Features
Comment on TV Series The Crown
I have been glued to my computer every afternoon for three days running from release date November 9 watching the ten episodes of Season 5 of the Netflix TV series The Crown. Words to describe my
watching experience range from fascinated, devouring, totally lost in the unfolding of events, and going emotional with praise for the Queen, strong censure of Diana, sympathy for Charles. These last two opinions are different to those of most women.
No one can deny Diana metamorphosed from a shy innocent to a disappointed woman but she was scheming, and definitely quite paranoid. Of course it was an immense shock to her to know her husband was in love with another, but he definitely tried to be good and faithful to her, until her demand for constant attention and then upmanship almost caused him a nervous breakdown. Hence his going back to Camilla for comfort and ordinariness.
The series created by Peter Morgan, based on his award winning play The Audience, was first aired on Netflix on November 4, 2016. Four sessions ended about a year ago and then came Session 5 early this month which I rave over. The first four sessions covered Elizabeth’s life from 1940 to 1990. The family of course is detailed and also significant events in Britain and Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher.
Season I proceeds from Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, to the denial of her sister Princess Margaret’s desire to marry divorced Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955. Season 2 covers the period from the 1956 Suez Crisis to the retirement of PM Harold MacMillan in 1963 and the birth of Prince Edward in 1964. The third season – 1964 to 1977 – includes Harold Wilson’s two periods as prime minister, and introduces Camilla Shand. Season 4, released for screening on November 15, 2020, spans 1979 to 1990 and includes Margaret Thatcher’s prime ministership and the marriage of Charles and Diana headed directly to the rocks.
Season 5 watched this month covers the period 1991 to 1997 and was released on November 9.
Stars in the major roles
Recognition is given the fact that the Queen and all other persons depicted in the TV series age as it moves on and so three sets of stars played the major roles. Young Claire Foy portrayed the Queen in the first two seasons alongside Matt Smith as Prince Philip and Vanessa Kirby was beautiful Princess Margaret. The third and fourth seasons had Olivia Colman as Queen and to my way of thinking she most resembled the Queen, now aging, Tobias Menzies is Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham Carter – Margaret. Diana and Charles too had two sets of actors in the four seasons.
The fifth season introduced Imelda Staunton as Queen, heavily praised by critics. Her hair style and mannerisms resemble the Queen’s but I found her eyes which are small a might too dissimilar to the Queen’s. She is able however to show loads of unexpressed but felt emotions, most suffered, at the various turn of events. The Queen was denied, or she denied herself, the luxury of giving way to emotions such as great disappointment, exasperation, even sorrow and mourning. Jonathon Pryce is Philip and to me the star most resembling the Prince. He succeeds in catching nuances of feelings which also though often expressed, had to be tempered. Lesley Manville is the mature Margaret, still very beautiful. Dominic West plays Charles very well and Australian Elizabeth Debicki tackled very competently the role of Diana which calls for mixed characteristic: a woman madly in love with a Muslim doctor; absolutely devastated after obtaining the divorce she wanted, lonely and scheming too. Debicki is thinner than Diana but her eyes, facial expressions and body stances so resemble the unfortunate princess. She has won fulsome praise for her portrayal of the emotionally mixed up Diana along with awards.
Reference yielded the fact that 63 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were bagged by series one to four, winning 21: seven for cast members. Also won was the Golden Globe Award for best Television Series – Drama. As of 2020, the estimated production budget of The Crown has been reported to be $260 million, making it one of the most expensive television series ever.
Critiques
The TV series watched by millions, has been praised by critics for its screen writing, acting, directing, cinematography and production. I well remember it more or less advertised itself as true to life – royal in this instance; historical drama. However Series five has met with rather harsh criticism, given that the Queen, now almost universally admired and loved, died just before the release of the fifth group of ten episodes.
The first episode Queen Victoria Syndrome depicts Prince Charles as heir to the throne having to wait too long, according to an article in the Sunday Times. The paper is kept away from the Queen but she guesses what is what. This episode was supposedly cooked up. But I, totally ignorant of such criticism, marveled at a new method of production and direction. Many of the episodes among the 10 in Season five start with a depiction of ancient history or a long past event. The first episode titled Queen Victoria Syndrome was prefaced by showing her court and the long waiting then Prince of Wales who became King George V in his old age, almost,
In Episode 6 titled Ipatieve House, the Romanov Tzar Nicholas II and family are shown as prisoners in a house named Ipatieve House, and being led to being assassinated. King George V in England and wife Elizabeth, grandparents of the Queen, are shown at breakfast and later, the king on a shoot. He greatly disappointed the Tzar who expected his British cousin to send his family a rescue ship. This was the introduction to the visit of President Boris Yeltsin to London in 1994, state dinner etc and the Queen requesting a proper burial for the remains that had been DNA tested and found to be that of the Tzar and family. Prince Philip gave blood to conduct a DNA which proved the Tzarina was of his mother’s family line. Much of the history is twisted a bit to suit the story of the series.
Episodes of Season 5
I mention only some.Episode two is titled The System. Philip turns fifty and gives up rigorous sports and takes to horse carriage racing. That leads him to befriend Lady Ramsey whose son is his godson. She has suffered a death in her family. Friendship grows until whispers result. Philip tells the Queen he needs intellectual companionship. She remains stoic though emotions must surely have churned within. She decides to have Lady R move closely with the royal family in public. (What understanding and greatness! Loyalty to the country and House of Windsor whatever personal sacrifices have to he made and feelings are).
Episode three – Mou Mou is most on Mohamed Al Fayed, who starts life as a coca cola seller from a cart he wheels around Alexandria. Getting rich he obtains the services of the Duke of Windsor’s butler who teaches him British and French royal family habits. He buys Harrods and seeks to be Brit. At the Royal Windsor Horse Show he wants to hobnob with the royals. The Queen asks Diana to sit with him in his box. Dodi finances the very successful film Chariots of Fire.
The next episode is Annus Horibilis, which name the Queen uses to describe the year 1992 at the lunch in celebration of the Ruby Jubilee of her reign. Peter Townsend writes to Princess Margaret after many years.
The Way Ahead
deals with Diana’s and Charles separation and their revealing press interview and documentary. Diana is interviewed by Bashir after fraudulently presenting forged documents to her brother. Jonathon Dimbleby produces the documentary on Charles
Decommisioned –Episode 10 – has lots in it. The Britannica is too expensive and old to maintain; Dodi introduces the starlet he desires to marry to his father. Al Fayed at the opera, seeing lonesome Diana, invites her for dinner and a holiday on his yacht and John Major, the Queen’s favourite PM loses to Tony Blair. Prince Charles travels economy class to Hong Kong to see it being returned to China. And Diana is fearful of paparazzi chasing her. Which leaves me impatient for Season 6 – the last of The Crown TV series – still to be produced. It brings the Queen’s reign to the 21st century.
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
