Features
Philanthropy: It is not yet dead in this emerald isle
By Dr B. J. C. Perera
MBBS(Cey), DCH(Cey), DCH(Eng), MD(Paed), MRCP(UK), FRCP(Edin), FRCP(Lon), FRCPCH(UK), FSLCPaed, FCCP, Hony FRCPCH(UK), Hony. FCGP(SL)
Specialist Consultant Paediatrician and Honorary Senior Fellow, Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
People of Sri Lanka talking about philanthropy might come as a total surprise to most of you. With all our economic problems, bankruptcy, rampant corruption, appalling governance, unprecedented brain-drain, and a whole host of other floating perennial problems in our Motherland, one might justifiably say that those who talk of philanthropy and charity at present need to have their heads examined. With the Sri Lankans having an extremely difficult time making ends meet, one would be more than inclined to proclaim that compassionate generosity would perhaps be the last thing on their minds. However, there are shining exceptions to the rule. One hopes that this article will induce a paradigm shift in the perceptions of the general public, in the form of a complete U-turn on the topic under discussion.
Now, I would like to take the readers back to 1996, when I was inducted as the Founder President of The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians. It was an entirely new academic enterprise, designed to be the scholastic continuum of The Sri Lanka Paediatric Association. At that time, in addition to many other medical problems in children, there was a significantly high death rate of newborn babies as well as quite a number of them being left with permanent brain damage. The basic cause was the failure on the part of the babies to establish normal breathing, thereby depriving the brain of the all-important oxygen for their very survival and normal functioning.
To most of us, the answer to this dilemma was obvious. This was an eminently manageable clinical problem. These babies who had such problems initiating normal breathing needed to be assisted to commence normal respiration and they would recover completely. Towards that end, all staff members in Labour Rooms and Operating Theatres, including doctors, nurses, and midwives, right around the country, had to be trained on newborn resuscitation techniques to save lives of the newborns and to prevent permanent brain damage in those who survived. The said techniques using a specialised bag and mask bit of equipment, could be easily taught to all these healthcare workers. However, there was a huge snag. They had to practice the technique on training mannikins which had electronic feedback systems to confirm that the technique was being correctly applied. The problem was that the set of mannikins would cost around Sri Lankan Rupees 500,000/- at that time. That was a very large amount of money; quite a fortune, to say the least!
The college being in its infancy did not have access to such a large amount of money. Then, in desperation, I wrote a letter to the newspapers explaining the problem fully and asking for public donations towards this endeavour. It was published in all the English newspapers. I was prepared to even go around with a begging bowl. However, to be quite honest, I did not think that my efforts would be successful.
Hey presto!! within just about two weeks we had more money than we bargained for. Some of our people gave small amounts, some gave large amounts, but small or large it all added up to what we needed. In my letter in the newspapers, I promised them that not even a red cent would go into a pocket and I pledged my sworn assurance on that score. The general public trusted us implicitly, and that was the critical hub of that magnificent response. Money just poured in.
Within another couple of weeks, we had all the equipment that we needed. My consultant colleagues from the Western Province joined me, together with the Consultant Paediatricians in the peripheries of the country, and we went around training scores of healthcare workers in newborn resuscitation. The trainers’ services were most willingly provided by our colleagues on a purely voluntary basis; we did not pay them even a nickel. The ultimate objective was to have a trained healthcare workforce in the Labour Rooms and Operating Theatres to deal promptly and effectively with newborn babies who had problems with initiating normal breathing. Within a few months, we had such a workforce.
The rest is history. In quite a short time, the newborn deaths came down drastically and the number of children left with permanent brain damage too was very significantly reduced, right around the country. All we did was write a compelling letter pulling at the heartstrings of our people. Their response was absolutely wonderful. Later on, I wrote another letter to the newspapers providing details of the success story and thanking our people for what they had financed. We took no credit at all and all praise went to the people who responded ever so magnificently to our desperate call. It was a sterling achievement by those who contributed money, as much as it was a triumph for the healthcare workers. I was only just the catalyst for it.
Now fast forward to the current era. Many are the initiatives that have been successfully funded by public donations and implemented by our colleagues; those of my vintage as well as the younger ones. Resourceful colleagues of ours have done wonders for many hospitals, especially in very remote areas. They are far too numerous to document here and have ranged from infrastructure facilities to securing essential medicines. Many have used their very own family funds for the purpose as well. Even our Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, now grown well into adulthood, arranged for, and secured essential medicines for needy children in 2022 and 2023. In addition, the college has been involved with the magnificent Little Hearts Project of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children. Many people from here and abroad responded to these clarion calls by the College.
However, this author feels that he would be failing in his duties, if he does not cite just one more example of how much can be done by a dedicated team of humanitarians working together in a remote area of the island. There is a novel public and private partnership project in the capacity development of hospitals in the Uva Region. That story illustrates how a philanthropic group working closely with donors, health authorities and professionals, tries hard to develop health sector capacity in hospitals in the Uva Province. This project has clearly shown that the public and private sectors can work together for the benefit of people in an effective, transparent, and efficient way.
The endeavour began three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic when a public-private partnership was mooted to mobilise their resources to provide equipment to serve the critically ill patients suffering from COVID-19. This project proved to be very successful due to collaboration between a philanthropic promotor group, donors, and health authorities in Uva as well as the Sri Lanka College of Internal Medicine. It started with a retired Professor of Psychiatry residing in Diyatalawa being informed of the problems facing the new COVID-19 unit at Bandarawela Hospital by a doctor working there. It coincided with a Sri Lankan doctor living in California, USA, expressing his interest in mobilising resources to develop the capacity of hospitals to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This project was then initiated to provide equipment to increase the capacity of Bandarawela Hospital. It was promoted by a philanthropist group led by the Californian doctor and a retired Sri Lankan cricketer cum diplomat, while the Psychiatrist along with the hospital authorities and the College of Internal Medicine focused on implementing the technical aspects of the project. All went quite well and according to plan. It is noteworthy that in a documented response, the Physician looking after the COVID-19 patients at Bandarawela Hospital had intimated “Thanks to your donations the hospital was able to treat and discharge over 1,500 covid positive patients”. The donors could not have asked for more.
Encouraged by the outcome, the philanthropists expanded their efforts. It entailed the provision of equipment worth Rupees 26 million and the hospitals which benefitted included not only the Bandarawela Hospital but the other hospitals of the region, in Diyatalawa, Welimada, Haputale, Haldumulla, and Koslanda as well. The project was a great success in upgrading the facilities for critical care, benefitting a large number of patients suffering from major health problems, including COVID-19.
Following the COVID-19-related capacity-building activities, while monitoring and reviewing the outcomes of the project, it became clear that there was a real need to increase the capacity of other critical areas of health. The Californian doctor and the retired cricketer had then indicated their willingness to mobilise additional resources to improve health services. It resulted in the improvement and expansion of services provided by the Diyatalawa Hospital to meet the emerging needs of people with emergencies and accidents living in the catchment area. A project committee was formulated to raise the necessary funds and plans were set afoot to upgrade the present one-bed Accident and Emergency facility at the Diyatalawa Hospital to a modern well well-equipped five-bed unit. Plans are afoot and funds have already been mobilized to develop an easily accessible new premises with an initial donation of Rupees 10 million from two retired Doctors of Philosophy. The latter two had provided generous donations for the earlier project too. All needed equipment has already been identified and other potential donors earmarked and contacted. The Health Services Council led by a venerable Buddhist Thera and another philanthropist from California are working with the Diyatalawa Hospital team in this endeavour.
I have purposely avoided providing the names of these pioneer humanitarians simply because I know for sure that it is the last thing they would want. They will be embarrassed if their names are highlighted. All this goes to confirm the veracity of my original contention that philanthropy is very much alive and that many hearts would melt and respond appropriately to provide the much-needed services for our people. Very many of them have done so without any fanfare at all. All they need is immense trust in the people who organise and manage such initiatives.
Philanthropy in medicine embodies the very epitome of compassion and generosity, illuminating the profound beauty of humanity’s altruistic potential. It transcends mere financial contributions, manifesting as a lifeline for those in dire need. From funding groundbreaking research to providing access to essential healthcare services, philanthropy breathes life into the noble pursuit of healing. It ignites hope in the hearts of patients, offering solace in moments of vulnerability and despair. Moreover, philanthropy fosters collaboration among healthcare professionals, and communities, catalysing innovative solutions to some challenges in providing optimal healthcare. It empowers individuals and institutions to complement each other towards providing holistic care, ultimately saving countless lives and alleviating suffering.
In its essence, charity in efforts taken to improve healthcare truly portrays the profound interconnectedness of humanity, reminding us of our shared responsibility to uplift and support one another. It is a testament to the inherent goodness within people, leaving an indelible mark of compassion and kindness on the fabric of society. These deeds are the ones that reawaken our admiration for the intrinsic compassionate qualities of the people of our Motherland. They are indeed the Jewels in the Crown.
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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