Features
Tragic ignorance underlying the maligning of “Born Again Christianity”
A clarification in the context of Easter 2023
By Professor A. N. I. Ekanayaka
Emeritus Professor
Amidst much of the irrationality and ignorance that bedevils Sri Lankan society nowadays, the tendency to disparage what is called “born again Christianity” is one of the more prominent examples. The approach of Easter 2023 is an opportune time in which to dispel the ignorance and prejudice underlying this attitude. Across much of society from those in high places to the ordinary man in the street, from prominent politicians to many so-called learned intellectuals, and dominantly amongst some Buddhist clergy and their adherents, there is the notion that while it is perfectly respectable to belong to a mainline Christian denomination, “born again Christianity” is some weird fundamentalist cult that needs to be resisted. Little do they realise that in doing so they are opposing Christianity itself where the need to be “born again” (i. e. spiritually regenerate), is a sine qua non that lies at the very heart of authentic biblical Christian doctrine, as was strongly emphasised by Jesus himself in his earthly ministry.
Opposition to Christianity however is not the issue. Such opposition is as old as the Christian faith. The blood of the martyrs down the running centuries is testimony to that fact. Even in today’s world research shows that Christianity is by far the most persecuted of all religions. That is not surprising. The Christian diagnosis of the human predicament and its prescription of the biblical Gospel as the one and only path of salvation open to mankind is so unique and radical as to invariably evoke the ridicule and hostility of the world. That is the testimony of history through all generations.
Accordingly, that people should be derisive of born again Christianity is to be expected. But let them not delude themselves into thinking that in so doing they are not also opposing Christianity. The truth is that by doing so they are attacking the very foundations of historic bible-based Christianity. True Christianity according to the bible is in and of itself nothing less than ‘born again Christianity”! Christianity is nothing if not “born again Christianity”. Whether people like it or not that is the plain truth. This article is intended to clarify this reality
Ironically, the tendency to disparage “born again Christianity” is not confined to those who are outside the Christian Church. Sadly, many so-called Christians themselves know little or nothing of this fundamental doctrine. Consequently, they live out their entire life as regular church goers comforting themselves with formal religion and empty ritual, and finally go to the grave in darkness without having ever understood the immeasurable riches of the biblical Gospel and what it means to be a born again regenerate Christian enjoying the guarantee of eternal security who can say with the great apostle Paul “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain” !
Many apostate prelates in the mainline churches must bear heavy responsibility for the ignorance of ordinary Christians about the Christian gospel in which being born again (i.e. becoming spiritually regenerate not through human endeavour but through the decisive intervention of God in transforming the human heart), is an essential part. Those to blame for such widespread ignorance include many bishops priests and even popes and cardinals who steeped in the heresies of a spurious liberal theology, wallowing in religious pluralism and denying the absolute authority of scripture, fail to convey to their congregations the whole truth about their faith and what it means to be a Christian. Instead, they promote an unbiblical fallacious lukewarm sentimental Christianity after their own imagination with notions and practices that neither challenge the wisdom of the secular world nor conflict with the teachings of other religions.
No wonder so many unregenerate Christians who have themselves never experienced the miracle of being ‘born again’ feel no sense of outrage when something as basic as born again Christianity is subject to widespread scorn and ridicule in secular society and by those of other faiths. Nor do many apostate bishops and priests feel bad about it either, having neglected to lead their own people within the Church into the experience of being regenerate (born again) Christians. Given their theological devience, ignorance of scripture, doctrinal confusion, and being timid religious pluralists unwilling to say anything that might conflict with the teachings of other religions, it is not surprising that such clergy should maintain a stoic embarrassed silence when born again Christianity is disparaged by those outside the Church.
At the other end of the spectrum are some pastors and evangelists of smaller denominations who though they are not ashamed to proclaim the necessity for Christians to be “born again” do so in a shallow manner that trivialises, cheapens, dilutes and distorts the doctrine of spiritual regeneration in the truly born again Christian as taught by Jesus. Those who are guilty of this include certain charismatic groups and their populist preachers with a shallow and superficial understanding of salvation through the biblical Gospel. Worse the slogan of born again Christianity could be maliciously exploited by opulent politically influential charismatic heretics who lead satanic cults and posing as ‘prophets’ in complete defiance of scripture deceive thousands in gargantuan mega churches where they preach a pernicious ‘prosperity theology’ that is as evil and heretical as the ‘liberal theology’ which makes bishops and priests of the mainline Churches underplay the importance of ‘born again Christianity’.
On the other hand, for people of other faiths especially Buddhists and Hindus to disparage “born again Christianity” is also unfair and inconsistent. The fact is nearly all religions have some concept of rebirth deeply ingrained in their philosophy (however different it may be to the Christian understanding of spiritual regeneration). For example, to deny rebirth would be a violation of one of the most basic tenets of Buddhism.
The Buddha himself accepted the premises and concepts relating to rebirth and there are several references to rebirth in early Buddhist texts including several Suttas. What is rebirth unless it is one particular understanding of being born again? Consequently, it is particularly unkind and illogical that any Buddhist should look down on ‘Born again Christians’. In Hinduism, too, the Bhagavad Gita acknowledges that every human being has a choice to get out of the cycle of rebirth. So, where Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism all in their own way have a doctrine of new birth which goes to the very foundation of these religions, it is perplexing why the peculiarly Christian understanding of regeneration should evoke so much cynicism.
It only in Christianity that being born again is understood hopefully and expectantly as a glorious consummation devoutly to be desired, the gateway to peace joy and victorious living in this life whatever its sufferings, and the passport to the glories of eternal life to come in the heavenly kingdom where the scriptures promise that God will dwell with his people “and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev.21: 3-4)
The glorious optimism of the Christian understanding of being spiritually ‘born again’ here and now and the cast iron guarantee of eternal security that it includes contrasts with the depressing pessimism that surrounds all other conceptions of rebirth/or being ‘born again’ in other religions. So, the cynicism towards ‘born again Christianity’ may in part be the reaction of those whose own conception of new birth according to their belief system amounts to a depressing intangible mystical notion of reincarnation which dependent on the vagaries of human endeavor and being rooted in abstract philosophy is hard to understand and offers little to look forward to. This may also explain the conversion anxiety which drives the continuing hostility towards evangelists who peacefully preach the doctrine of ‘born again Christianity’ in the community.
In the free market of human ideology especially pertaining to matters of life and death, notions of salvation that are grounded in incontrovertible historical events, stand the test of time in the furnace of human experience, are of greater immediate value in coping with the problems of life, and are seen to guarantee the consolation of eternal security beyond death, will inevitably be more attractive. The great hope and eternal truth of the Christian Gospel that lies at the heart of ‘born again Christianity’ has this advantage. Consequently, it is not surprising that those who are alarmed at the prospect of peaceful conversions to the Christian religion should seek to stigmatize the notion of being a born again Christian.
So, what is this doctrine of being ‘born again’ that lies at very heart of the Christian religion ? The concept in one way or another underlies the entire Bible from start to finish where all scripture is the Word of God spoken and the record of God’s historic offensive against human sin in a fallen universe where all human beings in their natural state in every generation find themselves alienated from God, in a state of total depravity and total inability to save themselves by their own meritorious works. In this context, the specific reference to the imperative of being “born again” goes back to a memorable encounter in the life of Jesus, who controversially claimed to be God himself incarnate as the perfect human being, who had come into the world to save sinners. He would achieve this by being their sin bearer and redeemer thereby atoning for their sins through his bitter suffering and death on the cross, before his mighty resurrection three days later as predicted.
One night a distinguished ruler of the Jews and a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin named Nicodemus visited Jesus secretly for fear of being found out by his peers. Nicodemus was curious to know more about Jesus’ identity and the core of his teaching. The scriptures record that to Nicodemus’s astonishment Jesus cut through unessentials and went straight to the point saying “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot (even) see the kingdom of God” ! (Jn 3:3). Unable to make sense of the spiritual metaphor used by Jesus Nicodemus reportedly lapsed into good humoured cynicism exclaiming that such a suggestion was as preposterous as a man “entering a second time into his mother’s womb and being born”. But Jesus was adamant insisting that unless one is born again “he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5). “You must be born again” (Jn 3:7) he reiterated. It is one of the most explicit warnings Jesus ever issued during his earthly ministry. Let there be no mistake. It is this warning that people belittle nowadays when they make light of born again Christianity.
One of the greatest theologians of the age Dr JI Packer has explained that being “born again” was a picture phrase Jesus used in his conversation with Nicodemus to depict the concept of “Regeneration”. It is “God renovating the heart, the core of a person’s being, by implanting a new principle of desire, purpose and action, a dispositional dynamic that finds expression in a positive response to the (biblical) Gospel and its Christ” : i. e. saving faith. From first to last such regeneration is seen entirely as the work of God, where God raises those whom he has chosen among the spiritually dead to new life in Christ Jesus as Christians. Dr David Martyn Lloyd Jones the brilliant physician who gave up medicine to become the greatest preacher in England last century, in his book “Experiencing the New Birth” explained that Christianity is that which brings a person to a personal knowledge of God. True (born again) Christianity is knowing God he said. “Not just believing a few things about God and having a nice little life. That is not Christianity. That is nothing but morality or mere religion”. The essence of the new birth is beginning to know and have communion with God, a radical conversion that will be publicly reflected in a transformed lifestyle which in every detail of daily life acknowledges the Lordship of Christ.
That in brief is what “born again” means in Christianity. That is the glorious God driven consummation that people disparage when they in their ignorance mock born again Christianity. Hopefully, those who stand corrected by this clarification will cease doing so rather than further imperil their own souls by stigmatising the truth.
Finally, those who presume to write about such matters if they are to be credible witnesses to the truth must themselves be able to lay some claim in all humility to a personal experience of what it means to be born again from a uniquely Christian perspective. True, this may lay them open to a charge of committing intellectual suicide or worse arrogant self-righteous, holier than thou presumption where on the surface they appear to be flawed personalities no better than other people.
But such cynical reactions are themselves an example of the ignorance surrounding born again Christianity. Jesus once said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick. For I came not to call the righteous but sinners” (Matt 9:12-13). In the Christian understanding salvation through being born again represents the spiritual liberation of those, even the dregs of society, who lamenting their sins and acknowledging their wretchedness, bemoaning their total depravity and inability to save themselves and putting their faith in Christ, find themselves unworthy recipients of the free gift of God through grace. The great apostle Paul, who himself admitted to being the “very least of all the saints …” (Eph 3:8), writing from a Roman prison about AD 60 put it perfectly: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God. Not a result of (meritorious) works so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). So it was with the regenerate John Newton formerly the degenerate wretched captain of a slave ship and an investor in the slave trade (later becoming an evangelical English cleric and slavery abolitionist), who in 1772 wrote this memorable lyric :
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now I’m found,
Was blind but now I see
That is what it means to become a “born again Christian”.
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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