FRONT PAGE
 NEWS .
 CLASSIFIED .
 DHAMMAWEB .
 SANDUN UYANA .
 ANTENNA .
 EVENTS DIARY .
 LONDON DIARY .
 FEATURES .
 LETTERS .

Is Sri Lanka For Sale?

By A concerned expatriate

Just when you are beginning to settle down and get used to the prevailing peace process in the homeland, Professor Mclean comes out with yet another brilliant idea to introduce more factors into an already chaotic political situation. The topic is unused oil tank farm in the eastern province of Trincomalee. This time under the guise of economic development or as he put it, defence without exercising any offensive tactics, Prof. Mclean proposes that Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) "… should invite offers through tender to foreign governments, usage both for commercial and military purpose. Trincomalee should be promoted as a FREE PORT and parts of the North East should be offered on a ten (10) year lease to foreign governments as an investment zone." And he further suggests that the Sri Lankan Government should invite the Singapore Economic Development Board (SEDB) to run the Oil Tank Farm operation as a franchise. While we are at it, why don't we lease the southern and western parts too to other countries in order to make sure that LTTE doesn't move its bases from north and east to other parts of the country? Since different foreign governments will be running different parts of Sri Lanka, why do we even need a Sri Lankan government? Let's dissolve the government and establish an economic board (like a collection agency) and entrust them with a mandate to make sure that all these foreign nations pay their proper dues.

Life of all Sri Lankans would definitely be better under this scheme as they would no longer be required to vote in elections or take part in any sort of political process; no territory to defend; less chance of being killed and no culture or religion to protect. We all can be employees under various investment zones and draw a regular pay cheque, and life would be very smooth. Perhaps we can even use the members of our armed forces and members of LTTE as security guards at various investment zones. Okay…, enough of this nonsense.

Why do we need to lease pieces of island to different countries while we are trying very hard to keep the country together? If it is all up to Prof. Hudson Mclean, Sri Lanka would appear on e-Bay for the highest bidder.

Copyright © 1997-2001www.lankaweb.Com Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reproduction In Whole Or In Part Without Express Permission is Prohibited.