Features
COLORADO JUDGE ALLOWS TRUMP TO REMAIN ON 2024 BALLOT, BUT….
FORMER FIRST LADY ROSALYNN CARTER PASSES, AT AGE 96
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
Colorado voters failed in their efforts to disqualify former president Donald Trump from the state ballot for the 2024 presidential election. However, District Court Judge Sarah Wallace, in her ruling stated, “To be clear, part of the Court’s decision is its reluctance to embrace an interpretation which would disqualify a presidential candidate without a clear, unmistakable indication….of intent”.
“Trump cultivated a culture that embraced political violence…. He responded to growing threats of violence and intimidation in the lead-up to the certification by amplifying his false claims of election fraud. He convened a large crowd on the date of the certification in Washington DC, focused them on the certification process, told them their country was stolen from them, called for strength and action, and directed them to the Capitol where the certification was about to take place”.
Judge Wallace’s conclusion hinged on one factor, whether Trump was “an officer of the United States as the framers of the 14th Amendment envisioned”. It was deemed that a president of the United States is not an “officer of the United States”, because the 14th Amendment did not contain the word “president”. Trump’s lawyers argued that an earlier draft of the 14th Amendment included the presidency and the vice-presidency in the list of disqualified officers, but the fact that it was later removed was clear evidence that the framers’ intention was that the president and vice-president were not to be included in the list.
A preposterous ruling, as the Amendment includes all those who have sworn allegiance to the Constitution, which is the first action of the new President before he (or hopefully, some day soon, she) formally assumes the presidency. As Trump did in January 2017, after which the Bible on which he had taken the oath was found to have spontaneously burst into flames.
Sadly, in this case, as in others involving Trump and his co-defendants, the judiciary seems to be bending backwards in giving them the benefit of the doubt of every technicality in the book. Law enforcement treats Trump with kid gloves, avoiding the treatment and punishment regularly meted out to criminals arrested on lesser crimes.
The only excuse for such lenient treatment by the government towards these criminals is probably because there has never been a precedent of a twice-impeached former president who has been convicted on sexual assault and fraud, and arrested and on bail on four indictments and 91 felonies.
And I cannot stress with more contemptuous amazement that such a criminal remains the front-runner as the nominee for the 2024 presidency of the Republican Party; and currently favored to regain the highest position of the land, an office he disgraced so comprehensively from 2017 to 2021. A presidential term when the global reputation of the United States plummeted to depths never seen, indeed imagined, in its history.
My use of the word “global” excludes Russia, North Korea, Hungary, Argentina, and other nations with equally corrupt and kleptocratic leaders. And sadly, even some ill-informed third world citizens, even Sri Lankans, who have perhaps become immune to the pestilence of crooked, corrupt elected officials.
The petitioners will appeal Judge Wallace’s ruling to the Colorado Supreme Court by next week. The Court has the discretion to decline hearing the case. However, the majority of the Justices of the Colorado Supreme Court has been appointed by Democratic governors.
Neil Kumar Katyal, former Obama administration Acting Solicitor General, is an acclaimed constitutional lawyer of East Indian origin, who has argued more cases before the US Supreme Court than any other minority lawyer. Katyal has also argued numerous cases before the Colorado Supreme Court. During a recent interview with Jen Psaki, who has served as President Biden’s Press Secretary, Katyal stated that Judge Wallace’s reluctant legal conclusions were constitutionally irrational. When asked if he would argue the case before the Colorado Supreme Court, his unhesitating and enthusiastic response: “Hell, Yeah!”
Judge Wallace’s ruling will provide a road map for voters in other states to petition the disqualification of Trump in their states. Perhaps this was the Judge’s intention in the first place, to incriminate Trump while indicating her impartiality by making an obviously unconstitutional ruling, overtly favoring the criminal.
Unfortunately, whatever the ruling of the Colorado Supreme Court, or that of any other state, these cases are likely to end up in the Supreme Court of the United States, with its bought and paid for 6/3 Republican majority. The highest court in the land, a proven corrupt body more concerned with right-wing ideology rather than constitutional justice.
There is one major advantage in Judge Wallace’s reluctant ruling. Her conclusion that Trump was guilty of inciting a violent insurrection to disrupt the constitutional certification of President-elect Biden’s presidency, can and will be used as evidence in the Washington DC federal case against Trump.
Trump
District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, the presiding judge in the Washington DC case, has imposed gag orders to prevent him from disparaging or threatening her, and special counsel Jack Smith and his family, as he has been doing in the past. The gag order also includes threatening and intimidating other prosecutors and witnesses involved in the case. Trump has already violated this gag order, calling the judge “prejudiced” and Special Counsel Smith “deranged”, his wife and family “Trump Haters”, with no justification whatsoever.
Judge Chutkan is known to be a very fair but disciplined judge, not in the least intimidated by Trump’s vulgar arrogance and his threats, as dangerous as they may be. Trump is about to discover that his threats may not be covered by his First Amendment rights and do not constitute election subversion, as his lawyers contend.
Trump is also about to find out that his pathological narcissism, which has led him to believe that he is above the law, is not without consequences, and may involve fines, sanctions, even the incarceration he so richly deserves.
Such incarceration may be a prelude to the rest of his miserable life after he is convicted of the multiple felonies with which he has been charged. When that happens, the greatest tragedy in his narcissistic mind will be that his so-called “base” will do nothing, as they did nothing when he was arrested on 91 felonies in four jurisdictions. No “death and destruction”, no “blood in the streets”, not even a “civil war”, as he and his enablers predicted would erupt if he was arrested. The lack of even token protests during these arrests may be a portent that many in his “base” now see him for what he really is; what some moderate members of the Republican Party are also finally beginning to acknowledge: that Trump is a dangerously maniacal loser.
The gradual decline in his popularity in the Republican polls, and the rise in that of his Republican rivals, notably Nikki Haley, though slow, is significant. As is the fact that the Republican Party has performed abysmally in every election, local and national, including the recent elections in 37 states, since Trump won the presidency in 2016. Proof that polls do not necessarily translate into votes.
Despite his current, prohibitive lead for the nomination for the Republican candidacy in the 2024 election, it is on the cards that Trump will be prevented, one legal way or another, from being a candidate for the 2024 presidency.
As for his First Amendment defense, Renee Griffin, University of Michigan Law School, writes in her treatise, “Searching for Truth in the First Amendment’s True Threat Doctrine”:
“A threat is a grotesquely powerful weapon. Threats of violence (death threats, or threats that imply bodily harm), even when not carried out, can inflict real damage. But threats are also speech, and free speech is broadly protected by the First Amendment”.
The criminalization of threats is, nonetheless, feasible within the First Amendment. There are Supreme Court precedents denying First Amendment protections to “true threats” which may jeopardize the sanctity of criminal proceedings.
Biden
Trump’s threats have already met this benchmark of “true threats”, as they have resulted, on more than one occasion, in mental distress, even bodily harm to his political opponents and their families.
The attack on former Speaker, Nancy Pelosi’s husband, 82-year-old Paul Pelosi in October 2022 by Trump supporter, David DePape, immediately comes to mind.
DePape broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and brutally attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull, which required extensive surgery. Pelosi was saved from almost certain death when the police arrived in response to a 911 call he had made when he first realized there was an intruder in the house. Speaker Pelosi was in Washington DC at the time of the attack.
At his trial, DePape confessed that the attack was motivated by far-right conspiracy theories, including Trump’s false claims about a “stolen election”. He had planned to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage, having broken her kneecaps so that she would be wheeled into Congress, “as a warning to others”. He also admitted that he had additional targets, naming California Governor, Gavin Newsom, actor Tom Hanks and President Biden’s son, Hunter.
In other news, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter passed away peacefully at the age of 96, at their home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, November 19.
Jimmy Carter and his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn enjoyed the longest presidential marriage in the history of the nation. They have been personally involved, since 1984, in building and renovating homes with Habitat for Humanity. Rosalynn, one of the nation’s leading mental health advocates for much of her life, was suffering from dementia for months, which probably hastened her death.
Carter, 99 years of age, said, “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I have ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I knew someone loved and supported me”. Carter was one of finest, most progressive, yet most underestimated presidents of the United States in the 20th century. He was unquestionably the best ex-president in the nation’s history.
Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, “for his decades of untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social welfare”.On a happier note, President Biden celebrated his 81st birthday last Monday, November 20.
Predictably, the narcissistic Trump, who is 77-years old, celebrated President Biden’s 81st birthday with an open letter from his physician that “he (Trump) is in excellent physical and mental health and will continue to enjoy a healthy active lifestyle for years to come”. Certainly not a convincing prognosis, considering his obesity, his physical imbalance and the gaffes he makes at campaign rallies. During a recent speech, he said he had defeated Barack Obama at the 2016 election, and greeted the crowds at Sioux Falls, North Dakota, when the campaign was actually being held at Sioux City, Iowa!
On the other hand, Biden marked his 81st birthday with a humorous, tongue-in-cheek Instagram. “Turns out on your 146th birthday, you run out of space for candles!”, holding a cake ablaze with a multitude of candles.Laughing at and jokingly exaggerating one’s age is certainly more empathetic than forcing your physician to describe you as Superman, at an obese 77, on the cusp of moronic dementia.
Our very best wishes to President Biden for many more years of healthy and happy years ahead, at least till 2028. We have every confidence that he will have the maturity and the wisdom to settle the ongoing Israeli Palestine conflict. After all, he is six years older than Israel.
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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