Features
Escapades of officer cadets of KDA Intake 3
by Nilakshan Perera
On August 3, 1982, fourteen of us came from various parts of the Island to the Kotelawala Defence Academy (KDA) along Airport Road, Ratmalana, to start our careers as Service Cadet Officers. We had been informed by Telegram to report to the KDA by 1500 hrs and all of us were there well on time, accompanied by our parents and some well-wishers. We were filled with mixed emotions of excitement tempered with a twinge of anxiety as well, to what was in store for us from then on. We had opted for a career in the Armed Forces and now we had got the opportunity to prove ourselves.
We were the lucky 14 out of 1,067 applicants to join the KDA as Officer Cadets of the Third Intake. We had to face four separate interviews: first at Army Headquarters, then the Officer Quality Test (OQT) at the Armoured Corps’ Rock House Camp at Mutwal and a medical examination at the Military Hospital. The final interview was at the Ministry of Defence with the three Service Commanders and Secretary of Defence, Gen Sepala Attygalle as Chairman of the Board. All candidates need to score the aggregate of marks required to gain entry to University as well as to have excelled in extracurricular activities at the school level.
The selected 14 were Thiru Amaran from Trinity, Saliya Weerakkody from St Joseph’s, Bandarawela, Damian Fernando from St Sebastian’s, Moratuwa, Upul Wijesinghe from Thurstan, Shantha Liyanage from Prince of Wales, Dimuthu Gunawardena from S.Thomas’, Palitha Sirimal from Dharmasoka, Ruwan Upul Perera from Maris Stella, Lal Padmakumara from St Mary’s, Kegalle and six Anandians, Dhammika Pananwela, Preethi Vidanapathirana, Manoj Jayasuriya, Shantha Edirisinghe and Nilakshan Perera. Among them, there were four head prefects, two Cadet Corps Sergeant Majors, three Cadet Sergeants, one Sri Lanka Schools basketball player, one Schools triple jump record holder, and two national swimmers.
Group photograph taken in front of Sir John’s bungalow, 1984
We were all over the moon when we received confirmation of our selection by registered post. As instructed we had packed our suitcases with our clothing and toiletries, etc. according to the list that was provided and reported to the KDA as instructed. As young 19-year-old schoolboys, all wearing their college blazers and college ties, I am sure we would have made a fine picture on that memorable first day at KDA.
Soon we were asked to say our goodbyes to our parents and well wishers and no sooner they left, all of us were taken to the Quarter Masters Stores and provided with various service issues such as boots, mess tins, water bottles, tennis shoes, white T’shirts, KDA Colors track kits, black overalls, belts, berets, white towels, bed sheets, pillowcases, and other necessities.
All these were packed into a big sack-like bag popularly known as “Ali Kakula” among service personnel as it resembled the leg on an elephant. We were all delighted to receive this, without realizing what will happen next. There was one Warrant officer and two PT Instructors who asked us to carry this Ali Kakula and took us for an extended “Camp tour” lugging all that weight. This was our first taste of what we were in for as officer cadets. This was no ordinary camp tour. There we were, all smartly dressed in our crisp shirts and trousers, well-polished shoes, and our school blazers and ties, now carrying our newly acquired possessions inside the Ali Kakula, trotting on the double from one place to another. Starting from the main gate in front of Ratmalana Airport, and then to the side gate that leads to Kandawala Road, Sir John’s Lake (Next to Bata), four corners of Kandawala Estate, Summer hut, aquarium, farm, paddy fields and at last ending up adjoining Ratmalana Airport hangars.
After dinner all of us were waiting to see our seniors. There were 34 super seniors of Intake 1 consisting of Engineering Cadets from Moratuwa University and Physical Science undergraduates from the University of Colombo. Our immediate seniors of Intake 2 consisted of 27 cadets – Engineering, Physical Science, and Arts undergraduates. Just as we were about to go to bed around 10.30 pm Intake 2 seniors came and greeted us very well in accordance with military standards.
Next day we were addressed by Capt Raj Fernando, a tall Cadet Corp Officer who was one of the most respected English teachers and fatherly figure to all of us. He introduced himself as our Troop Commander. Maj LCR Goonawardena of the Artillery, a great officer, was our Squadron Commander. He was a former Chief of Staff of the Army and retired as Maj General in 2002. Then there was Sgt Fernando WEA from Artillery as our Intake Sgt, a soldier to the bone and a sergeant with a high professional outlook who always wanted nothing less than the best from us.
Hon Minister of National security Mr Lalith Athulathmudali, the Chief Guest of the Passing Out Parade in Sept 1986
Our daily routine was to wake up at 4.30 a.m. and get ready for PT at 5.30 a.m. after tidying our billet including toilets, corridors, windows, ceiling fans, etc for inspection. After PT at 7.00 a.m. was breakfast and by 8.30 squad drill training at the Airport hangar and then back at Sir John’s bungalow for Military Studies. The lunch break was from 12.45 to 1.30 pm and then again military studies till 3.30. After the 15-minute tea break, we were off for recreational practices at Railway Grounds near Galle Road, Ratmalana or Kandawela Vidyalaya which was next to KDA. For a few months we had military lectures like map reading, service writing, leadership studies, current affairs, fieldcraft and basic tactics.
Then in September lectures began at the Colombo University. The cadets got transport to the Colombo campus and back by Army TATA 1210 truck. We alighted at Brodie House, Bullers Road, near the Army Commander’s official residence by 7.45 am ready for 8.00 am lectures, and were picked up by 6.15 pm at the same location. For lunch, we had to walk up to Volunteer Service Corps Camp which was at the old Race Course. All of us needed to participate in sports at the Colombo University as our seniors were dominating most of the sports like football, rugger, basketball, cricket, hockey athletics, badminton. rowing, and swimming.
In Dec 1982, before our first 10-day vacation for Christmas we had our Parent’s Day where parents and family members were invited to see their sons’ abilities after being moulded into the military culture. We also had several Mess Nights and, according to the seating plan, had to sit with senior officers of all three forces and, of course, our seniors of Intake 1 & 2. Though there was all kinds of delicious food, we couldn’t enjoy the repast as much as we would have liked to because of the array of unfamiliar cutlery laid out on the tables. The senior officers were keenly watching our table manners and we had to find other ways of satisfying our hunger.
Fortunately, there were plenty of coconut trees on Gen Sir John’s Kandawala Estate. Most nights, especially around midnight, a few of us started a covert operation. During the day we did a recce to earmark trees with a good crop of kurumba, especially those palms located far from the Seniors’ Study Halls. We had a remarkable guy who could climb a coconut tree of any height in absolute darkness. Two of us held a ground sheet with a rolled up white bedsheet made into a ring at its center. Our friend on the tree would drop each kurumba bang on target onto the groundsheet even from a height of 40 to 60 feet. All this was done in complete darkness with no light whatsoever. (We had no access to night vision equipment at that time.). All he could see was the faint outline of the white circle of the bed-sheet and fortunately for us, he never missed his target as otherwise two of us would have been the first-ever cadets to die under tragic circumstances at KDA. We should go down in history as thus having practiced aerial bombing in Sri Lanka warfare! Our tree-climber friend eventually became a specialist in the area of aerial bombing!
(to be continued next week)
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
