Features
Hard times and finally making the grade
Anna Maria worked as a cleaner to help tide us over
I was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria on December 1, 1971. My dear friend, Ronnie de Kretser, was a partner in the firm of Weigall and Crowther, and he arranged for my admission to be moved by Robert Brooking Esq., QC, later Justice Brooking, and a young barrister by the name of Tim Smith, later Justice Smith.
I arrived for work the following Monday and was shown into my office. This was the second shock I received in the space of just over one month. It was not a room but a little cubicle about 10 feet long and six feet wide. It was the space between the boardroom and the main office complex. A large filing cabinet was placed by its entrance and next to it was a small desk and chair for me to use. The only redeeming feature of the cubicle was the large window to the left of my desk which ran all the way from floor to ceiling and looked down onto Lonsdale Street. Little did I realise that I was soon to spend many an unhappy hour looking disconsolately at that view.
Shortly after I settled down, Max bustled in with a dictating machine and several files. He opened the filing cabinet, popped several of the files onto my desk and gave me one to peruse. Each file contained a letter from the insurance company together with an accident report and an investigator’s report. I proceeded immediately to advise. Things were really beginning to look up.
One drawback was that neither Max nor Oscar had told me what they wanted of me, nor what I was required to do. As an advocate/ barrister in Ceylon, my advices were long and learned. I analyzed the facts in detail and wrote learned advices on the law when I was briefed to advise clients. I decided to follow my Ceylonese practice and provided the managers of these insurance companies with a comprehensive advice with regard to each file.
I was completely unaware that all the managers of these insurance companies wanted was to know whether they were liable to indemnify the insured, and what amount they had to pay. Neither Max nor Oscar told me that my advices were completely inappropriate to the extent that I was spending far too much time on each individual report. Instead, they tore my letters of advice to shreds. They even corrected my English in ways that were almost impossible to comprehend.
Let me give you an example of how pedantic these gentlemen were. On one occasion I had written: “The duty of an occupier to take care is …” The letter came back with my words scored off and replaced with the following words: “An occupier’s duty to take care is …”
I thought to myself, “Good God, I took Second-Class Honours in law at Cambridge, and had to come out to the colonies to have my English corrected!” This happened every day and my letters of advice came back completely mutilated so I had to rewrite them in my principal’s English. A few years later I showed these mutilated advices to my dear friend Louis Voumard QC and he was horrified.
But this was the least of my worries. Max treated me with contempt from the commencement of my employment. There was nothing racist in his treatment of me, for Max treated all his employees with contempt. He was a second-class bully (it would be insulting to call him a first-class bully). Many years later I was discussing my experiences of Max with a Queen’s Counsel at the Victorian Bar, who told me that when his son was employed under Max, he suffered a nervous breakdown and had to leave the firm.
On my first day at work when Max had brought me a dictating machine and files, I thanked him and called him “Max”. He remonstrated with me and informed me that I was just an employee in the firm and that I had to call him “Mr Williams”. A week later, I met him in the lavatory, got onto the little platform and stood beside him at the urinal. I looked down on him for he was only 5’4″ tall and said, “Mr Williams, I am sorry we haven’t had a chance to talk to each other.” He brushed past me muttering, “What is there to talk about?”
When I occasionally walked into a room to discuss a problem I had with a particular file, he would look disdainfully at me, pick up the telephone, swivel around in his chair, dial a telephone number and carry on a conversation with an unknown person for many minutes while I stood there looking up at the ceiling and counting the tiles. When he had finished, he would swivel around, glare at me and abuse me for disturbing him. This happened regularly and repeatedly; after some time my soul was completely battered and bruised, my confidence shattered and my mind in turmoil.
I was now at my wits end. I was too proud to go back to Ceylon and face the humiliation of having failed in Australia. My misery was compounded by the fact that I would go to the common room to have lunch every day, as I knew no one in the city of Melbourne. Occasionally, a vicious young employee solicitor would join us for lunch. He paid no heed to the fact that I was a stranger in a foreign land and needed to be treated with kindness and consideration. Whenever I joined in the conversation, he would make a point of humiliating and ridiculing me. I remember one occasion when I brought in some photographs of our tea plantation in Ceylon, this solicitor asked me where I had got these photographs from and why I was pretending to “skite over other people’s property.”
My only friend in the firm was Ian Robertson (now Judge Robertson). He had left the firm to go to the Victorian Bar and I had no one to turn to. I seriously contemplated taking my life, but I could not leave my dear sweet wife alone and friendless in Australia. I would look down at the people walking in Lonsdale Street. They seemed so happy and carefree. Did they know the turmoil in my heart and in my soul? I could not get another job: Eva Mahlab, who ran a legal employment agency and had obtained this job for me, bluntly told me that she could not find me any other employment.
I felt lost, I was desperate. In my hour of darkness I turned to valium. I started taking five mg at night in March 1972. By June I was taking another five mg at lunchtime. Looking back over the years, I cannot comprehend how I managed to drive to work and return-home driving down the South-Eastern Freeway, let alone do a day’s work. My wife was desperate. I had lost all interest in life. I would return home after work and sit in front of the television, staring blankly at the screen until it was time to have dinner and go to bed. The only pleasure I had in my life was at weekends when I could forget for a while about my employment.
One morning in the middle of September 1972, Oscar called me into his room. Max and Oscar had divided the bullying between them over the previous nine months, with each one unwittingly outdoing each other. Oscar smiled sarcastically and said, “Nimal, Max and I have been discussing your future in the firm. We have decided that you have no future in this firm. You are of no use to us because you have no brains.” This was a body blow. I sat there in a state of shock, fearing what was coming next. My sorry little world was about to disintegrate completely. He continued: “We realize that working in a firm doing defendants’ work is far too complicated for you. We thought you ought to join a firm doing personal injuries work for plaintiffs.” I looked down at the floor.
“Another alternative for you would be to go to the Victorian Bar. One of our articled clerks who was a complete fool went to the Bar and we heard that he is doing quite well. That may be your answer, for you don’t need any brains or ability to be a success at the Victorian Bar.” This was the last straw. I went back to my little cubicle, lay my head on my hands and burst out crying. Even 10 mg of valium a day was no help. I was lost, living in a foreign country with no one to turn to for help. That was the longest day of my life. I drove home as I usually did in a daze, but on this occasion I was completely shattered. I have no recollection of how I got home; all I can remember was cars flashing past me.
I drove into the garage. I could not get out of the car. My limbs were frozen. After some time, Anna Maria came to the garage to see why I had not come in. She opened the passenger door and got in. I fell into her arms sobbing and crying. Anna Maria had come from a little village in Northern Italy called Asolo. She had left school at the age of 15 to work, and had worked until we got married. I then told her that she would never have to work again as I would provide for her. Now when I told her what had happened, she said quite firmly that I had to go to the Victorian Bar.
I asked her sarcastically what she knew about the Victorian Bar. I told her that this was impossible, for no Australian solicitor would brief a coloured man. I asked her how we were going to manage. Where was the money to come from? I couldn’t get money out of Ceylon due to stringent exchange control regulations. She looked at me and smiled. She told me that every morning for some months, she had been walking along Glenferrie Road, Malvern to do her shopping. About a month before, she had met two Italian nuns. She heard them speaking in Italian and joined them in their conversation. They asked her whether she was working, to which she replied, “yes’ They then asked her whether she would like to work at the St Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital as there was a vacancy for a cleaner, cleaning floors at the hospital. Anna Maria said yes, but she could only work part-time as she had to return home before her husband got home from work. She did not want him to know that she was working.
She had now been working for a few weeks as a cleaner at the hospital. The little extra money she earned from cleaning floors would come in useful for us. Anna Maria told me that she could now work-full time as a cleaner so that I could go to the Victorian Bar. She reminded me of the fact that I came from one of the great legal families in Ceylon and I had been on my way to the top of the legal profession in Ceylon before we left for Australia. She was the only one who had confidence that I would be a success at the Victorian Bar.
I went into the house, had a shower and felt like a new man. I telephoned several Ceylon-born solicitors in Australia who were practicing in Melbourne, including Ronnie de Kretser. Ronnie had been instrumental in helping me get my employment with Max as he was one of my referees. Every single Ceylon-born solicitor, without exception, cautioned me about going to the Bar, and advised me that no Australian solicitor would brief a coloured man. A few days after I made my decision to go to the Bar, I went to a friend’s son’s wedding. It was a Ceylonese affair. One cantankerous, nasty old Ceylonese-born solicitor, told the assembled guests that he had an announcement to make. In loud stentorian tones, he told the assembled gathering that I was going to the Victorian Bar and that there were easier ways of committing suicide. Great stuff, that.
The night after I made my decision, I threw my remaining valium pills in the bin. The next morning I strode into Oscar’s office and told him that I would take his advice and go to the Victorian Bar. One interesting feature of my employment was that during the nine months I had been there, I would be regularly called upon to contribute 20 cents for presents for employees who were leaving
the firm, even though I did not know any of them. I must apologize for this pettiness, but when I left, I did not receive a present, nor did Max and Oscar wish me well.I can now look back years later with considerable satisfaction. Although the early years were difficult, I am the author of Voumard: The Sale of Land, a work of recognized excellence in Australia, listed in the top twenty legal books in Australia. I am an authority on land law and a Queen’s Counsel. I was also appointed as a judge on the Court of Appeal in Fiji. I wonder what would have happened if I had not gone to the Victorian Bar?
My story has a happy ending. Supposedly it is Talleyrand who said, “Revenge is a dish best served cold” In 1986, I saw Oscar wandering around in Owen Dixon Chambers. He looked extremely sheepish when he saw me, for I was now a successful barrister. I had been invited to write a conveyancing manual and I took a leaf out of what Damon Runyan did when he wrote his first book: he dedicated it to his employer “who fired him with ambition”. I told Oscar that I was going to dedicate my work to Max “for firing me with ambition”.
I did write the conveyancing manual but certainly did not dedicate it to Max. I will be eternally grateful to Max and Oscar for giving me a helping hand to climb the rungs of the ladder of life in Australia.
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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