Features
A CHEF IN LOVE – Part 37
CONFESSIONS OF A GLOBAL GYPSY
By Dr. Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena DPhil
President – Chandi J. Associates Inc. Consulting, Canada
Founder & Administrator – Global Hospitality Forum
chandij@sympatico.ca
A Romantic Ushering of 1978
Hotel Ceysands enjoyed a 100% room occupancy on December 31, 1977, and as the Executive Chef and the Food & Beverage Manager of the hotel, it was a very busy day for me. I enjoyed every minute I spent leading my teams to deliver an ambitious 133-item buffet and champagne service for the New Year’s Eve dinner dance. My partner for the dance, the hotel General Manager’s teenage daughter, reminded me a few times, not to be late ushering in the new year, 1978 with her. She seemed anxious to tell me something special by midnight. She was worried that I was still in my chef uniform carving meats for late comer guests at 11:00 pm.
Shani was relieved to see me changed into a suit just before midnight. That was our very first dance. Every time we partnered to dance over the next 16 years at New Year’s Eve dances at different hotels in different countries, we laughed at how nervous we were on that memorable New Year’s Eve dance ushering 1978. Also, it was because her parents watched us like hawks. At midnight we managed to escape from their view to a less visible corner of the dance floor. We then declared our deep love for each other.
Meetings and Partings
The entire management team of the hotel met for all three meals everyday towards the end of each meal service to guests. A table for ten was arranged for us. Seven managers and two or three manager’s wives joined the executive table with Shani. We hardly had any formal management team meetings but used the meal table to talk about urgent matters. It was like one big family. From early 1978, Shani always kept the seat next to her strictly reserved for me.
I worked the whole day from morning till night almost every day during the tourist season. After lunch service, I relaxed a little by going for speedboat rides, playing some tennis, walking on the beach or playing cards with Shani and her mother. That tourist season was memorable in many ways. Towards the end of the season, I was saddened to hear that Shani and her mother would be away for nearly six months from April, 1978. They departed on a European trip visiting family and friends, mainly in England, West Germany and Austria.
During the tourist off season, the hotel occupancy came down drastically. Walkers Tours arranged a familiarising tour in Europe for the General Manager – Captain D. A Wickramasinghe (Wicks) and the Hotel Manager – Alan Silva. They planned to be away for two months. Terrence Hopman (Hoppy) who was the Executive Chef before me, returned after six months of sick leave. Hoppy and I were promoted to Assistant Managers. I continued to manage kitchens, restaurants, bars and stores. Hoppy was in charge of the other operational areas – front office, house-keeping, laundry etc. Soon after that, Hoppy and I were appointed to be Acting General Managers in charge of the hotel for two months.
Two Acting GMs
Those two months were filled with a lot of fun, some new learning experiences and a couple of mistakes as well. Hoppy and I shared one office and we did our inspection tours together. We were a perfect team. At times, I over did some pranks that angered Hoppy. However, I was quickly forgiven and we became friends 
again. Those days during the tourist off season with very low occupancy were boring and we had to entertain ourselves somehow.
Captain Wicks was a good delegater. He entrusted Hoppy and I to manage several special projects while he was away. We were given many assignments. Most of our time was spent preparing a detailed salary scale for all jobs, drawing up complete lists of all supplies for the whole year, developing purchasing specifications for all small operating equipment plus coordinating maintenance projects. Having done all that work, I learnt some new skills. Gradually I became confident and convinced that I was now fully prepared to become a hotel manager.
One day, Samaranayake (Sam) took Hoppy and I on a tour of the boats and maintenance areas. He briefed us as to how he intended doing major repairs to the hotel pontoon which had a carrying capacity of 60 passengers. Having spent his entire career in the Navy and recently retired with the rank of Master Chief, Sam was very knowledgeable about such projects. Seven years later when I became the General Manager of the 260-room, 40-acre Habarana Hotel Complex (The Village, The Lodge and Keells Farm), Sam worked on my team as the Maintenance Manager of one of the hotels. Sam was a very loyal team member.
At the end of our tour, we sat on the docked pontoon to enjoy a beautiful sunset. Hoppy reminded me that the hotel had 0% occupancy that evening. “Let’s have a drink on the pontoon”, Sam suggested. I said, “OK. Good idea. I will ask the kitchen to make some devilled beef and spicy chicken wings for our bites.” I have a full bottle of rum and a half bottle of brandy in my apartment. I will ask a room boy to bring those to the pontoon.” Hoppy made a contribution to a boring evening that turned into a “fun-filled” booze party.
So far it was good. Then came the wrong decision when Sam said. “Let’s see who can drink most of the rum and brandy and still stand straight.” The moment Hoppy and I accepted that challenge, Sam threw the tops of the two bottles into a nearby garbage can. Around 10:00 pm we had finished all of the rum and brandy. When we tried to stand up straight both Hoppy and I couldn’t do it. The cool breeze of the Bentota river and the uneven floor of the docked pontoon were not helpful. That evening I learnt two lessons. Never get drunk at your workplace and never accept a challenge to drink from a sailor!
Our next project was a sober and religious act. As the Acting General Managers, Hoppy and I encouraged the employees to build a small but unique Vesak pandal on the river. We built seven floating structures in the shape of lotus flowers with Prince Siddhartha walking on them. During the low season, it was important to keep the employees motivated with exciting projects. This initiative was also well supported by the local residents who were predominantly Buddhists.
An Opportunity at Queens Hotel
In spite of my playful nature, since I was 20 years old, I was very responsible during the number of acting periods as Manager/General Manager at three hotels (Havelock Tourinn, Coral Gardens Hotel and Hotel Ceysands). That experience gave me the confidence needed to aim to be become a Hotel Manager. I was hoping to get a promotion within John Keells group, but there was no opening on the horizon yet.
One day, I saw a large newspaper advertisement for the post of Manager of Queens Hotel, Kandy with a good salary scale between Rs. 1,750 and Rs. 2,250. They also advertised the post of Executive Chef. Queens Hotel in 1978 was managed by the government owned Ceylon Hotels Corporation (CHC). Although leaving John Keells within one year of service to join CHS was not wise, I applied for the post of Manager of Queens Hotel any way. I had two goals for that action. I wanted to get some experience doing a hotel manager interview and to also send a signal to my employer that I was ready for a promotion.
The Queens Hotel situated in the heart of Kandy and parts of the building had a rich history of nearly 200 years. When the Kingdom of Kandy finally fell into the hands of the British invaders in 1815, this famous building was converted into a mansion for the British Governor of Ceylon. In 1840 it had become Stainton Hotel/Hostel and eventually in 1869 had become Queens Hotel. It had a similar history to Mount Lavinia Hotel and a large team of unionized employees similar to Coral Gardens Hotel. I thought that my experience in those two legendary hotels made me a good candidate for the position.
A Strange Interview
Around late October in 1978, I was called for an interview by the owners of Queens Hotel. The interview was held in Colombo at the CHC head office. When I arrived for the interview, I was surprised to see 14 other candidates for the Hotel Manager post had all been called at the same time. Although I did not have very much experience with interviews, common sense told me that it was a mistake, as there was no confidentiality for the candidates. As I knew all of the short-listed candidates, I commenced talking with them.
I was the most junior and youngest person among those 15 candidates. Some of them were many years my senior from the Ceylon Hotel School including a former lecturer of mine, who always resented my pranks and guts. Most of them were hotel managers of properties less prominent than the Queens Hotel. They looked surprised that I was called for an interview and competing with them. I felt that I had no chance in outperforming them but nevertheless, I wanted to go through the interview just for the experience. My plan was to finish the interview and rush back to Hotel Ceysands by mid-afternoon to prepare for the evening barbecue. After waiting two, long hours in the waiting room, I observed that only a handful were called into the boardroom where the interviews were held.
At that point, I went to the secretary who was seated outside the boardroom and in charge of calling the next candidate. When I checked where my name was on the list, I realized that I was number 15. I would be called last! “Miss, I did not budget six hours to wait here for an interview. I must get back to Bentota to work this afternoon. Please remove my application. Good bye!” I told her firmly. She was concerned. “I am very sorry to hear that, please don’t leave. I will call you next.” Immediately she changed the order.
Five minutes later I was called into a smoke-filled boardroom where seven older gentlemen were seated around the board table. I knew of a few of them. They were board members of two organizations – Kandy Hotels Co. Ltd., and CHC. As I was there mainly for the experience and had no chance of competing with all the other mature candidates, I was strangely relaxed and not nervous at all.
After a series of the usual questions about my experience and current duties, the Chairman of the selection board asked me an important question. “What is the salary you have in mind, if you were selected as the Manager of Queens Hotel?” he asked. Without batting an eyelid, I said, “Rs 2,250.” There was total silence among the seven distinguished gentlemen.
After a lengthy pause, the Chairman of the interview panel asked, “Do you realize that what you are seeking is the highest point on the scale?” When I said ‘Yes”, I was asked to justify why I should be paid at the highest level on the salary scale. I had to think quickly to give an intelligent answer with a justifiable rationale.
“I see that you are also looking to recruit an Executive Chef. The average guest stay at Queens is two days and most of the guests are on a full-board or half-board meal plan, I showed that I have done my research. Therefore, Queens Hotel requires only four good rotating menus. If you hire me, you won’t need to recruit an Executive Chef. As the Manager of the hotel, I would be happy to supervise the kitchens. With that the company will save Rs. 1,200”. When I made that remark, there weren’t any more questions from the panel. After a quick round of firm handshakes, I left.
Creative Negotiations
On my way to Bentota I was convinced that I would never hear from that board, as I felt that I had been too arrogant at the interview. A few hours after I had returned to Hotel Ceysands, I received a telegram which read: “Congratulations! You are selected as the Manager of Queens Hotel. Please confirm a date to commence at your earliest.” A couple of days later, I received the contract letter confirming my salary of Rs. 2,000. That was an excellent salary in 1978. I was only 24 years old and ready to negotiate with John Keells Group.
That evening I broke the news to Captain Wicks. He was shocked and said, “That’s a very good job, but we cannot let you go.” I smiled and replied, “Captain, I will stay if you can match the position and the salary.” Next day early in the morning he left for John Keells head office and came back in the evening with an offer. John Keells had decided to promote me to the Manager of Hotel Swanee with a salary of Rs. 2,000 within the next three months. There was one condition – until a successor was recruited, I would overlook the Hotel Ceysands kitchens until the end of the tourist season on 31st March, 1979, while managing Hotel Swanee. Of course, I agreed. I liked the challenge of doing two jobs concurrently, something I eventually did for most parts of my long career in hospitality.
A Proposal for the Future
When Shani returned from her European tour, I was surprised that she had learnt to speak German and did her first job when in London. She was pleased that I had decided to be the Manager of nearby Hotel Swanee instead of Queens Hotel in Kandy. In spite of a busy six months, we spent without seeing each other, we felt that our souls have gotten closer than ever before. We decided to take our love affair to the next level.
With some courage I approached my boss, Captain Wicks and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. He was speechless for a few minutes, and then said, “Chandana, Shani just turned 18, and is too young to get married. She is our only child. I need to consult my wife.” After some further negotiations we agreed that Shani and I will get engaged in 1979 and marry in early 1980 when Shani is 19 years old.
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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