Features
The Welgama Matriarch
( 05/01/1928 ~06/02/2021)
A son-in-law remembers Our beloved Amma, Beatrice, is no more.
The rock around which the family’s hopes and fearsflapped, sometimes swirled and raged is no more. In Khalil Gibran’s deathless verse,
“The most beautiful word on the lips of mankind,
Is the word ‘‘Mother’……..
The mother is everything,
She is our consolation in sorrow,
Our Hope in misery,
And our strength in weakness,
She is the source of love,
Mercy, sympathy and forgiveness.”
I remember the first day we met. She and her husband had come to see my parents and me as a prospective son-in law-for their second daughter, Kanthi. Beatrice was one of the most beautiful Sinhala women I had seen. Secretly I was delighted. Surely her daughter must be equally or more beautiful. In fact Mrs. Welgama was more captivating than all her daughters.
Kanthi’s father was moved by my ‘simplicity.’ A self-made man from the hinterland of the Kalutara district, he was warmed by my unpretentious attire – a sarong and shirt.
The bonds forged on that propitious day would last a lifetime.They both treated me like one of their own, more so after my own parents passed away.
Amma was born in a sylvan hamlet in the Kandyan hills and the grandeur of the mountains and the beauty of the valleys seemed etched in her. She was betrothed as a beautiful teenager to a mature but equally good looking and imposing husband. At first she may have been overawed by him, an entrepreneur who went onto build one of the largest trucking companies of the land,; but soon became an equal partner.
Her first and highest priority after her spouse was the family; the children, children’s children and us children by marriage. When I was dealt an injustice by the department of health, she who was welcome in the highest circles of the land endured agonizing waits and arrogance of the then health minister. She was as disappointed as I that I was not able to accept a training position in a major American centre due to the intransigence of bureaucrats. Being a woman, the minister should have been more sympathetic to a mother’s anguish. In some ways I was glad that her efforts didn’t bear fruit;I ended up in Australia rather than USA.
Again when part of Kanthi’s property, in a fashionable suburb of Colombo was annexed, it was she who toiled and laboured to get us some compensation. Similarly when a large extent of land that belonged to her husband was seized by the State it was she who obtained some recompense which, though meagre in comparison to its value, enabled her to build a hospital in memory of her much loved husband. This had been his cherished ambition.
His own mother had died at childbirth and his aspiration for the impoverished women of his village was an easily accessible, well equipped and staffed maternity health centre.She worked like a Trojan coaxing and cajoling suppliers, contractors and craftsmen and even attending to even the most minor details.The day that the hospital was declared open by the then President would have been one of the happiest days of her life. She may well have echoed the poet’s words “My task on earth is done, by thy grace,the victory’s won”.
She would be the first to rush to the sides of her daughters having their babies and to other afflicted relatives. When I had major surgery, she travelled alone across two continents to be with me and Kanthi the next day. Arriving direct from the airport to the intensive care unit, her mere presence hastened my recovery.Staying on for a month, leaving her husband and rest of the family at home, the counselling and support she gave Kanthi and me was immeasurable.
When my father was hospitalised for the first and last time in his long life it was Amma who visited him everyday. He was widowed and both sons were unable to come quickly. On his last day he told her, “Sister, for what you are doing to me you will be born an Imperial Princess in your next birth.”
Her hospitality was legendary. We would look forward eagerly to the weekly lunch on a Sunday.The repasts were magnificent, fit for royalty; an excellent cook herself every delicious dish was checked and augmented by her. Our favourites were the pork curry and biscuit pudding.The family gathering was convivial and full of fun and we retired for the conventional siesta only hours later.
Whenever Kanthi and I arrived from Australia she was at the airport even if the hour was ungodly.The journey to her house in Wellawatte was long in the pre-highway days. Mother and daughter in the back seat would catch up on news and gossip while I snatched forty winks.The house was sparkling clean and brightly lit and the dining table loaded with ripe bananas and sweetmeats. We would quickly adjourn to the bedroom, airconditioned to dispel the heat and humidity.The bed and linen were luxurious and we would sleep soundly until the houseboy Gamini’s deferential knock next morning woke us for bed tea.
Afterwards I would go for a walk on the beach, only a quarter mile away, with Gamini and the faithful hound, Jimmy.To quote my own words “the bracing cool of the morning, the fresh air, the soft breezes and the music of the waves ,crashing on the shore was the perfect start for a new day. Gamini and Jimmy squatted on a rock ,watching me walk barefoot on the sand, with the warm salt water wetting my feet only now and then. They did not need the workout.”
Every meal was a delight. She got the choicest fruit, vegetables and fish in season from the Kollupitiya market.Her favourite vendor Sanath whom she had helped gave her only the best.
The car and chauffeur were at our disposal for shopping -books and music for me, clothes,gifts and souvenirs for Kanthi.There were of course innumerable parties and the occasional visit to a coastal resort down south and sometimes a hill country resort.
These holidays with Amma are an indelible memory; although we have had vacations in many exotic parts of the world, we will always treasure these grand times with her.
With five daughters of marriageable age, wedding planning and dressing brides became her metier long before it became a lucrative business.She dressed six brides at home, the sixth being our Australian sister-in-law; she dressed countless other brides too as her fame had spread far and wide.
Months before the event, she would go on shopping sprees to Chennai and Mumbai for sarees, jewellery and other paraphernalia deemed essential for brides from affluent families. Her husband gave her free rein, but being prudent she would get the best only at the right price.There were a thousand and one other matters and people to be dealt with. She did them all, maybe with some fuss, but well nevertheless.
The weddings themselves were spectacular events graced by the esteemed, the chic and friends and relatives.One of our attesting witnesses, J.R.Jayewardene and a guest, R.Premadasa, went on to become Presidents.The other attesting witness Maithripala Senanayake,the then deputy prime minister, was a rarity even then – an honest gentlemanly politician.
Our nuptials were at the Mount Lavinia Hotel overlooking the azure waters of the Indian Ocean and my alma mater, S. Thomas, the famed school by the sea.The pomp and splendour of the ceremony overawed me. I remember an aunt whispering to me ‘ smile putha ,smile’. Very few of the guests may have known the immense efforts that Amma put in to stage this breathtaking event.
She was fearless in the mould of our national hero, Madduma Bandara or even Lord Horatio Nelson of whom she would have learnt at school. It could have been inborn or acquired from her husband whose forefathers were soldiers in the service of the Sinhala kings. Perhaps, many pregnancies and childbirths would have made her immune to pain and fear.
On the first day of the disturbances of July 1983, returning from Ratnapura, we were stopped many times by goons wielding clubs, knives and swords,enquiring about our ethnicity.Our driver was timid and so was I. But Amma who was in the backseat with Kanthi ordered them loudly to let us proceed. And they did.
When we reached Wellawatte the street was ablaze with household goods set on fire.The house itself was packed with Tamil neighbors,numbering more than 50. Without batting an eyelid and unmindful of her own safety and that of the family she set about looking after them till they moved to a refugee camp the next day. Nearly 40 years later, I can scarcely believe how she managed such a feat.
Travel was a passion and It gave us much satisfaction to indulge her.Their first vacation in the West was in Britain in 1975.They were blessed with a golden summer.We were then living in Shotley Bridge, a picturesque town halfway between Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham. From there they visited the Lake District ,Edinburgh and other famed tourist spots.
In London their gracious and caring hosts were our good friends, Lalitha and Gemunu; they were taken around to many vibrant tourist attractions and Amma was able to shop for her daughters in Oxford street and the bustling markets. She had been given long lists of items to buy.
Kanthi and I then accompanied them to Freiburg in the Black Forest district where a son, Mahinda, was a University student. He spoke German like a local, knew all the important sights and had many good friends, young and old. One of them, Frau Laufer welcomed us to her opulent mansion where we stayed. I remember specifically the cellar as large as the house where she stored homemade wines, jams and pickled fruit.
Two unforgettable visits were to the Mercedes Benz factory in Stuttgart and the other, a day trip to Switzerland. Father,a Mercedes enthusiast was enthralled with the automated production of cars. They were enchanted with all the places they visited and language barriers didn’t hold them back from socialising with the locals. As Germany and Switzerland were very different to Britain, their holiday was as varied and fascinating as they could have wished.
Their last vacation together was to Hawaii and Disneyland and as I was working in Los Angeles able to guide them around Anaheim.
After the passing away of Father we were able to take her with us on two European tours, a couple of USA vacations and a Scandinavian tour which she much enjoyed. Born to a Catholic family, the tour of the Holy Land enchanted her the most. We also visited Egypt afterwards. A good traveller, she revelled in fresh experiences and cuisines and enjoyed meeting people of all ages.
The childlike astonishment at her first sight of snow in Vancouver alone made that journey worthwhile.The following day was sunny with blue skies and the Grouse mountain covered in a white blanket was a sight to behold.Walking and riding in a snow cart on the mountaintop thrilled her.
Now,there is only a void that can never be filled. Yet we rejoice in a life lived to the full, mostly in the service of others.
“A mother is she,
Who can take the place of all others,
But whose place, no one can take”
Cardinal Mermillod
May her journey in Samsara be short and may she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
Kumar Gunawardane
Emeritus Consultant Cardiologist
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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