Features
CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION – THE DILMAH CONTRIBUTION
(Excerpted from the Merrill. J. Fernando autobiography)
Worldwide, the observed impacts of climate change are driving a multiplicity of conservation and mitigation strategies. Climate change is a gradually-evolving disaster which may not be reversible. However, there is much that man can do to mitigate its impact.
To combat climate change, one must be able to evaluate its progress and impact scientifically. One of the major technical contributions from Dilmah to the cause of managing climate change was to establish a Climate Research Station, the first of its kind in the world by a private entity, at Queensberry Estate, Upper Kotmale. This self-sustained research centre, located at the highest point on one of Kahawatte Plantations estates, was launched in December 2017, in collaboration with the Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology (FELT) and the University of Peradeniya.
Since commencement, the centre has collaborated with global scientific institutions and researchers in Japan and UK, whilst providing research facilities for a number of climate scientists and research projects in Sri Lanka.
Dilmah Conservation initiated its Climate Reality program in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Sri Lanka, to establish an interdisciplinary association among academics, government, and business, in order to understand the profound implications of climate change and the challenges that it poses, not just to enterprise but to the entire planet. Such an alliance among different concerned groups is expected to bring to the table, practical solutions to emerging climate and weather-related problems. Climate-smart technology and innovative agricultural strategies are the need of the hour and without a combined effort, the future of our agriculture will be at serious risk. Dilmah Conservation also supports the Bio-Diversity Sri Lanka initiative, established in collaboration with the IUCN and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Dilmah and carbon imprint
Carbon and other greenhouse gas emission, considered to be key factors influencing climate change, are generally associated with human interventions on land. In 2017, Dilmah tea achieved Carbon Neutral status for the production facility, and for the complete product range in 2018. Thus, along with its commitment to purity and singularity of origin, Dilmah assures its consumer an environmentally-friendly tea. By 2019 the Dilmah Carbon Neutral status had been extended to its Australian market, right up to the supermarket shelf.
It is my pledge, for both my country and my company, that Dilmah will be Carbon Negative by 2030.
Along with my commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, at Dilmah we have launched a number of initiatives to reduce plastic usage, whilst in other areas of society, especially along our beaches, supporting ongoing programmes for the removal of plastic waste.
Endana nature corridor
Earlier in this chapter and elsewhere in this writing as well, I have spoken of the impact that the mono-culture of our main plantation crops – tea and rubber – have had on the environment. Over the decades, the steady expansion of tea cultivation in particular has resulted in both the reduction of forest cover and the isolation of forest patches, thus confining both indigenous fauna and flora to highly-restricted and rapidly-diminishing habitats. Human activity on the peripheries, though often driven by basic commercial needs, has steadily eroded natural forest cover all over the country. In the low country especially, with its highly-diminished natural forest cover and the largely-unregulated expansion of privately-owned tea plantations, in proximity to the few existing natural forest patches, the danger to both indigenous fauna and flora is a stark reality.
In my view, that is an area in which plantation owners can make the biggest contribution in the cause of conservation, given that we have control over the land, the crops, the people of the plantations, and the crop and land management practices that we employ in our cultivation.
Endana Estate, a flagship tea plantation in the Kahawatte region of Kahawatte Plantations, is located in close proximity to the Sinharaja Rain Forest. On most sides it is bounded by natural forest, whilst its tea cultivation also serves to separate and isolate natural forest patches, as is the case on many plantations in Sri Lanka, especially in the low country. In view of these wide-ranging and environmentally-significant features, we considered Endana as a logical location for a unique Bio-Diversity Conservation initiative.
Conservation and enrichment of our No-diversity; the mandate of Dilmah Conservation
On January 1, 2018, I formally uprooted a handful of precious tea bushes in field No. 3 of Delwala division, and planted a few indigenous forest trees, as a first step to opening a three-kilometre-long nature corridor, between Delwalakande and Walankande, two forested mountain ranges separated from each other by the Endana Estate. The objective was to eventually provide a natural forest corridor reconnecting the two topographies, thus enabling the migration of both fauna and flora between the two, whilst re-establishing the contiguity of natural forest with the southern border of the Sinharaja Reserve.
On lines similar to the Endana Nature Corridor, Dilmah Conservation had earlier launched a similar project in Batticaioa; its arid, harsh climate so different from the green, rain-fed richness of Endana. The environment of Batticaloa has been largely denuded by two natural disasters within 30 years and, according to research, needs a minimum of 150 sq. km of forest cover to reverse the adverse effects. Dilmah devised a dual purpose strategy – that of providing green cover along with a community livelihood through the planting of cashew trees across thousands of small gardens and farms, reaching the target of one million trees within 10 years.
Animal sanctuary
All over the world, there is much attention paid to the fate and conservation of the larger, more charismatic animals, as both in natural forests and reserves they are the most visible and the most exciting. However, unnoticed, many species of smaller creatures, many of them important links at the lower end of the bio-diversity network, are diminishing in numbers and, in some cases, vanishing all together, often unnoticed and unreported.
Sri Lanka is home to about 120 amphibian species, of which 105 are endemic. That means they are not found anywhere else in the world and that degree of endemism makes Sri Lanka one of the most diverse Amphibian hotspots of the world: In August 2019, I signed a memorandum of agreement with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (UK) and Global Wildlife Conservation. Dilmah Conservation has undertaken to work towards assessing the conservation status of Sri Lankan amphibians, through an extinction risk-assessment for every species on the IUCN Red List. An amazing and disturbing statistic which I became aware of as a consequence of this program is that of the 35 species of frogs and toads now globally extinct, 21 belonged to Sri Lanka – certainly not a record to be proud of!
Dilmah Conservation also curated an open air Butterfly Garden at the Moratuwa MJF Centre, creating a bio-diversity haven in a completely urban setting, reinforcing the very important principle that nature conservation does not need to be confined to jungles and game parks. I understand that of the 247 species of butterflies in Sri Lanka, 60 have been identified at the Moratuwa Butterfly Garden.
Of the many accolades that the famous All Black, Sir Graham Henry, has received in an outstanding career, both as a rugby player and then a coach, the most unusual must be having a baby elephant named after him. Sir Henry has for long been a supporter of Dilmah tea. One of the baby elephants at the Uda Walawe Elephant Transit Home, sponsored by Dilmah, was named ‘Ted’ in honour of Sir. Graham. In order to bring about public awareness to the human-elephant conflict, Dilmah Conservation maintains an Information Centre at the Transit Home.
Marine conservation is another area that Dilmah has been active in. Marine systems are far more fragile than terrestrial eco-systems. As an island, with the sea being a primary source of food and for livelihoods along the coast, maintaining the ecological equilibrium of the sea around us should be a primary concern for all citizens. In collaboration with the Department of Wildlife, Dilmah Conservation documented the coral reefs and shipwrecks in some of our eastern and northern coastal areas, particularly Kayankerni. That initiative led to Kayankerni eventually being declared a Protected Area, under the auspices of the Marine Environmental Protection Authority of Sri Lanka.
Preserving traditional knowledge
At the beginning of this narrative I said that my ancestors were engaged in the practice of Ayurveda, our ancient system of medical care. As a youth I still recall its efficacy. I believe that that there is much that the Western discipline can learn from our traditional, non-intrusive methods of healing. As Dilmah’s contribution to the preservation of this age-old system, Dilmah Conservation, after extensive research, published the ‘Hela Veda Athpotha’ (Handbook on Traditional Home Remedies)
International recognition
Amongst the 15 international presentations selected by the United States Committee of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (US/ICOMOS), in regard to the impact of Corporate Sector Involvement in Heritage Conservation, was a case study on Dilmah. The latter was presented at the ICOMOS symposium titled `Forward Together, A Culture-Nature Journey towards More Effective Conservation in a Changing World,’ held in San Francisco, USA, in November 2018.
At the symposium, Dilhan read a paper themed, ‘Stewardship of Bio-Cultural Landscapes in the 21st Century; the Role of Traditions Knowledge and Practices,’ which explored the Dilmah involvement in cultural and natural heritage conservation, exemplified by Dilmah Conservation publications on ‘Veddahs’ and ‘Ahikuntikas,’ two culturally-distinctive sub-communities of our country, now confronted with possible extinction through the loss of traditional homelands, the shedding of age-old cultural practices, and also the gradual assimilation of its members in to the majority social groups.
Environmental protection – corporate advocacy and public awareness
I am a firm believer of the maxim that if the message is important, it must be effectively delivered to all concerned. Whilst entrepreneur do what is possible within their corporate ambit, the message of the importance of environmental protection must be conveyed to the public as well. In this, education becomes a vital component and education is most effective, when children learn it and carry the message through their lifetimes, whilst ensuring its transmission to subsequent generations as well.
Awareness building has not been confined to nature only, but has been extended to the celebration of some of our special indigenous communities as well. Dilmah Conservation facilitated the first communal gathering in 60 years of the Gypsy (Ahikuntika) community and a similar tribal gathering between the eastern coast Veddah community with other members of the group.
Dilmah Conservation has so far published around 15 books, many of them providing detailed descriptions in an easy-to-absorb visual style of our island’s fauna and flora, authored by the leading national experts in the country in the respective disciplines. This highly-diverse collection ranges from butterflies to bats, snakes to dragonflies, and birds and spiders to lichens.
Education, awareness, and advocacy are indispensable in spreading the message of conservation and all three aspects of the initiative must move as a united front for maximum effectiveness. Reinforced by the sponsorship of my Charitable Foundation, I am proud of the brilliant synergy Dilmah Conservation has created, harnessing scientific expertise and community enthusiasm to ensure sustainable results.
The genesis project
In the preceding pages of this chapter I have emphasized the Dilmah commitment to conservation, which is a cornerstone of the sustainability of any enterprise, particularly one such as Dilmah, with its connectivity to and dependence on land and agriculture. It also must be abundantly clear to any forward-thinking entrepreneur that for agriculture to be a success in the coming decades, harnessing new technology to tradition will be a prerequisite. Also clear is that for any business to be sustainable, irrespective of the nature of the enterprise, it must establish a harmonious relationship with the environment.
On May 6, 2022, symbolically on my 92nd birthday, I declared open the Genesis Project, the latest initiative, by Dilmah Conservation for the promotion of sustainable and ethical enterprise. Equally symbolically, the location of the project’s activities will be the Maligawatte complex, which saw the genesis of ‘Dilmah’ in 1985.
The Genesis Project is a multi-pronged initiative with the core purpose of promoting agri-entrepreneurship, with emphasis on the importance of nature-based solutions and supporting society development goals, whilst safeguarding human well-being in a manner that accurately reflects cultural and societal values. In furtherance of these objectives, it aims to provide different stakeholders and institutes a platform to network and lobby for wide-ranging public interest purposes, which will benefit both people and planet.
The list of those who are expected to participate and contribute – such as the Climate Change Secretariat, Biodiversity Secretariat, Chamber of Commerce, Biodiversity Sri Lanka, the Central Environmental Authority, and other connected Government and private bodies – is a clear indication of the project’s emphasis on establishing both a synergy and a symbiosis between business, environment, and society.
In broad terms, the Genesis Project will seek to encourage and support eco-businesses, provide a knowledge hub for agri-technology, promote renewable energy, educate, mentor, and empower and also provide a common platform to all stakeholders, and advisory and regulatory institutes, for knowledge-sharing and merging of agendas with common interests. The project office provides space for a business operations hub, a demonstration station, and physical space for vendors, entrepreneurs, potential investors, and related State and private agencies to connect and interact. There is also provision for a library and the conducting of training programs.
Consistent with the purpose and the moral of the project, the whole Genesis Project space will showcase green building concepts in the design of the premises. It will ensure the efficient use of energy, water, and space, the minimization of pollution and waste, and promotion of good indoor environmental air quality.
The dedication of the project, with the philosophy engraved on a piece of upcycled wood sourced from a rafter discarded from the Conservation’s One Earth Centre in Moratuwa, speaks eloquently to the Dilmah business ethic, which is also my personal credo.
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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