Features
The Ceylon Civil Service
by Gamini Seneviratne
The photograph below was taken by D C L Amarasinghe (squatting extreme right) who had served as Deputy Secretary to the Treasury (DST). He had graduated in Oriental Studies, habitually spoke English, was a leading member of our Photographic Society and widely regarded as the true inheritor of the work done by Lionel Wendt. He went beyond such work and produced a movie that related to Sigiri Kassapa. (The closest that Wendt had got to cinema was to give voice to the narration in Basil Wright’s ‘Song of Ceylon’ that won the top awards at the Brussels Festival in 1935). I (squatting extreme left) was Assistant Controller of Establishments in charge of the G Branch (which had to do with the recruitment, transfer and disciplinary control of the ‘Combined Services’, principally the General Clerical Service but included the Accountants, Stenographers and Typists services), when D C L replaced Eardley Goonewardena as Controller of Establishments – probably the most powerful position in the management of our public services. His first request / order was for an English stenographer. I posted to his office the best by record. He wasn’t happy with the man. After another couple of mis-selections on my part he sent word through my immediate boss, the Additional Controller, Keerthi Weerakkody, that while I was scanning dozens of personal files, I had missed a perfectly good English stenographer who worked in the floor below us in the Ministry of Health. As it turned out the stenographer he had in mind was a typist; she was competent and helped D C L to return to Sinhala as his working language.
A bit of a complication occurred in our working arrangement when Tilak Gooneratne, the Additional Deputy Secretary to the Treasury had designations changed as from ‘Controller’ to ‘Director’ and incorporated in the structure a new position of ‘Assistant Director, Language Policy’ with a broken line of command down there from the Director (D C L) and a direct, unbroken one from [and to] the top, the S.T. (Secretary to the Treasury). D C L’s and my familiarity with and orientation relating to issues in language policy differed and some hiccups occurred. One contentious matter on which we agreed had to do with the extension of service and/or promotion of Somasunderam, a government accountant who was on secondment to the CTB. Many years later I learnt that when D C L was quite ill, that accountant’s son, a doctor, had checked on him from time to time. After several decades as a hematologist in the UK, that man, Dr. Manohitharajah, returned ‘for good’ as we say, last year: he wished to die within sight of the sands of Batticaloa yet resident in his memory.
Of those in the center in the photograph I had had a brief encounter, while a teacher at Ananda, with H Jinadasa Samarakkody (ST in 1964). It had to do with the need for a tutor in English literature for his daughter. I had been recommended by S A Wijetilleke, the Principal, who had failed to tell her parents that I was just out of University. Those were days when young men who had acquired some distinction at Uni, never mind how, married wealth or the promise of wealth. That usually meant vast acres of coconut, paddy, rubber, maybe a bit of tea: one clan arising from that was referred to as ‘the Horana horde’. For young men from Jaffna it was different – access, in matrimony, for a Staff Officer to the daughter of, let us for convenience say, a Doctor or an Engineer or a PWD overseer lay through a clear path that usually involved some form of barter. For aspirants to the CCS who lacked an outstanding academic record another route could be opened: if one were the daughter of a lecturer / examiner who could provide plenty of extra marks to propel the agreed-to-be-betrothed into the CCS, such a marriage often did take place.
The panel that interviewed us for the CCS consisted of M. Rajendra, Max Caspersz, N Q Dias, Samarakkody (the most senior of them) and was chaired by Nicholas Attygalle, the Vice Chancellor. As I left the room, I overheard the marks assigned to me: the lowest was by “Jin”, (as we came to know he was referred to), Rajendra’s quite high and Atty’s the highest. Evidently Jin had not liked my assessment of Patrick Fernando’s poetry (the best we had at the time). Jin ragged me for quite some time, finishing his inquisition with, “So-so-so, apart from writing poetry at university what did you do” At that point, the VC took him by his neck and said, “What do you think he did? He did politics”! When, a year or two later, Shirley Amerasinghe had me posted to the Treasury and Jin succeeded him as ST, he was quite stern-but-pleasant towards me: he could be jolly but was not given to being friendly. (I have deleted here an account of Jin being short and sharp with presumption in a ‘war-time recruit’ to the CCS).
At this point I must say, for the record, that I checked with Godfrey Gunatilleke, Chandi Chanmugam (both in their ‘90s), Dharmasiri Pieris and R M B Senanayake for the identity of several in the photograph. They are not to blame for any errors.
It should also be noted before I proceed that these are personal recollections and, besides, have the character of ‘field notes’ since I was moved hither and thither much more than others of our vintage.
Nissanka Wijewardena, (standing fourth from left), was my first boss. He was Government Agent (GA) Badulla and had me placed in the AGA, Devenesan Nesiah’s room. I mention that particular as, at some point Nissanka had been persuaded that his carefully structured program of training for me had, (God forbid), been dodged. The only rearrangements that had occurred had been done bona fide. I had merely arranged with the Second Clerk, Kamaldeen, to go through the following week’s paper-based work on the previous Saturday afternoon so as to be free to join a staff officer ‘on circuit’. I turned up on the Monday morning to find my desk missing and the Arachchi there, acutely embarrassed, gesturing to me to follow him – to the GA’s room. I had been parked right there unable to flee into the great outdoors of Udukinda, Yatikinda, Viyaluwa, Bintenna …. even Moneragala (some subjects were yet to be transferred there – which meant that I could have a look around the entire Uva Province). I must say that the misinformation given the GA by informants had created the wholly false impression that I was a slippery kind of dude.
The first such tidbit had come from Mr. Swaris, the Magistrate. Our knowledge of the law was derived from a hopefully assiduous study of the Evidence and the Courts Ordinance, the Penal Code, the Public Service Regulations plus an acquaintance with the Criminal and the Civil Procedure Codes. As part of our training, we were required to sit with the Magistrate and observe how Court affairs were conducted. On the first day the number of the section relevant to the case before him had slipped his mind and as ill-luck would have it, I had read that provision the previous night. And when on the third day he directed me to hear a case under the Vagrants Ordinance and I got the sentence right, it was time for me to put it to him that we were no longer to see service as Magistrate or Judge, that the bulk of our duties lay out in the field, so, it would make sense if I could be excused this trial on the Bench. He laughed right judicially and said, ‘Okay – but I was thinking of leaving you up here and taking a break myself!’
That had been the first leak, at the Club – Magistrate Swaris’s response to the GA asking him how I was doing. Unnerving.
Next came the problem of my lodgings. I had checked in at the Rest House run by the Urban Council. I suppose the room was okay but on the next day Stanley Kirinde, the District Land Officer (DLO) took me to his quarters at Puwakgodamulla, introduced me to Ira and little Ravi, and said ‘Why stay there? You come here.” Ira said endorsed the thought. She looked way junior to me, by no means an Akka, but I sensed good times ahead with Stanley. I had seen a couple of his paintings some years previously at an exhibition at Peradeniya when I served as president of the University Art Circle. The informant in this case had been the UC Chairman who had agreed to my paying room rent at a monthly rate. When he told the GA that I had moved out, inquiries had been made, I was sent for and told that Kirinde would be serving under me and it would be awkward for us both. I may have said I had known him from way before.
The dropping of that matter meant that we could sit on his doorstep, looking at the vistas falling away from Namunukula, drinking our bottles of Jubilee Ale and listening to North Indian flute music on Radio Ceylon. It also meant travel in his Volkswagen (in which I earned my driving license). And travel with Stanley was not only within the district but to Colombo – with stays at his place in Gampola and mine in Kandana and stops at Elie House road? Church for him to bask in the sight of Botticelli’s ‘the Birth of Venus’. And, once, a stop at Malkaduwawa to induce a little less chill from my wife to be. The last was galling because I had avoided the prospect of matrimony at Badulla and at Nuwara Eliya to guileless young women who were as bemused as I by the manouevers around us.
A month or two into my spell at Badulla I was sent to check on reports of large scale felling in the Ravanella forest. It could be a long story in the telling, so, suffice it to outline the results. There were twelve saw-pits not far from the road all equipped with sophisticated equipment plus guns to save the product of their labour from the intrusion of Forest Officers backed by armed Police. The Village Headman, quite a venerable looking figure said it was dangerous, forcing me to proceed into the forest with the one constable available and his 303 rifle which he didn’t quite know how to handle (but I did). The fellers fled, the sawn logs carried out with the help of the big mudalali there (who it turned out was master of the felling operation) and stored in his store-houses till the Land Commissioner’s lorry was sent the following day. The Headman was interdicted – I had to travel up for the inquiry more than once; he was defended by the President of the Village Headman’s Association, a big-made man in an ‘Arya-Sinhala suit’. Eventually the seized timber remained so, the saw pits were closed, the VH dismissed.
A visit to Kalugahakandura below Madulsima for a Land Kachcheri brought a chapter full of insights into what has passed for ‘land policy’ since the great thefts by the Brits in particular, – the great impoverisher of the world. That would have to wait.
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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