Features
How the visionaries transformed the land by lighting the hill
St. Michael’s College, Batticaloa – 150th Anniversary
By B. Nimal Veerasingham
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:14-16)
‘Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another’ said 19th century English poet Gilbert K. Chesterton. Nelson Mandela put that in practical terms as ‘Education being the most powerful weapon which one can use to change the world’.
It is not difficult to grasp why Education is glorified as being the ‘truth that will set one free’, as has been witnessed by the mottos of many Universities around the world. This includes Johns Hopkins University, the premier research University in the US with affiliation to 39 Nobel laureates.
Our nation’s constant high literacy rate is a testimony to the placement of education. It is a result of locally inborn instincts of curiosity and advancement, aided to some extent by the arrival of foreign visionaries and missionaries. Many renowned educational institutions around the country are marking centuries of continued awakening of minds and uplifted lives, cornerstones of a progressive society.
The Eastern township of Batticaloa is no stranger to this phenomenon. Little known is the fact that one of the first English educational institutions in the country has its origin at Batticaloa. The Methodist Central College was founded in 1814 by the Wesleyan missionaries. On the other hand, St. Michael’s College Batticaloa rose from its humble beginnings, starting in 1873, to the monumental towers at the centre of the town, lighting the hearts and minds of the population.
St. Michael’s college Batticaloa is marking its 150th year of service to the region, and country, this 29th September, on the feast of its patron saint Archangel Michael, the slayer of ignorance with truth.
The humble beginnings could be traced back to Fr. Francis Xavier, Ceylon’s first secular priest, who was born in Jaffna and served in Bolawatte and Chilaw. He was commissioned to start an English boys school at Batticaloa with the sum of Rs, 500.00, but the energised and driven Fr. Xavier started not one, but three schools, including St. Cecilia’s Girls English school and St. Mary’s Tamil school. The first headmaster of St. Michael’s College was Joseph Sethupathy Abraham of Karampon who served the school tirelessly for more than 50 years. Though French Jesuits took over the diocese of Trincomalee, in 1895, which includes the administration of St. Michael’s College, it’s the local visionaries who breathed life into the concept of education that eventually lift countless as productive souls of the society.
The results from the journey envisioned by the local futurists might have been elusive during their lifetime, but 150 years later the region and the country applaud and admire their boldness in sowing the seeds of education, without any expectation of a foreseeable and bountiful harvest.
The monumental building that dominates the Batticaloa town’s landscape for nearly one and a half centuries did not happen without a reason, both metaphorically and corporality. It is clearly a sign of a structure up on the hill in relative terms.
‘Puliyanthivu’, as the Batticaloa town is called, is an Island surrounded by the legendary lagoon of the ‘Singing fish’. For the naked eye though it might seem geologically flat, the centre is on higher elevation. Most of us as students at different times have felt it when coming to college from the surrounding streets. I certainly felt it coming to school both from the Southern and Northern flanks, climbing steadily up from both ends of Central Road. The upper elevation also allowed a clear hearing of the ’long bell’ to all in the surroundings, that rang from the Eastern tower announcing the initial readiness for the beginning of classes.
I cannot say with certainty when the visionaries who negotiated with almost 42 individual owners who held ownership to the plots that hold the present-day Saint Michael’s college, had any idea that they were constructing a foundation, a mortar and brick space for the public good, up on a hill. Why did the idea be at the centre, rather than closer to the much-desired lake or in the surrounding spacious outskirts; a question naturally appears to an intrigued mind?
The Jesuits, who took over the school transforming the character and instilling progressive ethics, were in fact living up to the scope and vision of a lamp on the hill. Many a times while acknowledging the local visionaries with similar construes, we tend to query as to how differently the Jesuits, who mostly arrived from North America and Europe, envisioned the path to complete growth, intrigued minds and strengthened bodies.
It was more than ploughing back the scientific knowledge of the West; rather a determined dedication as per their calling to promote science and education as a way of serving God. By the eighteenth-century Jesuits had contributed to the development of pendulum clocks, pantographs, barometers, reflecting telescopes and microscopes to scientific fields as various as magnetism, optics and electricity. They theorized about the circulation of the blood, the theoretical possibility of flight, the way the moon affected the tides and the wave-like nature of light. At a time, in presumption when theology seemed to be in conflict with science, the Jesuit order spearheaded the scientific knowledge-based education to thousands of institutions around the world.
During my time at college, I did personally experience that mixture of practical application of science and visionary drive many of us were familiar with. Education, ethics, and sports in the Jesuit tradition is a call to human excellence.
Once the inter-school soccer season starts at Batticaloa, late Rev Fr Harold Weber SJ would be the most robust as the dedicated guardian of the game. Depending on the age groups he will ensure the right measured soccer fields are ready for practices and matches, both within the current stadium and outside near the old courthouse.
Though I have accompanied Fr. Weber many times in his scooter, holding soccer balls for practices, never thought of asking a question of principle, that came to haunt me later and at the same time provided a glimpse to the spirit of those who came to serve others.
Once the Rev Father is in the town’s spacious main playground irrespective of the time of the day, he would be looking for any small stones that accidently ended up in the field. It would look like a natural gentle walk, but his eyes are glued to the ground all the time. There could be many reasons why stones end up in the field, but for most athletes barefooted, it was deadly in a fast-moving soccer game or any kind of short or long-distance running. Fr. Weber always would be looking for those show stoppers to prevent accidents and injuries and at times even when the blazing sun is high above at noon.
A Jesuit and a student councillor attached to St Michael’s college looking after the welfare of all citizens of Batticaloa provides a conclusive answer to the ethics held high and nourished at the helm. It might be a small act of concern for others but when the ethics get stretched it touches all walks of daily lives and becomes the centre of harmony and peace embracing all without conditions. His appearance in his best cassock at any sports or public events foretells his view of respect and appreciation to all, rather than limiting his flock within the walls of college towers.
One of the greatest Tamil scholar Swami Vipulananda’s time both as a student and a teacher at Saint Michael’s captures this appreciation for excellence and acceptance spirit of Jesuits, Fr Weber showcased in the playing field and beyond.
Swami Vipulananda, with his birth name Samithamby Mylvaganam, appears many times in Saint Michael’s College journals as a contributor of essays where he was also noted as an excellent trained teacher later. One of the greatest minds that ever rose from the East spent nearly eight years (1906 – 1914) within the College walls closely associating with Jesuits, especially with Rev Fr Bonnel, the architect of the current school buildings that we see today. The fundamentals of Cambridge Senior examination that he passed with flying colours, while at Saint Michaels, no doubt would have allowed him to slide at ease later through his Bachelor of Science degree at University of London.
Late Mr. K Kanapathipillai, former Principal of Shivananda Vidyalayam who himself was a student at College, noted how as the science teacher, Fr. Bonnel bound volumes of the past question papers of the Cambridge Senior Examination in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, botany and geography along with solutions, and then distributed among the students. ‘He labored hard to build up and maintain the first science laboratory in Batticaloa for the advancement of the students in a more meticulous and inspiring manner’ noted Mr. Kanapathipillai.
Swami Vipulananda was more than a literary scholar; he was a genius, Master of science. Though he became the first Tamil Pundit passing the Madurai Tamil society examinations he was a multilingual scholar. After researching for more than 14 years he produced the seminal book of scientific research in Tamil called ‘Yazh Nool’. The book was an effort to understand and explain the intricacies and technicalities of the Tamil music genre in general, especially with string instruments, using calculation methods based on mathematics and physics. Many experts of the subject still say that it is not for the ordinary.
He also wrote ‘Mathangaculamani’ a translation of Shakespeare’s twelve plays in the literary traditions of Sanskrit, Greek and English focusing on aspects of plot, structure, sequence of action, characterisation, subjective experience, and gestures. He was editor to many publications and wrote several books including a dictionary of technical terms in Chemistry. He wrote extensively on Vedanta philosophy, Tamil literature, and translated selected poems of Subramanya Bharathi, Sangam literature and devotional hymns from Tamil to English.
The disciplined higher education at Saint Michael’s College and its backbone Jesuits certainly would have impacted and enabled Swami Vipulananda’s reach as a multi-talented scholar and an incorporator of global scientific and literary traditions.
But it goes beyond. He would have witnessed the self sacrifices of the Jesuits, what Mr. Kanapathipillai noted as ‘their purpose was a divine one, inspired by no less divine call; to set aflame the spark that was already in one’s pupil’.
As the records show austerity was the hallmark of Fr. Bonnel’s entire career. A bare plank served as his bed and a brick or two propped up his head and served as his pillow. From early morning till late in the evening; till the hour he had his head on the hard pillow, it was a day every minute which he was aware of; and each minute he endeavored to put to the best use; a walking university.
The College journal from 1924 noted with pride that Pandit Mylvaganam had been promoted to the rank of Sanyasi in the Rama Krishna Mission, under the name Srimath Swami Vipulananda and was now attached to Rama Krishna Mutt in Madras. Ramakrishna mission is a unique order of ascetics and volunteers dedicated to serve the weaker segments of community, irrespective of religious, caste creed, or language differences through schools, hospitals, and orphanages.
Why Swami Vipulananda chose Ramakrishna Mission as his life mission and to which extent his exposure to austerity, science, sacrifices and dedication of Jesuits especially Fr. Bonnel playing in the decision is anybody’s guess. All we know are the selfless actions of giants who walked among us in our lifetime like Fr. Weber, who embraced the whole community with his unlimited dedication, love, and concern.
We all hold the spark to ignite greater good for the future and to light the world, just like those who founded and shaped the journey at St. Michael’s College without expectations. Are we willing to invest and envision a bountiful harvest beyond our lifetime? The school that was built on the hill cannot be hidden; the light lit by the local visionaries and foreign missionaries continues to glow as Saint Michael’s College, Batticaloa steps into its one and half century of excellence.
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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