurgencies have greatly contributed to this change, as one often sees in clinical practice. They have given rise to increasing fear, isolation and discrimination amongst people leading to poor mental health. The stigma and low value attached to mental health, and low mental health literacy continues to be a major hindrance to wellbeing.
Lately, unfavorable economic situations giving rise to poverty, inequities, under-employment or dissatisfying employment have aggravated mental health problems.Furthermore, changing demographic and morbidity patterns, increasing urbanization, migration, changing attitudes and values of people are likely to impact mental health in a negative manner.
Studies have shown that the burden of mental health is a major contributor to the global burden of disease as measured by “Disability Adjusted Life Years” or DALYs. As a result of social, environmental and economic problems the burden of mental health ranks third today in the list of health conditions contributing to the Global Burden of Disease, being second only to heart disease and cancer in its contribution to the Global Burden of Disease. Another startling fact is that mental health impairments contribute to as much as a third of all disabilities in the world. The economic loss due to poor mental health is great, with the World Economic Forum estimating that by 2030 the cost of mental health globally would be around sixteen trillion US dollars. Furthermore, poor mental health as reflected in ‘languishing’, undesirable personality attributes and character disorders are increasingly seen as contributing towards the health and socioeconomic burden.
How effective is our response to emerging mental health issues?
It is well known that in most countries mental health systems are unable to respond to these emerging mental health needs resulting in a “mental health gap”. This is because they have evolved to respond mostly to the clinical needs of people with mental illness disregarding other mental health needs. In Sri Lanka the mental health services are very much based on a “disease model” with a focus on the clinical state of the individual patient. Similarly, present socioeconomic policy makers and practitioners fail to consider the enhancement of mental health as being important. It is increasingly being realized that present services cannot meet the emerging challenges. A more appropriate model would be one based on a public mental health approach on the basis that mental health is a ” public good”. This would consist of approaches to promote mental health and prevent mental illness. Emphasis on mental health promotion and illness prevention is unfortunately limited in the present service organization in many countries. Interventions that promote mental health empower the person to take control of his/her health and its determinants so that it leads to healthy behavior. Primary illness prevention interventions are effective in preventing mental illness. My own experience is that initiatives to respond to emerging new developments are much welcomed by communities but unfortunately the prevailing public services are unable to sustain and integrate such initiatives into the present system. This is mainly due to the fact that the present system is based on the disease model and evolved to respond to mental disorders of individuals – mainly those with mental illness. Besides, all human service sectors tend to work in compartments. The system also lacks the capacity to take a broader view of promoting good mental health.
A more effective system to respond to the emerging mental health needs
Increasingly there is agreement globally that the aim of development is to enhance wellbeing of people, thereby giving them the opportunity to realize their innate potential. Mental health and wellbeing are considered as having an intrinsic value. Improvement of mental health includes enhancement of wellbeing and reduction of the health burden. In most countries especially in the West the broader model of mental health is being used to improve the mental health of people. This is being done through wider health, social and economic policies which are described as “healthy development policies”. Health, social and economic policies are aimed at creating an environment to promote mental health, prevent mental illness, manage people with mental illness, organize mental health activities based on population approaches and improve the quality of life of people with mental health problems. Promotion of mental health and primary prevention of illness approaches are targeted at the community, while other approaches are focused on the individual. Mental health improvement is also the responsibility of the individual by training and learning mental skills and behavior including practicing meditation, yoga and relaxation exercises. Health services have the responsibility of comprehensively managing the mentally ill while the rest of the services are expected to be provided by range of other services including education, social care, housing and judicial services. Efforts are also being made to improve the quality of life of people with mental impairment and disabilities, using several interventions including those based on the “recovery model”. The “recovery model” is one that has been developed by service users, and is based on learning to live with disabilities and to improve the quality of their lives given the disabilities they have. Increasingly “wellbeing” is being considered as the ultimate goal of social and economic development. For example, “wellbeing economics” has emerged as a new area of thinking with the goal of achieving “wellbeing”.
The aim of policies and focus of service organization in mental health have become population-based rather than focusing only on individual care. This public mental health approach is aimed at minimizing inequalities in health outcomes and increasing equity. This is a deviation from the traditional individual approach to mental health.
This approach has already been undertaken in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, many other western countries, and even in some low- and middle-income countries. Bhutan initiated a new approach by introducing a “Happiness Index” as an indicator of development, and it continues to explore even better, more holistic options to measure “development”. In fact, “wellbeing” is referred to explicitly or implicitly in several of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
Improving mental health of the people and communities in Sri Lanka
The challenge in Sri Lanka is to improve mental health in the context of a resource-poor country with declining public services and deteriorating economic conditions amidst increasing needs, aspirations and expectations of its people. The situation is made worse by the fact a large number of people with a range of skills are migrating overseas leaving behind a population of dependent people.
In Sri Lanka there is a growing awareness and demand for including mental health components in all other human and social services. Sri Lanka however, tends to work in centralized and compartmentalized sectors with little coordination and integration between them.
My experience is that although there is a growing demand for mental health services, mental health is marginalized, and discussions on it are stifled. The public mental health approach needs now to be embraced by Sri Lanka, placing individual patient care as one component of the broader goal of improving mental health and well-being of its people. We need fundamentally to value mental health as an asset, and consider it an important component of development. Individuals, communities and the government need to take responsibility for improvement of mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Prof Jayasuriya believed in these concepts and introduced many initiatives during his life time to facilitate individual and social development. Let me thank the family of Prof Jayasuriya, the organizing committee and all of you for giving me an opportunity to present these issues for your consideration, and possibly even encourage further discussion.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
