Features
THE CORNERED RAT PRESIDENCY
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
The United States passed a macabre milestone last Wednesday. A quarter million Americans died of Covid 19. The richest and most powerful country the world has ever seen has proved leadership only in the mismanagement of a virus, which has caused, in sheer numbers without any reference to populations, the largest number of Covid19 deaths among all countries worldwide. It beat even the much poorer and nearly four times more populous nation of India by 0.26mn. deaths to 0.13mn. as at November 18, 2020. An even more telling statistic, as of the same date, is that India had a fewer number of cases – nearly nine mn. to America’s 11.9 mn., but amazingly, a higher number of recoveries, 8.38 mn. to the 7.17 mn. recoveries in the country with the most advanced medical facilities and equipment in the world.
There is a light at the end of the end of the Covid tunnel. Much progress has been made in the development of vaccines, which is recognized as the most effective way of curtailing the spread of the virus. New York City-based Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech announced the development of a vaccine with an encouraging 90+% efficacy rate. Initially, Pfizer claims that it can produce 30 to 40 million doses before the end of the year, after receiving emergency authorization from the FDA possibly this week. A quantity enough to save 15 to 20 million people to get an initial shot and a booster two weeks later. Hopefully, these doses will be prioritized to immunize those groups at the highest risk of infection, like doctors, nurses and all those brave and selfless people who risk their lives on a daily basis.
Pfizer predicts that it may be able to ramp up production to 1.3 billion doses per year, starting in two to three months. Other companies, notably Moderna, can finalize the development of their own effective vaccines, and meet the global demand of 16 billion doses per year – in time. The vaccine will sadly come too late for those hundreds of thousands who will die before it becomes universally available. A number which will be increased exponentially in the USA by the criminally inept leadership in the management of the virus.
Donald Trump has ceased to take any action in an attempt to do his duty to protect the American people and control the pandemic, despite deaths from the virus exceeding 1,000 per day since the date of the election on November 3. To the contrary, he has instructed his cronies at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Coronavirus Task Force to deny any information or assistance to Biden’s transition team. As he continues to do nothing about preventive measures, it is estimated 370,000 more Americans will die before Biden takes over as president on January 20, 2021. Medical professionals predict that America would suffer a 9/11 type of tragedy with 3,000 deaths every day, unless preventive measures are taken during the holidays. Simple measures which have long been recommended by medical professionals like wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands and avoiding crowds. Simple measures the Trump administration has been discouraging, even mocking in their futile efforts to keep the economy humming.
The blood of these hundreds of thousands of innocents who have suffered avoidable deaths because of criminal inaction by the Trump administration from the inception of the pandemic, and the thousands who will die during the transition because of Trump’s homicidal intransigence, are on Trump’s head. He has made no announcements of sympathy and caring to the families of the thousands dying every day. Trump called himself a Wartime President when the virus broke in February. If there is any justice, he should be brought to trial for war crimes, for homicidal negligence in his mismanagement of the virus.
There is absolutely no reason for Trump to deny the relevant information and assistance about the virus to the new administration, except a desire to exact vengeance at his electoral rout.
While this tragedy is unfolding, Trump is hunkering down at the White House, watching TV, ranting about how the election has been stolen from him and firing any election professional who disagrees with him. Trump is sowing doubts on, as New York Times’ Tom Friedman says, “the crown jewels of American democracy, our ability to run fair elections”. All the while golfing at Trump International in Virginia, 25 miles away from the White House.
The whole world is watching as Americans are forced to beg for food, with miles-long lines of cars queuing up at food banks throughout the nation. In the richest country in the world.
Sadly, these preposterous claims of election-theft seem to have convinced his Republican party. A recent poll shows that an amazing 70% of Republicans believe, against all evidence, logic and reason, that the election was stolen from their Fuhrer. This is further evidence of the support Trump enjoys not only from his white supremacist, neo-Nazi base, but from Republicans throughout the nation. Only a handful of the Republican leadership has publicly accepted the legitimate election of President-elect Joe Biden. A majority of Republicans feel that the outcome of the recent election, which Trump lost definitively to Biden by over six million popular and 74 Electoral College votes, will be overturned, not by the courts or public opinion, but perhaps by divine will. Whether these Republicans, especially those in the Senate, pretend to believe the rantings of a deluded president because they need his support to cling to power or because they are terrified of vengeance by the Trump private militia, their behavior is contemptible.
The transition period, the Lame Duck presidency, is traditionally used to ensure a smooth transfer of power, and, as Michelle Obama put it, is “a hallmark of American democracy”. Trump’s actions during the interregnum are completely contrary to tradition, though in exact conformity with his actions throughout his life of narcissism, cheating and fraud. He finds himself in a situation where he cannot lie, threaten, steal or bribe his way out. He treats the Lame Duck presidency of the period between the election and the inauguration of President-elect Biden more with the terror and raging desperation of a Cornered Rat. His eyes dart hither and thither, looking for a way out. He feels desperate and helpless as every exit, one by one, is denied to him.
The courts, the election authorities, public opinion, even his own lawyers who are abandoning his cases due to lack of evidence, are shutting down the few means of escape open to him. He now perceives the only way out of his situation is the sewer of his own creation, the noisome filth of his own “Jonestown” he has fashioned for his white supremacist cult, supported by run of the mill Republicans terrified of their imminent loss of political power and white privilege. This alternative universe is Trump’s best bet for a post-presidency life, with doting cult members who grant his every wish, believe his every lie. He may even be dreaming of leading the Republicans to electoral victory in 2024, which then will give him four more years to achieve his ultimate dreams of destroying American democracy and establishing a dynastic autocracy.
Unfortunately, this Utopia of Trump’s delusions will not be available to him. He is only too aware of the hell that awaits him when he no longer has the legal protection of the presidency. Protection created by his servile Attorney General William Barr through a misinterpretation of Article 2 of the Constitution, just as he lied about the Mueller Report to immunize Trump from certain impeachment. According to Barr’s interpretation of Article 2, Trump, as president, cannot be indicted of any crime, even treason, as long he serves as Commander-in-Chief. The president is above the law, a concept abhorrent to all fundamental democratic principles.
Trump may have the power to pardon himself, but such a pardon is limited to immunity from federal crimes only; his powers of pardon do not extend to state crimes. He has already been convicted by the Court of the Southern District of New York, of violations of campaign finance as a co-conspirator. His erstwhile personal lawyer, Michael Cohen has been convicted of this same crime, and he is currently serving three years in federal prison. Trump was also convicted of this crime, anonymously named as Individual One to protect his presidency. A similar conviction and prison sentence await Trump when he is a private citizen on January 20, 2021.
Trump will also be vulnerable to multiple charges brought against him by the Manhattan district attorney on his fraudulent family business practices and his taxes. The release of his tax returns, which will finally be available to the new president, will divulge crimes of tax evasion, money laundering and insurance fraud. They may also reveal the colossal loans he has taken from the Russians, which will certainly provide the reason for his humiliating deference to President Putin. And the multiple charges against him on sexual assault, including statutory rape, are legendary.
President-elect Joe Biden, frustrated in all his efforts to bring some competence and decency to the White House, has described Trump’s ridiculous claims of election fraud, his assaults on the nation’s democracy, his criminal recklessness and inaction on the tragedy of the pandemic, as “incredibly irresponsible” and “damaging in the eyes of the world”. Kindly words in describing a dangerous and raving lunatic.
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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