VISIT OF THE US SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO
Posted on October 20th, 2020
Aloysius Hettiarachchi
It has been announce yesterday (20/10/’20) that the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit in about a week’s time to our country. The GOSL cabinet spokes person Mr. Rambukwella said that we give a warm welcome to him just like to any other high official of a friendly country.
I do not think majority of Sri Lankans would have serious objections to this visit from a country which has the highest commercial dealing with us. However we must not forget that there is a high level of suspicion among the majority of Sri Lankans on the activities of their envoy just prior to the Easter Sunday attack. Were they involved in a ‘fishing in troubled waters’?. There seem to be so many different groups in the US administration and they have argument among themselves on policy all the time. So, we cannot attribute everything happening there to the policy of his boss who is seeking a second term. There is no doubt that Mr.Pompeo is looking for some additional points for his boss’ success in the election. Let us wish him well.
I am happy that at this juncture his opposite number in our country is the son of a patriotic leader of yester year, late honorable Mr. Philip Gunawardena. He too was a visionary leader the writer had met in early 70s when he visited his work site close to Colombo. During the progress of the site visit he mentioned that our biggest problem will be the generation of sufficient power for the industries. How true is that statement?. We have to face this problem every year during the dry spell around March when we have power cuts. And we pay a hefty price per unit of electricity. Although this is not the subject area of Hon. Dinesh, he could initiate a discussion on trying to get the US help on generation and infrastructure development in the power sector. US too is in bad shape due to the effect of Covid. So they may not have cash to offer, but a sensible plan of action could be drawn up, subject to transparent negotiations in the future.
However this is not the time for any MCC agreement where we have to tie up land for sale issues, or preparation of land registries by foreign entities like Trimble Inc. controlled by Indians.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:15 am
Mr Philip Gunawandena was upset when the US government with the help of JR and Tamil immigration officers arrested my good American friend Mr Challnor.C.Chute was deported just be cause he tried to set up chemical plant using the waste chlorine from paranathan.My innocent friend was arrested while coming from Jaffna at the Victoria bridge and was held at Slave island police lockup until he was deported.Mr Gunawardana granted him the permission to set up the factory but others opposed it and our one time friend at the embassy berated him for his new venture, which seem to be the US government policy.Dudleywas not aware of the facts and showed his sorrow when I met him at the London HC.Mr Gunwardana was upset when I too left SL in disgust. He and Mr Upaley (no nonsense man) the only two decent people I had as friends.I remember seeing My Gunawardana at his office at the old parliament house near my office at Cylinco building and I was only 18 years old and he gave me a lift to Cylinco when I sacked my driver on the spot in front of the old Parliament where he insisted that I should sit at the front though I was his manager.Sorry to go out of the topic.
October 21st, 2020 at 11:22 am
I meant Mr Upali Wijewardana,a serious business man who worked at Liver brothers. I learned a lot from him to be focused and dertmined,truly a no nonsense man who laughed at likes of JR going to Kalniya temple daily without doing his job as the ministry of state.He might have left the country too.