Foreign deals: People in the dark
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa returned from India with a billion dollars in the bag, and more tantalisingly promised, but what aspects of national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity were bartered for it is anybody's guess. Up to now, no official statement has come from the Government of Sri Lanka about the deals that were struck, except some superficial accounts from the respective embassies in Colombo and New Delhi. These deals included renewable energy projects in eastern Sampur and in northern Mannar. Some security related projects are being tossed about. Whether these projects are good, bad or indifferent to the national and economic interest of Sri Lanka is in the realm of the unknown to its citizens.
The Indian side has already said that the Northern Province of Sri Lanka is "a region of focus" for it. Is this comparable to Russia's 'region of focus' shown towards Ukraine, one may ask.
This goes to the much larger question – whether individual Ministers, or even the Government of the day ought to be permitted to sign pacts in total secrecy binding with shackles the long-term interests of the country for short-term benefits.
Various ministers announce energy contracts with foreign suppliers. Even the Leader of the Opposition this week told his followers that three West Asian suppliers will provide fuel to a Government of his on a deferred payment basis. Who are these suppliers? In this world of kommis kaakkas or commission agents and brokers who are nameless and faceless, everything happens below the public radar. One-time Finance Secretary R. Paskaralingam is named in the Pandora Papers as having amassed monies in offshore accounts. There are those who are living in Australia having got kickbacks on Airbus deals. There are so many who have plundered the fat off this land with secret deals unbeknownst to the public.
They, in cahoots with politicians, have brought about ruin to this country by such sweetheart deals with foreign Governments, companies and funds, for which the ordinary people are paying a heavy price today.