Features
Aiyo ‘Knew it all’. Convoys ahoy! Criminal water wasters
Has Ex Prez Maitripala Sirisena shot himself in the foot? Cassandra asks this question on Monday since she starts her Cry early in the week and gathers intriguing tidbits and sets them down all through the week till Thursday. By the time you read this, you will know much more.
On Friday March 22, Sirisena made the stunning statement in Kandy that he knew who masterminded the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks. The fact that there was a master mind or hidden hand in that awful tragedy that killed nearly 300 persons, injured 500 and shattered so many families was an accepted fact after His Holiness Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith first gave public voice to it. Then the question ‘Who was it?’ hung over our island for nearly three years since it happened five years ago. Many knew the answer but did not divulge it, until up trotted Sirisena and said he knew who the culprit is. Whether single or many, he did not say, along with not naming names. Aiyo Sirisena, aney appoi!
A damp squib?
Shakespeare’s tragic hero Macbeth, contemplating life towards the end of his own, condemned it as “a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing.” Are we to class Sirisena’s hinted at top story as Macbeth did life itself? Is what Sirisena divulged as an explosive secret, hoping it would electrify everyone, actually signify nothing? A mere damp squib; a pus vedilla?
Was Sirisena seeking publicity; the glare of the limelight; votes; when he said he knew the answer to the paramount question that has been hoisted by many and has dodged the Cardinal and the public for so long? Did he think people would consider him honourable in knowing the identity of the culprit but not divulging his/her name yet humbly paying the hundred million fine imposed on him? (Has he done so – meaning paid his fine?)
He definitely drew attention to himself from the public by saying what he said in Kandy, but unforeseen by him probably, other bodies too like the Minister of Public Security, police and lawyers took note of his declaration. He changed his bold declaration from “I know” to cowardly “I was told” when the air around him heated up. But to know and not tell can be taken to be a crime.
Aiyo Sirisena! What have you done? This time to yourself and not to the country as you did when you took no note of warnings relayed to you but shopped at Mustapha’s in Singapore when the destruction occurred in churches and hotels. Also when you sacked PM Ranil as if wielding a ‘off with your head’ sword and made your previous arch enemy PM instead. Mercifully the judges saw right and brought Ranil W to his rightful place. Poor upright Speaker Karu J had to bear the brunt of your impulsive folly.
However Cassandra goes into her forecasting mode and declares: “The drama will go on; people are after your blood, Sirisena. They’ve seen through you well and truly.”
Travelling VVIPs
Soo Buddhistic, ahem, sorry, soo Sinhala Buddhistic! Two R brethren, both Ex Prezs, journeyed to the most Buddhistic holy places a week or two ago: one to Anuradhapura and the other to visit the highest of the Sangha in Kandy. Both with spouses and retinues of retainers or loyalists. In Anuradhapura elder brother and cohorts were conducted to the highest level where the sacred bo tree grows and needs maximum protection from even human presence and human exhalation; so sensitive and precarious is this 2500 year old tree.
The influx up must have been to accommodate MR’s vow making. GR sped to Kandy and visited Mahanayakes and Anunayakas of both Chapters. Along with huge baskets of fruit he gifted the several monks, on bended knee, his book. Wonder whether they read it and created answers to the question asked: who were the conspirators who prized Prez Gota off the presidential seat.
They surely were heavily escorted with two large convoys of vehicles and security personnel. Proves they know the general public is no longer enamored of them: charisma or no charisma, nor of their saving the country for the majority Sinhala Buddhists as thy say from the Tamils. Muslims were favoured. No one can dispute that these two Ex Prezs were the ones who principally drove this country to bankruptcy.
Was it us, the heavily burdened taxpayers, who paid the bill for the convoy accompanying jaunts? They have necessarily to get out and about, but not with large security back-ups. Security because they are afraid of the people who have turned from worshippers to critics. They should just take off incognito. They will be safer then.
Apathetic public servants
Most of those who are employed in government offices in the lower and mid-level ranks are filled with inertia to the point of idleness. Inertia is defined as “a feeling of unwillingness to do anything.” Isn’t that absolutely spot on? This curse is met with in any government office among clerical staff and higher, teachers, even nurses. Recently a visitor to the Colombo museum said there were four people in the booth at the entrance: one selling tickets; one reading a newspaper, another on his cell phone, the third nodding. They were all museum employees since they wore that badge of identification.
Many are the complaints from people who seek some service. Long ago a coat was draped on his chair and occupant thereof was off having tea or gone on some business of his. Now they sit tight in their seats and do not attend to those waiting for service.
This is due to overloading offices with employees, mostly by politicians to thank voters.
But then serendipitously, out of the blue, an officer shines forth in an office like a diamond among bits of coal and grit. Cassandra has got excellent service from one of these rare gems. She meant to phone her to get her permission to mention her name but Cass did not do the needful so the good officer remains anonymous. She works in the Grama Niladhari office that serves the Bamba Kollupitiya areas.
She is available on phone as she gives her number to those who seek it. You know the penance that pensioners suffer in January each year. They have to present themselves in person to prove they are alive and are eligible for pension payment. If you are a lucky pensioner who has to report to this woman Grama Sevaka, you will have a seat to sit on, even in her office. You are met with courtesy and a smile and your matter attended to in double quick time. She is a superb, committed government servant.
Cassandra’s preamble is to ask the very relevant question as to what the water supplying boards and their employees are doing to conserve water as the drought continues and water levels in reservoirs would be decreasing rapidly. They do nothing. They warm their office chairs, warn the public mildly, and then they will impose water cuts getting more drastic as the rains avoid Sri Lanka.
Why cannot they go around or in some other way monitor those who wantonly waste water on daily bathing cars and gardens, and hold hoses to wash outsides of homes and offices until streams of water flow down roads. Some even deliberately drench road fronts to keep dust out of bungalows. These crimes may be committed by chauffeurs, gardeners and ayahs. But householders or office managers are ultimately responsible.
Water supply officers and/or police should go around mornings to monitor over-use of tap water which is treated water. If a house has a tube well, OK. Otherwise water wasters should have their water supply cut and the fact advertised. Only way to get idiots to be civic minded. Why should we who are so careful, nay niggardly, in use of water that comes to us have to suffer water cuts due to the wanton waste by selfish idiots?
Cassandra pleads with her readers to be vigilantes and rebuke or report water wasting neighbours wherever they may live. Cass has reprimanded a couple of these as she goes on her morning walk.
Another despicable Sri Lankan national trait: never nip a problem in the bud, but eventually get inundated by the minor trouble turned disastrous. Then probably run around like headless chicken querying who caused the trouble? Who the conspirators are, who’s the hidden hand?
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 . )