Garbage without, garbage within

Is the residue sent away to yet another poor country or dumped in the Indian Ocean? Perhaps they end up in a place like Meethotamulla in the suburbs of Colombo, the rubbish dump notorious for the nonstop fireworks caused by the noxious mix - Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

A political wag, referring to the controversial import of garbage from the UK, quipped that the entrepreneurial exercise was similar to bringing coal to New Castle,there being no shortage of slush in this country.

He was not referring to discarded hospital mattresses, our underfunded government hospitals probably don’t have sufficient mattresses.The comment was meant allegorically, mainly in reference to the deplorable conduct of our public figures and their trashy, tasteless management of public affairs.

We do not know for how long this business of recycling first world trash has gone on here. They tell us that the garbage is recycled (value adding?) and exported to other destinations. In the process of recycling, there is bound to be a residue, possibly the most toxic, which has to be disposed of.

What happens to that? Is the residue sent away to yet another poor country or dumped in the Indian Ocean? Perhaps they end up in a place like Meethotamulla in the suburbs of Colombo, the rubbish dump notorious for the nonstop fireworks caused by the noxious mix. In 2017 there was a tragic landslide at this dump, causing several deaths.

Unlike in olden days, now there is no untouchability attached to occupations concerning waste disposal. Rubbish brings money, and when you have the money, the best of Colombo clubs will vie for your patronage!There is rubbish within and rubbishwithout,a man may be undesirable, but how much more degraded is the club committee laying down the red carpet for Mr. Moneybags?

Given the amount of waste created in the world on a daily basis, those who help to dispose of it or recycle it, are in fact performing a vital function, an essential service. There are far more dishonourable ways of raking in the dough; bribes, commissions, extortion, kickbacks;in this country, many of the so-called rich are overloaded with black money.

Take the average politician; of meagre beginnings; having only done ‘public service’ all his life, yet commands a life style comparable to the most affluent. More money they have, greater their chances of being re-elected!And their counterpart, that characteristicthird world phenomenon, the businessmen with no business to talk of – shadowy operators, mere agents and facilitators, amassing incredible wealth.

They make no product, add no value, bring no skills to the economic process, save for their sleaze and cunning. Such men leave a trail of destruction; Countries bled white, an entire society corrupted, processes sullied, institutions debased, and people left hopeless.

Take a case like the energy sector in this country, notorious for its middlemen. These ‘agents’ produce no oil, nor do they directly work for oil producing companies. But the Western oil giants know their third world that such shady menhave the ears of the powers that be, through them the company can get their oil sold to the corrupt governments at inflated prices. 

As a result, the little money the poor county has is drained out, left permanently dependent on foreign oil suppliers; there is no money for schools, hospitals and roads. By theirsystemic bribery, the country’s social morality is undermined, leaving a people prostrate before the power of money.

It is a country whose moral fibre is already broken, that has now been hit by an avalanche of rubbish from the UK.

As pointed out, recycling of garbage is a legitimate business, provided it is done within the regulatory framework and processed with minimal harm to both man and his environment. It goes without saying that, tight drafting of the regulations, and eagle-eyed supervision of the process, is of fundamental importance here.

Political appointments to the BOI

One of the largest conglomerates in the island, the Hayley’s group, is the consignee of the cargo. With investigations underway and allegations and denials being hurled about freely, we do not want to venture in to the specifics of the controversy. However, some of the background facts are damning, especially the indifference of our highest decision-makers towards their responsibility to appoint suitable persons to public office.

The Board of Investments (BOI), apart from being the primary promoter of foreign investments in the country, also plays a major role as regulator and supervisor of business ventures coming under its purview. This particular garbage processing operation was guided by regulations made by the BOI.

A Co-Chairman and major shareholder of the Hayley’s group is Dammika Perera, the well-known entrepreneur with beneficial interests in wide-ranging businesses. Perhaps confusing the concept of public and private sector cooperation, the previous Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed Dammika Perera as Chairmanof BOI and later as a Secretary of aState Ministry.

In this role, apart from other administrative powers, Perera had access to the inner workings of the Government, policymaking, regulatory processes as well as implementation. 

There is no suggestion that Dammika Perera was involved in theBOI’s formulation of the regulatory regimen concerning this particular re-exporting project(of the Hayley’s Group). Perhaps when these regulations were draftedhe was not the Chairman of the BOI. Nevertheless, it cannot but raise doubts about the competence of the appointing authorities (the then Government) who thought nothing of the obvious potential for conflict of interests in such an appointment.

Another well-known political appointee to the chairmanship of the BOI, in this case by a previous UNPGovernment, was the controversial Arjun Mahendran.From a Sri Lankan aspirant, what more can you ask for than an education at a prestigious British university and an easy familiarity with economic clichés and acronyms, especially if spoken with a touch of a British accent!

Mahendran was destined for more dazzling appointments later by the bedazzled ‘leader’, to eventhe eminent post of Governor of the Central Bank. Mahendran’s son-in-law apparently is a big-time dealer in Treasury Bills. The rest is recent history.

SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka

If evidence is needed for the utter lack of responsible governance, go no further than the report of the recent Presidential Commission on the twin disasters called SriLankan and Mihin Lanka (named after the then President),a massive investment of public money treated with cavalier ineptitude.

Whatever faults our governments may have, they cannot be accused of lacking confidence. We cannot keep a Colombo street clean, but think nothing of plunging into operating international airlines; the little matter of funds can be taken care of with tax money!

For our leaders, managing an airline is as easy as one-two-three. Just make up the airline Board with his endless supply of willing and ready family members, political operatives and adventurers, and the planes will fly.

Ifnecessary, there is the other talent pool too, the local success stories; those who have made money withtextile permits, selling insipid coffee or by working their ‘old boy’ connections to death. Whoever they appoint, the guy’s first loyalty is to the munificent political authority, he grovels before the benefactor, the interests of the country are a distant issue.

Of course, there are benefits for the hardworking Directors, first class travel being much valued by the visionary global travellers sitting on the Board! And, what about buying multimillion dollar airplanes and the numerous other supply contracts that come before the Board for decision?

Unfortunately for our so-called leaders, reality does not go away; the economy struggles, the airline keeps making losses, institutions are diminished and the country slips further into debt.

Like attracts like, failure follows failure, garbage comes to the country.