Features
HONG KONG-MACAU-CHINA – Part 45
CONFESSIONS OF A GLOBAL GYPSY
By Dr. Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena DPhil
President – Chandi J. Associates Inc. Consulting, Canada
Founder & Administrator – Global Hospitality Forum
chandij@sympatico.ca
Hong Kong – A Concrete Jungle
As the Manager – Operations for the hotel company in the corporate office of John Keells Group, 1981 was a busy year for me. As I was required to leave for Hong Kong for three weeks, at short notice, I quickly placed many of my projects on a back burner or delegated those to members of my team. Within two days after I was assigned the task of performing a special role of the Guest Executive Chef for a two-week long Sri Lankan and Maldivian food festival, I arrived at the Hotel Furama Inter-Continental in Hong Kong. Compared to what I had seen during my limited overseas travels before, Hong Kong Island struck me as the first, overpopulated concrete jungle I had visited.
The Furama Hotel, with 33 storeys, had opened in 1973 and was taken over for management by the InterContinental Hotels three years later. During my quick orientation by a Swiss German, Peter Luedi, the Executive Chef of the host hotel, I was most impressed with their revolving restaurant on the top floor named ‘La Ronda’. “This is our premier restaurant. Your food festival will be held here for lunch and dinner over two weeks. Our sales and marketing department has promoted the festival very well and we expect all buffets to be sold out. Let me introduce the three Chinese cooks who will report to you during that entire period”, Chef Luedi ushered me to the roof top kitchen. I was pleased that he was very optimistic, helpful and positive.
Cooking and PR
My extra (non-cooking) days before the festival were spent on event planning, fine-tuning the menu planning, special grocery shopping in local markets, advance preparations, public relations and promotional events. The food festival was a big success. By the end of the two weeks, I was exhausted from cooking virtually all of the dishes for sold-out buffets. My three Hong Kong Chinese assistants also worked very hard providing me with support, but they were totally dependent on my food requisitioning, food seasoning and the final cooking. I was also responsible for most of the buffet arrangements and decorations. After my final cooking for each meal and a quick shower, I appeared behind the buffet tables to explain the dishes to hundreds of diners.
I had five free days in Hong Kong after the festival was over. The day after the festival, I planned to rest the whole day, but I was woken early in the morning by the Public Relations Officer of the hotel. “Chef Chandana, you need to get ready quickly. We finally managed to arrange a spot for you to appear on the most popular TV show in Hong Kong, this morning!”, she said enthusiastically over the telephone. “What time is the interview?” I asked. “In three hours. I will drive you to the TV studio. The interview will take place simultaneously while you cook the most popular Sri Lankan dishes for TV. Let’s get ready!” she said in an excited voice.
I realized that this was the first time over a million Hong Kong TV viewers would see how popular Sri Lankan dishes were prepared. I quickly got ready and ran to the hotel stores to organize the ingredients I needed for my assignment at the TV studio. I was a bit relieved to hear that the show would be a pre-recorded program. When I arrived at the studio for the food demonstration, I was treated like an exotic, celebrity chef and an ambassador for Sri Lankan cuisine. I took that mini assignment very seriously and enjoyed my work in front of the camera.
A Tourist in Hong Kong
After that busy day, I took time to explore tourist sites of Hong Kong Island which was a very small area of 29 square miles. While Hong Kong Island then had around a quarter of a total population of over five million (five million population (today over 7.5 million). Kowloon and New Kowloon areas had half of the population of Hong Kong. Hong Kong had a high population density.
My tour guide explained that Hong Kong in Cantonese mean ‘Fragrant Harbour’. Hong Kong had been inhabited since the Old Stone Age three million years ago. Later, it had become a part of the Chinese empire, starting out as a fishing, farming and salt producing village. Then it had gradually become an important, free port and eventually a major, international financial centre.
This small island situated off the south-eastern coast of the Kwangtung Province of China had been under the British rule for 139 years, since the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong to the British Empire in 1842 through the treaty of Nanjing, ending the First Opium War. Hong Kong then became a British crown colony.
Japan occupied Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945 during the Second World War, and by the end of the war in 1945, Hong Kong Island had been liberated by joint British and Chinese troops and returned to the British rule. Hong Kong greatly increased its population with the refugees from Mainland China, particularly during the Korean War. In 1981 I sensed that in general, Hong Kong residents felt fearful and uncertain of their future if and when the territory goes back to Chinese rule in 16 years’ time.
My tour of Hong Kong was very interesting. I enjoyed the beach area of Repulse Bay, fishing towns and food streets. The panoramic view of Victoria City and its harbour from Victoria Peak, 1,800 feet above sea-level, was breath-taking. When I asked the tour guide about the beautiful, blue hills visible from a distance, he said, “That’s Kowloon and beyond.” Then he suggested, “You should join me tomorrow on a special day-long tour to Kowloon and New Territories.” I did not require much persuasion to join that tour.
Kowloon and New Territories
After winning the Second Opium War, Kowloon had been ceded to the winning side, the British, by China in 1860. The New Territories had been leased by the Chinese to the British for 99 years in 1898. While getting ready for my second tour, I accidently bumped into a few British tourists who used to visit Hotel Swanee frequently, when I was the Manager there. They were my friends and insisted on hosting me for dinner at their hotel. They also took me on a long, shopping walk on the famous Hankow Road.
Kowloon (meaning nine dragons) was different from the Hong Kong Island. Large ‘H’ shaped blocks of flats in resettlement estates were occupied by thousands of Chinese refugees who fled from the Communist China. As we travelled to the New Territories, more agricultural communities were visible. We also had a glimpse of the Shumchun River, the natural boundary between the British colony and the China. After that tour, I was determined to cross that invisible ‘Bamboo Curtain’. I thought of my father’s advice to me to visit China, and booked a two-day tour to Macau and Southern China.
Macau – Smoke-filled Casinos
The next day early in the morning, I left Hong Kong in a hovercraft boat to Macau. This very small (two square miles) island and the close by mainland areas of the territory added up to just six square miles. Macao had been under Portuguese rule for over 400 years. Although 95% of its population were Chinese, the official language was Portuguese.
The tour group which was predominantly British and Australian, enjoyed visiting many historic ruins, gardens and casinos. This was my first time visiting a casino, but because of the totally, smoked-filled atmosphere, it was not pleasant. For me, the most memorable thing I did in Macau was visiting the memorial house of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The tour guide explained to us that Dr. Sun Yat Sen was considered as the ‘Father of Modern China’ and the ‘Forerunner of the Revolution’ in recognition of his instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution in 1911.
Southern China – Unprepared for Tourism
After visiting Macau we were taken in two tour buses to the south of the Pearl River Delta in the Cantonese-speaking province of Guangdong, for two nights. Wherever we went locals paid some attention to me as they were not used to seeing non-white tourists in China in 1981. We visited the city of Zhuhai which had been identified in 1980 as one of the original four special economic zones, as well as potentially one of China’s premier tourist destinations, being called the Chinese Riviera. Then we proceeded to the city of Zhongshan which is one of a very few cities in China named after a person. It was named after Dr. Sun Yat Sen (who is known in Mandarin as Sun Zhongshan).
Compared to Hong Kong, Southern China appeared to be totally underdeveloped in 1981.
Nevertheless, I loved the experience of being one of the early tourists in modern-day China. In terms of tourism in 1981, China was at a very early developmental stage, much behind small countries such as Sri Lanka. When he heard that I visited China, my father was pleased that I had commenced following his footsteps in becoming a frequent global traveller.
In 1981, it was difficult for me to imagine how China would become one of the four top tourist destinations in the world within 35 years. It is simply an amazing success story. In the year 2019, the World Tourism Organization also identified China as the # 1 source country in tourist spending for the year 2019.
Back in Hong Kong
I returned to Hong Kong just in time to attend a farewell dinner for the Sri Lankan and Maldivian delegates who attended the tourism promotion events. Hotel Furama Inter-Continental was grateful for my work as the Guest Executive Chef. I was thankful for their hospitality and support. The food festival was considered a great success in terms of publicity, food quality, diner satisfaction, revenue and profits.
The experience I gained in Hong Kong in 1981 was helpful in later years, when I organized four more large Sri Lankan food and culture festivals in Singapore (1982), Oman (1988), Guyana (1994) and Jamaica (1996), as the Guest Executive Chef and Event Coordinator. I considered organizing a large food festival in another country as the ultimate challenge in outside catering. Based on my experience in Hong Kong, I prepared a detailed checklist for organizing food festivals, which I shared with my team as well as with students of the Ceylon Hotel School where I was requested to deliver a series of guest lectures on my return to Sri Lanka.
Over the next couple of decades, I returned to Hong Kong a few times.
In 1991, I was able to arrange a Management Observer period at then the best hotel in the world – the Regent of Hong Kong. I was proud to hear that the resident band of this great hotel was the well-known Sri Lankan band, The Jetliners. My friends Tony Fernando and Mignonne Fernando (band manager and the lead singer of the Jetliners) arranged my assignment.
In 1992, I returned to Hong Kong to present a case study from Sri Lanka at the Pacific Asia Regional Tourism Education Forum, organized by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the World Tourism Organisation. I was proud to meet two Sri Lankans leading PATA at that time – Lakshman Ratnapala, President & CEO and Renton De Alwis, Vice President – Asia.
In 2001, I returned to Hong Kong, to present a case study from the Caribbean. This was at the International Hospitality Industry Evolution Conference, organized by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Cornell University, USA. On that fourth visit, I felt the changing political climate of Hong Kong, under the Chinese rule.
In 2010, l was asked by my then employer, George Brown College, Toronto, Canada (where I worked as a dean), to spend three weeks in China to lead work assignments. Two members of my team of professors accompanied me. Our work was mainly at the Guilin University of Technology, with whom, George Brown College had an educational pathway agreement. During that trip I spent interesting periods in Guilin, Beijing and Shanghai.
In time to come, I will narrate stories about these memorable return trips to Hong Kong and China, in this column.
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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