Features
The National Trust must cast its net for young members and those outside Colombo
The National Trust – Sri Lanka, Presient’s report for 2022-23
by N G Wickremeratne
It would be a hard task to claim some success in heritage preservation which is the purpose of the Trust. Yet it is good to say why we try. People struggle with the inherent contradiction between development and heritage. In their daily pursuits it is often difficult to reconcile the one which has to do with improvement and progress, with the other which helps people to be grounded in familiar settings and moorings to make sense of life. This is not easy as a feature of development is the creation of new ideas, images, forms and structures which must inevitably lead to things of heritage being subsumed, buried and erased in an avalanche of progress.
The past is all people have to deal with the present. So the stories, learnings and experiences, may well be what is hard-wired in their minds to make the uncertain choices and steps in to an unknowable future. Much of this comes from the heritage left by our predecessors and its lessons. These heritage markers maybe of the cosmos, environment or history; of customs, spiritual and cultural experiences and other things. This is not to assume all of what heritage has to say is just fine and is the end of story.
The handmaiden of progress or development is often advancement-by-subjugation of the less prepared of us by arms and gunpowder earlier and other more lethal means now. The Incas and Aztecs half a millennium ago would never have guessed what lurked around the corner. Events in Ukraine, some places in Africa and even in our recent past, are instances where violence has been the result of a lack of understanding, consideration and accommodation of the vulnerable other. The earth’s diverse species is another casualty of toxic substances unleashed by one species -us. Yet and paradoxically in places where there is no development often violence and destruction is all pervasive; the loss of heritage may be both a causal factor and the result in a viciously spiraling cycle.
Development and heritage preservation may then need to go in-step to sustain society in harmony with itself and the environment. The question is what heritage lessons people must follow. We should learn we have to share space whether it be the village, country or earth. Learning to value band developing values may help people safeguard the future of their children and generations yet to enjoy their day in the sun.
I have no idea whether these musings were the strands of thought that motivated the founding Trustees of The National Trust – Sri Lanka. I sense there may be some resonance from the efforts and projects over nearly two decades and the endeavour to safeguard our heritage to understand who we all are that inhabit and share this island home. To see beauty in the diversity around us.
The eminent founding Trustees who gave leadership to this venture Prof Senake Bandaranayke, Dr Roland Silva and Mr Udaya Kadurugamuwa are no longer with us. Their work has devolved on the Trustees who have followed and seen the value of the original project to carry the mission into the future.
The National Trust Sri Lanka is an institution with limited capacities. Unlike its counterparts in other countries, and especially in the UK the founding home of National Trusts, which are larger bodies with endowments of wealthy manors and institutions they manage, the Trust in Sri Lanka depends on the resources of the active trustees and volunteers who contribute their time and energy to further the activities of the Trust. It manages this with the support of a small office organization overlooked by a Management Committee. The intellectual wellsprings are the Scientific Committees.
Trust activities are carried out in English. It allows all to participate especially in the stories that emanate from all communities in a common language of expression. It is also because the array of knowledge and thought relating to heritage, from the fundamental sciences to arts and humanities, is mostly expressed in English. Yet we are mindful that this shuts out many from sharing in what the Trust is doing and the Trust from some of what many are doing. This is a blind side we have not overcome but needs to be urgently addressed through the adoption of multi-language presentations in Sinhala and Tamil.
The main focus of the Trust has been to create a community of persons who share the vision. It does this by engaging in a discourse on heritage issues designed to create awareness and thence to protect. The primary method adopted has been through the conduct of public Monthly Lectures on matters of heritage relevance. The Lectures delivered by eminent academics and those reputed on the subjects of choice are designed for interested audiences including young adults.
The Lectures conducted during the year reviewed were
·July 2022 – Lost Animals of Sri Lanka: The Pleistocene Period by Mr Kelum Manamendra Arachchy
· August 2022- A Shared Heritage: Ibn Battuta in Sri Lanka by Ms. Ameena Hussein
· September 2022 –The Discovery of Early Human Habitation (4000 BP) : Southern coast of Sri Lanka by Dr Samanti Kulatileke
· October 2022 Sinharaja World Heritage Site: The Lesser Known Facts by Prof. Sarath Kotagama
· November 2022 -Kotte: An Ancient Capital Under Destruction by Mr Prasad Fonseka
· January 2023- Dr ROLAND SILVA MEMORIAL LECTURE-Serendipity: ThemDiscovery of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Heritage By Mr Rohan Pethiyagoda
· February 2023- Heritage Management and Preservation of Anuradhapura by Geographical Information System (GIS) by Prof. Nuwan Abeywardane
· March 2023- History and Future of Sri Lanka’s Elephants by Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando
The Website of the Trust is emerging as an important instrument in its repertoire. Recently the Trust conducted its 150th Lecture. Delivered nearly without interruption since 2008 they have been painstakingly captured where possible in text documents and visual images, voice and video recordings and these are being collated and uploaded to the Trust website. They bring to life what eminent people have had to say on a fascinating range of subjects, now arranged by the categories below for easy access by generations to come.
Monuments and Sites– World Heritage Sites of Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy and other sites
Archaeology– Archaeology and Photography, Anuradhapura material resources and sites, coins and currency, Maritime archaeology
Pre-history and History-Pre-historic man, extinct animals, early habitation, burial sites, Nagas and the recent historical period
Religious monuments and Heritage-Viharas, Temples and Kovils; murals and decorative art; Churches and Islamic traditions
Crafts and Skills-Early technological capacities including irrigation, boats and water crafts, traditional jewellery, masks making and design.
Paintings and Art– frescoes and murals religious monuments, influences on sculptures in ancient capitals to recent Art of the 19th/20th century.
Music and Drama– History of Sinhala music, music in theatre; Sunil Santha, Drums, folk dances and costumes, Portuguese music
Architecture-Traditional architecture; Heritage Buildings; management of historical built heritage; Grid city of Jaffna; Urban heritage
Landscape and Water-Coral reefs, waterfalls, water in culture, wetlands and landscape
Forests and Wildlife– Forests and Sinharaja, Butterflies, Birds, Elephants and Leopards
Social Heritage– Ancient travellers; Museums and Libraries; Flags tradition and origins of National flag, Sinhala Language and knowledge; Sarachchandra, Ludowyk; Street names and Trade routes
Customs and Practices-Facets of the legal heritage; parliament in the past; ancient armaments; traditional and recent medical practices
The Publications of the Trust have been its most ambitious and influential undertaking. These publications have dealt with subjects deemed important to be dealt with greater breadth and depth. The Trust has chosen in most instances themes that are of less obvious appeal but bresponded to the importance of the subject matter. The most recent publication ‘Traditional Jewellery of Sri Lanka’ by Dr Hiranthi Pathirana was launched early this year. Publications now number 24 of which 19 have been in the popular Prestigious Volume series which have attracted an interested following requiring some nine of these with titles such as Birds of Sri Lanka to Painters of the 20th Century and Mannar, to be reprinted and some going into second reprints. Altogether perhaps 20,000 books have been printed and are in distribution. Notwithstanding, several are presently out of stock whilst a dozen potential publications are winding their way up an admittedly slow process in the path to fruition in print.
An important aspect has been the engagement of leading corporates of Sri Lanka in sponsoring the production of these publications and thereby sensitizing these institutions to heritage issues of national and universal interest. Trust finances are largely dependent on this support. Tours are another activity of the Trust which were popular amongst members and the public. They have not been conducted in recent years due to the pandemic and other disruptions and also organizational limitations. This is unfortunate in that they drew younger people to engage in Trust activities as they stimulated energy and fellowship in the community.
The Trust sponsored the ICOMOS National Conference over three days in November 2022 on the theme of Conflict Archaeology with several Technical Presentations on webinar and physical sessions at the PGIAR which were well subscribed.
A very well attended Exhibition titled ‘A Scottish Artist in Ceylon’ featuring the photographic collection of E A Hornel in collaboration with the National Trust for Scotland and INTO (International National Trusts Organization) was held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery from January 13-16 2023. This was indeed a very successful event which brought attention to the work of the Trust. The participation of young people with enthusiasm in this event has led to the British Council to sponsor the exhibition in the cities of Jaffna, Kandy, Galle and Matara in 2023-24. This would address aspects which the Trust has been found wanting including the participation of young persons and reaching out to the regions beyond Colombo.
This will always be a work in progress. In the last three years we have witnessed the carnage of the Easter bombings, a comedy of errors in economic management which reduced millions into penury, followed by mayhem on the streets and the famous green. In all of this the social fabric held. This is what heritage is about; to provide the tenuous threads that bind and this alone should gird our conviction that we need to carry everyone with us. To recognize and appreciate the stories of all people and not be shut out by the dominant and impressive narrative of the larger segment.
Whether the purpose and objective of these activities have been achieved cannot be accurately assessed. It is the interest shown by the community who listen to lectures, purchase and read the publications, and their participation in Tours and Exhibitions that provide some insight.
In essence we are communicating a universal value to a silent public – to preserve our natural and cultural heritage. To be one with nature and one with each other.I thank you all for the support and encouragement that the Trust has received from you and look forward to your continued interest and engagement.
N G Wickremeratne
President
June 30, 2023
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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