Features
Was the Third Prime Minister of Ceylon the son of a murderer ?
THE TRIAL OF JOHN KOTELAWALA (SENIOR)
By Hugh Karunanayake
John Kotelawala (Senior) was the father of Sir John Kotelawala the third Prime Minister of independent Ceylon, who held office from 1953 to 1956. John Kotelawala (Snr) was born in 1865 in the village of Bandaragama. Having attended the village school where he learnt his English, he attended schools in Colombo and then started life as a third class constable clerk in the Ceylon Police Force in the 1880s.
As a policeman he was good in detective work and his general application to his duties impressive, and was within a few years promoted to the rank of Inspector. It was then that he sought the hand of, and married Alice Attygalle, the daughter of Mudaliyar D.C.G. Attygalle of Colamunne. He resigned from the police soon after his marriage.
Mudaliyar Attygalle was a man of considerable wealth, owning several coconut estates, plumbago mines, and other properties in the Kurunegala and Dodangaslanda areas. He was also a great benefactor to a number of charities. Among his many acts of philanthropy was the donation for public use, of the Kurunegala Rest House which he built entirely at his own expense. The building stands in the main street of Kurunegala to this day.
Mudaliyar Attygalles family consisted of his wife, son, and three daughters. The son, who was born in 1885, was a minor when the Mudaliyar died in 1901. John Kotelawala, the Mudaliyar’s only son in law at the time of his death, took over the management of the Mudaliyar’s estate which was left to his widow by his will.
By 1904, Francis, the Mudaliyar’s son realizing that his brother-in-law was utilizing profits from the estate for his own benefit, applied for letters of “venia aetatis” by which the Governor of Ceylon had the power to make a major of a https://d.docs.live.net/765edf3312b1769f/Documents/THE%20TRIAL%20OF%20JOHN%20KOTELAWALA.docxminor in the eyes of the law. The letters were accordingly granted to Francis by the Governor, and he took over the management of the family properties.
Kotelawala not only resisted this, but also openly showed his defiance and there was considerable friction between him and his brother-in-law. He tried various ruses to gain possession of some of the properties, but failed in all his attempts. He was particularly interested in a property which he made out to the family as a piece of abandoned plumbago land, whereas it was in fact a lucrative mine later known as the Kahatagaha mine. This turned out to be one of the largest and most lucrative plumbago mines in Sri Lanka.
He tried every trick in the book to gain possession of the mine, including fraud, deceit, and threats to the family, but failed; the main obstacle being his brother in law Francis. He is said to have even threatened to commit suicide in front of his mother in law by pretending to cut his throat with a knife that he produced, to which his mother in law gently informed him that she had not the slightest objection to that, and called off his bluff. Kotelawala was a physical culturist and a pupil of the Hungarian, Eugene Sandow, and projected an image of a tough and bold person who would not tolerate opposition.
The friction between him and his in laws included an incident where he attempted to take forcible possession of a family owned mine, but was chased away by workers loyal to Francis. He had to run away and humiliatingly take refuge in a boutique in which he locked himself up in fear. That incident would have hurt his projected tough image more than the actual thrashing he may have received if he fell into the hands of the angry workers. Being a man of considerable vanity, he had been sulking and threatening dire consequences. In October 1906 John Kotelawala (snr) sailed for Japan in order to float a company called the Ceylon Trading Co, most probably to provide him with an alibi as unfolding events would reveal.
THE DECEASED – FRANCIS DIXON ATTYGALLE
Francis Attygalle was said to be a most unassuming man with an engaging disposition, and very popular with his employees. He had two sisters other than his older sister Alice Kotelawala. They were Lena and Ellen. Lena was given in marriage to Colonel TG Jayewardene brother of EW Jayewardene, father of former President J.R.Jayewardene. The younger sister Ellen later married F.R. Senanayake brother of DS Senanayake, Ceylon’s First Prime Minister. There is no denying the fact that the family of the three sisters dominated politics and governments in Sri Lanka during most of the Twentieth Century.
The Attygalle sisters by their marriage to the Kotelaweala- Senanayake- Jayewardene triumvirate is said to have shoe horned these “political nobodies” into “somebodies’, the upward mobility being provided by the Attygalle family wealth. The Attygalle inheritance was massive, and the three daughters brought with them substantial dowries in addition to their inheritance. By 1927 T.G. Jayewardene owned 2,861 acres of tea, rubber, and coconut, Alice Kotelawala 2,058 acres of rubber and coconut and Ellen Senanayake 3,027 acres mainly of coconut.
Francis Attygalle attended school at Wesley College and was boarded in the home of Mr CP Dias Head Master of the school who lived in the Pettah near Price Park, which was then a quiet, residential area. Even after leaving school Francis continued to live in Mr Dias’s house making it his Colombo headquarters. On the evening of December 5, 1906 he was reclining on a chair in the verandah of Mr Dias’s home, when he was called out by a boy who wanted him to meet a man named Baron Singho who was ostensibly seeking assistance to get a job. Having dismissed the man, Francis was returning to the house when he was shot by a gun fired from a few yards away. The 22-year old Francis died two days later in hospital after making a dying disposition.
John Kotelawela returned to Ceylon by ship on the morning of January 24, 1907 and was promptly arrested by a police party headed by Mr Herbert Dowbiggin, Superintendent of Police, Colombo, who was in charge of investigations into the murder. Three persons were charged with the murder. They were Baron Singho, Singhone Perera, and John Kotelawala.
It was the case for the prosecution that as a result of family disputes, John Kotelawala had decided to destroy his brother in law Francis Attygalle. He conspired with Singhone Perera, a former police constable who served under him, to kill Atyygalle. Singhone had left the Police force at the same time as Kotelawala, and was employed as a rent collector by the latter, who also provided him accommodation in one of his houses.
According to the prosecution, Singhone who was a trusted servant of Kotelawala, was paid Rs 500 through a bogus mortgage payment as a consideration for the killing, and having arranged the killing, Kotelawala left for Japan in October 1906 to create an alibi for himself. Singhone then contacted Piloris Fernando alias Pila a 23-year old native of Wadduwa, and brought him to Colombo where he resided in Singhone’s home for some weeks prior to the murder. On November 16, Singhone arranged with Pila who was a good marksman, to purchase a gun from Walker and Sons, Pettah, under an assumed name. The gun was purchased by Pila and brought to Singhone’s house where it was concealed in a wooden box.
On the night of December 5, they went across Price Park and approached Mr Dias ‘ garden. According to Pila, who turned Crown witness in the case, Singhone asked him to wait near the gate while he went into the compound with the gun. Singhone then had Baron lure Francis out of the house and shot him. He is then said to have left the gun and the bag and hurried back to the gate where he met Pila, gave him fie rupees and asked him to go back to his village.
The prosecution was based largely on Pila’s evidence as Crown Witness, and it could be presumed that his version of what transpired was tailored to protect his role in the killing. What was more likely the case was that Pila who was an expert marksman did the shooting, and was directed by Singhone to arrive at a rendezvous near the gate where he would wait to execute Pila. Unfortunately for Sighone, Pila sensing danger had not returned to him, instead walking back through a devious route to his village in Wadduwa, without meeting Singhone. The prosecution case however had to depend partly on Pila’s evidence, and it alleged that Singhone conspired with Kotelawala to murder Francis and in accordance with Pila’s evidence, Singhone did the shooting as well.
THE TRIAL
The trial in the Supreme Court commenced on April 15, 1907 before an English speaking jury consisting entirely of Europeans. The prosecution was led by Mr C.M. Fernando Senior Crown Counsel, assisted by Messrs H.J.C.Pereira, R.H.Morgan, James Van Langenberg, C Brooke Elliott and B.W. Bawa. The accused were defended by Mr C Hayley, Eardley Norton, Thomas Thornhill, and R.L. Pereira.
A significant factor was that the defence expenses of Sighone Perera was met by John Kotelawala, a fact that was readily admitted by defence counsel. While conceding that there was no implication of guilt in such conduct, the prosecution averred that the defence of Singhone Perera had been arranged by Kotelawala even before he arrived in Ceylon from his visit to Japan, a fact which the prosecution believed pointed strongly in favour of its case.
From the evidence that was led at the trial, it was clear, regardless of who did the actual shooting, that Singhone conspired with Pila to murder Francis.
Singhone however was loyal to his erstwhile master, and did not reveal anything to implicate John Kotelawala, although circumstantial evidence suggested a link between the two, working towards the common objective of destroying Attygalle. It was established by the prosecution that Kotelawala made threats to the deceased, and had a strong motive to eliminate him. It was not possible for the case for the Crown to be tested by the jury, because Kotelawala committed suicide in the remand prison having consumed arsenic, after Pila’s evidence was led. He had apparently concealed the arsenic in the sleeve of his coat for over two months in readiness for use when necessary.
At the conclusion of the trial, Singhone Perera was convicted, and paid the supreme penalty. Baron Singho was acquitted.
THE AFTERMATH
John Kotelawala was popular with the carters and harbour workers of Colombo whose welfare he had espoused with passion. Rumours that he was poisoned by the authorities spread around the city and large crowds gathered around his home “Fellowsleigh” in Asoka Gardens, and turned violent destroying public property. The home of the Crown prosecutor CM Fernando. ” Netherton ‘ in Union Place was under police protection for several weeks, until calm was restored.
John Kotelawala left two sons, John Lionel (later Sir John), and Justin, and a daughter Freda who later married Dr CVS Corea. Corea’s son, the late Dr Gamani Corea was an internationally renowned economist.The trial of the accused received considerable publicity by which newspapers reported proceedings in detail, on a daily basis. In later years however, the national press in Sri Lanka appears to have thrown a blanket of silence over the case, presumably under the influence of interested persons whose political destinies may have been affected by the publicity.
Consequently, not many in Sri Lanka especially during the second half of the twentieth century, were familiar with the case which was widely regarded as one of the most sensational murder trials in the country. The conspiracy of silence was so effective that even members of the legal fraternity, when referring to this case called it the “K” case, rather than the “Kotelawala ” case.
It has also been rumoured that most of the copies of the book by A.L. de Witt and G.E.G. Weerasinghe entitled “The Attygalle Murder Case” (from which most of the material in this article was extracted) were destroyed by interested persons, and very few copies exist.
(This article was first published by the writer in The Ceylankan Journal of The Ceylon Society of Australia # 27 of August 2004.)
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
