Features
“From Hollywood Royalty to a Serene Highness:
The story of Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly.”
by Dahami Samarathunga
Being universally loved, even by generations yet to come, could be a dream for many. But, once a while, some rare specimens are born and would leave their imprints on earth so profoundly, that many seem to struggle of letting them go. Grace Kelly was born on November 12th, 1929, amidst the aftermath of the Wall Street collapse, into a family led by Jack Kelly, a former Olympian, whose fortune remained intact despite the mayhem.
He married Margaret Majer, an educated and ambitious woman of German descent, she was a true matriarch who raised her children with a ‘Teutonic’ approach, earning her the nickname ‘Prussian general mother’ from her children. Despite their lavishes, the Kellys ensured their children remained grounded and the Kelly kids to call her their ‘Prussian general mother’. Despite their lavishes, Kelly’s ensured their children were grounded and weren’t oblivious to the realities of the world.
Grace was first sent to ‘Ravenhill Academy’, where she evoked her passion for acting. Despite her family’s disapproval, she found a confidant in her uncle, Pulitzer price winning playwright George Kelly, who supported her passion. Kelly was later sent to ‘Stevens School ‘in Germantown, as her father believed Ravenhill didn’t emphasize enough on athletics. At Steven’s Grace was dubbed as a bit of a troublemaker, often going on rebellious strikes.
“She always had this interesting dichotomy between wanting to do what her mother and traditional mores told her to do and having this rebellious pull…”, writer James Spada revealed. Growing up in a conservative household, it comes as no surprise that Kelly might’ve felt the urge to tap into her wilder and rebellious side, after frequently succumbing to pressure from her parents throughout her entire life.
In 1947, Grace was enrolled in new York’s American academy of dramatic arts. However, her audition was nothing remarkable, and was noted for her pronounced Philadelphian twang, which the teachers found a bit crass and unusual, for theatre. “So, she developed this almost British way of speaking, very measured, vowels very rounded.” Spada revealed. Shortly after the criticism to work on her accent, Grace’s instructors noticed a change in her dialect and believed that now she had potential to pursue a career in theatre, with the hope of testing the waters of Hollywood. And by 20 years old, Grace was earning a sizeable income as a model who appeared in both magazines and television.
Grace was quite taken aback with her new status as a model, as growing up she has never considered herself as a remarkable beauty. Alice Dodre, a childhood friend of Kelly once revealed ‘We had no idea she was as beautiful as she was, Grace always had a bandana on and the glasses.”, adding, “And when she went to NY and we started to see her on television and we’d see her magazines, it was like ‘my heavens that’s our Grace?'”
In 1949, Kelly’s big break on Broadway came with ‘The Father,’ but the play closed shortly after its release. However, this setback didn’t hinder her career, as she went on to appear in over 60 television dramas within the next two years. Regardless of her success, Kelly wasn’t thrilled with her career direction as she didn’t consider television as a serious form of artistic medium and believed it lacked certain elements and artistic expression that was more profound in theatre or cinema. In 1951 Kelly, starred in her first Hollywood movie, “Fourteen Hours”, but many believed her breakthrough when she was casted in the movie ‘High Moon’ opposite Gary Cooper.
‘High noon’ lifted Kelly from obscurity and put her on the map in Hollywood, which made director John Ford, offer her a role in ‘Mogambo’. However, prior getting the role, MGM demanded her to sign a standard 7-year contract, which she swiftly refused, asserting her authority as someone not to be taken lightly. ‘She wasn’t a girl of hosiery counter or from a small town. She was well provided for so she could be tougher in her negation “, film critic Andrew Sarris once revealed. “She was less dependent on other people’s responses than any actress I’ve met in Hollywood, who was extremely strong willed, but with great politesse”, actress Celeste Holm once said, “She was even more aware of who she was, she was George Kelly’s niece, that’s who. And she knew it.”
During the shooting of “Mogambo” in Africa, Kelly infamously fell in love with her co star Clark Gable. However, despite being romantically linked in Africa, Gable insisted on breaking off their relationship once they arrived in LA, which left her heartbroken. Again, it was easier for a woman to build a reputation in Hollywood and for Kelly the rumour was that she was falling in love with their co stars.
Her close ones believed Kelly couldn’t quite comprehend how relationships in Hollywood functioned and the duality of its repercussions. Shortly after the heartbreak, Kelly received a call from Alfred Hitchcock, who was searching for his next leading lady for his upcoming project,” Dial M for Murder’ as his leading actress Ingrid Bergman had taken a career hiatus. Hitchcock was distraught over Bergman’s absence, but sensed fire under Kelly’s often regal and sensual image which propelled him to make her his muse. And it was safe to say that Kelly eventually ended up becoming his saving Grace.
Hitchcock praised Kelly for the subtlety and the level of sophistication she brought to the screen, revealing his fascination with her, comparing her to a ‘’A snow covered volcano ‘. He visioned her as someone ‘that was ladylike, elemental and was suggestive of icy Olympian height, that wasn’t uncovered by autonomy yet. And throughout their collaborations, he emphasized these characteristics and enshrined her as an archetype that was vastly different from the “bimbo” type of characters, other actresses were forced to play.
After the release of her movie “Rear Window” in 1953, Kelly was looking for roles to finally showcase her dramatic prowess instead of her sexual appeal. She found a project that she felt could finally showcase her full artistic flair in the movie ‘Country Girl’, which was a character that was the opposite of her previous breezy heroin roles. Kelly was determined to take on the offer, as she had never played such an unglamorous role, but the studios were against her decision, fearing it might hinder her status in Hollywood as one of its most sought stars.
William Halden, her co star in ‘Country Girl’ once revealed how Grace overcame the disapproval of studio bosses to star in ‘Country Girl’ by standing on her ground, threatening to leave the studio, saying, “I’ll tell you what I will do. I’ll give you my address so you will know where to send your Christmas cards.’, Halden also revealed that less than 20 minutes after the call, she finally had the part.
Kelly’s compelling performance in “Country Girl” landed her an Oscar in 1955 with critics praising her for her selectiveness when it came her movies. “No movie star ever had a great script like Kelly.” they said.
In year 1955 Grace attend the Cannes, and on May 6th she was invited to near by Monaco palace to meet its Prince Renier, to spend the afternoon and pose for photographs, which was a decision that altered the course of her life. After reluctantly agreed to a photo session with the prince, Kelly was given a tour of palace garden and zoo, where the two posed together for press. The meeting certainly brought a lot of attention to Monaco due to Kelly’s fame and later that evening, it was said that she reported to a friend that she found her prince charming, as their chemistry was undeniable.
It’s been revealed that Marilyn Monroe was one of the first choices they had in mind when searching a bride for Renier, as Greek shipping magnate Aristotle who was a close friend of Reinier, suggested to improve the image of Monaco by marrying a Hollywood star, as it would increase tourism to the now cash-poor destination. Although Monroe wasn’t interested in Reinier, she was certain that upon their meeting, ‘he’d fall head over heels for her’.
However, at the time Monroe was going through her own personal turmoil and was in an uphill battle against Hollywood, who were exploiting her for her fame. Besides, the chaplains of Monaco later voiced apprehension that Monroe’s status as a global sex symbol might overshadow their public image as a royal couple, which propelled them to look for other options. However, on the day of Kelly’s wedding, Monroe was one of the firsts to send her well wishes, sending a telegram that read: “I’m so happy you found a way out of this business.”
No matter the fame and recognition, the likes of Monroe and Kelly knew that with the course of time, the inevitable would eventually occur. Kelly was now of course at peak of her career, but she wasn’t sure about how long it would last before, she too could possibly fade into the shadows of show business as it had happened to starlets before her time due to Hollywood’s unkind treatment of women. Also, Her father had initially refused to consider acting as a noble career for his daughter, viewing it as a profession “a slim cut above streetwalker”, which often lingered in the back of her mind.
Kelly’s parents were finally impressed with her choice of a partner in Reiner and bestowed their blessings upon their marriage. “What better son in law l for a social climbing man, than a prince.” Spada once said on Jack Kelly’s joy on his daughter and Reinier’s union. “He was roman Catholic; he (Reinier) had never been married or divorced.”
Despite the premise and resemblance of a fairytale, their marriage was carried to fruition under the French law, which relied Monaco’s survival as a principality on prince producing an heir. It was reported that Grace was submitted to a medical examination ensuring she could supply a successor to the prince, which put an extra pressure on her. An according to ancient tradition, it was revealed that her parents had to provide a sizeable dowry, which had said to “left a sour taste in their mouth”.
However, they eventually relented after Grace’s pleading and offer to pay a half of the dowry by herself, making sure her siblings weren’t left short handed. After going public with their union, Kelly was still under contract with MGM was set to star in the movie “High Society”. As the public was left with the question whether Kelly will resume her career after tying the knot, Reinier was firm on his stance announcing that “High Society’ would indeed be Grace Kelly’s final motion picture.
19th April 1956 Grace Kelly became her serene highness princess grace of Monaco. The wedding was televised live to over 30 million people, marking a milestone in media history. Barbara Walters recalled interviewing Kelly about her impending wedding in 1956 and noted Kelly’s struggle to answer questions, which she believed might’ve ‘caught her off guard’- ‘Every question was difficult for her”, she said, “when the interview is over, she almost broke down in tears,” implying that the reality might’ve hit Kelly that her fate was on the verge of undergoing a drastic change.
Kelly gave birth to a daughter and son in years 1957 and 1958 and with her fame, their tourism increased tremendously, with Monaco bursting into the global consciousness, with Kelly taking the center stage, captivating the world’s attention.
In 1962, Kelly received a message stating that Hitchcock wanted her to star in his upcoming movie, “Marnie.”, which showed her demand in the industry, despite leaving Hollywood almost a decade ago. Her closed ones knew she yearned of returning Hollywood, especially once her children grow older as she always felt she couldn’t end her career on her own terms.
It was rumoured that Reinier initially didn’t show any disdain to the idea of Kelly’s return to silver screen, which’s why many believed she was distraught when he objected the offer at the last minute, causing her to withdraw from the movie.
It was reported that Kelly was offered a staggering 1 million for the movie, but her closed ones knew, it wasn’t the prospect of wealth that flattered her, but the opportunity to reclaim the independence, earning power and agency she felt she had lost in her marriage. In 1965 she was ecstatic with the birth of her 3rd child Stephanie, as she believed her daughter’s arrival made it easier for her to shift her attention elsewhere over her personal and career heartache.
By the 70s it was said that Kelly and Reinier had grown apart, with rumours speculating that Rainier had been unfaithful to her. During the rough patch, making the best of the situation, Kelly transformed Monaco’s red cross society into one of the generous and powerful units in the world, creating the “Princess Grace Foundation’ to assist international artists, who needed a helping hand. During this time, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to philanthropy, travelling across the globe, championing cases close to her heart.
But again, this was once a movie star, who had won an Oscar at 26 years old and had abruptly ended her career, during what many considered to be her prime. In 1976, Kelly’s wistful thinking of returning to Hollywood became a reality, as she made a rare appearance at the Edinburgh Film Festival and performed in a poetry recital, proving she could still very well move an audience.
In 1976 Kelly sat down for an interview with Merv, where she reflected on career, humanitarian work, and life as a royal. When she was asked about her earliest memory of Monaco, she recalled how uneasy she felt during the shooting of one of her movies, where she had to drive at the narrow hillside in Monte Carlo and couldn’t focus as she was fearful of losing control of her vehicle. “I had to drive a car and go on a very tricky little turn and had to stop by a Bush this far from the edge.
I think I was more worried about that and less able to take in the beautiful scenery”. She said. Ironically, this would become a premonition of her untimely death, as it was eerily similar to what would be her tragic end six years later, as she was killed in a car accident in the hillside of Monte Carlo, while driving with her youngest daughter, who survived the crash.
Grace Kelly’s journey, from Hollywood royalty to serene highness of Monaco, was something for storybooks. For her, becoming a royal was her toughest role yet, as the public of Monaco seemed even harder to impress and more judgmental than those of Hollywood. However, in the end, the public believed she had more than fulfilled her promise, exceeding their expectations of those who scoffed at her for marrying a prince. She redefined and was a blueprint for modern day princess and served as an inspiration for the likes of princess Diana, whom she had formed a kinship, due their similar upbring as commoners, marrying into royalty. “The idea of my life as a fairy tale is itself a fairy tale”, Kelly once said.
It was known that her role as a princess prevented her from indulging in the joys she once found in her younger years as she had to uphold her image as the princess of Monaco, which left her feeling shattered. But Kelly often made no secret that, she preferred ‘good memories to regrets”, and was committed to succeed in her role as a royal, just like she did in Hollywood, as it became her ‘self fulfilling prophecy’. “I’ve had happy moments in my life, but I don’t think that happiness, is a perpetual state that anyone can be in.” Kelly once said. “Life isn’t that way.”
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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