Features
HOLLAND’S LEGACY OF DUTCH BURGHERS
by ECB Wijeyesinghe
Holland has been mentioned so often in these columns recently that one cannot help lamenting the almost mass exodus of a small but important section of our population in search of fresh pastures.
One would have thought that all good Burghers when they die go to Holland, but unfortunately that is not the case. Now they prefer to go to Australia to live, and leaven that vast continent with their traditional contributions, spiced, I am sure, with a little bit of culture of Sri Lanka.
Regular globe-trotters tell me that it is not possible these days to walk through the streets of Melbourne or Sydney without hearing the crackle of kokis or scenting the delicate aroma of breudher studded with a thousand raisins or listening to the sweet sounds of things like fuggetti and poffertjes struggling to be born.
Though a British Prime Minister, in a moment of pique once said “In matters of commerce the fault of the Dutch is giving too little and asking too much,” the descendants of those who came here with the Dutch invaders have left behind a legacy of law, literature and lines of communication of which any nation could be proud. I was lucky to have been associated in my early life with three or four of the most piquant personalities of this generation, and they all happened to be Burghers.
KEUNEMAN
During that period, once walking along the corridors of Lake House where I worked, I came across a spruce debonair young man, with his hair neatly brushed and exuding the aroma of an expensive pomade. His clothes were cut in the latest style, I do not know whether they were Bond Street or Saville Row, because I could not aspire to anything better than the Queen’s House tailor at First Cross Street, Pettah, who had a little shop opposite F.X. Pereira’s.
I asked the omniscient P.C.A. Nelson the secretary who this charming young man was, and he said with bated breath that he was Keuneman, the son of the Supreme Court judge. He had just come out from Cambridge where he was President of the Union. Not since James Peiris had we had a president of the Cambridge Union Society, and it was with a feeling of awe that we approached this thing called Keuneman.
In hushed whispers my informants added he was a Communist. My idea of Communism was a cross between a man-eater and woman-hater. Keuneman was neither. As a matter of fact he looked not only like a human being but as one who had not yet completely shaken off the bourgeois Burgher environment from which he had sprung. He liked good food and knew the difference between cheap Spanish wine and Napoleon brandy. He could distinguish between the Russian delicacy and the roes that pass off as caviar.
Later I learned that he owed his good looks not only to his handsome father, but his grandmother, a Miss Ernst, a woman who was playfully referred to at the time as the Matara diamond. I also soon discovered that, despite his academic distinctions, he was inclined to tolerate common men gladly and it was not long before all his colleagues started addressing him as Pieter.
He was a remarkable phenomenon, a disciple of Lenin eating out of the hand of Ceylon’s arch-capitalist. But D.R. Wijewardene was no fool. He knew his onions and liked them even though they were red. D. R. W. not only had a nose for news but for newsmen and then he sent Pieter in to bat. His first few scoring strokes reached the fence. His epigrammatic and pungent style won for the “Daily News” a large number of new readers. His pieces on the topics of the day often had to be read between the lines. That was where the fun lay. The crimson streak was always there. They were, one might say, “fortiter in re, suaviter in modo.” To those who have forgotten their Latin the old saying can be paraphrased to mean, the red hand in the blue velvet glove.
After occupying for two or three years a ringside seat in the capitalist arena or, to put it another way, after being a sentry in what Marxists considered the Citadel of Sin, Pieter left Lake House with the blessings of the Boss to give to his Party what was meant for mankind. He tramped the streets after quitting a luxurious home to disseminate his creed.
At this stage he was assisted by his first wife, Heidi, a beautiful Jewess, the daughter of a rich Austrian banker, whom he had converted to his way of thinking in Cambridge. Heidi had forgotten many things, but not a dinner party, which her father had given when she was a girl. There were many delicious dishes on that particular occasion but the “piece de resistance” was the dessert. It was a slice of fresh pineapple, which had been obtained at great expense from the fruiterer in Paris.
After all the guests were served, Heidi too, was given a small piece of the luscious fruit. The memory of that taste was never erased. Now this is the sad part of the story. When Heidi came to Ceylon it was the pineapple season and a fruit for which her father had probably paid £5 could be bought at the Borella market for 50 cents. So Heidi revived the memory of the Vienna dinner in a big way.
She indulged in her weakness for her favourite fruit without compunction. She had pineapple for breakfast. pineapple with lunch, pineapple for tea and pineapple after dinner. But Heidi was allergic to the succulent fruit. Big boils broke out and her beautiful face was disfigured for a while. The tropical climate, too, affected her health badly and Heidi bade goodbye to Ceylon leaving behind the memory of a sweet personality.
WENDT
I had several other Dutch Burgher friends at Lake House. One of them was Lionel Wendt, who had been commissioned by the Boss to design and set up an up-to-date photographic studio – Chitrafoto. Pianist, camera artist and brilliant conversationalist, he was regarded as the brightest spirit among the cultural elite of his time. He was like an electro-magnet.
Wherever he went, men gathered round him like flies round a honey-pot. They stood and listened fascinated by the sparkle of his witticisms. A hub-bub of laughter accompanied every remark of his. He never missed a classical concert of music or a serious play. I still treasure a caustic note he sent me after seeing a poignant drama called “The Cardinal.” He was exceptionally hard on the heroine played by the daughter of a famous Colombo physician.
Wendt grew his hair long, like his teacher Mark Hambourg, and in the manner of most young men of the present generation. But there the resemblance ends. Wendt, however, neglected his health. His only physical exercise consisted of running through the musical scales on his grand piano, pedalling his way to the glorious climax of a Beethoven sonata or in the alternative lifting his beloved Leica camera on and off tripods to catch the passing mood of some interesting face no matter where.
His early death was a tragic loss to art and artists. His name, however, has been immortalized by a building erected by his intimate friends. It was a well-meant effort but every week thousands of perspiring theatergoers spend their purgatory on earth before crossing over to meet their patron saint. Lionel, must be in some corner of the celestial regions practising a Bach fugue on a golden harp.
LIST
Talking of Dutch Burgher friends, I wish I had the space to write something of the incomparable Hilaire Jansz, journalist and gentleman, or of the versatile Arthur Van Langenberg, the man with a heart of gold. Each of them deserves much fuller treatment from abler hands than mine. Talking of the Burghers who have left their mark on the history of our age, one can provide a list which is as long as the Dutch canal that runs between Colombo and Puttalam. I do not wish to repeat the names of celebrities like Lorenz, but there were hundreds of others whose names will ring a bell.
I am appending just a few that come readily to mind, in order to jog the memory and encourage readers to recall picturesque figures who have passed away. Here are a few: Cox Sproule, R.L. Spittel, James Van Langenberg, Evelyn Jansz, Wace de Neise, Martin Gerreyn, L.E.Blaze, Andreas Nell, Donovan Andree, Durand Altendorf, Arthur Ephraums, Frederick Dornhorst, E.H.Joseph, Percy Cooke, S.P. Foenander and Hector Van Cuylemberg.
There were heaps of families, too, whose names will not be forgotten too early: The Leembruggens, Ludovicis, Greniers, Van Dorts, Colin-Thomes, Morgans, Van Rooyens, Wrights, Herfts, Princes, Kochs, Spaars, Van der Straatens, Rodes, Nicholases, Modders, Sansonis, Potgers, Beekmeyers, Albrechts, Speldewindes, Schokmans, de Kretsers, Kelaarts, Maartenszes, Ernsts, de Voses, Nelsons, Deutroms, Van Geyzels, Daniels, Vollenhovens, Orrs, Macks, Brohiers, Forbeses, Bulners, Ludekens’, Milhuisens, Vanderwalls, Keegals, Driebergs, de Jongs, Christoffelszi’, Buultjens’, Bevens, Schraders, Loos’, Martins, Bartholomeus’, La Brooys, Hays, Heyns, Schneiders, Bilsboroughs, Marcuses, Ludowyks, Horans, Woutersz’, Ferdinands’, Martenstyns, Joachims, Casperszes, Kreltzhelms, Alvises, de la Mottes, de Zilwas and hundreds of others.
ONDAATJE
Just one word more and this is from Stanley Suraweera who wishes to get the Ondaatje record straight. He writes:
As I do not want a hornets’ nest buzzing around my ears, although I think I richly deserve it, for dropping that brick, I have to say that what I meant to say (although I did not) was that Quint Ondaatje was the greatest Ceylonese of those who took part in European politics.
True, Quint’s grandfather, Dr. Michael Jurgen Ondaatje was an Indian – from Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic in Southern India. He came out to Sri Lanka in 1659 to medically treat the wife of Adrian vander Meyden, the first Dutch Governor of this country. He not only cured the lady but settled down here for good. Quint of the third generation of these fabulous Ondaatjes rightly claimed to be a Ceylon national.
(From ECB Wijeyesinghe’s The Good at their Best first published in 1976)
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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