Features
Conversation with Prince Phillip on BIA runway and President Premadasa’s genius for getting things done
Excerpted from the memoirs of Chandra Wickremasinghe, Rtd. Addl. Secy to the President
When Emperor Hirohito of Japan passed away at an advanced age, and the Duke of Edinburgh was scheduled to touch down at Katunayaka Airport on his return flight, after attending the funeral. Wije (KHJ Wijeyadasa) wanted me ‘to do the honours’ as he put it, by receiving him after touch down and entertaining him to high tea at the VIP lounge. Accordingly, arrangements were made for myself and British High Commissioner David Gladstone to welcome the Duke and conduct him to the VIP lounge. This was the time when SL had to face the menace of terrorism on two fronts from the JVP and the LTTE and as a precautionary measure there was a tight security wrap provided for the Duke’s safety by crack Air Force troops under the Air Force Commander.
When the plane, which was a small jet, landed, I went up the ramp with HC Gladstone and greeted the Duke who was in the cockpit. After exchanging the usual pleasantries , the Duke said that he had piloted ‘this small thing’ and what he wanted most was to stretch his legs a bit. I told him that we had arranged tea for him in the lounge to which he replied that he would prefer to do a walk up and down the runway to stretch his tired limbs.
I observed that he was dressed in workaday denims. Whilst walking with the Duke in the company of the British HC and the Air Force Commander, along with the security escorts, I engaged him in a conversation enquiring how the funeral was and how the older Japanese people, reacted to their Emperor, who had seen the country through the cataclysmic WW11, passing away. The Duke responded with his characteristic acerbic humour saying ‘ Oh he was dying for a long time and the Japanese had got used to the idea’!
Then about the funeral itself, he said with his typically wry wit, ‘it was a rather long drawn ceremony with a lot of sticks and incense being burnt.’ As the day happened to be cloudy and without any sun I commented that it was not the best of weather we were having that day, to which he replied smiling ‘Oh, ours is infinitely worse.” I also took the opportunity to ask him about the motor vehicle he was supposed to have owned while in Trincomalee where he had served during WW11 as a Sub- Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, adding that there were many here who claimed that they owned the vehicle.
He laughed and said that he too had heard the story of his motor car being owned by a person here adding that as he did not have much money at the time he remembers buying a small Standard or an Austin which was even at that time in a somewhat ‘clapped out condition.’ Soon after his brisk stroll up and down the runway, he opted to board the plane and take off despite our pleas to have tea in the VIP lounge. I must say it was quite an experience meeting the Duke in person and listening to his witticisms which have now become legendary as they are some times mixed with the occasional faux pas, he is notorious for making.
President RP’s way of getting things done on the double
Just one month before he was assassinated by an LTTE suicide cadre, I remember Dayaratna, the President’s Co-ordinating Secretary meeting me and saying that the President wanted to see me. I enquired from Daya, who was a very amiable officer, whether there was a problem; he replied “I do not know, Sir, HE is there alone in the office waiting for you”. When I walked in somewhat apprehensively into his large office room, Daya approached him and said “Sir, Mr. Wickramasinghe is here.”
I remember the President looking at me quickly and saying in Sinhala “Chandra, I have a big problem”. I was taken by surprise when he addressed me by my first name which he had never done before. My immediate reaction was to try to figure out what this big problem was that he as President could not solve. While studying the relevant file, he spoke to me switching onto English this time and said “There are two MPs who are fighting to get an unused paddy store. One of the MP’s wishes to use the store to rehabilitate 32 ex-JVP cadres while the other is keen on converting the store into a vocational training centre to train the youth in the area in vocational skills. This has become a big headache to me”. He then looked at me and said “Here is the file, you examine the problem and summon the MPs and tell them how it should be settled and let me have your report in two days”. I was totally flabbergasted, wondering how I could possibly summon MPs to appear before me and further, to tell them how the matter should be resolved. I had very little sleep that night and remember telling my wife that I regretted ever having joined the Presidential Secretariat.
It was in this despondent mood that I read through the file carefully that night and mapped out a strategy in my mind. I wanted to start working on it the very next morning as the report had to be submitted to HE in two days. I had decided by then in my own mind that the more viable option was the establishment of a vocational training centre which could cater to the needs of the youth in the area. With this in mind, I phoned the Secretary/Ministry of Mahaweli Development (it was either AA Wijetunge or DG Premachandra) and enquired whether land with a perennial water course was available in one of the border areas (Mahaweli H Division). His first reaction was to reply in the negative.
I then told him that HE was keen on settling 32 JVP cadres in a suitable border area. Thinking it was the President who was behind the request, he asked for half an hour to check and get back to me. He rang me within 15 minutes to say that there was a suitable land available with a perennial stream running through it. I then revealed the plan I had in mind for the settlement of the 32 ex-insurgents on this land. I asked him how much of land could be given to each settler to which his reply was that the normal allotment of two and a half acres would be given. I told him ,the extent will have to be five acres, to which proposal he reluctantly agreed, again thinking that this was being suggested at the instance of the President.
On further enquiry by me as to how much money would be given to each allottee to put up a house, he replied that the normal Rs. 5,000/= would be made available. I told him that the amount will have Rs. 20,000/= as we had to take into account the special circumstances. Thinking once again that these were President Premadasa’s instructions, he agreed to give the enhanced amount. I then requested him to send me a blocking plan of the land showing the stream and a report on the extent to be allocated and the amount of money that would be given to build a house, via fax. In the meantime, I made arrangements with Army Headquarters to issue these 32 JVP cadres the necessary firearms (pump guns, they called them) and ammunition and to train them in the use of these weapons. I also remember quipping that as they were JVP cadres such training may be somewhat redundant.
That evening, I telephoned the two MPs to convey to them ‘the decisions made by the President’. The first MP I contacted was the one who wanted to utilize the store for the rehabilitation of the 32 insurgents. I started the conversation asking him whether there was a problem regarding a warehouse in that area. The MP immediately launched on a tirade against the other MP saying that the JVP cadres were after all ‘our own people’ who had to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. At this point I told the MP that the President had gone into the issue very carefully and had decided to make the warehouse available for a vocational training centre, as such a training centre would be beneficial to youth in the entire area.
He was naturally taken aback and smelling something fishy, asked me what would happen to the JVP youth to which query I replied that the President had a plan of settling them in System H of the Mahaweli project. The MP immediately countered saying that they would be killed off in no time by the LTTE. I assured him that arrangements will be made to provide suitable firearms to them to defend themselves. He then wanted to know the extent of the allotment that would be given and when I said that each would be given five acres expressed disbelief saying that the normal extent was two and a half acres per settler under the Mahaweli project. I had to reassure him that it would be five acres. When asked about the financial assistance that would be given to build a house and being informed by me that Rs. 20,000 would be given per settler, the MP could not contain his surprise as the usual assistance given for the purpose was Rs. 5,000.
I also assured him that there was a perennial stream running through the land that would provide water for irrigation. At this stage he asked me somewhat testily whose decisions these were and I answered him without demur that they were the President’s. He was silent for a moment before telling me rather forlornly “What’s to be done.” I knew the President wanted me to settle the issue in a reasonable manner and that he would not object to this kind of settlement which ensured that the ex-insurgents who were to be settled in ‘System H’ would be treated exceptionally, providing them much better facilities than what the normal Mahaweli settlers were entitled to, without summarily throwing them to the wolves, so to speak.
I do not think the MP himself was too unhappy when I detailed to him the special concessions and facilities that would be extended to the JVP settlers, deviating from what was laid down. Further, the manner in which the MP somewhat timorously ended the conversation, indicated that he was prepared to accept the arrangement which he thought was based on the President’s instructions. I think what troubled him more was that the other MP was getting what he wanted and that this meant a loss of face for him.
The other MP whom I telephoned thereafter, was jubilant that the President had decided to give the warehouse to him to start a vocational training centre and gave expression to his joy by praising the sagacity of the President in making the correct decision. The next morning I took the file back to the President and explained to him at length what I had done informing him at the same time that I had deviated a little from the normal entitlements of a Mahaweli settler in view of the special circumstances of the case. He only asked me what Secy/Mahaweli had said about the deviations and on my replying that he concurred in them given the special circumstances, seemed satisfied that the additional concessions given were quite in order.
The President however examined my report very carefully, going into all the relevant details including the availability of water etc. Finally, he asked me what the MPs had to say about the decision and on my telling him that they seemed to agree with the new proposals, turned to me and thanked me which was again something he rarely or never did. I cited this particular case to show President Premadasa’s way of managing contending parties posing seemingly intractable problems which virtually defied solution. Being a hard-nosed realist with a decidedly practical orientation in working out solutions to problems, what was uppermost in his scheme of things was to forge a quick practical solution.
This is why officials who worked for him were all the time on tenterhooks trying desperately to work out practical solutions to problems which prima facie, seemed impossible to be solved. What facilitated matters in seeking solutions to such virtually intractable problems was the fact that all concerned officials in Ministries, Departments, State Corporations and Public Authorities at the time, were only too eager to chip in and help. This is what made our work, though trying and oftentimes exasperating , still, most satisfying, when the particular problems were eventually, successfully settled.
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
