Features
Lest We Forget an Accomplished Sportsman: Wijaya ‘Stanley’ Unamboowe’
Over the years Royal College has produced accomplished sportsmen whose performances had been nothing short of outstanding! One such sportsman is Wijaya ‘Stanley’ Unamboowe`, affectionately named ‘Stanley’ by his father’s European planter friends in his hometown of Kotmale`. Of course, his classmates and very close friends also fondly called him “Bamboo” as well!
Stanley Unamboowe` began his school career at Royal College in 1944 at “Glendale” , Bandarawela, a war-time branch of Royal College. There he established himself as a cricketer with all-round abilities, a soccerite and an athlete. However, it was only after he shifted to the main school in Colombo in 1948 that he really had the opportunity to display his talents in cricket, rugby and athletics. Between 1949 and 1951 he made his mark and won his College colours in all three of these sports and in athletics public schools colours as well.
His prowess as a determined and talented sportsman is well illustrated in the role he played in the 72nd Royal-Thomian encounter of 1951, which Royal won by 13 runs in one of the closest matches in this venerated series. As writer under the moniker Commentator in an article entitled ‘The Impossible Finish of 1951’ well describes that match: “Even the boldest writer of sports fiction would not have dared to invent such an implausible finish to a cricket match!” In that game Stanley Unamboowe` proved himself to be a sportsman of class and a daring one at that.
With just half an hour to go, a side chasing 191 runs for victory had reached 154 for 3 wickets. Twenty-five minutes later seven Thomian wickets had fallen for a meagre 23 runs and Royal had won! An incredible finish!! Undoubtedly, it was an excellent team effort by Royal, so brilliantly led by skipper T. Vairavanathan, where his team responded magnificently.
But the splendid all-round contribution to that memorable victory by Stanley’ Unamboowe` cannot be easily forgotten. In that match while making a very useful and attractive 31 runs in Royal’s first Innings, he featured in five dismissals in the Thomian second Innings: two crucial catches and two run-outs and a clean bowled, which decisively changed the complexion of that game.
The Thomians were sitting pretty after tea in the final session of the match. The Thomian batsman P.I. Pieris was well on the way with elegant and powerful stroke-play not only to score a half a century but also to steer Thomians towards what seemed to be an obvious Thomian victory. But at 47 he went for a big hit and was firmly caught by Unamboowe`.
It was, as Commentator describes, a tricky catch and Unamboowe`, fielding at cover, realising that the ball was spinning in the air and was greasy had the presence of mind to let the ball hit his chest and simultaneously close his hands over it! Then came the two run-outs. The first was off his own bowling. The batsman Jayalingam pushed him to the off and went for a short single and Unamboowe pounced on the ball in a flash.
Royal 4×100 Relay Team 1949
Realising that the batsman at the other end, Samuel, was well outside the crease and that there was no one at the bowler’s end to receive his throw, he ran with the ball and aimed at the stumps under-arm to beat the batsman to it. It was another crucial dismissal as Samuel was well set at 51 runs!
Soon thereafter Unamboowe` clean bowled Thomian batsman Yatawara. This was followed by another run-out to dismiss Jayalingam who was looking dangerous indeed. Unamboowe` was bowling to Thomian skipper Inman when the Royal skipper Vairavanathan craftily placed himself deliberately at deep mid-off lulling both batsmen into complacency that the field was open on the off for a single. But with the delivery from Unamboowe, while Jayalingam was already backing up, the Royal skipper had stealthily raced in and was ready with the ball in his hand to throw it cleanly over the stumps for Unamboowe` to coolly take the bails off to dismiss Jayalingam for 33!
The second catch, an incredible one, was to dismiss the Thomian skipper Roger Inman off his own bowling. The catch was off a “full-blooded drive that should have hit the sight-screen first hop.” That catch has been described as “a stunning catch that brought the crowd to its feet”. Unamboowe`, who was off-balance after the delivery recovered in a flash and in a daring leap into the air took the red-hot drive firmly in his vertically outstretched left-hand thereby proving that the difference between the impossible and the possible lies in one’s daring and determination!
Royal won that game eventually by 13 runs when he rattled the last Thomian batsman’s stumps. Commentator rightly sums up that match as follows: cricket is a team game, every member of the team pulled his weight, with Unamboowe` magnificent in the last session. And Commentator should know best for he too was a member of that victorious Royal team.
Stanley Unamboowe’s sporting prowess was seen on the rugby field as well. He represented Royal at rugby from 1949-1951 and featured prominently as a wing three-quarter in the Bradby Shield games in those years, particularly in 1951 when Royal romped home in both encounters with record breaking scores (19-03 and 13-05 in the return), under the old scoring system of three points for a try and five points for a goal and three points for a penalty goal.
He also excelled at track events in athletics and was a member of the 1949 Royal 4 x 100yards relay quartet, comprising J.A de Silva, V.K.Gunasekera, Desmond Van Twest and himself, which beat the formidable SJC relay team into second place with a record breaking run in the Public Schools athletics meet held at the Colombo Oval. He left Royal soon after the Bradby shield games in 1951 in pursuit of a planting career under Anglo Ceylon and General Estate Company Ltd, though he could have remained in school and perhaps played another year of cricket and rugby.
He did play a bit of cricket for Dimbulla. But it was really at rugby football that he was able to give full vent to his sporting prowess not only as a wing three-quarter, but also as a fly-half and centre-three as well. In fact, he had represented every rugby playing Club up-country during his planting career, beginning with the Kandy Sports Club. The other clubs he represented were Dimbulla, Dickoya , Uva and KV.In 1963 he led Dimbulla in the Clifford cup Finals vs Havelocks He was also featured in the annual Capper Cup encounters between Up-Country and Low-Country(Colombo Clubs) finally leading the Up-Country team in 1963. Though he had represented Ceylon Barbarians in the All-India Tournaments while playing for up country clubs, in fact, it was in 1963 that he won his National Jersey and was a member of the Ceylon team that beat South India in the finals in the All-India Tournament.
After a long and very successful stint on the plantations, he was back in Colombo in the Head Office of Carson Cumberbatch to manage the estates in Carson’s care. He also visited Malaysia regularly to supervise Oil Palm plantations which were under the management of Carsons, finally ending up as Chairman of Carson’s and, at one time, simultaneously holding the chairmanship of Union Assurance Ltd. (UAL), a leading Insurance company of the day as well. Despite his heavy work load, he also found time to help the Royal rugby coaching effort in 1970 as coach and as coaching coordinator of junior rugby in the late 1990s
His fulfilling career as an accomplished sportsman and a CEO is an outstanding example for youngsters to follow. Now in his 91st year he still goes for a daily constitutional in the evenings for an hour so, though, quite naturally, not with the same vigour as of yore. Occasionally he displays his talent on the keyboard of the organ, proudly placed in his living room, and at one-time was quite at home simulating air flights on the computer. His one lament is that most his friends have moved on. When this writer met up with him for a very pleasant chat he was sporting a grisly beard. Asked why a beard his response was that he just lets it to grow with an occasional trim! – ULK
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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