Features
Sri Lankan pioneering superconductivity research
Prof Ranga Dias and team make world’s first-ever room-temperature superconductor
By Sajitha Prematunge
It is not a vaccine for COVID-19, but it could be the next best thing. The world’s first superconductor at room temperature, developed by a research team lead by Sri Lankan born physicist, Prof. Ranga Dias at the University of Rochester, USA, could potentially revolutionise everything from transport to energy industry.
The team recently discovered carbonaceous sulphur hydride (CSH), a new compound that acts as a superconductor at 15 °C at a pressure of 267 Giga Pascals (Gpa), or 2.6 million atmospheres (75 percent of the pressure at the earth’s core). The heady article in Nature magazine, which published this groundbreaking discovery in its cover story on October 15, may sound gobbledygook for some. Consequently, The Island interviewed University of Rochester, USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Assistant professor Prof. Ranga Dias; Ph.D. student in Physics, Hiranya Pasan and Ph.D. candidate in Optics, Ashan Ariyawansa to put things in perspective.
A superconductor is a materiel that poses no electrical resistance. “We used two diamonds, each approximately 150 to 200 micron in diameter, on top of each other, to make what’s called a diamond anvil cell. The sample was sandwiched between the two diamonds and pressure applied.” Pasan explained that they could achieve pressures of up to 500 Giga Pascals with the diamond anvil cell. “For comparison, that’s more than the pressure at the earth’s core,” said Pasan. “The diamond anvil cell acts as a materiel search engine, that we use to test material at different pressure until we found the ideal conditions to achieve superconductivity for each material, allowing us to determine which materiel is the most effective. And the result was CSH, a compound belonging to a new class of dense hydrogen rich material.
What took so long?
Even though their work was based on old theory, in existence for more than a century, there is still a lot of unknowns. “Even established theory does not explain the mechanism that goes into the making of a superconducting material,” said Dias. But they had two criteria going for them, the ideal superconductor should be of a lighter element that can make stronger bonds. This was the basic premise under which Dias and his team started working with carbon and sulphur. “Our success depended on the right elemental combination,” said Dias, a researcher on high-pressure physics, who had been working with carbon and sulfur for just over a decade.
Pressure variations can convert basic elements of the periodic table into something completely different. Dias explained complex high-pressure physics with a simple analogy. There are two people in a room who can’t interact with each other because they are on opposite corners of the room. Now have the walls close in on them until they are able to talk, shake hands and interact. “The same principle can be applied to elements. When pressurized, atoms and molecules become more interactive and make new bonds. This alters the actual chemical nature of the compound. That’s the beauty of high-pressure physics, it allows you to manipulate the identity of compounds to create whole new material with completely unexpected properties,” said Dias.
Previous research
Dias holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colombo. He turned his attention to metallic hydrogen research as an extension of his PhD research on high-pressure physics at the University of Washington. In 2017, Dias, then a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and Isaac Silvera, physicist at Harvard announced the discovery of metallic hydrogen in the Science magazine. Their experiment involved compressing hydrogen gas, which liquifies when cooled to minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 252.778 Celsius), and then solidifying it at lower temperatures. The claim came under heavy criticism for being based on a single observation, on reflectivity (an expected signature of metallic hydrogen), and without a direct measurement of the pressure involved. The original ‘metallic hydrogen’ sample was lost during the subsequent failure of the diamond anvil cell. Prof. Dias said: “It was a complete study. What is left is to describe the properties of metallic hydrogen, which we are actively working on. Research takes time. None of these experiments are easy.” He joined the University of Rochester, in 2017 as a professor, and is currently conducting further research on metallic hydrogen. He further explained that the Harvard group measured the pressure directly using standard methods that any high-pressure scientist used. Every high-pressure experiment ended with the failure of the diamond anvil cell, which means the loss of the sample. Consequently, Dias argued that there was nothing unusual about the fact that their diamond broke, resulting in the loss of the sample. “I think fellow competitors who were trying to make metallic hydrogen wasn’t happy that we got it right, their criticism has nothing to do with science but rather was a political attack on my previous advisor [Silvera].”
When asked how positive he is about the newly discovered carbonaceous sulphur hydride, in light of the previous backlash, Dias said that he doubted there was a connection. “They are two different experiments and very different samples. The hallmark of superconductivity is the complete absence of electrical resistance. And another property of superconducting materials is that when it is cooled below the superconducting transition temperature, the magnetic field lines are expelled from the material. We have observed both of these key properties on our carbonaceous sulphur hydride materials at high pressures.” Dias confident of the results.
Prof. Dias’ finding has definitely sparked investor interest. In fact, investors are already lining up to fund a research company, by the name of ‘Unearthly Materials’, set up under the leadership of Prof. Dias to carry out further research and to manufacture superconductors on a large scale. A financial capital of US $ 2 million, has already been provided by investors. Dias hopes it will culminate in a highly productive venture in three to five years.
Implications
Prof. Dias believes that the technology could open up a world of possibilities for medical imaging such as MRI, computing and consumer electronics such as mobile phones. Applications of his discovery include low-cost MRI scanners, magnetic levitation trains, and power lines with no electrical resistance. “A computer, for example, has a heavy cooling system with heat sink, fans and the like, but with a superconductor none of these will be necessary,” explained Hiranya Pasan, who was tasked with low temperature analysis in this research. With this kind of tech everything from car radiators to train tracks could become redundant. “A huge amount of energy is lost in transmission per year. It adds up to a lot of money,” pointed out Pasan. So, if someone were to mass produce superconducting wire, which offers no electrical resistance, he would save billions of or dollars for countless governments.
And then there is the Meissner effect, which in layman’s terms means to repel a magnet. Superconductors are strongly diamagnetic and expel magnetic fields. As such trains could employ magnets that levitate on superconducting material. “It produces no friction,” explained Pasan. Such frictionless high-speed trains could revolutionise the transport sector.
“The technology already exists,” explained Dias. Superconducting technology is used in MRI scanners, particle accelerators, and magnetic levitation trains of experimental scale in Japan, all of which involves large magnetic fields. “But it requires cryogenics.” Meaning that some metals reach superconductivity at extremely cold temperatures and, therefore, have to be cooled to about 10 to 20 Kelvin. For context, that’s minus 263.15 to 253.15 Celsius. The critical temperature of the first superconductor, discovered in 1911, was minus 269 °C, and the fact that no research has ever been able to find a material that acts as a superconductor in room temperature has been one of the major challenges in physics.
“The cryogenic factor is what makes the technology so expensive and therefore economically unviable,” pointed out Dias. So, if cryogenics were to be taken out of the equation, it would make medical imaging, for example, much more affordable and efficient. Prof. Dias explained that liquid helium is the most widely used coolant in superconducting applications, a resource fast diminishing.
He and his team were able to take the cryogenics out of the equation, but maintaining such gargantuan pressures make mass production of superconducting material virtually impossible. When asked how stable the new compound was Dias explained that CSH could be metastable, meaning that it may not revert to the original compound of carbon and sulphur once pressure is relieved. If not, it’s back to square one for the team as they would have to find another compound that acts as a superconductor at both room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The team revealed that they would conduct the ultimate experiment by relieving pressure, in the weeks to come, which Pasan has been tasked with. “Once we have a metastable superconducting material at ambient pressure, it’s just a matter of replicating it, using techniques like chemical deposition and Molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE), to achieve mass production.” Those were the standard techniques and therefore were affordable, he said.
Ground-breaking discoveries are made every few decades in the western world and they have little or no effect at all on developing nations such as Sri Lanka. So why is a superconductor at room temperature even significant for a country like Sri Lanka? “I don’t think that the GDP matters in terms of implications of such discoveries, said Dias. “What is rocket science is developing a superconductor at room temperature. When that’s a reality, application comes easy. Whether it was frictionless trains or MRI scanners, such technology can always be applied by replacing the existing technology with the new.”
Application of such technology in quantum computing would be difficult for a country like Sri Lanka, but Dias pointed out that the implications of the technology for energy transmission was of considerable significance to developing countries. As Pasan pointed out, a lot of electricity is lost during transmission. Dias argued that with a superconducting wire, that pose no resistance, third world power generation can be made more efficient, thereby increasing capacity. “This kind of application is not difficult to apply even in a developing country.” Dias assured that such technology would be affordable even for developing countries.
Local students
When asked about the practical difficulties Sri Lankan students have to face, Hiranya pointed out that as opposed to Sri Lanka, the US has a more student-centred education system, while Dias said there was a clear lack of enthusiasm for research in Sri Lanka. “During my time in Sri Lanka, we were hardly exposed to experiments, we rarely saw instruments, except at practicals during undergraduate years, simply because we didn’t have the facilities,” said Prof. Dias. “The system is exam-oriented, and as a result we lacked hands on experience.” Dias pointed out that in the US education system there was ample opportunity for research. “Even the exam questions here are very practical. It hones critical thinking instead of promoting memorising equations and just getting good grades.” Such a system increases research productivity, he said.
“Research lacks support in Sri Lanka, especially in terms of funding,” said Dias. “In the States we can acquire federal, corporate and other sources of funding. But in Sri Lanka we don’t have that kind of a mechanism.”
But things are looking up, said Ariyawansa. “Collaborative research on chemistry and biotechnology is undertaken increasingly in Sri Lanka,” he said, pointing out that industrial chemistry and nanotechnology were fast developing areas, but he admitted that physics was still lagging behind. “We now have institutions such as SLINTEC [Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology], which has succeeded in attracting a lot of expatriate academics back into the country,” added Dias. He opined that such infrastructural support and funding would facilitate cutting-edge research.
When asked whether such cutting-edge research would have any practical applications in Sri Lanka and whether putting so much money and effort into research was viable in the absence of practical applications, Prof. Dias said that there would always be opportunities in terms of putting research into practice. “Commercial production of graphene by SLINTEC is a case in point. It’s a direct application. I’m sure that if Sri Lanka can produce high grade graphene, we can export it. Graphene has a lot of applications, especially in electronics. It’s used widely in the US, Japan, Europe and South Korea for semiconductor and mobile applications.”
The same principle can be applied to diamonds. “With the right combinations of material diamonds can be grown in the lab,” Dias pointed out that this could revolutionise the diamond industry. “This is already being done in the US,” said Dias, reiterating that material research would always have applications.
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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