Features
Unbridled exploitation of natural resources belonging to nation
By Ashley de Vos
Authorities permit the construction of taller, copy-cat buildings, to satisfy their egos totally disregarding the fact that material resources used for these structures are finite and will soon disappear leaving a scar as evidence of the greatest irresponsible destruction to this beautiful island, a nation that belong to all its citizens
Since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, sand, the humblest of materials, is the main material that our modern cities are made of. Sand has become the core of our daily lives. The floors, the walls, the roof, partly in concrete, which is nothing but sand, gravel (metal) and steel glued together with cement. Sand is required to manufacture the glass in the windows, the miles of asphalt, later concrete roads that connect the buildings. Countless trillions of grains of sand is utilised to build the towering structures and we break apart the molecules of individual grains to make tiny computer chips (Vince Beiser. The world in a grain). Today, the construction industry worldwide consumes some $130 billion worth of sand each year (Freedonia Group., World Construction Aggregates 2016).
Sand Mafia
The need to excavate more and more sand, scraping the river beds and even the river banks and the remaining flood plains of the rivers is such that sand mining even threatens bridges. The sand mafia carries on with the greatest confidence, and the possible collapse of a bridge will be blamed on someone else. The holes left in the ground remain as breeding grounds for mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue.
The same applies to the demolition of large boulders and rock escarpments, being dynamited and broken up to provide the rubble and the metal for the construction of large mega structures and highways. In addition, the large blocks and slabs of rock being cut and exported as raw material to earn foreign exchange and for local use. Stone slab paving should not be used in places where people gather, the detrimental effect of the long term exposure to the accumulated radiation naturally present in the stone slabs is anyone’s guess.
The fact that some of these boulders have a significant historical value is of no interest to the suppliers, who supply the material.
Historical Balumgala
One case in point is that a 200-foot-tall boulder on the bank of the Kelaniya River referred to as Ballumgala, on top of which stood King Rajasinghe’s lookout point. Decades ago, the post holes for the timber structure built on the flattened granite top surface were still there. From here the King and his forces could watch the movement of the Portuguese boats plying the Kelani River from Colombo. From this lookout point, he could order the sabotage of the boats in the river, using a simple device. On the opposite bank was the Vidhapu gala. Chains laid across the river connecting the Vidhapu gala with a point near Ballumgala were raised when the Portuguese boats passed. The raising of the chains toppled the boats and threw the Portuguese soldiers into the water and the ready mouths of the many crocodiles that congregated at the spot waiting for the raising of the chains to bring them their next meal!
History ‘demolished’
Today, the boulder is almost no more, completely demolished, excavated and supplied as rubble for construction. This one act has erased an important historic facet of traditional warfare used against the colonial forces that should have been preserved as a memorial to the ingenuity of the local expertise. For some one selling the boulder and breaking it up for rubble, history is less important than greed. In the future, how many similar boulders and rock caves with Brahmi inscriptions will be lost to this enterprise.
From time immemorial all land always belonged to the king. He would issue a copper Sannassa giving access to villages and lands usually to persons who had won his favour in battle or in a similar exercise. Even the so-called Nindagama related to land was issued for use, only to Bukthi Vidinna. It was never on a permanent basis. The King as custodian of the lands, could also take it back, if there was a change in favour. This changed somewhat with the arrival of the colonial powers who usurped ownership of land. The religious orders that came with the Portuguese freely distributed land to their new converts. The Dutch used a similar ruse and used the locally appointed Mudaliers to help maintain the cinnamon plantations and collect taxes and produce for export––in fact, to do the dirty work.
After the British colonial takeover of the island, they declared and even introduced new regulations to usurp village lands. They declared that all land belonged to the Crown. They sold it on 99-year leases, this was the same for the coffee and tea estates as well. After the 99-year lease the land ownership returned to the crown. To be sold to another or to be reacquired. Most of the lands distributed by the British government after the structural expansion of Colombo, even to this date, are lands given to organisations on 99-year leases by the British. The government is reacquiring these lands today.
The Maldivian authorities only offers land for development on short leases. At the end of the lease the land reverts back to the government to do what they please with it. It is the same in Singapore. And similar in most parts of London. Land is leasehold, rearly freehold. An enlightened Sri Lanka should follow a similar principle. Unfortunately, as some assume that Sri Lanka belongs to an organisation or to someone other than the Country and the people of this country, they think they could do what they want with it.
The Archaeological Ordinance of 1941 is very clear, all artefacts found in the ground belong to the Department of Archaeology, as the statutory custodial of all artefacts and historical monuments held on behalf for the government. The land on which they stand though in private hands belongs to the government and the present owners merely Bukthi Vindinawa. Even if the site is important historically there is a process for its declaration and even take over. As such no land could be sold or taken over or passed on by any agency without addressing and obtaining specific permission through the line Ministries concerned, from the people and the country.
Lanka’s marine resources
While Sri Lanka claims that all the resources for a specified hundreds of miles in the ocean, today, under the law of the sea, and extended even further, belongs to the country and its people. Similarly the resources on land as well as in the ocean, including the harbour breakwaters and the groins in the sea also belongs to the country and its people. How could the officers of an Agency that has temporary jurisdiction over some land under its purview for the shortest period, sell the resource to a buyer, local or foreign, when the resource belongs to the people and the country? Did the people of the country give the Agency specific permission to do so? May be it was, a politician who is even more temporary, who entered the space, but has even less right to do so, did. It is the duty of every right minded Official to refuse to be compromised. Could these special Officers stand tall? Sadly there is no one, no, a couple are to be seen.
Ilmenite and Thorium have immense International value, more so in the future. This precious material should then be used for the benefit of the Nation, the country and its people. How could this important and most rare resource be leased out or sold to anyone? The environmental damage, due to the eventual excavation perpetrated on the sand dunes, and the land including the precious Mannar Island, the feeding ground of migrant birds for centuries, will be considerable. Mannar island which is even today just below or just above sea level, with climate change and eminent sea rise is at risk. The excess water discharged into the ocean due to the melting ice caps, will see this small and fragile piece of land completely washed away by the same south west and north east monsoons that helped create the island in the first place. What price is placed on the polluter pays principle for the destruction of the island. How will greed reconstitute the island of Mannar? Why should the country and the people of Sri Lanka eventually lose out?
Eppawala judgment
Dr. Ranjith Amarasinghe, a most worthy son of the soil, issued a judgement on the Eppawela Phosphate deposit, which was to be sold to a multi-national. The judgement is essential reading for all. The priest of the Eppawela temple with the help of activists like Nihal Fernando, the famous photographer, went to court against its sale. The judgement by Dr. Ranjith Amarasinghe, used the law as it stood, and drew the attention of all, to the history, the nation and the people of the nation and presented a masterful document that corrected all. The sale was stopped. There must be more Ranjith Amarasinghe’s amongst us or is it that we are seeing the end of an era, where the Law is no more the Law, with legal eagles spending more time looking for loop holes to serve the perpetrator.
(To be concluded tomorrow)
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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