Features
Beggar rings doorbell while ladies play Scrabble
Sunday short story
by Rukmini Attygalle
Three octogenarians sat at one end of the dining table, poring over a scrabble board. They had initially met at SRC (Seniors Recreational Club) before the Corona virus pandemic hit Sri Lanka. Jenny and Wimala had been members of the club for several years; Ramya had joined a few months before the lockdown. Although Ramya didn’t know these two ladies very well, and had played cards and scrabble with them only a few times, she felt that they “clicked” together quite well. They had shared a cultural background, all three of them born in the 1930s and had lived and schooled in Colombo, and had many friends and acquaintances in common.
Reminiscing about the “good old days,” they were thrilled to discover, that all three of them had been at the Savoy Cinema on the opening night of “Rock Around the Clock” in 1956, and had actually joined in the rocking and rolling inside the cinema hall.
Once the Covid restrictions were lifted, the three ladies decided to meet once a week to play a game of cards or scrabble to keep themselves entertained. Today, Ramya was the host.
“It’s your turn Wimala” Jenny picked up a manioc chip from the bowl.
“I have only one vowel!” grumbled Wimala. She hesitated, and then added the letters E and S onto the word ‘DITCH’ already the board. “DITCHES” she said “the best I can do under the circumstances”.
Soma, the home help bustled in with a jug of lime juice. She always liked to make her presence felt. “Would the ladies like to have some patties Madam? We have some in the freezer which I can quickly fry.” the question however was directed more to the guests, than to Ramya.
“No thank you Soma. We are fine with these manioc chips” the ladies chimed in.
Soma was efficient and well organised. Ramya who had been a working woman all her life looked forward to a relaxed stress- free retirement. She was quite happy to relinquish some of her authority to Soma. Realising this, Soma had quickly assumed the role of “advisor to madam on all household matters”. She ran the house without actually being asked to do so.
Soma hovered for a few minutes trying to make eye contact, looking for an opening to strike up a conversation with the guests. Disappointed with the ladies’ absorption in the game, she left the room saying “if you need anything just call, I will be in the kitchen”.
Along with the scrabbling, the conversation flowed easily between the three, often harking back to ‘the good old days’.
“What a world we live in today!” exclaimed Wimala. “The pandemic was bad enough. These politicians don’t know what they are doing and our country is going to the dogs”.
“Queues are now the order of the day. People queuing up for gas, petrol, milk powder. Very soon we will be queuing up for our essential food items too!” added Jenny as she passed the cloth bag containing the letters to Ramya.
“It is already happening Jenny – There is a shortage of money and food! Some people are having to cut down on meals. A three-wheel driver I know, was telling me, that he and his wife have only one proper meal a day so that they can keep their children fed. There are others who are even worse off. Their situation is becoming desperate!”
Ramya added the letters D, E and S to the word ‘PAIR’ already on the board. “DESPAIR – not a great word – but at least it reflects the current situation!” she smiled as she shrugged her shoulders.
The three ladies were getting on very sociably, chatting away, and Ramya felt happy that they had decided to meet on a regular basis. The good old days of course was their favourite subject of conversation.
The doorbell rang. First a short buzz followed by a longer one. It was Ramya’s turn again, and she, busy trying to find an appropriate word, did not respond to the ringing straight away.
“There is someone at your front door Ramya. Are you expecting anyone? Aren’t you going to answer the bell?” Wimala was surprised at Ramya’s nonchalance.
“No… I am not expecting anyone. Must be a beggar. Soma will see who it is”.
“A Beggar?!” both ladies exuded shock and disbelief in unison.
“You are joking!” said Wimala trying to discern a trace of humour in Ramya’s facial expression or demeanour, but didn’t find any.
“No, I am not joking. That is how they announce their arrival these days.” Ramya’s statement was matter of fact and calm. Her nonchalance irritated her two friends. Ramya continued to survey the scrabble board though she did notice from the corner of her eye her friends’ exchange of glances.
“Blooming cheek!” emanated from Jenny’s heavily painted lips, while Ramya surreptitiously wiped her elbow which had received a light spray of spit. “What is the world coming to, beggars ringing door bells!
“You should not tolerate such nonsense, Ramya!” Wimala reprimanded. “You should just put these beggars in their place; not encourage them to ring door bells! “
“Sheer insolence! Totally unacceptable. Such a things never happened in those days”
“Soma should tell the beggar to get lost. Ringing the doorbell! Who does he think he is? “
Ramya was not amused at her friends’ reactions, but maintained a dead pan expression and ignored their comments.
“Wow! I found a super word. Jenny, I am going to add to your word ‘NOB’ and make the word ‘SNOBBERY’, and my ‘Y ’covers the triple word score too.” She looked furtively at their faces but they were too busy trying to figure out how they could use the new letters that appeared on the board to their best advantage, and did not seem to pay much attention to the actual word she had made.
Soma walked in to the room with the information that “It is that same beggar who came last week also,” annoyance stamped on her face.
“There is some money in the blue bowl by the phone. Give him a hundred rupees Soma.” Ramya was passing the dish of chips to Wimala and did not look at Soma’s face; but she knew that rolling up of her eyes would have occurred.
She did not look at her friends’ faces either, but the vibes of disapproval were pretty strong.
“What can you buy with hundred rupees these days?” she said as an explanation, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted it. Why in heavens’ name should she try to justify her actions to anyone! Even if she gave a thousand rupees it was her business and not anyone else’s!
“Soma!” Ramya raised her voice. “Give the man two hundred rupees. Did you hear?”
Soma’s reappearance in the room was instantaneous. “What is this madam! You gave him last week also!” She looked to the two ladies for support. She was disappointed with mere grim looks, pursed lips and in- takes of breath.
“Just give him two hundred rupees okay!” Ramya was polite but firm. Soma looked at Ramya with surprise, backed down, and left the room.
“Is it your turn Jenny?” Ramya was trying to get back to an even keel.
“No, it’s Wimala’s” Jenny snorted. “Thankfully beggars do not announce their arrival by ringing door bells in our area” the sneer in her voice was palpable.
“They do It is because some people let them get away with it” Wimala chose her words clearly
Ramya ignored the caustic comments; refused the bait, determined not to react.
“Chop chop Wimala. Hurry up. I can put down a good word provided you don’t spoil it for me.”
She was making an effort to be cheerful, trying to dispel the acrid atmosphere that was building up.
Wimala was determined not to let Ramya use the triple- word- score square which she guessed she was eyeing, and successfully blocked it. “Oh dear!” Ramya said, good- humouredly. “I’ll have to look for another opening now”.
Soma was back. “That man is now asking for food! After taking two hundred rupees also! Says he is hungry! I told him to go away but he is still there hanging on to the gate.” Her eyes flashed with indignation. Face muscles trembled. She was furious.
The two ladies shifted in their chairs in obvious discomfort. The events taking place was completely out of their comfort zone. Ramya’s inability to take control of the situation – putting people in their proper places – was creating unnecessary problems.
“So, give him something to eat” Ramya said calmly trying to placate Soma. “Then he will go”.
“What is there to give? I haven’t even started cooking!” barked Soma.
Ramya was beginning to lose her cool. “Surely there must be something you can find in this house that we can give a man who is hungry? Some left -over food from the fridge or even a few slices of bread!”
Soma stood her ground determined and obstinate “No there is nothing. Anyway, if we give him something to eat you can be sure he will be back tomorrow. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you!”
“Then give him a packet of biscuits from the cupboard in the pantry.” Soma was taken aback by Ramya’s tone of voice. Ramya noticed the dropped jaw and the widened eyes but ignored it. Yes, it was time Ramya took control and showed Soma who was boss. Soma left the room with no comment which was surprising, and Ramya returned her attention to the scrabble board.
There was a wicked gleam in Jenny’s eyes. Her lips twisted into a sarcastic smirk as she turned her face towards Wimala “Does Marie Antoinette come to mind? Give them cake if there’s no bread?”
Wimala broke into giggles. “This situation is turning into a comedy – bell ringing beggars being treated with packets of biscuits! Chocolate biscuits perhaps?” The sarcasm stung, but Ramya feigned indifference. “These things happen only in the up-market areas where the posh people live.”
Ramya’s amiability was ebbing and she sensed the anger welling up from deep within her. It was beginning to transmit catty messages to her brain. However, she bided her time waiting for the best opportunity to pounce. She was in control, and in no hurry. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, and calmed herself.
She joined in their laughter, although she was seething inside.
“Actually,” she said slowly, casually, “I am glad that the beggars who come here do ring the bell you know. It is better than the cacophony they used to create, with laud proclamations of their tales of woe…disturbing the whole neighbourhood! Ringing the bell is much more civilised.” She paused awhile, and taking her own time, added her scrabble word on to the board.
“I am surprised though, that they don’t ring your door bells!” she continued. “Perhaps, they feel that in the ‘up market areas’, as you put it, they should reciprocate the civility shown to them by behaving in a like manner?” A dead silence followed. Ramya was gleeful with the way she managed to deliver the vitriolic comment with seeming innocence.
She imagined – with amusement and delight – how the two would act once out of her sight.
“Who the hell does she think she is? How dare she insinuate that she is more civilised than us?”
“That bloody woman thinks no end of herself!”
Ramya swallowed a giggle and suppressed a smile. Yes, the two old biddies had been quite right. Some people needed to be put in their places!
The scrabble game was coming to an end. Wimala finished first, putting down all her letters on to the board, and began adding up the score. “Minus 4” said Jenny as she put down her unused letters on the table. Ramya had a single letter B left in her hand. As she said “Minus 3 for me,” she noticed the word DITCHES on the board. The game was over of course, but just for the fun of it, she picked up the letter D off the board and replaced it with the letter B in her hand, to make the word BITCHES. No one noticed it, but Ramya was triumphant.
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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