Features
Britain and Ireland with South Asian Heads of State
Historic and most noteworthy is that England, Scotland and Ireland have people of Indian and Pakistani descent as their heads of government. 
Remarkable, as India was the most exploited and racially discriminated against country in the British Empire with the coloniser’s pre-eminent leader – Winston Churchill – making derogatory statements about Indians and Mahatma Gandhi in particular. And now an Indian – Rishi Sunak – is Prime Minister of England; and breakaway-from-India Pakistan claims the sixth First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party Humza Yuosaf as one of its own. Across the Irish Sea, the Republic of Ireland has elected its Prime Minister, Leo Varadka, whose father is an Indian doctor.
Much is known about Rishi Sunak , 42, a Hindu, who recently cut a superb figure alongside Biden when they were in Belfast to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement that brought peace to a large extent to warring Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. Sunak was elected by the Conservative Party on Boris Johnson having to vacate 10, Downing Street and his successor, Liz Truss, having to follow suit. He became PM in October 2022.
Humza Yousaf
, 38, who is a Muslim, succeeded as leader of the Scottish National Party on the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon on March 28 this year. He was elected PM as head of the majority Party. He joined the SNP while a student at the University of Glasgow in 2011 and in 2016 became the first Muslim and non-white cabinet minister to serve the Scottish government. He wore a gold embroidered shervani and a kilt for his swearing in and proclaimed in Urdu: “I, Humza Yousaf, swear with honesty and a true heart that I will always be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, so help me God.” He often noted that his background is an example of Scotland’s socially liberal and ethnically diverse landscape, even referring to himself as coming from a ‘bhangra and bagpipes heritage’.
Leo Eric Varadka, 44, is an Irish politician since 2011 who held various portfolios and served as Taoiseach (Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland) since December 2022 and previously from 2017 to 2020, being the youngest at age 38 to hold that post and the first Taoiseach to be from an ethnic minority in Ireland. He has held various portfolios since he came to politics in 2011. He holds another record: he is Ireland’s first and the world’s fifth, openly gay head of government.
Brief Bios
I have written about Rishi Sunak in this column. It is most interesting to know who Yousaf and Varadka are.Humza Yousaf’s father was born in the Pakistani city of Mian Channu in the Punjab; while his mother was born in Nairobi to a family of Punjabi descent. They migrated to Scotland in the 1960s. Yousaf was born in Glasgow in 1985. His parents wanted him to be an accountant, doctor or lawyer, but he realised politics beckoned him. His father okayed his decision. He has been the member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow Pollock constituency since 2011 and held many portfolios,
He studied politics at the University of Glasgow and then worked as a Parliamentary assistant to Bashir Ahmad, the first Muslim elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2007, then Nicola Sturgeon.
He takes over a party with the objective to end Scotland’s three centuries long union with England. Sturgeon was blocked in her attempts to obtain a vote for independence. In his victory speech Yousaf proclaimed: “We will be the generation that delivers independence for Scotland. Where there are divisions to heal, we must do so quickly because we have a job to do.” Director of the think tank British Future called Yousaf “the history maker”. A human rights lawyer in Scotland said “The Empire strikes back. Historic moment for British politics.”
Leo Varadka was born in Dublin in 2017, third child and only son of Ashok Varadka, born in Bombay who migrated to the UK to work as a doctor. Leo’s mother was an Irish nurse working in Slough when she met her future husband.
Leo Varadka studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin, He served many years as a non-consultant hospital doctor, eventually qualifying as a general practitioner in 2010. Then he went to politics and was deputy mayor of Fingal. In May 2017, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny resigned and Varadka stood in the leadership election to replace him. He was elected leader on June 2, 2017 and held the post till 2020 and then again was elected in December 2022.
Successful South Asians in the UK and Ireland
A couple more successful politicians can be added to the three written about. This is apart from the highly successful professionals in other fields, particularly economics and medicine. In the UK just under 10% of the population are of South Asian descent, according to government statistics. The leader of Scotland’s main opposition, Anas Sarwar, is a child of Pakistani immigrants while Britain’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman is of Indian origin and London mayor, Sadiq Khan, is of a working class Pakistani immigrant family.
Observers point out that an ironical situation is in the offing. Sunak – Hindu Indian will face Yousaf – Pakistani Muslim who vows to lead Scotland out of the United Kingdom and gain independence. In 2014 Scotland voted against independence by 55%. In 2016 Britain vied to leave the European Union when a majority of Scots wanted to stay within the EU and thus re-energized the fight for independence. Time will see what results. One certainty is that the two leaders will face each other with grace, intelligence, diplomacy and decency.
Haute Couture seeks India
It is not only South Asian politicians, researchers and professionals settled down overseas who have focused the spotlight on this region of the earth, signifying its recent emergence.
Nations, organisations and people have been courting countries of this region, particularly India. Thus was held a much hyped Dior Show at the end of March with the historic Gateway of India as backdrop and the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel as foreground, made festive with marigold décor and glowing diya lamps. The models, most Indian with no white skins, wore clothes made of Indian fabrics – Madras check and Benaris brocade, mirror work, tie dye, Nehru collars and Kurta tailoring; and chappals on their feet. I quote from a description by Sujata Assomull of CNN Mumbai of the Pre-Fall 2023 collection: “Dior hosted a runway show in Mumbai, a move nodding both to India’s long standing role in manufacturing European high fashion and the growing power of its luxury consumers”
India’s fashions and fabrics have been exotic and valued worldwide long before Dior and other houses of fashion came into being. Remember the Kashmir saris that could be passed through a ring and Pashmina shawls woven of laboriously collected ‘hair’ rubbed off on bushes by a particular kind of goat? Remember the glorious Benaris saris that were the inevitable choice of brides of yesteryear? What about their mirror work and shadow embroidery? I remember asking for a tie and dye sari in a small shop in Jaipur and being given a piece of material about 18″ by 12″. Angered I said I wanted a six yard sari. The trader nodded and thrust the blue material in my hand. Fortunately, before I exploded, he took it back and pulled it out – a marvel of a sari, deep bright blue with red and white tied and dyed dots.
I read and watched avidly the Dior show on Internet, mostly to recall a birthday stay at the Mumbai Taj Hotel my son gave me a couple of years back. The marvel of the interior of the hotel was revealed to us by the hotel guide Viren and the ambience of the area around the Gateway to India absorbed in several walks around in the early mornings and late evenings. When I commented on the exquisite red and green saris with embroidered panels worn by the receptionists, Viren narrated a story that has stayed vivid in my mind. After the terrorist attack on the hotel on November 26, 2008, when repairs and refurbishment were on-going, the then CEO/ Tata heir heard of a craft village in Kashmir which was impoverished due to troubles over there. He commissioned the weavers of the village to weave saris for workers in all Taj hotels in India and overseas. Result was extra resplendent hotel staff and the resurrection to an entire Kashmiri village with a revival of its splendrous craft.
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
