Features
Soldiering on in the teeth of post-July, 1983 challenges
(Excerpted from The Jetwing Story and the life of Herbert Cooray
by Shiromal Cooray)
July 1983 saw the commencement of the darkest era in Sri Lanka’s modern history. Ethnic riots and the escalation of a hitherto low-intensity separatist insurgency caused widespread insecurity and instability, creating an atmosphere of anxiety and tension. The decade saw numerous attacks by the LTTE, the so-called ‘Tamil Tigers, on public landmarks and infrastructure, including the destruction of several aircraft belonging to the national airline, Air Lanka. Tourism all but collapsed. Sri Lanka’s magnificent east coast was rendered nearly inaccessible as Tigers and a short-lived Indian ‘peacekeeping force’ jockeyed for the upper hand.
As if this was not bad enough, in the late 80’s, the south of the country was soon terrorized by a second insurgency, mounted by a nationalist/communist group, the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna). There were more assassinations, reprisals, local, regional or even national lock-downs and forced closures of private businesses. Implacably opposed to all things foreign, the JVP militants visited hotels and demanded their closure, or simply robbed the management and guests of their money and belongings at gunpoint. Finally, the chairman of the Tourist Board took an unusual step and requested foreign tour operators to repatriate their clients from Sri Lanka, effectively bringing the industry to a standstill.
In the vacuum that followed this decision, the industry was forced into severe retrenchment. With almost no tourists arriving from overseas, the competition for a few wealthy local customers and resident expatriates became fierce. Revenues plummeted as hotels and travel agencies began undercutting one another. War stories in the international media and citizen travel advisories by European countries kept the tourists away- airlines and air charter operators pulled out of the country, while trained and experienced Sri Lankan hotel and travel professionals were snapped up by overseas employers. Replacing them was almost impossible: educated young people no longer saw any future in a career in the tourism sector.
By the mid- 1990s, however, a recovery seemed to be underway. The trickle of visitors was growing and investment in tourism began to pick up again. Hostilities continued in the north and east, but the rest of the country seemed to be safe for travelers. In 2002, the government and the Tigers negotiated a ceasefire and began negotiating terms of peace. To the tourism industry, this was a much needed present – hopes soared.
Herbert with Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar
They were only too soon dashed. First came 9/11, with its chilling effect on air travel and tourism worldwide. Then, at home, the peace negotiations ended in acrimony. Soon the country was back at war. The final blow came on 26 December 2004, when the Asian tsunami devastated almost the entire littoral of the island. It also all but killed the slowly reviving tourism industry. The country was in mourning and shock.
Jetwing was among the operators most severely affected by the Boxing Day tsunami; its south coast property, Yala Safari Beach Hotel, was utterly destroyed. Thirty-three people died, including the senior management of the hotel. Among the survivors were 40 other employees, who continued to be retained on the company payroll despite the total loss of their jobs, along with their workplace.
Herbert Cooray never let his people down. The families of those who perished were also taken care of, in spite of the severe financial loss to the company. It is not by accident that the senior managers of the hotel lingered to ensure the other colleagues and the clients were sent off, then costing them their lives, they lived the philosophy of customer care which is so sacred to Jetwing.
Through those dark difficult and challenging days, Herbert never lost his faith in Sri Lanka. His conviction that the country had the potential and resources to be a world-leading tourism destination never faltered. He had a strong belief that a leader will emerge one day to unite the country, and that we needed to be patient until then. His hand-picked team at Jetwing shared his belief. But to realize that potential, a new approach would be needed. It was time to take stock, consolidate resources, and plan for the future.
Keeping in mind Baron de Rothschild’s famous advice to investors, Herbert took the view that the best time to invest and expand was during a downturn. With tourism in a slump, land prices in scenic locations with tourist potential were relatively low, and there were numerous opportunities. Whenever one came his way, Herbert would snap it up. During this time, he also invested heavily in training the team, laying the foundations for an improved offering when tourism began to pick up again.
Herbert and Josephine with their parents
Little of this activity was justified by forecasts, feasibility studies and specialist advice; the years of insecurity had taught him that such prognostications mean very little. Ignoring the short-term pickings over which so many operators were squabbling, he set out to build the best travel and tourism product and team in Sri Lanka.
During this period, he drove himself hard, expending much time and physical energy as well as extending his financial resources to the limit -striking complicated deals, overflowing with creative ideas. Though profitable, the family owned company often paid no dividends, while Herbert himself received no salary. Profits, instead, were ploughed back into the business.
His sharp mind and the reputation he had earned for himself – as well as that he had built for Jetwing – continued to stand him in good stead with business associates and lenders. It was a point of honour with him that all financial commitments should be discharged on time, whether it was to a bank, an associate or a supplier.
An important element in the growth of Jetwing during those years was Herbert Cooray’s friendship with the doyen of Sri Lankan architects, Geoffrey Bawa. In the genius of Bawa, Herbert saw one of the unique differences that would set Jetwing Hotels apart from other Sri Lankan competitors. Though the architect had built hotels for others, and would do so in the future, Herbert saw to it that the name of Geoffrey Bawa would forever be associated with Jetwing.
He was also greatly impressed with one of Bawa’s pupils, Vinod Jayasinghe. With this young architect, he travelled to Bali, where Bawa, Donald Friend and others had first developed the modern Asian resort hotel style during the 1960’s – looking, listening and learning and also nurturing and developing talent.
The lessons they drew from their travels would later inform the style and atmosphere of Bawds and Jayasinghe’s hotels for Jetwing.
Learning about resort architecture was just one more facet of the curiosity that Herbert brought to everything he did. Always eager to learn and experiment with new ideas, he not only travelled widely but read voraciously too, immersing himself in books and periodicals on hoteliering, construction, management, designing and interiors, landscaping and numerous other technical subjects.
The story of Jetwing Lighthouse, Jetwing’s flagship luxury hotel in Galle, illustrates the innovative, independent-minded approach that set the group and its founder apart. Despite its well-preserved and scenic Dutch fort, beautiful nearby beaches and numerous other attractions, Galle, was not thought of as a tourist destination in 1995. There was only one good hotel in the town and most travel agents thought of the city as no more than a one night stopover – that is, if they thought of it at all. A more unlikely prospect for a five-star resort hotel could hardly have been thought of.
Herbert was sure the conventional wisdom was wrong. Already, he reasoned, the spread of tourism down the west coast from Colombo had reached as far as Hikkaduwa, not even ten miles north of Galle. Most centers near-Colombo were already fully developed; even Negombo, which Herbert had once struggled to persuade tour operators and government bureaucrats would make a suitable destination, had been transformed. Surely Galle could not be far behind?
Convinced that his intuition was to be trusted, Herbert Cooray began building his Galle hotel, not without difficulty. He even persuaded his then partners in tourism, Hayleys, to invest in it. Industry experts predicted doom, but Herbert was not deterred. This scenic promontory just north of Galle, where the main road skirted a small sandy inlet of the sea- had always intrigued and attracted him; on boyhood family holidays in the south, he had often admired it in passing, and he had got it as soon as he had seen it advertised. Years before he put a cent in to the Lighthouse project, Herbert had already been committed, he dared to dream.
Things got off to an inauspicious start; on the eve of the groundbreaking ceremony, a huge LTTE bomb destroyed the Central Bank building in Colombo, killing about 150 people and further dampening hopes of a tourist revival. But despite this unfortunate omen, construction proceeded smoothly and the hotel opened in August 1997. From inception, Jetwing Lighthouse broke even and was enjoying regular occupancy rates in excess of 80%. And yet again, Herbert’s vision turned out to be prophetic; with the turn of the century, the Galle Fort began to gain popularity as a residential location for European jet-setters.
The expats seeded an economic and cultural revival in the town. Today, Galle is one of Sri Lanka’s principal destinations for high-end tourism. As for Jetwing Lighthouse, which has had another 20 rooms added in December, 2013, it currently enjoys a market capitalization of Rs.3.2 billion.
In the years that have followed, Herbert Cooray’s vision has become part of the culture and operating ethos of Jetwing. His commitment to innovation, to creating an attractive destination experience out of less than promising material, is strongly visible at Jetwing Vil Uyana, a Jetwing hotel situated near the ancient, mysterious rock fortress of Sigiriya in central Sri Lanka.
Here on a formerly unremarkable plot of land surrounded by rice-fields and scrub jungle, Jetwing has created a tropical wetland- more properly, a water-garden – on which thirty luxurious villas seem to float. The design of the property incorporates several innovative methods to minimize environmental impact, and Jetwing Vil Uyana has become a case study for those working to harmonize the demands of tourism with those of environmental protection and biodiversity promotion.
It has also been hailed as one of the 25 Best Eco Lodges in the World by National Geographic in 2013, a two-time PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Grand Award Winner, and the winner of the Environment Award at the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards organized by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Here, as elsewhere, the Jetwing philosophy – Herbert Cooray’s philosophy – is not just to be different, but to create a meaningful difference. There are hotel chains that specialize in offering their guests a familiar, predictable experience. That was never Herbert’s way. Instead, Jetwing strives to provide every guest with a surprising, unique experience in a unique setting. Jetwing is all about creating spaces that will suit your mood and situation in life at any moment, and spaces in which to experience the best Sri Lanka has to offer.
Every Jetwing hotel is different, yet all share a common commitment to the highest values of hospitality, service and comfort. To quote Herbert again from Business Today, “Each hotel is special. Each has its own concept, a concept we follow closely. There are characteristics which are unique to each hotel. But I want to ensure that the quality of service provided to all our guests reached a common high standard.”
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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