Features
Maitriya Hall – Its History and Heritage
by Prof Manouri Senanayake, President Servants of the Buddha
Nestled behind the Mettarama temple in Lauries Road Bambalapitiya and accessed through the gates of the hallowed temple, in the shade of a leafy environment sits the stately building “Maitriya Hall”. The tangible and physical character of this place is fully understood only if experienced. Walking in through the arched doorways of this historic building one is embraced by an immense sense of peace and quietude, which belies the fact one is the midst of the city with its hustle and bustle.
This week in April 2023, the Maitriya Hall completes 120 years of fulfilling the purpose it was built for – that of disseminating the Buddha’s teachings, in English. The anniversary event is an opportune moment to reflect on the significance and value of this Hall and its unique historical, architectural and spiritual aspects.
Historical details
In the late 1880s a few Buddhist families in Bambalapitiya were concerned their offspring were not exposed to the Buddha’s teachings and erected a “Bana Maduwa accessed through a narrow gravel path”.(1) The Dhamma Talks intermittently held here took a meteoric rise when this group invited a brilliant young scholarly monk, Pelene Vajiragnana Thera, to reside at the site. The transformation of this preaching hall or Dharma Sala to ‘Siri Vajiraramaya’, the world renowned bastion of the Buddha Sasana, is history well known.
As recorded by Dr. Ananda Soysa a son of a member of this history-making group, ‘within the small group of devotees it was Mr. J.E.R. Pereira who made the momentous invitation to the Most Venerable Pelene Vajiragnana Thera’. (1). Others in the group were G.J Silva, W.J. Soysa, W.A.de Silva, Simon Alwis and G.G.M. Silva.(1). As a young boy in the late 1920s Dr Soysa carried a lantern ahead of the monks as they traversed the footpath that was snake infested. Today this narrow path is the traffic burdened Vajira Road in Colombo 4.
A few years later, it was the same John Ellenson Richard Pereira (J.E.R. Pereira) who steered the construction of Maitriya Hall, a parallel venture to cater to the English educated residents of Colombo. Well preserved documents show that in 1899 Mr. J.E.R. Pereira founded the Buddhist Aid Association comprising of “thirteen like-minded Buddhists” who jointly funded the purchase of a piece of land in Lauries Road. Their aim was “to establish a school room to teach Western languages to Buddhist monks” and to provide a hall “for the study and promulgation of Buddhism, in English”.
Around this time, in 1900, Allan Bennett, a young scientist from London, arrived in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in search of the Dhamma, having read the Light of Asia. He befriended Dr. Cassius Pereira, a son of the Pereira family. The dearth of monks with ability to teach in English was spotlighted when the need arose to find a teacher adept at imparting both Pali and the Dhamma to Allan Bennett. The search succeeded and the student made amazing progress under the tutelage of Venerable Weragampitiye Revata Maha Thera, an erudite monk in Kamburugamuwa. Allan Bennett who grasped Pali in the exceedingly short space of six months proceeded to get ordained. (2)
There is no doubt Allan Bennett played a major role in influencing Mr. J.E.R. Pereira to build a large Hall to replace the existing small thatched roofed building they had purchased. The new building cost Rs. 6,000. Mr and Mrs J.E.R. Pereira were the prime donors with Jeannie Mary Pereira, wife of J.E.R. Pereira laying its foundation stone.
The hall was ceremonially opened on April 25, 1903. As reported in Sarasavi Sandaresa Venerables Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala, Mahagoda Gnanissara, and Dodanduwe Piyaratana Theras were at the head table. Having ordained in Myanmar, Allan Bennett returned as Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya, and after paying obeisance to the three senior monks he addressed the gathering. Thereafter Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya delivered talks every Sunday evening until he bid farewell to a tearful crowd after speaking on “Right Living”. The stirring speeches he delivered led Mr. J.E.R. Pereira to name the hall “Maitriya Dharma Sala” .
Elizabeth Harris author, researcher and Buddhist scholar reports “the audience was mesmerized at seeing a white person in robes”. Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya, later also known as Ananda Metteyya and Ananda M was the second Englishman ever, to be ordained as a Buddhist monk. It is noteworthy that in 1908, Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya went on to become the “First British Emissary of Buddhism to England” (3).
The hall functioned as a school for Ceylonese and Burmese monks with a specially engaged teacher and was open to the public on Sundays for a morning session at 8 am and at 6 pm in the evening. The world’s first international Buddhist Journal, the Illustrated Quarterly Review published in Rangoon Burma in 1903 states in its account on Ceylon:
“Some 25 Bhikkhus, Sinhalese and Burmese attend the school for monks in
Maitriya Dharmasala. The school is rapidly gaining in popularity amongst the
Bhikkhus who are quick to see the advantages to be obtained from the course of instructions. There are more applicants for studentship than can be admitted at
the present state of the finances, at their disposal. We would urge upon our
brothers in Ceylon the extreme importance of this work- for the preservation of
their Religion and the advancement of their Sanga”. (4)
A later issue of the same journal mentions :
” The Hall was willingly lent by the Trustees to the Director of Public Instruction for holding of the Government Examinations in Pali, Sinhalese and Sanskrit. These
Examinations are a new departure on the part of the Government and is to be
congratulated on at last embarked on this very important work”.
Mr. J.E.R. Pereira passed away in 1919. Two years later his son Dr. Cassius Pereira revamped Buddhist Aid Association and renamed it he Servants of the Buddha. This was on April 16, 1921. Maitriya Hall remained the headquarters of the Servants of the Buddha from its inception in 1921 to date i.e. for over 102 years.
The Founder and First President of Servants of the Buddha was Dr Cassius Pereira, son of J.E.R. Pereira, who later joined the Order as Ven. Kassapa; with both first and higher ordinations held on the same day at Vajiraramaya. Ven. Kassapa then became the Patron of Servants of the Buddha. The close friendship of Dr. Cassius Pereira and Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya continued until the latter passed away in England at age 50 years.
The close ties the Pereira family had with the Hall and the Servants of the Buddha, spanned over three generations. J.E.R. Pereira created Maitriya Hall (1903); his son Cassius Pereira Founded the Servants of the Buddha (1921) and served as President for a total of 27 years. Next was Dr Cassius Pereira’s son, Crown Counsel Ananda Pereira who took up the mantle of President (1956) and rendered yeoman service for 12 years maintaining strong links with the Sanga, until his untimely demise in 1968.
The family grave of the Pereira family is in General Cemetery Kanatte in Colombo.
Although in the Christian section the Headstone has Buddhist Insignia. A swastika mounts the column bearing the names on both sides of the plinth, starting with J.E.R. Pereira. We are grateful to Dilky Pereira a direct descendent and a Buddhist domiciled in Australia, for the family photograph.
Architectural features
The Maitriya Dharmasala was built when the country was under British rule. At first glance it resembles a church. Given that many churches were built near Buddhist temples at the time, the uninitiated may think this building’s origin was as a church. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This Hall was purpose built as a House of Dhamma. Its resemblance to a church signifies the Universality of the Buddha’s Teachings which is not restricted to a race, colour or any other barrier. The Hall was also meant to attract and “wean Buddhists back to the religion of their forefathers”.
Human behaviour in Ceylon at the time, is described by Bhikkhu Ananda Maitriya as follows. “Westernised Ceylonese, who mostly wear European clothes, dislike going to hear the Dhamma preached in temples, where they have to sit on the ground. The Maitriya Dharmasala obviates this where benches are provided.”
Extracts from Deeds researched by Mr Sinha Basnayake state: “The building thus constructed in the architectural style of a church, replete with pews and an altar, has distinct features drawn from the Gupta period”. “The Maitriya Hall thus constructed symbolised the meeting of East and West and was named after Ven. Ananda Maitriya, the spiritual inspiration behind this historic endeavour”.
Chartered architect Shanta Gunaratna writes: “The style of architecture is English Gothic Revival; a style prevalent at the time. Moulded in plaster is the form of a chaitya on the keystone of the arch in the hall claiming the building as a Buddhist place of worship. Plaster moulded lotus-like flowers and leaves on the column capitals supporting the arch gently highlight the altar and statue of the Buddha. Oriental motifs are evident on the front façade. The Chaitya motif on the top parapet indicates it is a House of Dhamma” (5)
Spiritual significance
Dissemination of the Dhamma in English is the hallmark of the Servants of the Buddha; and has taken place unfailingly on a weekly basis for over a century. This unbroken record began at a time the Dhamma had still not taken root in the west. It is not incorrect to surmise that this is a world record held by the Servants of the Buddha and the Maitriya hall. The Discussions that followed Dhamma talks in English was another novelty at the time, that attracted the intelligentsia.
Formal teaching of the English language in a classroom setting has abated within the walls of Maitriya Hall, but a platform to hone one’s skills in communicating the Dhamma in English is available to monks and nuns who speak at the weekly sessions. This opportunity and its benefits have been clearly expressed by monks who improved English proficiency by speaking in the Hall. Ven Welimada Jinalankara Thera, a much sought after Dhamma teacher in New Zealand documents his ‘Dhamma Journey of crossing the oceans’ with the starting point as Maitriya Hall and how encouragement received from some listeners helped build confidence to impart the Dhamma in a foreign tongue. (6)
Another noteworthy mention is found in a ‘biographical sketch’ of Ven Narada Maha Thero an outstanding Dhammaduta of our times. It states “Narada thera joined the Servants of the Buddha society and actively participated in the weekly dhamma discussions. It was really here that the foundation was laid for the missionary activities of the young Bhikkhu”. (7) A book titled ‘English through Buddhism’ was launched at the Centenary event of the society, was pilot tested among monks in Vajiraramaya with positive reports of ‘very useful and recommended’ by the current Patron Ven Siri Vajiraramaye Nanasiha Thera. Furthering its use is underway.
This unique weekly meetings continued on Sundays until at some unspecified point in time, it shifted to Saturdays with equal regularity and commitment. It is said, even on Easter Sunday 1942, the day the ‘air raid’ took place over the Colombo jetty, a brief meeting was held in Maitriya hall and a few faithful devotees arrived. The ‘lockdown of the Covid pandemic’ caused the physical meetings to undergo a profound change by moving to the virtual platform.
With the Saturday talks entering the Internet Age it quickly attracted an international audience and international speakers. The noble aims of our Founders continue to flourish on the digital stage. The post-pandemic return to Maitriya Hall requires more equipment with expensive technology to ensure high quality Hybrid Events. This is a felt need at present.
The cornerstone for the success of the spiritual activities of the Society and the longevity of Maitriya Hall’s pristine physical condition is the selfless devotion, untiring commitment and hard work of successive generations of Presidents, Secretaries, Directors, and Members underpinned by the wise counsel of the Patrons. The strong links with Vajiraramaya is evident by the series of Patrons who were and still are from Vajiraramaya – Ven Kassapa, Ven Narada, Ven Piyadassi and at present the Ven Siri Vajiraramaye Nanasiha Thera.
May the Maitriya Hall continue to shine the Beacon of Light lit by the Founders for a further 120 years and more.
References
(1). Dr. AD.Soysa A great and benign influence on Sri Lankan culture. Daily News 11Nov2009
(2) Ven.Dr.H.MahindaThera. Ven.Ananda Metteyya’s Legacy.Budusarana 29 Jan 2010
(3) Elizabeth Harris1998 Ananda Metteyya; The First British Emissary of Buddhism BPS.
(4) Buddhist Activities :In Buddhism: An Illustrated Quarterly Review (1903) Vol 1 No 1
(5) S.Gunaratna Architectural Features of Maitriya hall – Dhamma Gems 2021 Pg 32
(6) Ven W.Jinalankara A Dhamma journey of crossing the oceans Dhamma Gems 2021
(7) Gunaseela Vithanage 1979 A Biographical Sketch Narada Felicitation Volume BPS
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 . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
