Features
Opposite to Happiness: depression, despair, frustration
She phones me – this young girl, my ‘talkmate’ who I speak to on the telephone to improve her spoken English – to tell me it is her birthday. I chirp birthday greetings and make it plain I am happy to chat on her celebratory day. With no attempt to camouflage her low spirits she says: “I am thirty and I have no hope at all of getting married; of having no problems, of getting a teaching post, of my family being even fairly well off. No future to look forward to.”
All this so true. She entered Peradeniya University after her first attempt at the AL exam and followed an arts course. No employment for a couple of years until she got a low ranking government job. Her monthly salary cannot be much, but with that she bears most of the family expenses of an accident injured father, rubber tapper mother and four younger siblings.
She lives with her grandparents, both disabled. She has a friend who wants to marry her, but she cannot forsake her family even to the extent of moving to live with him. Is it any wonder she was distressed and felt hopeless turning 30?
Replication of her story and her life’s path is widespread in this country of ours, common to both genders. Young men however have more avenues open to them to dissipate their desperation and in many families are cosseted by female members: mothers working on estates and sisters slaving in garment factories, for example. Thus the burden of economic instability and unproductive, poverty encouraging policies of governments have fallen squarely on the underprivileged women of the land.
Bad over here
I have no statistics at hand but surmise from conversations had with many mothers, a father and young girls in their late teens or young adults who seem to cope. But maybe they suffer desperation and a losing of faith and hope for the future, keeping it hidden to spare their families the extra burden of having a daughter teetering between wellness and desperation.
The father I spoke with – a driver – has three children: one with a degree and working in a very prestigious firm; the son in his final year – statistics and electronics; and the youngest just past her OLs who started work recently in a restaurant; her target being the hospitality trade. They had their secondary and senior secondary education in the English medium, though Sinhala, because the two girls were in a convent and the boy in an international school. They are well adjusted but have friends who show positive signs of depression and severe frustration.
Well-to-do young ones and those proficient in English are employed or proceeding with higher studies and able to cope with the pressures that are the lot of most Sri Lankans. The less privileged particularly, are adversely affected by high costs and economic travails. Over-anxious, even nagging mothers and excessive competition are other negatives that assail teens and young adults. Worst of all is that the education system has let down Sri Lankan students by not preparing them for alternatives to university entrance – very narrow and restrictive. Late marriages are the order of the day by personal choice or forced on them. The elites choose being single, enjoying greater independence.
Suicides occur among the young but much less than in former years. Young ones contain their frustration to manageable levels mostly because of the strong family system that prevails in our country. The support of the extended family is strong.
I chose this topic which is diametrically opposite to my two previous articles in this column which were on happiness, since depression and the unhappiness of frustration come inevitably to mind when happiness is mentioned. Black and white, good and bad and such like pairs float around together. An added reason for writing about depression is an article from the NYT by a much admired writer/columnist – Maureen Dowd, 1999 Pulitzer Prize winner.
Western countries
Maureen Dowd starts her article thus: “It was ‘the summer of girl power’, a tour de force by a glittering troika; pink dream houses, songs and sequins, Barbie, Taylor Swift and Beyonce buoyed the economy and sent women’s confidence soaring. So I felt sad talking to friends dropping daughters at college, to hear of rampant anxiety, campuses awash in SSRIs – serotin boosters found in drugs like Prozac and Lexapro – and long waits for therapy.” Mercifully, except for the very rich and sophisticated, therapy for teenagers is unheard of over here. Drugs are peddled in and around schools and many parents are not only wary but scared stiff with doubts about their children succumbing. However, I am sure the roaring drug trade has not ensnared too many youngsters. The govt has failed to clamp down effectively on drug devils.
Dowd continues: “Many young college women are ping-ponging between anxiety, without pills, and numbness and body insecurity. These young women seem to have everything, yet they are unable to fully enjoy a stretch of their life that should be sizzling with adventure and promise.” All the women I spoke to about happiness for my previous article, said their happiest days were school days and when in their teens. I agree. Does this hold for the present junior generation of teens and young adults?
Adolescent despair has been copiously analyzed in recent years, Dowd says, and identified as contributory and harming are social media; ‘microtargetting algorithms’ that inflame envy and conflict and divisive politics; unending school shootings; Covid sequestration; a planet devoured by flames and floods; never enough achievement and consumer culture; anxious parents and doting grandparents creating tension; “a digitally connected yet emotionally disjointed and spiritually unmoored society.”
These conditions are prevalent in this country too and parental over anxiety and competitiveness are very present and very injurious to school goers and even university graduands. Our children don’t usually rebel, unlike in the west where often parents are scared of their own kids. It is a moot point and advantageous that in our country most people profess a religion and children in the majority are at ease with being religious.
Buddhist clergy stress meditation and, following the initiative of Most Ven Uda Eriyagama Dhammajeeva Maha Thera, sathi practice (mindfulness meditation) is included in school curriculums or are extra-curricula. Religion is a firm mooring to the elderly. Many young ones too observe sil or give service at temples and meditation centres to cater to those in sil on poya days.
Covid and segregation impacted on all of us and the resultant anxiety had a lasting detrimental effect. Then stormed in effects of climate change. Continuous news telecasts and paper headlines bother us. Political news is also very disturbing. I for one have given up watching TV news in the late evening. I catch up when MTV repeats its night news the next morning at 6.30. Why? Because my sleep was horribly disturbed by parliamentary debates, politician’s pontification and protest marches. Nightmares intruded.
The Wall Street journal ran a front–page story on “The Booming Business of American Anxiety”. To quote: “A search for anxiety relief on Google pulls up links for supplements in the form of pills, patches, gummies and mouth sprays. There are vibrating devices that hang around your neck and tone your vagus nerve, bead filled stress balls that claim to bring calm.”
Mercifully we as a nation are so much more social. We speak with friends and share our fears. We are not loath to bare our fears, even neuroses. We have solid, comforting solace givers and spaces. Hence not much pill swallowing or therapy sessions. Additionally, being citizens of a poor, developing country, we have to contend with more national stresses and pressure, thus decimating the time available for wallowing in self-pity.
Women, proven from experience, get hit harder because they are more closely connected to emotions, but less affected because of relationships, nurturing natures and fraternities.
Post script
I feel I must give here what two of my friends said in reply to my questions about happiness. I list their answers under numbers 1 & 2.
Definition
: 1. Happiness is a choice: you choose to be happy or sink into negativity. Contentment is happiness. It is a sense of joy and relaxation of mind and body arising from the absence of negative emotions like jealousy, hatred, ill will.
2. There are degrees of happiness: ecstasy to contentment.
What makes for happiness?
1.True Love! To Love and to be Loved is the greatest… Love sustains Happiness.
To hold the hand of a loved one while watching a glowing sunset at December in the South, in my Motherland.
2. Happiness is a state arising from the combination of love, compassion and empathy. Happiness is a subjective emotion. What makes me happy may not make another happy.
What was your happiest moment?
1. When I was able to sell my property and have sufficient finances to share with, and care for many people in need. Some of the left over dribbles, I still love to be able to give away and lift up another … and see the smiles on some wilted faces. (She got built forty houses for the poor).
2. Motherhood – giving birth to my children brought me the greatest joy. My whole being was infused with a deep love that seemed to transcend everything else I have experienced before.
What would you like to do/happen to sustain happiness?
1. I would love to give away everything if I can….and be a silent cornerstone or support system, to unobtrusively help to lift our Nation, our magical Motherland, out of the doldrums of corruption and disunity, and help build a New Society of Peace, Contentment, Equality, and Joy. Impossible dream, some would say, but surely, I can have dreams, magical thoughts of Happiness for All, that will create Happiness for me.
2. I am happiest when I make others happy. If I can bring a smile to a person who is troubled, lonely or insecure, I am truly happy. So it is giving.
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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