Features
Refreshing, Peaceful and Romantic
CONFESSIONS OF A GLOBAL GYPSY
Dr. Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena DPhil
President – Chandi J. Associates Inc. Consulting, Canada
Founder & Administrator – Global Hospitality Forum
chandij@sympatico.ca
The Lodge and the Village are two, iconic resorts in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. In the Village, Architect Somaratna Silva had cleverly created a rustic resort with an open concept with individual rooms appearing like small houses in a remote village. Located in the centre of the resort are the front office, bar, restaurant, kitchens, stores and swimming pool. Recreational facilities, including elephant rides, boating, tennis etc., are located close by, facing the Habarana Lake. Even on extremely warm days, the open concept design of the two resorts ensured free circulation of breeze in a refreshing manner.
The greatest compliment the Village Habarana received was when competitors copied the concept and operated similar resorts. However, none were able to match the charm of the Village Habarana, and the innovative management style of the hotelier who opened it in 1976, my friend, boss and bestman, the late Bobby Adams.
Two young architects, trained by the best-known architect of Sri Lanka, legendary Geoffrey Bawa, continued the open concept in Habarana, but with more sophistication, when they created the concept for the Lodge. Architects Pheroze Choksy and Ismeth Rahim extended the concept of ‘Tropical Modernism’ – an architectural style of wide-open spaces connected to the sprawling outdoors made popular by Geoffrey Bawa.
The end result was simply a masterpiece of architecture, blending beautifully with nature, and the seamless delivery of world class hospitality. These architects working with the visionary board of directors of John Keells/Walkers Tours, had created two resorts, which were simply a delight for any hotelier to operate. I considered it a great honour for me to get an opportunity to manage both resorts concurrently.
Judging from its simple brand, first-time guests arriving at the Lodge usually did not have high expectations of standards. From the time they arrived, I could not help watching tourists become amazed with what they saw, the welcome they received, the service they experienced and the quality of public areas, gardens, bedrooms, food, etc. which always exceeded their expectations. Under-selling and over-delivering standards is a good strategy.
I was often amused to meet newly arrived guests with orchid flower garlands around their necks, wandering in the beautifully landscaped gardens holding their welcome cocktails served in King Coconuts. They would be looking up at the majestic pillars and seven, decorative balconies above the reception area, while refreshing their faces with the ice-cold, white towels we served them. “Wow” expressions were written all over their happy faces.
A large section of our employees was from the farmer communities around the resort complex. They were gentle and eager to provide ‘authentic Sri Lankan hospitality’ showcasing their best practices at homes and paddy fields. With a little training, their service delivery blossomed to outstanding levels.
Unprompted by management, the room attendants wished their guests ‘good night’ using wild flowers during the bed turn-down service. This thoughtful service was done while the guests were having their dinner. My wife and I were always touched with this beautiful daily gesture. Soon I realised that they even did the flower greetings in German, French, Italian etc., after checking the nationality of each guest with the front desk.
The birds provided continuous welcoming sounds in the Habarana Resort Complex. I often woke up early in the morning, long before my alarm rang, to the gentle chirping of exotic birds near our apartment. During my time in Habarana I learnt that Sri Lanka is home to 34 endemic bird species, and total number of bird species recorded in the island is nearly 500. With over 120 bird species, Habarana is widely considered to be a favoured location for bird watching in Sri Lanka.
Although Habarana is in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, which is always much warmer than the wet zone, the Habarana Resort Complex was relatively cooler. When the occasional rain showers that graced us, we had some challenges. In the 260 rooms of the complex, we had placed 520 large umbrellas for guests to use to move from individual rooms to the main building for meals.
I loved the rain in Habarana. Rain was also welcomed by over 2,000 trees located on our 40-acre land. It was peaceful and romantic. One evening, while walking from our cottage to the restaurant at the Lodge to have dinner, in the middle of heavy rainfall, my wife and I finally decided that after five years of married life and hectic global travels, now the time was right to start a family.
After successfully introducing sports tournaments for the staff, social events and training programs for supervisors and managers within the Habarana Resort Complex, our team got some new ideas. In addition to the Lodge and the Village, there were 13 smaller hotels in the North Central Province. “Can we do something to help these small hotels by pooling our resources?” one of our departmental managers asked during a brainstorming session.
Within a month, we formed a trade association which we termed ‘Rajarata Hoteliers Association.’ Based on the votes from the 15 member hotels, I was elected as the Founding President. We organized a monthly, best practice-sharing meeting and a get together of the managers of all 15 hotel. We also organized a monthly training session for the supervisors. Annually, we organized a large-scale sports festival for all of the staff.
One day I received a call from Mr. Jayantha Panabokka, the Managing Director of the Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy. “Kandy hoteliers are hearing excellent reports about your association, Chandana. Can you please help us to form a similar trade association in Kandy?” So, I made a special trip to Kandy to share our best practices and the constitution. Later they formed the Kandy Hoteliers Association.
The largest professional association for hospitality managers in Sri Lanka was the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA). Having served CHSGA for four years from the late 1970s as the Treasurer and then as the General Secretary, I was very familiar with this body. Gradually a large number of senior members of CHSGA spoke with me, prompting me to become the President of CHSGA. With all this support, I was elected to this position uncontested in late 1985. My boss, Bobby Adams and the Chairman of John Keells Group, Mark Bostock fully supported me in these honorary contributions for the well-being of the industry.
As there were a few members of the CHSGA working at a nearby competitor hotel, Sigiriya Village, the Habarana Resort Complex had a special relationship with this resort. We shared best practices, coordinated room rate structure and regularly met their management team for recreational activities.
One of their managers, who was also a former student of mine at Ceylon Hotel School (CHS), Nimal Sangakkara, was a bodybuilder. We always targeted Nimal underwater because he was so strong. One day after a violent game of water polo, Nimal told me, “Sir, every time I come to Habarana to play water polo, I end up making an appointment for a post-game visit with the famous ayurvedic physician from Horuvilla who specializes on fractures and broken ribs!”
Unorthodox Management Development
A month before Christmas of 1985, Dave Kellaart, the manager in charge of food and beverage operations of the Village approached me with a personal request. He had worked as a waiter on my team at Havelock Tour Inn where I was the Assistant Manager in 1974. Dave was also one of my students at CHS in 1982, so I knew him well. I admired his ambition to succeed in the industry but when he asked me if I could let him leave the Village with just one week notice, I refused. It was very difficult to find managers at short notice to work in North Central Province or as some hoteliers called it, ‘in the jungle’.
“I have been offered the post of a Restaurant Manager at a five-star hotel in Dubai, with a salary six times higher than my current salary. They are demanding that I sign the contract now and join them next week. My family will benefit greatly from this offer. Can you please help me Sir?” Dave pleaded with me. After further thought I agreed, issued a good reference letter, released Dave on the same day and wished him every success.
I was happy to help my former student but now I had to find a replacement immediately, as we were in the middle of the high season for tourism. I brainstormed with the Executive Assistant Manager of the Village but we could not identify anyone suitable for the new vacancy among our 320 employees. While walking towards the front office of the Village, I was greeted by a young CHS trainee. “What is your name?” I asked him. “Anura Basnayake, I am doing my six-month industrial training in the front office,” he replied nervously.
I had not spoken with Anura before but had regularly noticed him. He was always well-dressed, well-groomed, well-spoken, very polite and professional in dealing with guests. He created a good first impression. I asked the Front Office Manager, Krishna, to release Anura for thirty minutes for me to have a chat with him. I sat with Anura at the pool deck and asked him, “Have you done the CHS four-month basic program in Restaurant and Bar Service?” Anura said, “No Sir, I have only done two basic programs in Front Office Operations and Housekeeping.”
Within a few minutes, I determined that Anura had the potential of becoming a good hotelier. I told Anura that we needed a manager or supervisor for the restaurant for the very next day. Anura stopped talking and looked very scared. “I have never done any meal or beverage service in my life,” he said.
“No problem, I will train you personally with the ‘must know’ basic technical stuff. You have the right attitude and will be doing us a big favour by taking on this responsibility,” I said. As Anura looked very nervous and confused, I told him, “Look Anura, those who jump into the deep end when there is an opportunity will learn to swim quickly.”
Anura was appointed as the Trainee Restaurant Supervisor of the Village that evening. From that day, I spent an hour a day for a week privately with Anura training him one-on-one, about essentials on tray carrying, order taking, food service, menu knowledge, wines, liquor, cocktails, sales, bar controls and supervision. Anura acquired the skills very quickly and eventually specialized in food and beverage management in a five-star hotel. Today he is the Director/General Manager of a number of hotels in Kandy.
Recently when we reconnected and became Facebook friends, Anura sent me the following message: “After I left Ramada about 26 years ago, I joined Hotel Topaz and still continue to work there. You changed my career and it helped me to reach the highest position of the Food and Beverage Manager at Ramada. It’s a very long story, but in short, you told me in 1985, that ‘if your administration is right, you can do any job.’ To date, I tell this amazing career development story to all my subordinates. Thank you, Sir!”
A Bachelor’s Party with Mark Bostock
John Keells Group Chairman Mark Bostock and his wife loved visiting the Lodge and the Village. Mr. Bostock was a very nice man and a charismatic leader. He was also very particular about standards. One day, when I met him at the restaurant of the Lodge, during lunch service, He complained about an old stock of gin we had in the bar. He said, “Chandana, from my experience, that Red Spot Rawlings needs to be taken in about five tots if I want to go pretty blind! Please tell the central purchasing people at Keells to get you some decent Chelsea gin as soon as possible.”
I told Mr. Bostock that evening after dinner that the 18 managers will hold a ‘surprise’ bachelor’s party for Krishna, who would be getting married next week. “Where is the party being held?”, Mr. Bostock asked me and I said, “It will be at the lakeside cottage.” “Perfect, I love that cottage. If you don’t mind, I will join you guys at 9:00 pm, the Chairman said. “That’s great, Mark. I can finish reading my book peacefully after dinner,” Mrs. Bostock nodded with a smile.
Immediately, I called Anura and gave him a special assignment. “Call all the member hotels of Rajarata Hoteliers Association and find two bottles of Chelsea gin, on loan, within two hours.” Mr. Bostock was very impressed to see the Chelsea gin at the bachelor’s party. He liked quick action. He was in a jovial mood and narrated a number of funny rugby jokes and practical tips for married men!
“Wives always test what their newly married husbands can do well. Krishna, if you impress the wife, you will end up doing certain tasks during your entire married life. Therefore, be careful, not to impress your wife!”
When we asked for an example from the Chairman, he said, “Well, when we were about to go on our honeymoon, my wife delegated me to pack a suitcase. I immediately placed some muddy rugger boots right over some of her elegant, evening dresses. She was horrified but after that experience, over the last 35 years, my wife never asked me to pack a single suitcase again!”
1985 Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations at both resorts were held on a grander scale. I shared with the team my recently acquired experiences in five-star London hotels. The main changes were full entertainment packages in each resort and planning well in advance.
In addition to the resident band ‘Burn’, we contracted another band and entertainers from Colombo. By getting the Executive chefs and Food and Beverage manager/executive/supervisor to share their suggestions and plans with all 18 managers in the resort complex, I managed to create a friendly, competitive spirit among the two sister resorts.
Some of the managers knew me well, long before my Habarana days. Two of them were my classmates from high school. Two of them were my contemporaries from CHS and two other managers had worked with me at previous hotels. While leading a large team, having previous “one-on-one” relationship with some of the team members is always helpful.
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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