Features
Connecting, Communicating and Caring – the need of the hour
With news of COVID deaths and infection inundating our daily lives and the collective grieving of our customary funeral rites not possible, the mental health and well being of the nation is compromised. Speaking to the Sunday Island, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer at the Kotelawala Defense University, Dr. Neil Fernando, discusses the need for emotionally supporting each other and fostering positive thinking to brave these hard times.
by Randima Attygalle
Q: Although social distancing, hand washing and mask-wearing have become the norm, there is hardly a public discourse on mental well being during this pandemic. How important is it to promote such dialogue?
A: Health is defined by the WHO as the ‘complete physical, mental and social well being of a person.’ Mental health is therefore very much an integral part of overall health, but unfortunately like in all other situations, mental health is neglected during this pandemic too. The mind comprises three important components: cognition (this includes your thinking, your memories, mental images- mainly how you think), emotion (how you feel) and your behaviour. These three components are interrelated and interdependent. For example, how you think will affect how you feel and how you feel will determine how you act. So this principle applies to the COVID pandemic – how people think, how they feel and how they behave. Wearing the mask, hand sanitization and physical distancing are all behaviours and behaviour is part of mental health.
Exposure to too much negative news affects your emotions and your behaviour. Initially when the pandemic broke here, the approach to it was more military than health-induced creating apprehension and fear in people. The initial impression given of the illness was more from a ‘criminal’ angle with media bulletins flooded with news of infected people and their first contacts being chased after. Later when people were exposed to COVID deaths, the scenes of coffins being put into crematoriums and personal protective gear-clad health workers everywhere traumatized many.
The world at large too made a blunder by using the term ‘social distancing’ when it ought to have been ‘physical distancing with social connectivity’. In a culture where social interaction is a norm, the term ‘social distancing’ became a double burden. When one house in a neighbourhood was quarantined, people feared a lockdown of an entire area and fault-finding came into forefront. Those who were responsible for the coining of terms such as ‘Peliyagoda cluster, Minuwangoda cluster etc.’ never thought of mental health implications they would trigger and accompanying discrimination and stigma. Apparel workers who were earning dollars for the country were shunned and were looked at as carriers of the virus.
While the importance of mental health and well being was not promoted, people were exposed to factors detrimental to their mental health. Media too has a responsibility of sending out messages of positive mental health instead of sending ‘news alerts’ with death tolls and the number of infected cases. More positive messages can be sent to the public.
Q: With reports on infected cases and deaths flooding in and anxiety levels of people rising, even among those not directly confronted by death, what coping mechanisms do you propose to foster ‘positive thinking’ in such a backdrop?
A: We need to apply the concept of ‘positive psychology’ promoted by Prof. Martin Seligman, a clinical psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania. Positive Psychology is relatively a new area in psychology where the focus is on well being. Rather than looking at the negative aspects of an illness and what is wrong, this concept looks at the stronger side. Up to the turn of this century, psychology was looking at means of filling deficits – when a person is ill, how he/she can be made well. In Seligman’s own words, “it was bringing a person at minus two to zero.”
Positive Psychology on the other hand, looks at a way of taking a person from zero to plus two. It looks at features a person has rather than looking at features a person has lost. It looks at character strengths and promotes those strengths to make a person better. Promotion of well being as Seligman says, rests on five pillars called PERMA. ‘P’ stands for positive emotions, looking at your past, present and future in a positive way and to find something positive even in your setbacks.
‘E’ is for ‘Engagement’ or flow- to be actively involved in some useful activity. Children not being able to go to school is a drawback; however, they can learn household work or a craft during this time. Even in a lockdown situation, people should be engaged in something, even observing nature is a kind of engagement
‘R’ is for relationships. Social connection promotes well being. Social isolation is the reverse. Even in a quarantine situation, one must be socially connected with family, friends, work mates and neighbours despite physical distancing.
‘M’ is for ‘meaning’- to have a purpose in life. This pillar is connected to your spiritual life as well. Caring for others can give a lot of mental satisfaction and promotes your own well being as well. There are many who have lost their livelihoods, friends, neighbours struggling to survive and those who are more comfortable can help such people in need.
‘A’ is for accomplishment, to have goals and achievements in life; to be proud of what you have achieved.
Using this PERMA model, we can encourage people to think about the best scenario possible and not the extreme. One needs to take a middle path. Otherwise people will be overwhelmed by statistics, because statistics emphasize largely the negative side.
Q: With the rise of elderly deaths, there is apprehension among senior citizen.’ How best can they be supported?
A: It is essential that they keep negative news at bay. Watching and reading too much about COVID and deaths can be detrimental. People should also be encouraged to keep in touch with their loved ones and engage in positive conversation outside the pandemic. Engaging in an activity that interests them such as listening to music, gardening or reading can also help them to get distracted from negativity.
We should also support them psychologically with what we call the ‘Two-Es and I’s’: Emotional support of love and care, Esteem support (showing respect and giving value to a person), Informational support (providing correct information and knowledge to counter myths and misconceptions) and Institutional support (offering practical help).
Q: How vital it is to ensure the mental well being of our health workers?
A: It is of utmost importance to ensure their moral well being as it could affect their productivity. Unlike in the first and the second wave, in this third wave of the pandemic, health workers are facing what is known as ‘moral injury’. That is, with limited resources, they are unable to cater to each and every patient. For example, while there may be two patients who need ventilators, only one machine may be available. So it is the health worker who has to decide who gets it. Of course there could be protocols and guidelines but it is another human being who has to implement these guidelines. Therefore health workers can experience ‘moral injury’ or a kind of guilt that could haunt them later that a decision had to be taken at the cost of another patient’s life. The trauma of the pandemic and its mental health impact will be enormous and could last for years to come.
However, on the brighter side, there is a new concept associated with Positive Psychology called ‘post-traumatic growth’ where people can actually make use of traumatic events as a learning opportunity and be empowered.
Q: Sri Lankan funeral rites enable shared grief with community involvement. The pandemic has deprived our people even of religious rites. How does this impact their mental health?
A: When a death occurs in normal circumstances in our culture, it is referred to as a mala gama or an avamagula, the very terms connoting that it is a community affair where ‘grief reaction’ is a shared one. Almost all our funeral rituals are psychologically very sound. The social and religious customs which follow a funeral support the sharing of grief, so that the bereaved family can come to terms with it.
Sadly this communal exercise is now replaced by solitary grief. You cannot even see the body, there is no funeral ceremony, no rituals performed. The psychological buffer provided by our culture is now being taken away. Some people have lost several family members. There is a lot of silent mental suffering going on right now as survivors also have a ‘guilt feeling’ that they couldn’t even give their loved one a dignified funeral. Hence talking and listening to those who are mourning, sharing of grief should be done using other means while keeping the necessary distance.
Q: We are a nation which went through a civil war. Pandemic is a ‘war’ of a different kind. As a senior professional who dealt with combat-related mental issues/depression etc. do you see a difference in human response to the war and the pandemic from a clinical standpoint?
A: Yes, there is a difference. Compared to war where the majority of Lankans were not directly affected, in this pandemic situation everyone is affected. Right now you don’t see the enemy but only destruction. While war and its impact were ‘structured’ pandemic is a different phenomenon.
In times of war, even when a sealed coffin was sent home, there were funeral rites performed and military funerals accorded with the respect of a nation demonstrated by draping the national flag over the coffin. All these interventions helped families to overcome grief. Today with solitary suffering, people are finding it hard to come to terms with death.
Q: Organizations have lost employees and some employees have lost their loved ones. In such challenging times, what can be done at organizational level to keep people motivated?
A: Organizations can make use of available resources and promote the well being of people. They can make use of virtual platforms to share ideas and grievances and be supported by professionals. At the same time it is important for organizations to maintain proper communication channels with their staffers and support them through difficult times.
Q: With children being home-bound, what tips would you give parents to keep their children optimistic?
A: If parents have a negative attitude, children invariably will be negative and even when schools reopen, some children may fear associating with some of their friends. Parents should encourage children to remain connected with their friends, grandparents and family through other means while maintaining physical distance. Association is very important at this point. They can also be encouraged to make use of this time to learn a new craft, household chores etc.
Online education itself has created problems. Children who are unable to connect due to different reasons can feel sidelined. This could be psychologically traumatic because at the end of the day, all children will have to face the same examination paper. Policy makers should be conscious of this factor.
Q: Do you see a rise in depression in your clinical practice since the onset of the pandemic?
A: Yes I do. There is what is called post-viral depression. Any viral infection can precipitate depression. COVID too began as a viral disease and it is natural to expect people who recover from it to develop symptoms of depression. Loss of a loved can also precipitate depression in certain people.
Q: How can family and friends support someone who is at risk of depression?
A: Grief is a natural reaction to loss, but it could turn into abnormal grief especially when death is sudden and unexpected. When grieving is prolonged (beyond six to eight months), a person can develop depressive illnesses and in order to help we should be conscious of the three Cs: Connect, Communicate and Care.
It is important that you listen to a person grieving because listening itself is therapeutic. For this, one need not necessarily be a mental health expert nor does one need to have solutions to all problems. What is important is to encourage a person to talk taking his/her own time and listening in an understanding, non-judgmental manner. Empathetic listening is vital and this entails communication – showing your understanding and most importantly, acknowledging and validating a person’s emotions.
Q: With lifestyles turned upside down, working from home arrangements interfering with domestic chores, socializing in office and outside being a thing of the past, and visiting loved ones being restricted, the ‘new normal’ has become stressful to many. How best can we navigate these challenges?
A: The pre-frontal lobe/cortex or the front most part of the human brain is well developed enabling humans to adjust to new situations. This is the reason why man is ahead in terms of evolution. It is true that the new normalcy has created its own set of problems but it is imperative that we make changes and adjust accordingly rather than trying to persist with what we were once used to. A good example is working from home – this concept was not heard of before COVID but people are getting adjusted to it. This shows that on the whole humans are capable of adjustment, although some may be quite comfortable and others may be less comfortable with adapting to new situations.
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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