Features
Sri Lankan places as seen by Razeen Sally, then and now
“The attraction of Sri Lanka …, for me, is all wound up with being half Sri Lankan and having been born and spent my childhood there, and then coming back about the country. My main fresh discovery, traveling around the island properly, was the back-of-beyond places that I didn’t really get to see as a child. Getting under the skin of people in these places, walking all over the landscapes, was just wondrous. I can’t think of anywhere else—at least that I’ve been to—where in a comparable space you have as much variety of people, cultures, flora, fauna, and landscapes… In a mid-sized island roughly the size of Ireland, you have an incredible variety.
“The other thing I would point to about Sri Lanka is its baffling complexity. I call it ‘paradoxical’ in the subtitle of my book, and for a small country with a population of around 20 million, there are just so many contradictions. In the book, I say it’s a heaven-and-hell country, engulfed and consumed by its own extremes. The obvious paradox is this beguiling charm I mentioned, especially of Sinhala-Buddhist culture in the lush, green wet zone, alongside an astonishing record of violence that leaves admiring foreigners completely puzzled and in a state of consternation. They just can’t explain it. That, among other contradictions, always puzzled me as a child, and they lingered with me during my three decades or so of absence. I suppose that the central paradox of beguiling charm and violent eruptions was the really hard puzzle that I set off on my travels with, when I came back to rediscover Sri Lanka in my mid-40s. So, that’s the attraction of Sri Lanka for me, in a nutshell.” – (Quote from an interview Razeen faced.)
The 2019 book
I write after absorbed reading of Razeen Sally’s Return to Sri Lanka: travels in a Paradoxical Island published by Juggernaut, New Delhi, 2019, 386 pages. I was very impressed by the book which provided most interesting and easy reading. My son who read it day and night when on holiday here, compared it very favourably with John Gimlette’s 2015 excellent travelogue titled Elephant Complex. Yes, it is on par with that Britisher’s book on Sri Lanka; both being much, much more than mere travel books.
Razeen has attempted much within 378 pages of text – a travelogue and autobiographical memoir where ‘memoir’ means “a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge”. His father, Farouk Sally, RAF cadet, met on board a ship, when returning to the island, a Welsh telephone operator Pat Kneen who was travelling to Australia. Their love culminated in marriage when she returned to Wales in the 1960s and came over. Razeen and two younger brothers were born and grew up in Ceylon but his father, facing a foreign exchange case during Mrs B’s government (1970-76), was imprisoned. Mother and children left to settle down in Wales; Razeen was 12. He first returned after he turned 42 and the book is about his impressions on his various visits; biography; people met and associated with; history of the country both ancient and current, including ethnic violence and political see-sawing down the years. This varied mix he deftly and cleverly deals with and presents in a most readable volume.
The article I write today (with his obtained go-ahead) is his impressions of places, quoting him when needed. I mean to write a second article about Razeen Sally, his family and other persons who were in his life The most invigorating feature of the article is that I know most places and sites, meaning those he mentions I have lived in or visited. Thus it is personally enlightening and even more than interesting to see how he accepts/reacts to changes. His book will be greatly appreciated by the better sort of tourist too who needs more than just R&R and visits to places.
I comment on Part Two titled Sri Lanka through Adult Eyes: A Travelogue.
Razeen starts with Home Town Colombo – Then and Now
This chapter covers p 111 to 166. We know most of what has changed, particularly the skyline with the Port City grabbing attention whether of admiration, surprise, or consternation. He deals of course with ‘development’, especially in infrastructure and buildings; so also the tensions: tsunami, ethnic riots, Buddhist uprisings et al which we recollect so sadly or disgustedly.
He writes “Home Town is not what it used to be. Manners and mores changed. Fraternizing still takes place across religions and ethnic lines, but much less so…. Some things, though, have not changed. For all Colombo’s expansion since the 1970s, it retains a small-town feel…”
He writes at length about the colonial era hotels giving their histories and legends too. His uncle owned Mt Lavinia Hotel and his father was GM so he knows that hotel in and out. He stays mostly at the Galle Face Hotel when in Colombo. The extensive renovation of GFH brought on a “bland opulence” which to him was disappointing. The GOH/Taprobane “Now a shabby shadow of its colonial glory.” The Capri Club was his father’s favourite watering hole with buddies “alcohol–sodden sanctuary for male badinage and bonding.” His narrative about the shooting of Mrs Boon Wat is different to one we heard then. He writes the Burmese diplomat shot both wife and lover when in bed, and the latter escaped. We heard the band leader came to fetch her for a dental appointment and she was shot when descending the stairs in the Residence, now the Capri Club.
“And Colombo is still a combustible mix. This mix (races) I consider a Colombo attribute; what vigour the city has could be much diminished without it. But the same mix can be a tinderbox when Hermann Hesse’s ‘gentle doe-eyed Sinhalese’ turn into a feral mob or when Islamist suicide bombers blow up churches and hotels.(That sentence, apart from the statement made, is a pointer to his excellent writing style and seamless mixing of features and factors; also total lack of prejudice).
His next sojourn is a Turn in the South detailing not the towns but remoter places of interest from Kalutara to Kirinde. He introduces Nihal his faithful, efficient driver, and is accompanied by The Handbook for the Ceylon Traveller (Studio Times, 1974), a family possession. He starts with a quotation from Leonard Woolf as he does all chapters – quotes from various persons. The next chapter on Kandy carries several quotes from Robert Knox.
He mentions the changing ownership of Count De Mauny’s Island to writer Paul Bowles with Robin Maugham visiting. Also Weligama Rest house of yesteryear, now renamed and Valentine Basnayaka designed Tangalle Bay Hotel. “Tangalle became Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ultimate refuge. Tangalle, not by accident, was the cauldron of JVP ferment, being the birth place of Rohana Wijeweera.”
“Hambantota is Sri Lanka’s ‘Malay town’… also the cradle of Rajapaksa vanity projects, all located outside the town” The resthouse on the small hill, wonderful say fifty years ago now “Looks woebegone like other state run RHs” He mentions what many previous satisfied stayers felt post 1970s, Hambantota RH was not the place to be in due to “police officers and other municipal officials arrived after work to get rat-arsed.” He writes much about Woolf and his conscientious work and writing; to him Woolf’s second volume of his autobiography “‘Growing’ sparkles with lyricism.” He visits Mattala airport and mentions rice storage in the cargo terminal. “In 2016 over 300 soldiers and police and volunteers were deployed to chase away wild animals that strayed on to the airport.”
Chapter 6 Kandy Road – To the Hill Capital and Tea Country has Razeen describe sites of interest en route to Kandy. He quotes copiously from Hermann Hesse. Robert Knox and Sir Ivor Jennings and writes about John D’Oyly. He found the Temple of the Tooth unwelcoming and there is little to see. He is taken up much more with the history of the Kandyan Kingdom and kings and writes at length on the University of Peradeniya. He climbs Adam’s Peak, stays over at Warwick Gardens proximate to Nuwara Eliya run by Jetwing. Life then in estate bungalows was a style apart. He finds these mores alive in the bungalow; and the estate lines of poky smoke filled rooms per family substituted by neat, self contained basic houses.
One of the Sally family owned a tea estate and bungalow off Hali-Ela. Razeena was a place of recuperation, rest and peace of mind to his mother and the kids. He stayed over when his mother joined him in Sri Lanka after his earlier visits and they journeyed up country via Belihuloya and Bandarawela. Ending this section he writes: “I felt sadness for what had become of Razeena, but the setting was everlasting: the remoteness, the Uva hills, the cool clean air, the scent of tea leaves outdoors and of tea dust from the factories. I was glad I returned; it was a homecoming.”
Chapter 7 Rajarata. Land of Kings is short: 262-289 p. Chapter 8 covers War Scars – The North and East. He finds it like his quote from Handbook for the Ceylon Traveller “The landscape is full of a bleak and bitter beauty such as you will find nowhere else in Sri Lanka.” That would have been soon after the war. When I visited in 2013, Jaffna and even the East Coast was buzzing economically and people bustling about. May there be complete reconciliation is the hope.
In his final Chapter Envoir (an author’s concluding words), Razeen ends the chapter and his book thus: “This mingling, peaceful and harmonious, this unity in wartime terror, and now in newfound peacetime prosperity: what a lovely, sweet metaphor for the best of Sri Lanka’s past and present… I mulled over it as Nihal drove me back to Arugam Bay. I thought of it as a metaphor of hope for Sri Lanka’s future.”
My conclusion: a beautiful book to read and mull over; and visit places with.
Thanks Razeen Sally!
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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