Features
45th US President Trump – Inmate No. P01135809, Fulton County Jail
THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRIMARY DEBATE
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
Trump had a busy week scheduled for last week. He had called a press conference, on Monday August 21, to unveil a “100-page dossier”, which would provide conclusive evidence that he was innocent of all the racketeering charges brought against him by the Fulton County District Attorney, Fani Willis, on conspiring to overturn the 2020 Georgia state elections.
However, he subsequently said that his lawyers had advised him not to release the dossier, posting on social media, “My lawyers would prefer putting this, I believe, Irrefutable and Overwhelming Evidence of Election Fraud and Irregularities, in Formal Legal Filings”.
Why and where he has been hiding all this evidence before his indictment remains a mystery, but the dossier is currently stored in a secure toilet at Mar a Lago.
Trump, the overwhelming favorite for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidency, did not participate in the first primary debate on Wednesday, August 23. The debate was organized under the aegis of Fox News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, moderated by Fox News anchors, Brett Baier and Martha MacCallum.
In typically petty competition, Trump streamed an on-line, 45 minute interview with former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, aired during the debate, where they both vied to be the world’s greatest liar. Trump’s description during the interview of January 6, 2021 as “an interesting day”, where there was a “lot of love among a crowd of patriots” proved that he hasn’t lost his touch.
Trump may be the prohibitive nominee for the 2024 presidency. However, it is the opinion of several constitutional lawyers, both on the right and the left, that Trump will not be qualified to be on any state ballot for the 2024 presidential election. His behavior during the January 6 insurrection and its aftermath, disqualifies him, according to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which reads:
“Disqualification from Holding Office
“No person shall …. hold any office, civil or military,…. who, having previously taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof”.
There is no way that Trump can escape the fact that he had engaged in giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States. He did nothing for 187 minutes after inciting a violent insurrection. Then, after watching television of the storming of the Capitol by his supporters for 187 minutes, he finally addressed the mob storming the Capitol, “This was a fraudulent election. So go home. We love you. You’re very special”.
These were white supremacist thugs, who had stormed the Capitol, killed and wounded hundreds, including policemen, and chanted their intention to hang Mike Pence and kill Nancy Pelosi. To Trump, these traitors were “very special. He loved them”.
If these 187 minutes of encouraging an attack on the seat of the nation’s democracy by insurrectionists “he loves and were very special” did not constitute “giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States”, I can’t really imagine what it would take to be an enemy of the United States. Nuke New York?
The debate began on Wednesday night with eight Don Quixotes tilting at an invisible windmill. One conspicuous absentee was former Texas African-American Congressman, Will Hurd, a conservative Republican of the pre-Trump era, who unfortunately didn’t meet the qualifications necessary for the first debate.
The most pathetic moment of the debate was when moderator Brett Baier asked the candidates to raise their hands if they would support Trump for the presidency even if he was convicted of a felony. Ramaswamy’s hand shot up; the others took some time, looking around to see their rivals’ responses, and five of them slowly followed suit, DeSantis being the last. These cowards plan to walk the tight rope of contesting Trump for the presidency without criticizing him or hurting his base. The only dissidents were former Governors Asa Hutchinson and Chris Christie.
Nikki Haley distinguished herself on her performance in the debate, especially with her experience on foreign policy. She unexpectedly criticized both Trump and the Republican Party as a whole, saying that Trump was the “most disliked politician in America”, who had added $8 trillion to the massive national budget deficit. She said the US should continue providing assistance to Ukraine, to help maintain the territorial integrity of a sovereign ally, and not give in to the territorial ambitions of a “murderer”.
Vivek Ramaswamy monopolized much of the time with his outrageously glib misstatements and toothsome smile. He was unashamedly pro-Trump, saying that Trump had made bad judgments, but committed no crimes. If stealing top-secret government documents and inciting an insurrection were just bad judgments, I wonder what Ramaswamy’s idea of a crime would be. He was confident that he would settle the Russian invasion of Ukraine within days of his accession to the White House, and persuade President Xi to co-exist with Taiwan, borrowing one of Trump’s favorite political maneuvers – telepathically. But his first action from the Oval office would be to pardon Trump, according to him the best US president of the 21st century. Oh, yes, he also said that climate change is a hoax. As they say in Texas, he was all hat (teeth, in his case) and no cattle.
Vice President Pence played on his performance on January 6, 2021, when he “put the Constitution first” over Trump’s illegal instructions to overturn the election. A constitutional act which made him the unsung hero who saved the nation’s democracy on that terrible day. Several of his rivals approved of his action, but predictably, he was booed by the ultra-red Republican audience, who thought he was a traitor because he acted according to the Constitution.
DeSantis, Trump’s closest rival according to the polls, was ambivalent about the main issues, but his extreme bigoted views and lies about education, abortion, LGBTQ rights and lock-downs during Covid did not win him any votes. Neither did his robotic style of oration.
Tim Scott’s nice-guy personality kept him above the fray during heated moments, but it was obvious that he was really angling to be Trump’s vice-presidential pick.Christie did what he was expected to do, but he was like a bullfighter without the bull. He did have the best line in the debate:
“Here’s the bottom line. Someone’s got to stop normalizing this conduct. Whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or not, the conduct is beneath the office of the president of the United States”. When this statement drew a chorus of boos, he said, “This is the great thing about this country, booing is allowed, but it doesn’t change the truth”.
That last statement gave him the distinction of being the most booed man of the evening. A supreme compliment, in my opinion.Governors Asa Hutchinson and Doug Burgum were the last to qualify for the debate. They will, on their lackluster performances in this debate, probably not make the second.
To sum up, Donald Trump won the debate, by a country mile. On current form, Trump will be the Republican nominee for 2024, even if he is convicted and behind bars, possibly even if he is dead.
Trump surrendered at Fulton County Jail on Thursday, August 24, where he was arrested and processed. Unlike his previous three indictments, he was treated like an ordinary criminal. He was escorted to the “notorious” Fulton County Jail, which is unlike any other federal or state facility where Trump has been arrested before. According to a veteran Georgia defense attorney, “The 2,500-bed jail has the reputation of being a scary, dangerous place. It’s miserable. It’s cold. It smells. It’s just generally unpleasant”. Although Trump spent little time in custody, he may have found his brief experience at Fulton County different from the luxurious accommodations and golden toilets he is accustomed to at Trump Tower and Mar a Lago.
Trump was fingerprinted, photographed and released on a conditional bail bond of $200,000 as Inmate no. P01135809. The conditions being that he will have no communications with co-defendants and witnesses, and will not otherwise obstruct the administration of justice.
His mug shot will appear on the front page of every US newspaper on Saturday, August 26. The first-time mug shot of a former president which will be a source of utmost shame for the entire country, an ignominy that will live forever in its history.
For the Trump team, however, this ultimate dishonor will be transformed into a badge of honor. They will immediately have T-shirts and other items displaying the mug shot, and make a ton of money from his supporters, claiming this is just another instance of the world’s longest witch hunt. You just can’t shame the shameless.
At the time of writing, 11 of the 18 co- conspirators, including his attorney, Rudi Giuliani, had surrendered, been arrested, processed and released on various conditions of bail. Everything seems to be going exactly the way District Attorney Willis planned – with one co-conspirator blaming the other, and most claiming they were acting on Trump’s direct or indirect instructions. Flipping and co-operating with the prosecution will only be a matter of time. When they realize that Trump has been throwing them under the bus, they will be singing like canaries in a coal mine.
The deadline for surrender is 12.30 p.m. on Friday, August 25, and anyone who does not meet the deadline will be considered a fugitive, arrested and imprisoned. District Attorney Fani Willis has made it clear that no extension will be given, under any circumstances. Any of the co-conspirators who miss the deadline on Friday will have to suffer a less than luxurious weekend at Fulton County Jail.
The Trump arrests in Manhattan, Miami and Washington D.C., as well as Thursday’s most humiliating arrest at the Fulton County jail did not bring the “death and destruction” and “blood in the streets” threatened by Trump and Lindsay Graham, if authorities dared to arrest the Fuhrer. Actually, the media outnumbered both the Trump supporters and protesters during all four arrests. The atmosphere at Atlanta was light and tension-free, much like a side show. The only threats made by Trump’s toothless domestic terrorists, usually through social media or telephone, evaporated into cowardly thin air. Atlanta law enforcement had the situation well under control, Trump’s arrest and motorcade departure to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at Atlanta were completed without incident.
I may be wrong, I often am, but I do think the legal perils that Trump faces, have finally penetrated into his 65 IQ brain. The total absence of his “patriot cult” at Fulton Jail to show its “death and destruction” solidarity, his demeanor and body language showed that he was terrified out of his crazy little mind. The despicable crimes Trump has committed over the years have finally come home to roost.
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 . )
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