Features
Betel chewing a cardinal pleasure
Bulath in Sinhala, Vettila in Tamil and Malayalan, Paan in Hindi, Plu in Thai, Sirih in Malay are local names for betel (Piper betle) the tender leaf of which is the main ingredient in a chew. The other common additions are arecanut (Areca catechu), either raw or dried, sliced, shredded or cut into pieces and chunam from burnt chalk, coral or sea shells (slaked lime) and a piece of sun dried tobacco leaf for an added ‘kick’. The tobacco is said to have been introduced to the chew, also called a quid, by the Dutch when they were in these parts of the world as traders or rulers.
According to the region and availability fennel, turmeric, cumin, melon and cucumber seed, tamarind juice, coriander, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and grated copra are added as desired. Lately, particularly in India, menthol, rose water and mint essences are added. In Sri Lanka `Saravita’ with many of these spices are sold off lighted trays by men signing songs with catchy tunes during peraheras and other similar events. High class Indian hotels offer such spiced and fragrant ‘vitas’ in place of After Eight Mints.
Some authorities believe that about one tenth of the human race is in the habit of chewing betel- some from morning to night, others at frequent intervals or after their main meals and still others on occasions only. The estimate is plausible as the habit is common throughout India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Fiji, Maldives, Caroline Santa Cruz Island etc. Asian migrants have introduced the use of betel to the Middle East, some African and European countries and the USA as well.
For how long has the use of betel been known as a masticator – things people chew? A very long time indeed; well before smokes or fumitories known in the Eastern World for about ten centuries before the 1600s when Columbus introduced it to the West.
The Buddha in one of his reincarnations as a hare, according to a Jataka story, offered himself to God Sakra. The God was so moved that he painted the likeness of a hare on the moon and threw away the brush which fell on the world of Nagas or snakes. The King of the Nagas swallowed the brush (for what reason we do not know) and due to the consequent unbearable pain in his throat he died a few days later. A plant sprouted where he died and it was called giri-da-daly (throat burning leaf) now known as the betel vine.
Another origin of betel, according to others, is that it was created from the tip of a little finger of a Naga Queen. Irrespective of the origin it is said that the leaf was brought to the world of humans from the Naga’s world, thus called Nagavalli, by a snake holding the stem and leaf tip by its teeth. Others believe the snake held the leaf tip only. Whichever it was the older generation of betel chewers particularly in India and Sri Lanka, through fear of snake poison, discarded the leaf tip or both stem and tip when preparing a chew. Some removed even the prominent leaf veins close to the stem.
Just as much as betel is mentioned in the Jathaka story mention of it has been made in the Mahabaratha, Ramayana and Mahavansa as well.
Anthropologists have found traces of betel in the Spirit caves in Northwest Thailand dating back to 5500-7000 BC, which is even before systematic and organized agriculture came to be practiced. There have been similar findings in Timor in Indonesia going back to 3000 BC and in the blackened teeth of human skeleton in Palawan in the Philippines going back to 2600 BC. Even today some hardened betel chewers in Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia with black teeth as a result of long years of chewing are proud of the discoloration as they say only animals have white teeth!
Betel chewing was prevalent in many parts of China up to about the 19th Century when the use of opium took its place. That was with the ‘kind assistance’ of the British for their ultimate benefit.
Even in the ancient Islamic civilization betel was known in Persia and some Arabic countries. But the habit died a few centuries ago as the leaf and ingredients had to be imported at great cost and it was also considered to be against Islamic teaching. However, followers of the religion in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, etc. are known to chew betel. In fact Sri Lanka exports considerable quantities of leaf and arecanut to Pakistan, the Maldives etc.
Betel has been a great social equalizer since ancient times – emperors and their subjects, landlords and their tenants, high officials and their subordinates all indulged in the habit without restrictions. Then and now it is not subject to taboos by any race such as various kinds of flesh and alcohol are. Even priests are allowed its use. To unmarried Brahmins it was taboo while Burmese children were encouraged to chew in the belief that they would speak their language well. However, some Sinhala elders of a few decades ago discouraged children from chewing in the belief that it would hinder their ability to pronounce English words correctly!
In India in early times betel chewing was considered one of the eight cardinal pleasures of a man or woman. Its value to enhance the quality of life was considered equal to food, sex, music, sleep, incense, flowers and perfume.
The Father of Indian Medicine, Sushruta in the first century AD said betel chewing tends to “cleanse the mouth, imparts a sweet aroma to it, enhance its beauty, cleanse and strengthen the voice, tongue, teeth, jaws and sense organs and acts as a general safeguard against disease.” An ancient writer in Sanskrit wrote that betel has twelve desirable qualities which are pungency, bitter, sweet, spicy, salty, astringent, it expels wind, kills worms, removes phlegm, eradicates odours, purifies all organs of the body and even induces passion!
A chew of betel is said to kill hunger and relieve tiredness which perhaps is the reason why some manual workers are often found chewing throughout the workday. This is certainly true of plantation workers. Robert Knox wrote that Sinhala men and women indulge in betel chewing to while away the hours of darkness before they went to sleep. He also had noted that an illicit lover indicates to the other their secret rendezvous by placing a betel leaf there. In the Caroline Islands experts were able to establish from fresh betel spit the sex of the spitter, what and when the last meal was, whether the person was walking leisurely or running and even more.
What is the modern thinking on betel chewing? Extracts from the lengthy essay ‘Betel Nut’ by the poet, scholar, script writer and critic Stephen Fowler are quoted below to give the views of a present day American.
Quote “Maybe you’re an ageing speed freak, too paranoid and out-of-touch to score the hard stuff anymore. Maybe you’re a khaki preppy looking for an alternative to espresso. Maybe you’re the hippie type optimistically attracted to a multi-cultural lift. Or maybe you just like to salivate. However, you kick it, betel is the ticket.
I was introduced to betel chewing six years ago in a bookshop in San Francisco’s Mission district. My instructor was a cynical young bohemian type prematurely returned from a visit to India.
The active principle in areas is the alkaloid arecoline. In pharmacological terms, arecoline stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, resulting in a contraction of the pupils and an increased secretion of tears and saliva. The later is especially encouraged by areas, as is evident from this description of an early 20th century experiment in which a horse was injected with pure arecoline, “the saliva gushes forth from the animal’s mouth in a solid stream”. (Erich Hesse, Narcotics and Drug Addiction)
The acreca’s sister in crime, betel leaf, comes from a tree climbing vine (piper betle) of the pepper family. The shiny green leaf is heart shaped, and about the size of the palm of your hand. Its essential oil contains a phenol (betel phenol) similar to the aromatic eugenol found in the oil of cloves. Betel-phenol probably contributes stimulant properties of its own, but scant information is available on its pharmacology.
Like the coca-chewers of the Andes, betel users somehow discovered that the addition of lime helps to extract the vital essence of the plants into the saliva (and from there, of course, through the mucous membranes of the mouth and straight into the bloodstream). The catalytic lime is either powder (calcium oxide) or paste (calcium hydroxide). In either case, it is typically made from kiln-baked seashells.
What is it like to chew betel? Enthusiasts recognize three delightful aspects of the experience; the exhilarating lift; the mysterious flavour; and the cleansing; compelling salivation.
In the rare instances where scholarly literature mentions its subjective effects, the news about betel is uniformly good; “it imparts the repeatedly described sensation of well being, good humour, excitation and comfort. The consciousness, of course, remains unimpaired, and the chewer’s capacity for work is in no respect affected. (Hesse) It creates a feeling of energy, appeases hunger and assuages pain. (Henry Brownrigg)
Betel is not an amphetamine, after all. It is a complex of dilute plant alkaloids absorbed slowly through the mucous membranes of the mouth. The result is subtle and “natural” and offers none of that teeth-clenching, palm sweating, eye bugging over stimulation so familiar to users of stronger drugs. Betel is less jarring than espresso and it never leaves you feeling jangled.
Betel, or specifically areca, is an acquired taste; but for those who have acquired it, the flavour is darkly fascinating. It is spicy, though not hot spicy like cinnamon or ginger. It is tannic, but without sourness. It is sweet, though in no way is it sugary. It is a little reminiscent of chocolate, and a little reminiscent of dirt. Above all, the flavour of betel is exotic; and maybe it’s best left at that.
The most unusual (and visible) aspect of betel chewing is its effect on the salivary glands. You don’t just salivate, you pour; and the saliva emerges from your mouth tinted a deep brick red. It is not at all uncommon to spit four fluid ounces of ‘betel juice’ in a single session. And spit it you must; swallowing is not recommended, since it may cause an undesirable sensation of heartburn.
Perverse as it may sound, betel drooling is quite pleasurable indeed. There is an almost orgasmic satisfaction to be found in the experience of saliva-ducts open to full throttle. Delicious above all is the aftermath; when the chew is finished, your mouth is left astonishingly fresh and sweet. You feel uniquely cleansed, drained and purified.
Despite its charm for the initiated, however, this saliva rush is probably the greatest obstacle to betel’s acceptance in the West. Salivation is just too “primitive” for the sanitized First World. Travellers to India are frequently shocked by the red splotches that cover the streets and side walks; clearly this secretory excess strikes many Westerners as not just unaesthetic, but downright filthy. But how do those sidewalks really differ from our own, studded as they are with flattened grey globs of chewing gum? At least betel spit doesn’t stick to the sole of your shoe.
Then there’s the more serious accusation brought to bear by the US Food & Drug Administration; the betel contains “a poisonous or deleterious substance (arecoline) and that habitual chewing may be linked to oral carcinoma. Despite its authoritative tone, the FDA does not provide any medical data to support its allegation, and an examination of the available literature indicates that no conclusive studies have been carried out.
Some medical authorities even contradict the FDA. Dr. B.G. Burton-Bradley wrote in the Lancet that “Betel chewing is practiced daily by no less than 200 million people, the vast majority of whom do not have oral carcinoma” German pharmacologist Hesse stated that “Chronic excesses (of betel) do not cause any permanent health disorders.” Unquote Many Sri Lankan and Indian doctors will, of course, vehemently disagree with Burton- Bradley and Hesse.
Betel chewers specially the hardened ones have five essential utensils. They are the betel tray (in Sinhala thattuwa), container for chunam with an attached spatula (killote) aercanut cutter (giraya) spittoon or caspidor (padikkama) and if needed by the elderly without all their teeth a small mortar with attached pestle (bulath vangediya). In the days gone by in Sri Lanka these were all made of brass. The wealthier folk had some of these with inlaid designs in copper and sliver or gold in Myanmar and Indonesia.
In the Phipippines betel and the other ingredients were placed on intricately carved wooden trays and in some other countries in carved metal or wooden boxes. In the past when high officials or men or women of wealth had formal photographs of themselves taken they had these items close at hand on a table. Such was the importance of betle in their lives.
Of the paraphernalia used by betel chewers, Colombia University’s Prof. Samuel Eilenberg paid a special attention to arecanut cutters. He collected 187 cutters (now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) from several South East Asian countries which Henry Brownrigg describes in his book “Betel Cutters”. The book could however have been more appropriately titled “Arecanut Cutters”.
In the Anuradhapura Museum an arecanut cutter dating back to 993 AD is on display.
In Sri Lanka the most popular and commercially cultivated verities of betel are kahamaneru, ratadalla and galdalu. They are planted in well-managed irrigated beds under light shades and trained to climb up wooden stakes of about five feet in height for easy harvesting. A single vine yields about ten leaves every two weeks, six months after planting. However, village home gardens produce appreciable quantities of leaf for domestic consumption from vines, which climb up a variety of trees in the garden.
The leaves of some of these are somewhat coarse when compared to the cultivated varieties.
The economic importance of betel and arecanut to Sri Lanka is significant. In the first half of 1999 our export income from it was over Rs. 64 million and the Gross Domestic Product value of betel and arecanut in 1999 was 1% of the total rubber and tobacco in comparison were 1.6% and 0.2% respectively.
Arecanuts are generally not cultivated on a commercial scale and nuts come mainly from trees of self-sown seeds in practically every village garden in most parts of the country except those in the high elevations or very dry areas. The value of dried arecanut from exports in the first six months of 1999 amounted to over Rs. 330 million.
In 1999 the average price of 1000 betel leaves (medium) was Rs. 475.55 while 100 raw arecanuts sold for Rs. 99.65 (Source Dept. of Census & Statistics).
In Sri Lanka and many of the countries in which betel chewing is common betel it is intricately woven into their cultures. From the young man who seeks a woman’s hand in marriage until after death itself betel plays a significant role. In India in the days gone by parents of young men visit the homes of girls whom they seek in marriage for their sons taking betel. In the course of conversation a tray of betel is offered to the visitors and if the proposal is rejected the host overturns the tray as if by accident! Also if a visitor is unwelcome the offer of betel is unduly delayed and when it does appear it indicates the visitors should take their leave. In Indonesia, in the past, a man could express his wish to divorce by giving his wife three pieces of arecanut. It was as easy as that then.
Sri Lankan Buddhists decorate a Pirith Mandape with betel leaves and offer a tray of betel to the senior priest requesting commencement of chanting. A couple at the end of the marriage ceremony drop betel leaves on the Magul Poruwa to indicate to Mother Earth of their marriage and place betel leaves on the hood of the Poruwa to inform the Dewas of the union. Along with the traditional items of food, betel is placed on the dining table on Sinhala New Year day. After the meal the elder in the family hands over a coin placed on betel to each member of the family as a token of good wishes for the New Year. In their turn the young offer betel to the elders asking forgiveness for any lapses in the past year. They also offer betel to their parents to announce their success at examinations and such other important events. Elder relatives are invited to family weddings with betel.
In the past physicians, astrologers, high officials teachers, landlords etc. were offered a sheaf of betel consisting of forty leaves by those seeking assistance and with the stem end facing the recipient. Similarly, Buddhist Priests are invited to an Alms Giving with a sheaf of betel. A member of a bereaved family asks an elder relative to assist in the funeral arrangements with betel while in the funeral house itself betel leaves are placed under-side up in the thattuwa.
Betel chewing and its virtues have been expressed in the most glowing terms in the East from the very earliest of time and Westerners like Fowler and others do not look at the practice with the abhorrence they once did. In fact they too seem to share the views of ancient medical men such as Sushruta describing the flavour of betel as exotic and imparting a feeling of well being. Hence, an occasional ‘vita’ particularly after a hearty meal can be better than the once fashionable fumitories which are now universally frowned upon.
(This article was first published in 2002)
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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