Features
Presidents Premadasa and Wijetunga – some personal anecdotes
by G.A.D.Sirimal, Retd. SLAS
Chandra Wickremasinghe’s interesting piece on Presidents Premadasa and Wijetunga last Sunday (Oct. 10) nudged my memory about my own encounters with these two personalities when I worked with/for them. So here goes:
True, President Premadasa was certainly not easy to please or satisfy and his officers managed to complete work he wanted done in whatever manner possible to avoid unpleasant repercussions. It was said that Mr. Premadasa, as Prime Minister, had requested the then Secretary to the Treasury (name withheld), a former Civil Servant who was brought back to service by President JRJ to provide funds for his Janasaviya project. The Secretary had said he cannot accommodate such a large sum in the Budget; Premadasa had responded saying he would find another person who could.
The upshot was that another Secretary to the Treasury, who also chaired the Development Secretaries meeting which approves or rejects proposals for/by ministries, was the result. This senior (I’d rather not name him too) sometimes said, “Find the funds, this is a big man’s requirement.”
President Premadasa as Prime Minister started taking the government to the people, his Mobile Secretariat, covering outlying areas/villages. I was appointed from the Ministry for Power and Energy to handle these mobile offices, meet villagers and settle requirements on the spot. This necessitated our going to the place where the mobile office was to be held (often a school), and stay at an area resident’s home (invariably an influential UNP supporter). The day before the program began, we had to arrange desks and chairs to make the venue look like a government office.
The first day I set up the office, some of the PM’s staff turned up to check whether everything was in order. One of them asked me why no portrait of the PM was not on display. I said I didn’t have one and it wasn’t a requirement. He said the PM is very particular about this and brought me a framed portrait to be displayed behind my desk. The next day I found that a clerk who was present when the PM’s people visited had garlanded the portrait. PM Premadasa used to visit every office set up for this mobile project when an oath of service (prathigna) was taken to start off proceedings. When the PM stepped into my office and I greeted him, I noticed him looking smilingly at his own portrait. These mobile events closed with an announcement where the next one would be held giving us time to prepare; and I would start contacting the Divisional Manager of the area to discuss what should or could be done and make necessary arrangements.
There was an interesting episode when a Mobile Office was to be held in Matugama. I discussed plans with the Divisional Manager South of the CEB and he came up with a bright idea. He said he will be completing four rural electrification schemes and we could on that day get PM Premadasa to declare them open by switching on the lights in a newly electrified home. He said he would request some householders, whose homes were close to the distribution line (and not involve planting a new electric post), to wire their houses and on payment of the estimated cost at a bank, a connection will be given the same day.
I contacted my friend Jehan Cassim, then Chairman of the Bank of Ceylon, and asked him how best he could help. He said arrangement could be made to receive payments at the Mobile Bank which will be on site. This was to be kept a secret to give a surprise to the neighbourhood. The day arrived, the morning oath was taken and we went back to the office to start work meeting people. I sent a message to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to announce what we had planned, and requested that the PM be informed. As this announcement was made over the public address system, all of us were surprised when PM came to my mobile office, congratulated me and said ‘That’s the way government servants should work’.
There was a large gathering and loud applause when the lights were switched on by the PM who entered one of the houses to do the honours. The owner’s wife offered a sheaf of betel and worshipped him. I could see the satisfaction and happiness in his smiling face.
About three days later, an official from the PM’s secretariat handling the Mobile Office project met me and asked whether I would join the Secretariat. I declined the offer on the advice of my friend Jehan Cassim (Chairman BOC) who told me, ‘Siri, if you accept it, then forget your domestic obligations as he will call you at any time of the day or night and assign tasks. He will provide you with a car and a driver and a flat at Elvitigala Mawata if needed.” He then related an incident when Mr. Premadasa had summoned him by phone at 2 a.m requesting his immediate presence and he had to rush to his car doing up his buttons to make it on time. My excuse for declining the offer was that I had two sons who I take to school every morning and also that I was happy working at the Ministry for Power and Energy.
As President, Premadasa commenced his Gam Udava Programme, all Ministries, Departments and State agencies were required to display what they did at each festival. When this began, we received a request for a generator to provide electricity at the Gam Udava grounds. The CEB being a commercial operation, we said that at least the cost be met. This was not to the liking of the President and his staff. However, by some means, they had contacted the Workshop Engineer of the CEB and got generators without approval.
When I visited the Gam Udava site at Buttala, I saw them being operated by CEB employees. Without making a fuss, on my return I inquired about it from the General Manager who smilingly said ‘We know when to keep a blind eye’. The story does not end there, when Mr. Premadasa was elected President he did a cabinet reshuffle and Mr. P.Dayaratne, who was our Minister for Power and Energy was assigned Ministry for Mahaweli Development. Lo and behold! The Workshop Engineer was appointed Chairman CEB!
D.B.Wijetunga
The first time I met D.B.Wijetunga, was during my stint in the Railway Department, then attached to the District Engineer’s office at Dematagoda, in the early 1950s. As I remember, he came into my office, introduced himself as Private Secretary to Mr. A.Ratnayaka, a cabinet minister and wanted a personal favour. He said he had paid for some old railway sleepers and whether it was possible to have them transported to a point close to Pilimatalawa. The way he made his request without throwing his weight made me want to help and I gave him a note to Mr. Costa, the Foreman Platelayer, requesting him to oblige as I knew there was re-sleepering to be done in that area.
About three weeks later, Mr. Wijetunga came all the way to Dematagoda to thank me. Since then, I occasionally saw him in the Fort in his usual gray tussore suit. Once I was going home to Nawalapitiya, and waiting for the train at the Fort Station when he saw me and asked where I was going. When I said to my home at Nawalapitiya, he smiled and said ‘You are also an upcountry person’. When the train arrived, I got into a second-class compartment while he traveled third-class. He waved to me when he passed my carriage when he detrained at Kadugannawa.
Years passed and he was elected UNP MP for Udunuwara in 1965, having lost Kadugannawa in 1956. I was working for the PWD handling improvements to minor roads and other road projects. One day he came to my office for some business and recognizing me, remembering the favour I had once done him long ago, whether I was once in the Railways. He had now come to see whether estimates sent by PWD Executive Engineer Kegalle have been approved. On that occasion he told me how he followed-up all matters pertaining to his electorate by visiting the relevant offices and meeting officers to expedite work. Surprisingly, he lost the next election by a small margin but never failed to follow-up work he had started in the electorate he represented.
When I was transferred to the Ministry of Mahaweli Development, the Ministry of Highways was scrapped and brought under the Mahaweli Ministry leaving the Department of Highways to function as it was. He used to visit me there in connection with electorate work and the talk went round that I was a UNPer. I will not relate the consequences of that but only say I was transferred back to Department of Highways and after about one year brought back.
Then when the Sirima Bandaranaike government was defeated at the next election, Wijetunga was once again elected as MP for Udunuwara; the Mahaweli Ministry was disbanded and Ministry for Power, Energy and Highways was formed. At a conference chaired by Wijetunga, where the separation of departments was discussed, he asked me what Ministry I propose to work at. When I said Ministry for Mahaweli, he said “You had been a Highways man, so why do you choose Mahaweli’. Before I could reply, he turned to the Secretary, James H Lanerolle and said ” James, take him to my Ministry”, much to my embarrassment. I thought the Secretary may think I would be a tale carrier to the Minister. However my fears were allayed in the manner Mr. Lanerolle treated me and promoted me take on added responsibilities.
Later Wijetunga was assigned the portfolio of Posts and Telecommunication, by President JRJ.
I recall another instance of his simplicity when he was Finance Minister with an office at the Old Secretariat. I was waiting with several others for the lift to go up to the second floor. The liftman didn’t allow us to get in as Minister Wijetunga was approaching, he saw me and the others and beckoned us to get in.
He was a simple man whatever position he held and trusted his officials some of whom took advantage of his nature. He had a faithful Co-ordinating Secretary, Wilson who was also a friend of mine. One day an engineer -friend Arulambalam who fled the country during LTTE uprising and was in England for over ten years came back after the war and found the telephone at his house on Station Road, Wellawatte, disconnected. He contacted me to help get it reconnected. I took him to Wijetunga who was then the Minister for Post and Telecommunication. When I introduced Arulambalam as an engineer who worked in the Railways, to our surprise he said ‘ Why I know him. What’s your problem?’. When he was told the reason for our visit, he instructed Wilson to get all the particulars and telephone the Chief Telecommunication Engineer to attend to the matter immediately. Walking out of the building my friend Arulambalam said that this was the first time he had met Wijetunga “and how could he say he knows me.” I laughed and said he is a very simple man, and that is a ‘politrick’ of politicians. On my way back home after office that evening, I dropped in at Arulambalam’s to see the re-connection had been done by 3 pm that day.
Once when I was travelling from Kandy to Colombo with my niece, I made an unannounced call at Prime Minister Wijetunga’s residence at Pilimatalawa. I was asked whether I had an appointment and when I replied ‘No,’ identified myself and asked at least to send a message to the PM saying I was there to meet him, this was done with much reluctance. To the amazement of the security officer, the PM asked him send me in while others waited. He was happy to see me, ordered tea and we had a pleasant chat. In the course of this conversation, referring to various sorts of government servants, he said that there are efficient and hard working officials, but there were others like the Mara trees in the jungle that grow huge but are of no use at all! My niece still chuckles over this remark.
Once I asked him why he did not contest the Presidential Election at the end of his period serving the balance term of President Premadasa. He said Ranil Wickremesinghe wanted him to step down but if he had contested, he had a better chance than Ranil.
I remember with gratitude that he once willingly helped get my son into DS Senanayake College. I told him that living in Boralesgamuwa, I found it difficult to get my son into a Colombo school. He promptly rang Principal R.I.T.Alles, and got the boy in. Such humble, simple and lovable, approachable people in high positions are hard to find.
The writer retired as an Asst. Secy. to
the Ministry of Power and Energy
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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