By Chandra Jayaratne –
Chandra Jayaratne
Cabinet having approved a proposal by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to suspend the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant agreement has appointed a four member committee headed by Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan to study the deal and propose further action.
If the Government based on the Gunaruwan Committee findings, decide to proceed with the acceptance of the MCC grant, subject to the project scope being amended from the presently agreed three focus areas, the undernoted three projects are recommended for consideration by the Government and MCC, being sustainably value adding substitute projects, which will touch the majority of the citizens, especially the poor and marginalized rural families; and be capable of advancing their livelihoods and future growth and prosperity options:
1. Projects developed leveraging advanced technology and best practices of Irrigation supportive Water Resource Management to optimize and enhance effective Rain Water Harvesting, Collection and Storage opportunities Island wide in a manner facilitating increased
a) hydro-power generation options
b) agricultural and agro –industrial use and
c) rural water homestead supply sourcing
2. A Project in establishing an advanced technology and best practices embedded agro -industrial research, development and innovation centre of excellence; associated with a Research and Training University and an Agro-Industrial Park
3. A Project centered around the development of cost effective business models to provide commercial options leveraging advanced technology and best practice solutions, to optimize renewable energy from Solar, Wind, Wave and Hydro options, to capture associated generation, storage and distribution at mega, medium and at micro level via collective cluster village level
With such sustainable development options being available to the Government and MCC to add long term value to a target group of youth and householders, especially in rural areas of Sri Lanka, who are in expectation of such much needed livelihood support, it will truly be a shame to throw away such an opportunity.
Simon De Silva / January 21, 2020
Now they have no rabblerousing statments.
Not even that DRIED PUMPKIN – Wasidewa utters a single word. He is tied to the post as any other dogs would have been.
–
The country is now in ruins. No democracy at all, Media ass kissers do the job for the promotion of the rascals.
–
People search vergetables in the city bins since sky rocketed price hikes cant give them a life.
–
Ballige putha Rajaakshe self made DEBTS and their stallments have to be paid off in 2020. So, nothing will change towards the development of the country, THe song, that GOOD GOVERNANCE made that much of losses will be sung misleading the very same grass eaters dominated nation.
–
Rajakshe tactics are BASED on untruths, but people so long they stay FOOLS would buy them easily.
But one day, after the youth become aware of the cheating nature of Rajakshe, then the day comes, to shoot the bugger family and their generaton to the very same manner lybians did in Tyrol.
/
Amarasiri / January 21, 2020
Simon De Silva,
The effects of low mean IQ 79.,
All saffron clad monks are happy because the imbeciles, mean measured IQ 79, prostrate to them, including the tribal leaders, to maintain the Monk hegemony, which the monks established, after the 6 Para kings. The kings and the subjects were essentially free of Monk hegemony and the need to for their upkeep .
/
RS / January 22, 2020
I see your strong hatred towards Rajapakse family. So who do you propose to govern the country right now???? UNP led? JVP led?
/
Amarasiri / January 22, 2020
Chandra,
Re:MCC Grant, The Bait?
From the grapevines, ..,
US official delivers Trump’s threatening message to Sri Lankan president
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice G. Wells delivered a letter from President Donald Trump to President Gotabhaya Rajapakse during a one-day trip to Sri Lanka last Wednesday. The letter, according to the media, emphasised the White House’s “commitment and interest in furthering and deepening [its] partnership” with the island nation.
Wells held discussions with President Rajapakse and his brother, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, as well as Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Tamil National Alliance chiefs R. Sambandan and M. A. Sumanthiran, and “civil society” leaders. Wells was accompanied by Liza Curtis, the Senior Director for South and Central Asia on the US National Security Council and Aliana Teplitz, the US ambassador to Colombo.
Significantly, Wells’ trip—part of a nine-day South Asia tour—followed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to Sri Lanka, which began last Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also in Colombo on Wednesday.
/
Amarasiri / January 23, 2020
Chandra,
Re:MCC Grant, The Bait?
From the grapevines, ..,
Now some monks are waking up.
Bhikku Federation protests against MCC & SOFA
The Inter-University Bhikku Federation (IUBF) today staged a protest march from Galle Face Green to the President Secretariat demanding that the government abolish the MCC and SOFA agreements which they said, would surrender the country to the USA
http://www.dailymirror.lk/caption_story/Bhikku-Federation-protests-against-MCC-SOFA/110-181790
Will the Rajapaksa Mafia attack the monks?
/
Don Stanley / January 21, 2020
Thanks Chandra, good attempt at deflecting the MCC project! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. We do NOT need the MCC. Seriously, we have all has enough of this MCC’s colonial development knowledge production racket from the Harvard Lab with its fake analytics, diagnostics and gymnastics, from the infamous Ricardo Huassman’s deep dives in the Indian Ocean that were used to come up with a trashy “binding constraints to growth”!
We have wasted enough time on this useless MCC. Has not one heard of the Paris Declaration of AId Effectiveness and the need for donors to not waste time and resources of Aid recipient countries?
Now, the time has run out, Lanka is a Middle Income County (MIC) although attempts are being made to push it back and increase poverty head count.by EU and US – to keep the MCC and GSP plus joke going.
If the US is so keen to help Sri Lanka it should hand over the 480$ million from MCC to pay down the national debt which has been generated largely by following the out dated advice of the Washington Consensus and its fake experts.
/
NP / January 22, 2020
US thinks that We Lankans are a bunch of illiterates flying out of PAPA DOC’s
banana republic.
My advice to Srilanka is to get infra structure ORGANISED with the help of Chinese
and help them to achieve their non military goals.
ITS NEARLY 70 YEARS SINCE WE BANNED AMERICAN CARE MILK PROJECT AND NATIONALISED FUEL INDUSTRY AND NOT A SINGLE LANKAN DIED OF STARVATION.
WE CAN LIVE WITH OUT American DOLLARS, AND THEIR STD CULTURE
. NP
/
jayt / January 22, 2020
MCC must be stopped. still without MCC, US and EU can be friends, but pushing for it, only calling for a creation of global war. Wester countries already have done every damage they can to Sinhala Buddhist majority.
This is the repeat of colonial crime.
/
Douglas / January 21, 2020
Don Stanley: I concur with you. All these “Professors” have long been in varying capacities holding on to “Development Functions” that portrayed a very lucrative and a comfortable life for the people. This very presentation, itself speaks for that “Endeavour”. It would be interesting to make an “ASSESSMENT” of this portrayed development that was placed before us for the last seventy years. What have we achieved? Are the people well off; better off OR have been dragged along a path to misery? If the “Trillions” in “Aids” and “Loans” were utilized in the manner set out by this writer all along, where we would have been as of today? Haven’t we got trapped in a circle of “National Debt” that has to date to around Rs. 400,00.00 per person that which is going to escalate further and further even to encompass the “To Be Born”. These “Authoritative Professionals” and the “Dumb Politicians” have got together, even as of date to aggravate the situation for the people; but very well looked after themselves and their kith and kin and the goons to a “Comfort Zone” at the expense of the innocence. Unless and until that “INNOCENCE” wake up, this “BS” will continue.
/
Shamil / January 22, 2020
All these foreign ‘aid ‘projects, loans for developement, and GSP fake trade concessions, particularly from US, EU, Japan, Korea, Australia, India, as well as, China and Russia, are to advance the business and security interests of these countries. Foreign aid is a corruption racket to spread corruption in the receiving countries which already have corrupt politicians to advance their interests, and need to be monitored and evaluated.
USAID has been doing projects for last 10 years “strengthen” the Judiciary and providing fake advisors to the SL Parliament, but now both the Judiciary and Parliament are cesspits of bi-partisan corruption! USAID projects should all be scrapped.
Also the US commits economic terrorism, as at Easter Sunday CIA-Saudi funded and masterminded attacks in Sri Lanka to sign SOFA and then MCC comes with its ‘carrot’ of 480$ to turn Lanka into a US colony!
TIme for this Chandra dude and his Friday Friends to stop playing games and speak truth to power. Lankans on the street all know who was behind the Easter attacks, even if CJ and his buddies pretend the don’t. Easter Sunday carnaged was staged by US Special Operations Forces (SOF) and CIA and this is the reason that Sri Lankans do no want any MCC fake aid from the US Rogue State that has committed war crimes and drone attacks all over and particularly against countries of the global south.
/
ramona therese fernando / January 22, 2020
Sounds a good deal actually as it is developing the rural landscape in environmentally friendly ways. But the people tilling the soil shouldn’t be given land deeds and titles to sell off as they please. The land should belong to the perpetual and permanent Lankan Crown, one which GoSL can NEVER tamper so as to build Malls. Best group to place the Lankan Crown with is the Maha Sangha (if it is not already).
*
Nb. Notions Bengalism has to vanish. Realism must ensue. Lankas of all races need to develop the land, although the Govigamas are best suited of course.
/
Sinhala_Man / January 23, 2020
Good to hear from you, RTF.
.
I really must get some sleep before meeting the Grama Sevaka who has to certify that I’m still living for me to get the little government pension for serving the Department of Education.
.
I’ve said somewhere that your heart has always been in the right place. You’re also intelligent and decent.
.
A contrast with most people from the “Diaspora”.
/
ramona therese fernando / January 24, 2020
Notions of Bengalism have to vanish.*
–
S_M,
Thanks, and yes, I have 3 Lankan Diasporas in me.
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / January 22, 2020
Did Uncle Sam promise USD 4350 Million?…
–
Anyway not a word about that Corridor covering 12000 Square Kilometers where American Boots will be Walking .
–
If this MCC is so cool to make even our Samurdhi Inhabitants also rich , , why is the UNP designated next Prime Minister is challenging Prez Nandasena to tear it on the Election Platform as soon the Nominations are called?.
–
Isn’t this MCC better than free Menstrual Pads and Free Bath Packets for our School Kids?..
/
VJ / January 22, 2020
An agreement only to benefit Sri Lanka? Why would the Americans spend tax payers money on Sri Lanka? Is it because they love our country? When you borrow money, the first thing you compromise is your dignity. What is Sri Lanka expected to give in return. An election was won/lost due to this MCC. After rephrasing a few sentences, now it is ready to be signed. The masses will be told, the clauses detrimental to the country have been removed from the agreement. The SOFA stays intact?
/
An Observer / January 22, 2020
Lot of Phottuwa politicians and their supporters argued during the presidential election that USA would not give anything for nothing and this agreement would allow US soldiers to be stationed in Sri Lanka and eventually devide our motherland geographically.
Has the MCC dropped those demands as soon as Phottuwa came to power?
STRANGE!!!!!
All those big mouths (Vimal, Vasu, Gammapila, et. ) who opposed the MCC deal are now silent.
Rajan is absolutely right when he says the reason for recording conversations with these janus faced politicians and top public servants because these two faced politicians deny what they have said previously or say that they could not remember.
So Chandra tell us what US is getting in return of their investment?
/
kali / January 22, 2020
Mr.Jeyaratne
Project Scope Options If The Government Wishes To Accept The MCC Grant
*** Nice try but it wont work in the light of Gothas admission that the missing ones are all dead . This coming from a man who was in charge at the time of Killing by War Ciminal SHAVENDRAS men. Nothing can hppen or any Civilised Country can engage od do deals with a Murderer ( although 41% of the Racist Majority elected him, see what happened to ” Bashir ” of Sudan) until the UN decides what to do with him and how bring him to books in the light of his admission. The previous GOSL fooled the UN by setting up a ” Missing Persons ” list wasting time amounting to ” Aiding and Abetting ” CRIMINALS. Just think of the Agony of the Mums and Dads so far and if I can put it crudley the ECTASY that at least their sons and daughter have reached ” Paralogam”. thanks to Gothas Admission
I appeal to the Civilised World suspend any engagment with GOSL untill the next UN session when the CRIMINAL Barrister( so called) Cahndraperuma addresses the UN and gives version of the saga.
Gotha has said he will not make any decision detrimental to the Country but little does he know that some decisions are beyond his realm and Indian Naval ships have docked at Colombo as part of the closer ties known as Permanent Military Presence to counter Chinese threat.
/
Lal de Mel / January 23, 2020
As pointed out by Chandra, the MCC grant covers key areas for the accelerated development of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, because of the disinformation spread by some vociferous SLPP members of the parliament, President has to wait until the conclusion of the Parliamentary Election to sign this urgently needed agreement to accelerate the GDP growth rate.
/
ramona therese fernando / January 24, 2020
Notions of Bengalism have to vanish.*
–
S_M,
Thanks, and yes, I have 3 Lankan Diasporas in me.
/