Features
THE BIDEN TRANSITION
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
The Biden transition finally started last week, with President Trump’s tacit and grudging approval. The U.S. Government Services Administration was instructed to release funds earmarked for the efficient transfer of power to the Biden administration.
Approval had also been given for communication of the Trump medical officials and the Biden transition team. Most importantly, with the Covid19 raging, the services of top medical professionals, specialists in Epidemiology, headed Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading epidemiologist in the country, Dr. Deborah Birx, Dr. Robert Redfield and other leading medical professionals, whose voices had been silenced by Trump, have been recalled. They will bring back policies to fight the virus with scientific strategies favored by President-elect Biden, policies which will better control the rampant spread of the virus caused by the inaction of the Trump administration.
Biden is now receiving the Presidential Daily Briefings, a top-secret document given each morning to the president of the United States. The release of this vital security document, traditionally released to the President-elect from the first day after his election, had been hitherto denied by Trump. These daily briefings keep the next president of the United States abreast of national and international developments which would enable him to hit the ground running when he assumes the presidency in January.
This recognition of transfer of power is the nearest to a concession of defeat that Trump would be able to manage. He is pathologically incapable of accepting that he has been toppled by the American people from his lofty, self-constructed perch of Godlike leadership. In fact, he is currently inciting his cult to violently overturn the results of “the fairest election in the history of the US”, by death threats to the legislators entrusted with the constitutional duty of certifying the Biden presidency.
Trump is violating the unwritten laws of a Lame Duck presidency by taking provocative military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, against the advice of his own security personnel. These actions involve reducing troop deployments in these embattled nations, troops involved in helping local forces to combat terrorism. Trump’s order will leave the remaining American troops unable to fulfill their duties, as they will be primarily engaged in protecting themselves. So Biden will be faced with the unpopular decision of redeploying troops so that they may protect the inadequate numbers of Americans left behind. Which had been Trump’s motive in the first place, anyway – to embarrass Biden, to force him to a difficult decision at the beginning of his presidency. To hell with troops and country.
In spite of all these impediments placed by Trump, President-elect Biden has been making significant progress, clearly indicating the vision of his presidency. He has dismissed the Trump slogan of “America First” which has resulted in “America Alone”. He is assembling an administration designed to help the United States work with traditional allies and resume the leadership of the free world, a role Trump had abandoned by forsaking friends and consorting with adversaries.
Biden has appointed Ron Klain, as his chief of staff. Klain, a veteran democrat who served as chief of staff to two vice-presidents, Gore and Biden, has been a confidante and top aide to Biden since the 1980s. He also served as President Obama’s “Ebola Czar”, during the outbreak of that disease in 2014, and will bring valuable experience in the backdrop of the current pandemic.
Biden has completed cabinet appointments to his foreign relations and security departments, professionals with training and wide experience in their respective fields. He has kept to his determination of espousing diversity in the composition of his cabinet. The list includes people who have had working and personal relationships with Biden over decades, and marks several firsts for America.
John Kerry, President Obama’s Secretary of State and presidential nominee in 2004, perhaps the best known name in the Biden cabinet, has been nominated as the Climate Czar. Kerry will lead the country in taking steps to mitigate the imminent dangers of climate change. America is expected to rejoin the Paris Accord on Climate Change, from which Trump withdrew during the early days of his presidency.
Antony Blinken, one of Biden’s longest-serving advisers is the new Secretary of State. He served as Deputy Secretary of State in the Obama administration, and is described by Obama as “outstanding” and “smart, gracious, a skilled diplomat, well-regarded around the world”.
Alejandro Mayorkas is the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which he served as its deputy from 2013 to 2016. He’s the first Latino, a Cuban whose family fled the Castro revolution, to run the department also responsible for immigration policies.
Avril Haines is the Director of National Intelligence, the first woman to hold this position. A former aide to Biden, Ms. Haines also served as the deputy director of the CIA.
Janet Yellen, the new Treasury Secretary, has led the Federal Reserve, and is praised as a progressive economist, committed to fight unemployment and inequality of income.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, an African American from Louisiana, is the Ambassador to the United Nations. She was an assistant secretary for African affairs under the Obama and Trump administrations, and the US ambassador to Liberia under Bush and Obama.
The National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan served as deputy chief of staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has been teaching at Yale Law School since 2014.
Biden has been criticized for these appointments, that his administration will just be a continuation of Obama’s policies. Biden denied that his administration will be a third term for President Obama, saying that he has inherited a totally different landscape caused by Trump, the reality of a country polarized as never before in its history. However, he should be commended for the attempt to adopt the policies of the Obama/Biden administration of two terms, which have proved to the most successful in the nation’s history, led by a president considered by many to be the best ever. An administration which pulled the nation out of a deep recession and fashioned a booming economy with 72 months’ continuous economic growth and shrinking unemployment. All done without a whiff of scandal, personal, financial, ethical or political, and with repeated blocking by a hostile Senate.
Trump emerged from his White House bunker on Tuesday for the Thanksgiving tradition of pardoning a turkey. In his address, he continued to flog the dead horse, without a shred of evidence, about how the election was stolen from him. He made this speech during the twin crises of a raging pandemic and crippling unemployment. He had not one word of empathy or concern about these human tragedies, the unparalleled suffering, affliction and death faced by millions of Americans. His only concern is in the pain he is suffering, caused by the delusion of a stolen election. And the growing terror of the fate that awaits him when he loses his presidential immunity and has to face justice for his numerous crimes, as a private citizen.
But he did take credit on Tuesday for the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching record levels. The irony is delicious. A president taking the credit for a record high stock market caused by his own exit from the White House.
Cob, the White House turkey was not the only pardon Trump issued last week or plans to issue before he is removed from the Oval Office. He has already pardoned Michael Flynn, his National Security Adviser, convicted of collusion with the Russians during his 2016 transition. A crime to which Flynn pleaded guilty, was convicted and awaiting sentence – delayed for four years, thanks to the machinations of Attorney General William Barr. Trump is also considering pardoning other convicted members of his 2016 campaign team, currently serving time; former campaign manager, Paul Manafort and campaign associate George Papadopoulos. Also, long-time associate Roger Stone, whose prison sentence was commuted by Trump. Trump’s motive for the pardon of his fellow collaborators with the Russians is obvious. He is trying to undermine the findings of Special Prosecutor Mueller of collusion with the Russians during the 2016 election, swept under the carpet during his impeachment trial by Attorney General Barr. Findings which cast grave doubts on the legitimacy of his presidency.
Also considered for pardon are Charles Kushner, father of son-in-law and senior White House counsel, Jared Kushner, convicted for tax evasion, Alex Weisselberg, Chief Financial Officer, Trump Organization, Rudi Guiliani and members of the Trump family. The president of the United States has extensive constitutional powers of pardon. He will be acting within the law, though with a complete absence of ethics, in pardoning these criminals.
However, he may not have the power to pardon the greatest turkey of them all: Trump himself. The Constitution makes no mention of a president’s powers to self-pardon. Possibly because the Founding Fathers never foresaw that the American people would be stupid enough to elect an ignorant, criminal lunatic as their president. Unfortunately, they were wrong.
There is a fundamental principle in common law that a man cannot be his own judge and jury, which Trump would be attempting if he tries to pardon himself. However, his servile Attorney General may, once again, subvert the constitution by misinterpreting presidential powers of pardon to enable the president to pardon himself. Possibly the last treacherous act of an Attorney General who will be removed in disgrace come January.
The final chapter of 2020 of the tragedy of the Covid19 pandemic is yet to be written. In spite of dire warnings from health professionals, a record number of Americans are traveling, by car, train and airplane, to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. Airports and train stations are crowded, social distancing impossible and not all passengers are masked. These family Thanksgiving gatherings have been projected to be “the mother of all super-spreaders”, whose tragic effects will be seen before Christmas with certain spikes in hospitalizations and fatalities.
Unemployment numbers continue to increase, with 778,000 applicants for unemployment benefits added to the rolls in November. There is no prospect of any relief through a stimulus payment, overdue since May. The Senate has gone on vacation, while millions of Americans go hungry and homeless during Thanksgiving, in the richest country of the world.
In admirable contrast, Biden gave a Thanksgiving address full of empathy, compassion and hope. He made an earnest call for unity in a deeply polarized nation. “We need to remember, we’re at war with the virus, not with each other”. He echoed the words of George Washington, quoting from a plaque at Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, commemorating the first Thanksgiving on December 18, 1777, celebrated during the War of independence.
“Lacking food, clothing, shelter, they were preparing to ride out a long, hard winter…. In spite of the suffering, they showed reverence and character that was forging the soul of the nation. Faith, courage, sacrifice, service to country, service to each other and gratitude, even in the face of suffering, have long been part of what Thanksgiving means in America.”
America is back, after four years of tottering on the brink of a regime akin to that of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
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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