Features
Garuwa tells us how he lost his arm to a bear and more tales from Kumana
(Continued from last week)
by Walter R. Gooneratne
Now it was story-time. Unlike the garrulous Wasthua, Garuwa was a quiet and retiring person and a man of few words. However, under the influence of that extra quota of alcohol, his tongue loosened up and he related his adventure with the bear which ultimately ended with the amputation of his left arm.
One evening, while returning from the tank, a she bear had joined the track about a hundred yards ahead of him. Since the bear was up-wind of him, he did not bother very much as he knew the animal would leave the track sooner or later. Anyway, he was sufficiently in the lead to take evasive action should it decide to turn back. He had met many a bear before and had not much respect for its sagacity or intelligence. Suddenly, there was a loud growl behind him, when a huge male bear standing on its hind legs charged into him with mouth open and fangs bared. He had put up his forearm to defend his face and yelled at it as loud as he could. However, this had very little effect, for the bear had bitten his forearm. He remembered with a shudder the awful stench of its breath.
The bear had probably spotted the female which was in heat, and he had followed her scent. Perhaps he mistook Garuwa for a rival and attacked him, but when he realized his mistake he had left him alone and gone after his lover. Garuwa was now bleeding profusely. He had taken off his shirt and bandaged his injured forearm with it. By the time he reached the main track to the village, he had felt quite dizzy with the loss of blood and the throbbing pain, which made him sit down.
Fortunately, some people were returning to the village from Yakala Kalapuwa and they carried him home. He was delirious and semi-conscious throughout the night and was not aware of the damage to his arm. The next morning, his friends had made an improvised stretcher and carried him to Panama, from where he was transferred to the Batticaloa Hospital, where his arm was amputated. That part of the journey had been plain hell, specially the bumpy ride.
Early next morning we broke camp, and having rewarded our new-found friends, bade them adieu. While returning to Kandy, I was driving most of the day, and therefore shortly after passing Polonnaruwa, Ivor offered to take the wheel. Then a short while later, Ivor had dozed off and in consequence the jeep ran off the road. Fortunately, it was flat open country and Ivor managed to stop it in time. The ladies insisted that I drive the rest of the way. We landed in Kandy late at night without further incident.
Kumana again and again
Since then I have been to Kumana seven times more. As it would be too long to describe all of these journeys in detail, I shall describe only the highlights of each.
On the next trip our party consisted of Dr H R Wickremesinghe, Mr. and Mrs.Simon Gunewardene, my wife, Nirmalene and myself. We left Ragama (where I was stationed then) at 3 am in Simon’s jeep and reached the office of the Wildlife Department at Okanda at about 2 pm. There, for the first time I saw the neat cup-shaped nest of the fantailed flycatcher. Our old faithfuls, Garuwa and Wasthuwa were waiting for us and we did not waste any time, but drove on to the Kumbukan Oya camp-site.
It was dry season and the river was low. A lone elephant was quenching his thirst at this spot, but fortunately ran away at our approach. Late that night another elephant had come to drink, and being disturbed by our campfire, had created quite a rumpus, but had moved away due to Wasthua’s charms, as he claimed. Having driven the whole day, I was dead to the world and had slept through all the noise.
Leopard pugmarks were everywhere. That evening Simon shot a spotted deer stag near Yakala Kalapuwa. The two hind limbs were cut off and loaded into the jeep for our consumption. and the rest of the carcass was dragged to the spot where Ivor shot his leopard. It was tethered there as leopard bait. That evening. the leopard came to the bait and was shot by Simon. When I saw what we had done to such a graceful and beautiful creation of nature, just to bolster man’s pride, I decided never to shoot a leopard again.
The highlight of the trip took place that afternoon. We decided to have our evening bath at Galamuna, higher up the river. Here the water cascading down the mini-rapid was most soothing and relaxing. A short while later, a lone cow elephant came silently out of the jungle, just about twenty yards above where we were. She stood there for a while, testing the air for signs of danger, and as if by an invisible signal that all was well, a herd of elephants trooped down to the river. There were eighteen of them of various sizes and ages. All of them were females, except for two young males.
There were two little babies, one of which could not have been more than two or three years of age. The old matriarch, who first came to the river, was apparently its mother, as she nestled it between her legs and walked down to the river. Garuwa assured us that as we were downwind of them. there was no danger as long as we stayed quiet and did not move about too much. It was such a heartwarming and wonderful sight. The creatures soon lay down in the cool, rushing water and showered themselves with fountains of water, while the babies frolicked about under the watchful eye of their mothers and aunts.
Suddenly two of the teenagers decided to play “catch me if you can” and one of them made a dash in our direction, hotly pursued by her playmate. However, much to our relief, they soon wheeled around and dashed away in the opposite direction. Having had enough, they entwined their trunks, whispered a few sweet nothings in each other’s ears and again settled down to the mundane business of cleansing themselves. After about twenty minutes, the matriarch stood up, scented the wind and slowly re-entered the jungle, followed by the rest of the herd.
Angler’s dream
The next visit was about a year later in the company of Dr. Mackie Ratwatte, Dr. Anian Perera and his nephew, who later became a Catholic priest. Game Ranger Peter Jayawardene accompanied us as our guest in camp.
This trip was an angler’s dream. Peter being a keen and expert angler, we decided to go fishing in the estuary of Kumbukkan Oya. Peter made his own lures. It was mainly because he could not afford to buy commercial ones, but pretended his were superior. He was soon proved to be correct. Peter produced a handcrafted lure painted in red and white, which he called the” Red devil”.
Anian had no experience of angling, and when he saw our equipment, he laughed at us saying that we would be sadly mistaken if we thought fish would fall for our artificial lures. Soon he would think otherwise.
The sky was overcast and there was a slight blowing. I cast the “Red devil” and at the second cast had a strike. Anian scornfully said I had snagged a rock. However, the “rock” soon peeled off the line from my reel, an event which soon provoked a paean of delight. At the first pull, the fish had emptied a good part of my well-oiled reel before he stopped for a breather. Soon the line was being stripped off again in brief runs. I dared not put too much break as I was using light line. Expert Peter predicted that I had something very big, and by the initial run, it should be a paraw or travelly. The duel continued for some time with me retrieving some line, interrupted by short bursts of activity by my adversary. Then we saw him framed against a breaker, a huge tholbari paraw swaying his broad shoulders in order to dislodge the lure. After further fights, he came in gamely, being finally carried ashore by a low wave. It was massive and weighed forty four pounds!
Since the fish were still feeding, we continued to cast. With almost every cast we had a strike. The final catch was an eight pound koduwa or estuary perch and seven of kalava or threadfin, each weighing between four and eight pounds.
Anian, who scoffed at us at the beginning, wanted me to allow him a few casts. I warned him that bait-casting needed a lot of skill and practice, but he assured me that having watched me, he knew the technique. I knew that he would end up in a backlash, but to humour him I gave him the rod and reel. Anyway, Peter was an expert at unraveling the toughest backlashes. With the first cast, he ended up with the mother of all backlashes. Even Peter’s expertise was to no avail. Anian was most apologetic.
However, as we had enough fish we called it a day. Back in camp, we had to dismantle the reel to untangle the mess. Garuwa and Wasthua were gifted a kalai each to take to their families. That night we had a delicious curry of the paraw and koduwa heads turned out by Kadisara. The rest of the fish was with Peter’s expertise, either dried or made into jadi, which was a preparation cured with salt. The rest of the trip was uneventful.
Kumana in the rain
The next foray was in 1966. It was a huge party consisting of Simon Gunewardene and wife, my dear friends, Dr. and Mrs Chandra Amerasinghe and their children, Pervey Lawrence, my nephew Mohan Gooneratne, my brother Lionel and my family. There was torrential rain all the way and we were benighted at Lahugala. Fortunately, Peter had been transferred as game ranger there and he managed to find accommodation for us in the village school.
Next morning the road to Kumana was a quagmire. Bagura Ara, the stream that runs across Bagura plains, was in spate and we managed to cross it with some difficulty. Fortunately, Dr. K.G. Jayasekera and his party were camping at Bagura and they lent a hand to get the vehicles across. That night the rain came down again in sheets, accompanied by lightning and thunder. The water came through the camp in roaring torrents. Sleep was impossible. My wife carried the children into our jeep, while most of the others just shivered till dawn, by which time the rain had ceased.
Most of the next day was spent drying up the camp. Fortunately there was no further rain for the rest of our stay. In the evening we went down to the villu for bird watching. We met a large leopard close to the villu, but it took fright and bolted away. That evening, Lyn de Alwis and his party arrived and camped at the site higher up on the banks of Kumbukkan Oya. He very kindly invited us to his camp for cocktails.
Next morning Garuwa suggested that we go to Lenama in search of rathu walasu or red bears. On the way, Wasthua suggested that we inspect a water-hole called Kiri Pokuna, as it was a favourite watering place for many wild animals. The track was narrow, and having alighted from the vehicles, we walked along it in single file. Pervey went ahead with the trackers, while the others trailed behind. Chandra and I brought up the rear. Suddenly there was pandemonium and the whole crowd came running back, followed shortly after by the report from Pervey’s rifle. It transpired that as the crowd approached the bund of the water-hole, a huge wild buffalo had come crashing down over the bund along the path they were on.
At Pervy’s shot (fired into the air), the animal had veered to the left and crashed into the jungle. What probably had happened was that on hearing of our approach, the animal had tried to escape along the path he was familiar with and almost collided with us, but was turned away by the noise of Pervy’s rifle fire. Further progress to Lenama was impossible due to the state of the track after the recent rains.
That evening we went fishing to the estuary of Kumbukan Oya. Dr. Jayasekera and his party were also there, but none of us had any luck, due mainly to the river being in spate. However, we were rewarded with the spectacle of a brilliantly coloured sunset.
Further trips to Kumana
Some time later my cousin Lyn de Alwis very kindly invited me to join him on an expedition to Kumana in order to capture animals for the zoo. The team included some staff of the zoo, as well as Lyn’s brother Gerald, and my son Naomal. We camped again by Kumbukkan Oya, but our old trackers, Garuwa and Wasthua had by that time passed away and we sorely missed them.
It was nesting season in the villu and most of the time was spent capturing viable, but fledgling birds. They were mostly painted stork, spoonbills, openbills, spot-billed pelicans, cormorants and whistling teal. A large number of serpents, including pythons, Russell’s vipers and cobras, was also taken with amazing ease and dexterity by the staff of the zoo.
In the next two visits, we occupied the bungalow, which was on a most beautiful location overlooking a small lake. On the first occasion, we had booked the Okanda bungalow, but the trees around it were alive with numerous hairy caterpillars. However Lyn de Alwis, who was occupying the Thunmulla bungalow, very kindly offered it to us, and decided to camp out on the bank of Kumbukkan Oya.
The highlight of this trip was a furious elephant charge. At the time my wife, after collecting driftwood on the beach for her flower arrangements near Iticala Kalapuwa, had just got into the jeep, when a huge lone elephant made a furious charge from a nearby thicket. My son Romesh, who was at the wheel, was about to start off, but hearing the charge, he had the presence of mind to switch off the engine. The three of us, namely Romesh, the tracker and myself yelled at it in unison. The charge was so determined that I thought he would not be able to stop in time. However, he skidded to a stop within a few feet of us and walked away, grumbling all the while. Had we delayed a few more minutes in switching off the engine, he would have been on us with disastrous results.
However we were rewarded that evening with the sight of a large healthy leopard traversing the road behind the bungalow. It looked contemptuously at us over its shoulder and continued to walk along the track till it was out of sight round the bend of the road. We let it go its way in peace.
The next trip was in 1983, shortly after the riots. Our party consisted of Mr. John Guyer of the Asia Foundation and his wife, Mr. Fred Malvenna, my son Romesh and myself. We left Colombo at midnight in Fred’s jeep and arrived at Pottuvil at early dawn. On this occasion too we occupied the Thummulla bungalow. The villu was completely dry with crazy zigzag cracks on its surface. A lone elephant was in it, knee deep in mud, feeding on the dried up lotus leaves and yams.
In this trip none was interested in hunting, but we made many forays into the jungle to watch and observe animals. Though no leopards were seen, their tracks were everywhere. Several elephants, in singles, twos and threes, were seen. Large herds of spotted deer were a common sight. While bathing in Kumbukkan Oya at Galamuna one morning, we saw two saw-toothed sharks, each about three feet long, cruising in the river above the rocky dam.
On December 27, 2002, we made a trip again to Kumana. It was a large party traveling in four vehicles. To Chris Uragoda and a few of us who had seen Kumana in its heyday, the desolation and destruction were saddening indeed. There were hardly any tracks. Bagura plain was bare and devoid of its once famous herds of deer. Gone were all the life-giving mangroves in the villu, which was a naked sheet of water without a bird to adorn its shining surface. There was evidence of felling of trees at many places. It is imperative that the Department of Wildlife Conservation should take immediate steps to bring it back to its former splendour before it is lost forever.
(Concluded)
(Excerpted from Jungle Journeys in Sri Lanka edited by CG Uragoda)
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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