Features
A MAJOR CONFLICT – Part 30
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
Dual Roles
Returning to the Coral Gardens after being away for a month, I quickly settled in to do my dual roles, without any other executive at the hotel. I was working long hours as the Acting Manager in addition to my other roles which included Executive Chef. The Financial Controller and the Maintenance Engineer of Bentota Beach Hotel spent extra time in Hikkaduwa to help me.
The day-to-day operations continued as usual, although I missed the support from Muna, the previous Hotel Manager. He had left in the middle of the season due to pressures from a few local residents. After my return, I felt more support for my efforts from different people. This included the European Tour Leaders, repeat guests, supervisors, union leaders and locals.
A rumour that the head office may appoint a former military officer to manage the Coral Gardens did not surprise me. By then, there were about a dozen hotel managers without any training in hotel operations managing well-known resort hotels in Sri Lanka. They all had good administrative experiences gained in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Police. There were also a few ex-planters with experience in managing large estates, who had become hotel managers. These mature managers who had migrated to the hotel industry for a second career, often depended on their deputies with qualifications and experience in hotel operations. In return, these mature persons parachuting to hotel manager posts helped young hotelier to improve their administrative skills.
A Terrifying Breakfast
One morning I went to our sister hotel, Bentota Beach for an important meeting. As I had over an hour to spare before the meeting, I joined the Executive Housekeeper, Mrs. Joyce De Silva for breakfast at the main restaurant. Joyce was curious to know details about my accident and the month recovering at a nursing home in Colombo. While we were chatting, the new Assistant Manager of Bentota Beach Hotel joined us at our table.
Although I had met Major Siri Samarakoon a couple of times before, I did not know much about him. Over the breakfast I learned that he preferred to be referred to as ‘Major’, and had earned a law degree prior to joining the army as a Lieutenant, 12 years prior. Unlike most of the other officers finding the hotel industry a lucrative second career after retirement from military service of a minimum 22 years, Major was still in his mid-thirties. He boasted how he trained the hotel company Director, Gilbert Paranagama, who had recently joined the army as a volunteer officer. “Gilbert was so impressed with me, he immediately wanted me to join the Bentota Beach Hotel as the Assistant Manager for a short period before the company promotes me to a higher position”, Major announced confidently.
At that point, the Head Room Boy of the hotel, who was also the new President of the Bentota Beach Union, approached our table and rudely spoke to his superior, Joyce, “There is a delay at the laundry in getting bed linen today. Instead of having your big breakfast, can you resolve that issue, immediately?” I felt that his rudeness was mainly to show that he did not care that the Assistant Manager was present. We were surprised and Joyce appeared to be embarrassed but did not say anything.
Major got up, placed his left arm around the Head Room Boy’s shoulder and started walking with him towards the front desk which appeared to be a bit crowded. Major spoke very gently, “Abeywickrama, instead of shouting at your boss, let me show you something very interesting.” Major directed the Head Room Boy to the guest telephone booth near the entrance to the restaurant. This telephone booth had no windows, but just one door, which the Major opened. Joyce and I were able to see them from the corner table where we were seated. “Now look at those cob webs in this telephone booth, Abeywickrama”, Major continued to speak very softly. Once both got into the telephone booth, the door closed and we did not see or hear anything for the next five minutes.
Eventually when they both came out of the telephone booth, Major asked the Head Room Boy if he understood everything clearly now. Abeywickrama was very calm now and nodded his head in full agreement, while staring at the floor. When Major returned to the table, I wanted to know what happened in the telephone booth. Major said, “Nothing much, I strangled the bastard until his tongue came out and then knocked his head on the wall a couple of times as a warning!” Joyce and I were shocked. “I don’t think that he will behave in such a disrespectful manner to his superiors, ever again”, Major said with a grin. I quickly asked Major, “what if he complains to the union?” “Complain about what? He has no evidence of anything,” Major said. I thought to myself that Major took some pride and pleasure in being a sadist. Well, not all officers are gentlemen.
We then attended the special management meeting. I was thinking that it was good that I wouldn’t be meeting Major regularly. Key agenda items were management changes. I was asked to organize a good ‘hand over’ to the new Manager. It was then announced that the new Manager of Coral Gardens Hotel is Major Siri Samarakoon. He shook my hand and said, “Chandana, see you tomorrow sharp at 1400 hours in Hikkaduwa.” I confirmed, “Yes, Major!”
The First Impressions
Major arrived next day precisely at 2:00 pm to take over the management of Coral Gardens Hotel. After introducing him to the key supervisors of the hotel, I showed him the office which was shared by the Manager, the Assistant Manager and the Secretary. After that I ushered him to his apartment. On our way to settle him in his apartment he wanted to see the large changing rooms just used by over 100 excursionists who had visited the underwater Coral Gardens.
The changing rooms appeared to be wet with a lot of water on the floor. He asked who was in charge. “I am,” said the Changing Room Supervisor, Van Dort, seated comfortably on a chair. The Major shouted at him and ordered him to get the floor cleaned immediately. “I don’t like the manner in which you speak to me. I will report this to the union,” Van Dort, warned. “You can tell any mother’s son! I don’t care! I will be back here in 30 minutes. If the floors are not fully cleaned by then, you will be in deep trouble,” the Major yelled and left before Van Dort could speak again. When we returned, I was surprised to see the floor fully cleaned and Van Dort on his knees, finishing the task. He probably consulted the union, and was advised to do his job properly, before the union reacts to the new manager.
Around 3:30 pm we were back in the office. While I was writing the next day’s stores requisitions, Butler Raman came with my standard order, lime tea in a cup covered with a saucer on a tray. The Major was disappointed. He told me that, “from tomorrow I would like to see your tea served properly from a pot.” When I told him that I prefer to have my tea quickly while working, he said that Managers must get the same service as tourists and that is essential for the staff to know that.
Then he told me how a Sergeant had to walk a foot behind him with a tray and his beer every evening during his inspection time at the last army camp he commanded. “Officers and managers must demand their due respect!” he continued his lecture. I always believed that managers should earn the respect of subordinates. However, based on the wishes of my new superior I stopped being served tea in a cup for the rest of my time at the Coral Gardens Hotel.
Comparing and contrasting the management styles of the previous Manager, Muna, with the current manager, Major, was beneficial for me. Muna was a very participative type of manager and the Major was a very directive type of manager. I felt that a style in the middle would be ideal for the Coral Gardens.
The bullying and abusive terror tactics of Major continued from the start. He loved challenges, confrontations and conflicts. I knew that it was a matter of time before the union reacted. It was like experiencing total calm before a major cyclone hit the land.
Office Stormed by the Union
The union culture at the Coral Gardens Hotel was unique. In many ways it was a mature union with clear strategies. They had a good system of union leadership development. Most senior members of the union such as Butler Edmond and Barman Kalansooriya served on the committee but had stepped down from roles such as President and Secretary. They were grooming junior members to take leadership positions, but remained strategists and advisors to the younger committee members. Surprisingly, Major already knew all these details.
Within a week of the arrival of Major, the union appeared to be ready for a big fight. Five committee members of the union showed up at the entrance to our office. “Who the hell are you and what do you want?” Major barked at them. “We represent the hotel union and we want to discuss a few urgent and important issues with you.” “When?” Major asked. “Immediately!” Kalansooriya said.
Major was annoyed and checked with our secretary if the union had made an appointment to meet him. When he heard that there was no request for an appointment, Major said, “OK, come in two hours’ time.” When the union expressed their dissatisfaction of such a delay, the Major yelled, “You are making a living by working here. You don’t own this hotel to drop in when you feel like! With immediate effect, no one gets to meet with me without an appointment.”
Two hours later the five union representatives returned. This time Major spoke softly. To him it was like a game of chess. “Come in all, welcome to my office,” he said with his usual grin and a sarcastic tone. Then he asked each one to do a self-introduction with the name and the position in the union. A Pantryman in the kitchen, Chandrapala was the newly elected President of the hotel union, and he was being coached and groomed by the senior union committee members. Soon after his introduction, Major said, “Oh! The President, such an important position. I am honoured to meet you, your excellency! What is the level of education you have earned, to qualify for such a position?”
After that, the Secretary and the Treasurer introduced themselves. Then the two veteran leaders, Edmon and Kalansooriya introduced themselves as Committee Members. The major stopped grinning and stared at all five while increasing the volume of his voice. “I am Major Sir Samarakoon LLB, Manager of the Coral Gardens Hotel. I have no time to waste with union secretaries, treasurers and committee members. Get out of my office, now!” When all five were leaving, Major said, “I deal only with the President. Chandrapala, you stay, and that’s an order!” Then he told our secretary, “Ganeshalingam, close the bloody door!”
Without the presence and support of his mentors, in a closed-door office with a lawyer-tuned army officer with a reputation of a strange personality, Chandrapala appeared to be like a fish out of water. He was nervous, sweating and shivering while Major stared at him from head to toe to look for an error. And he found one. The top button of Chandrapala’s uniform was open. Major shouted, “You are the President who does not even know how to wear a uniform properly. Put that bloody button on, immediately!” Then he continued the verbal abuse, “OK, what are the union issues you want to discuss?” Chandrapala was harassed so much, he did not remember a single issue to discuss, apart from nervously stammering. “I say, I have no time to waste with idiots like you. Get out of my office and stop wasting any more of my valuable time,” the Major ordered. That was the end of the meeting.
New Strategy of the Union
I heard that the very next day the hotel union had an emergency meeting when Chandrapala abruptly resigned from the post of the President. They re-elected the two trade union veterans, Edmond and Kalansooriya as the President and Secretary of the hotel union. They also had consulted one of most legendary trade unionists, lawyers and socialist political leaders of Sri Lanka, Bala Tampoe, who was affectionately addressed by fellow socialists as Comrade Bala.
As a ‘show of strength’ strategy, the hotel union organized their 1977 annual general meeting (AGM) with Comrade Bala as the chief guest. He was General Secretary of the 200,000-member-strong Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers Union (CMU). He had joined the Trotskyist faction of the Leftist and then underground Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in 1941. He came into the limelight after his dismissal from public service, for participating in the strike of public servants in 1947. He joined the CMU in 1948 as its general secretary and remained in that position for 66 years, until his death when he was 92 years old.
Comrade Bala was known for his militant challenges to the political decisions of the government of the day. One of the major strikes he led in the Colombo Port escalated into an all-island general strike and defied the government when it invoked its emergency powers. He was the architect of the concept of nation-wide monthly token strikes, which I disliked. Although I was not a fan of Comrade Bala I was excited to meet with this charismatic legendary union leader and U exceptional orator. Major was very pleased to have the opportunity to directly confront with this worthy opponent. Bala Tampoe was arguably the greatest union leader of Sri Lanka for all time.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
