Features
‘Killi’ Rajamahendran: One of a kind
BY FARAZ SHAUKETALY
The passing away of one of the last of Sri Lanka’s ‘Big Men’ drew immediate concern as to the state of independent broadcasting in Sri Lanka. Such was the impact that Rajendram Rajamahendran – who passed away in July 2021 – had on the political and commercial landscape of this island nation.
Our paths crossed some years ago when I decided to compile a book on the wealthy in Sri Lanka. I had to create some hype and awareness and I called on good fortune from the past. A maternal uncle of mine had worked for the Maharaja Organisation, and had maintained a good rapport with Mr Rajamahendran. After my uncle’s death the friendship continued, with my aunt keeping in touch along with my cousin who was working in the region. I called my cousin and aunt and asked for a reintroduction to Mr Rajamahendran. I got an email invitation to see him in his office. We had a brief chat and he then said I was to coordinate with Chevaan Daniel for whatever publicity I needed for the book. I had coverage on radio, television interviews and cover on the prime-time news. My friend, Angela Seneviratne, assured me that I had got more than anyone would have wanted.
After the launch I asked for an appointment and went to the head office, armed with limited edition copies of the book. Mr Rajamahendran greeted me and as we walked towards his office he laughed and said, ‘With all your detective work you could not get a photograph of me’. I admitted that was the case and related that my printer had sourced one for me and had quoted Rs 50,000 over the phone. I explained to the Boss that even if the man had quoted 250,000, I would have happily paid and confirmed over the phone. It was his turn to smile, but he was happier when I told him that the offer of a picture for Rs 50,000 was not of him anyway! He was very private and didn’t want any publicity for himself. The boss thanked me for the books I presented to him, and told me that he had purchased several copies off the shelf from a leading departmental store, which was the first to stock the book. He had already supported me!
A colossus
Mr Rajamahendran was truly a colossus. When I saw an advert for a fireside chat proclaiming that six daring businessmen would be present, I immediately took umbrage. ‘What’s the point I would say to anyone who would listen, the only daring person in our country has to be ‘RR’ – my favourite mantra was ‘RR built the Maharaja Organisation twice over. We are now better than ever before’. The boss believed not in publicity, but in truth. I always found it interesting that despite his private personality, he owned easily the most vociferous media stable in the country. He was passionately and pro-actively involved in his media stables. He uniquely possessed an intrinsic understanding of the people’s unspoken voice.
In 2015, the story that would eventually change the Governor of the Central Bank, replace the then Minister of Finance, responsible for the calling of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry and perhaps reshaping the trajectory of the political landscape in Sri Lanka, broke ground. News1st led the way in highlighting the blatant conflict of interest, and the political patronage extended to the perpetrators, in what was to become popularly known as the Central Bank Bond Scam. The Attorney General’s department described it as the largest ever financial fraud inflicted upon the people of Sri Lanka.
Not once did Mr Rajamahendran flinch from carrying on the expose of all exposes in contemporary Sri Lankan history. By then Mr Rajamahendran had already spotted a niche in the market, and Newsline Live was born in July 2015. We broadcast at the almost god forsaken hour of 7 am. My colleague, the former Presidential Spokesperson and later diplomat, Bandula Jayasekera, had his own early-morning programme “Pathikada” on Sirasa. Internally there was opposition to both Bandula and me. The boss made the final decision and we were on our way. Bandula always reminded me that we were opening the batting for the Group. Ensure, he warned me gravely, don’t put the Boss in a bad mood with a poor performance; the rest of the Group will blame us, he assured me. What more inspiration did we need other than to satisfy the exacting expectations of our Chairman. We were both mature enough to understand that he was in effect mentoring our programmes.
It became a matter for concern amongst colleagues that no matter what the subject of discussion was, Newsline found a way to highlight the bond scam and the sheer audacity of then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. Chevaan Daniel came up with the 6-minute radio talk segment on YesFm ‘Talk of the Town’. There were rumblings of discontent about my continuous highlighting of the then Prime Minister’s failings in the Bond Scam. The prime time Talk of the Town was shifted to an hour later. The boss advised me that I ought to stand my ground. Boss gave me as he did to all, opportunity. As the de facto Editor in Chief he could have ordered me to change my content – but no he did not interfere.
Forthright
Mr Rajamahendran was forthright. Not once did he ask me to change my presentation of the Bond Scam. We collected a team of regular commentators, one of whom was described by a then serving Judge of the Supreme Court as a TV Advocate. Mr Rajamahendran was incensed that the public’s monies had been squandered and virtually robbed by the perpetrators of the Bond Scam. He did not leave any stone unturned. He even called whilst on holiday abroad to remind the Editorial team to keep the Bond Scam in the spotlight.
Mr Rajamahendran to me was the ultimate creator of opportunity. So many youngsters were quietly funded by him to further their education. When they succeeded more responsibility was thrust upon them – enabling them to shine on. Some even left the Group but Boss did not hold anything against them. Even the gentleman would only have expected them to have the courtesy of informing him they were going. Mr Rajamahendran’s gentlemanly ways were infectious. Boss would routinely walk down to the car park and bid his goodbyes there. Once a visiting Head of State wanted to have a cuppa with the Boss after a small event. They retreated to what I often called ‘the comfort zone’ – Boss’s office. The Leaders’ security detail were beside themselves, when a very long time had elapsed with no sign of the Leader emerging. They had tried to guide the Leader to his car after the event only to be told by their Leader, ‘I am having a cup of tea with my friend’. Boss insisted that no matter how contentious the topic of discussion, guests on our network were just that – guests, visiting our home. We were not to get personal and ‘attack them’ – debate the issue professionally and be gentlemanly about it. And of course, the Boss was intensely loyal. Woe betide anyone who made false accusations against any of us journalists. On a live programme once he demanded that a guest retract his accusation against me that I was slinging mud. He wanted the guest to know that I was very much part of the CMG networks.
Yet another occasion, when I was discussing a national leader, I kept referring to him as Mr So and So. He looked at me and said you know the proper way is to use the title, Honourable. I said but this person is anything but. That’s the way it must be – counselling, ‘give the correct title.’
There was a boyish, mischievousness in him as well. One weekend I decided to take my friends from Britain’s Channel 4 to Mannar. It was a visit that had nothing to do with the Group, and I was careful to not involve them. The Londoners were convinced that the skeletal remains being uncovered were related to the troubles of the ethnic conflict. I wanted to show them that in the so-called new ambiance Sri Lanka was ‘uncovering’ as opposed to ‘covering up’.
Surprise
Imagine my surprise when I was on the primetime news that evening highlighting me as being on the trail of a big story! Well if Channel 4 had been right it would have been a scoop. The remains were later identified by a Florida lab as being 600 plus years old – long before Prabhakaran was even dreamt of. When I went to South Korea with my friend Asoka Wijegunaratne, with a stop over in Hong Kong, everyone in the office including and especially Bandula Jayasekera, were convinced I was on the trail for Arjuna Mahendran. It was a lot of fun but it was serious too.
Many were the times that I was sent off to meet legal eagles about some angle that manifested itself. At times I feared the cost involved. But I soon learned that what Boss wanted was to be perfectly correct, not only from a moral perspective but also from a legal view. It would be fair to say that My Boss found the advisories from legal frustrating at times, holding him – us – back from going gung-ho after culprits. It never stopped him and the News1st identity kept going year-in year-out, whoever was in power. It didn’t mean in the slightest that he downgraded legal counsel, merely that he found it impinging on his style of news – a free spirit of news. It was clear to me that thanks to the opportunity created by Rajendram Rajamahendran, our network was the permanent opposition to any government in power. On air, live, I could not simply be quiet – I announced that in my view my Boss ought to be the Prime Minister. Boss was unimpressed – he chided me immediately with one word by SMS. I had a cup of coffee with him immediately after the programme.
Perhaps one of the greatest tributes came from former Governor and President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne. He said that Mr Rajamahendran was the real opposition to any government of the day. It was almost like no matter who won and how handsome the margin of victory was, the real opposition was found in the voice of his media stables, all popularly known by the one name: Sirasa. It has been said that had the circumstance of his birth been different – that is if he had been born a Sinhalese son of the soil – he would have attained the highest office in this independent nation.
Many regretted the timing of his passing: with Sri Lanka in the throes of its most exacting and challenging period in its entire history. The CV19 pandemic has affected every nook and cranny of the nation, and there has been no let in the amount of money and time being squandered, either on vanity projects or projects purely designed to please the in-house stooges of the day. The people only ever got the fungi-laden crumbs anyway – the principal mitigatory power remained the Maharaja Organisation (CMG) media stables Sirasa, Shakthi and TV1 and its radio stations. Boss was the driving force and was unafraid to remain strong in the face of the most intense intimidatory tactics. Many others of lesser stature would have done a U-turn a long time ago. Not for him the U-turn. The Boss was truly the Iron Man of Sri Lanka.
Hard work
President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, where he is now the Speaker, described Mr Rajamahendran’s success as sheer hard work. Indeed it was. Some years ago I asked for an appointment to see him. My SMS went out at just past 5 am. He responded immediately, ‘come now’. I met him two and a half hours later – after my programme. Naturally I asked about the early timing. He assured me that he had been in office since early morning as he had discovered an issue with our flagship operation, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. He was intense, He was always decisive and constantly incisive.
It has taken me a long time to finish this article, which I started within minutes of learning of his passing from a friend. Chevaan Daniel is not in the habit of waking us up in the early hours. When my Samsung displayed Chevaan Daniel, I knew this was the confirmation that I had just heard. I was devastated. Boss was strong in mind and in physique. In my view Boss had a good 12 years of leadership in him. Incongruously he passed on July 25th – when, on that same day, several years ago, our group was burning to ashes. Rajendram Rajamahendran rose from those ashes, Phoenix like, to recreate the Maharaja Organisation to be better, stronger than we ever were.
The ‘Killi’ legacy is a springboard for our Group’s future. No one will be happier than ‘RR’ that all of whom he has left behind will aspire to use that springboard, to take all our businesses to even greater heights, whilst fully and unequivocally being truly representative of Sri Lanka’s opportunity, hopes and aspirations. Boss was intensely proud to be Sri Lankan. He was proud of his roots despite the many sticks and stones – and bombs – that were thrown his way.
In a philosophical way it was perhaps comforting that this gentle giant left in the way he did – a victim to the pandemic CV19. The alternative may well have been leaving us all as a victim of a lack of political self-confidence, perhaps in a far more brutal and malicious manner.
The wreaths that we did not receive we know all about – from the hundreds of thousands of people in Sri Lanka and around the world, who were shocked by his untimely demise and expressed their sorrow and prayed for the soul of Mr Rajendram Rajamahendran.
Ultimately the facts are these: that a young man from Colombo took his business with for a while his brother Maha, to enormous heights ending up as one of the largest privately held conglomerates in Sri Lanka. To appreciate the enormity of his contribution to the broadcast media, one must understand that Boss was a man from the minority community. He had no need to wear a badge of honour. He truly was a son of this soil. He truly believed that we in Sri Lanka were as one – save for some miscreants who traded then and even do so now, on the cheapness of the communal card. That did not detract Boss, and he strove on his forward trajectory of the ultimate: One Sri Lanka.
Rajendram Rajamahendran was born a Maharaja. He lived his life as a Maharajah. Farewell Boss, forever missed, forever will you remain My Chief Inspirator. Lala Salama Mzee Rajendram Rajamahendran – One of a Kind.
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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