Features
Recollections of Cambridge and graduating at age 21
(Excerpted from the memoirs of business leader Lalith de Mel)
“Cambridge University is a collection of individual ancient colleges. My college, Peterhouse, was the oldest and founded in 1284. Every student is a member of some college. That is where they lived, ate, were guided in their studies and played games for the college if good enough. I played badminton and hockey for Peterhouse and I boxed for Cambridge University. All students attended the same university lectures and sat the same exams.
The academic staff attached to each college were called Fellows and they were all teaching academics of the university. A student’s life was guided by a triumvirate – a tutor who played a godfather type of role, you went to him if you had a problem and you were summoned if he had a problem with you; a director of studies who guided one on the lectures to attend (attendance at lectures was not compulsory) and arranged appropriate supervisors after assessing your needs; and a supervisor who saw you once a week in a group of two and set you a piece of work to do every week.
About 20% of the lectures recommended by my director of studies had no connection with economics. There were many famous academics in different disciplines at Cambridge and he rightly felt that one should attend some of their lectures. It indeed left me much richer for the experience.
Cambridge was full of traditions, rituals and rules. A gown (similar to the graduation gown) had to be worn to lectures, for supervision, for dinner in Hall, and anywhere outside the college after dark. Dinner in Hall was compulsory, students had to be back in their College by 10 p.m. and permission had to be obtained to leave Cambridge. And there was one daunting rule. An undergraduate could sit only once for an exam. If they failed the exam, they had to leave the university. This applied even to the final exam. This was referred to as being sent down.
Sherry played an important role in university life. If the supervision was late in the afternoon, most supervisors offered you a glass of sherry. The head of the college, called the Master, had a grand house in the college premises, and invited students in groups to the Master’s Lodge for sherry. Most students had a bottle of sherry in their rooms and would ask a friend to drop by for a glass of sherry before going into Hall for dinner.
Cambridge had myriad societies, ranging from drinking societies, to cultural, musical, religious and political societies. They were an important component of life at the university, and helped to develop one’s interests with like-minded people.
I was an active member of three societies. The Union Society, which was primarily a debating society, and two political ones, the Liberal Society and the Communist Society. It had been said by some wise man and often quoted that ‘if a man had a soul he would have been a Marxist in his youth’. I passed the test. I was even accepted as a communist sympathizer and invited to spend six weeks in Russia. A few of us fellow sympathizers armed with a special passport given by the Russians sauntered through the usually-impregnable Iron Curtain and got to Moscow.
There was a vibrant social life in Cambridge ranging from ‘bring a bottle and a girl’ parties to long evenings in pubs with friends. All of that combined with the everyday atmosphere of one’s own college with its ancient buildings and wood-panelled walls adorned with large oil portraits looking down on candle-lit dining tables where we dined daily and where grace before meals was said in Latin by a scholar, and the Fellows (the only ones allowed to do so) sweeping across the lawns to Hall in their flowing black gowns, and many more such things, were all a part of the montage of rituals, traditions, activities and rules that made Cambridge a special experience. Learning all about some subject of study was just one piece in the montage, which in its totality created a rich experience.
For some students it was lectures, the library, dinner in Hall, back to the room, and books. They indeed gained knowledge but as for experience, they left with what they came and did not add to it. Fortunately I dived with enthusiasm into the full montage of activities and let them create a mindset that set a high value on experience. New friends, and with them to think and probe new frontiers of knowledge and to make discussion and debate an essential and routine part of one’s life.
Photograph teken after Graduation in his Graduation robes
There were many Sri Lankans at Cambridge. Ranjith Wijewardene, now boss of Wijeya Newspapers and son of the famous D.R.Wijewardene, founder of Lake House, came up to the same college, Peterhouse, a year after me. His cousin Upali, the famous entrepreneur, also came up the same year as Ranjith. Upali and I had many interests in common, including racing cars, and remained very close friends. He was my bestman when I got married. Sunimal Fernando, a cousin who became a Senior Advisor to Mahinda Rajapaksa during his tenure as President, was at Cambridge in my time and there were many others.
My father, as he said goodbye on the boat, said it would be better to spend my holidays traveling rather than coming back to Ceylon (as it then was). I did just that and did not return home for three years. I traveled extensively all over Europe, stayed in youth hostels, which was the cheapest accommodation, and met many students from all over the world. It was an enriching experience.
Every December I stayed with an English friend in Reigate. His parents were well-to-do but encouraged the son to find his pocket money. He and I worked for two weeks in the pre-Christmas period at Redhill Railway Station loading and unloading parcel post sacks. It was hard work but as I was boxing at the time this helped to keep me fit. We always worked the 11.00 in the night to 7.00 in the morning shift as it paid triple time. Then it was off to Paris or somewhere. Had I gone to university at Peradeniya (as I desperately wanted to before being pushed off to Cambridge by my father), I would not have had the benefit of this great experience.
Time passed quickly. It was then final exams, nervously going to read the exam results (I had got my Economics Tripos) and then it was the convocation. Everybody walked to the convocation with mum, dad, grandma, etc. In this informal procession I walked alone. Nobody had come for my graduation. This did not bother me, but what did leave me depressed was that the many friends I saw around daily and who were walking to the convocation with me would disappear in different directions and from my life.
Most of them I never saw again as I did not go back for any length of time to the UK for 20 years. Thinking of old friends, now I find the mind has erased the sharp definition. It is difficult to picture that smile and the mind does not recall the timbre of the voice. Old friends are now like faded black and white photographs. Strangely though, the mind recalls in great detail some perfectly useless incidents. I can vividly recall my friend saying that he was hurrying back on his bicycle and took a short cut through a one-way street when he was stopped by a constable for not having a rear light and he in a pained voice had asked the constable why one needed a rear light when going the wrong way up a one-way street.
I had a good think about life after Cambridge, about politics in Sri Lanka, business, further studies, etc. My Director of Studies convinced me that I should do a post-graduate degree and research on price stabilization schemes for primary products. He arranged for me to go to the London School of Economics.
The primary source of income in most developing countries was some primary products and the wild price fluctuations of primary products made economic planning very difficult. At that stage of one’s life, one was very idealistic and the idea of solving this crucial problem for all developing countries was exciting. I returned to Sri Lanka with the plan to go back at the end of the summer. Shortly after I arrived, there was an opening for a Research Economist at the Coconut Research Institute in Lunuwila. The attractive feature of the job was they would fund the post graduate education abroad. I was happy to take away from my father the burden of paying for another three years of study in the UK so I took the job.
From Cambridge to rural Lunuwila was quite a change. I had a little flat at the institute, I was happy there with a group of people so completely different to those I had associated with in the previous three years. I learnt to drink arrack in the evenings and enjoy a good natter about trivial things with my new friends.
I used to belt down to Colombo on Friday evening and do a lecture on Friday and Saturday at Aquinas for students studying for the BSc Economics London University external degree. It all went well until I wrote my first research paper. Then, like a dark cloud, reality descended. The local industry neither understood the issues nor had any commitment or even a vague interest to pursue price stabilization schemes. The experience in Sri Lanka was not going to help my research in London, and I saw no purpose in continuing as a Research Economist at the Coconut Research Institute. I resigned, gave up my ambitions to be a great economist, and went in search of money and the excitement of the cut-and-thrust of the commercial world. I joined the Shell Company of Ceylon.
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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