The Island Editorial

CAA vs Millers’ Mafia

Complaints that some parts of the country are experiencing a shortage of rice may have prompted the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to do what it did on Saturday. It inspected the warehouses of some big-time rice millers in Polonnaruwa. It is perhaps the first time the CAA officials have entered these silo complexes belonging to powerful political families including that of former President Maithripala’s sibling, Dudley, and former UPFA MP Siripala Gamlath.

The CAA says its inspections have yielded the desired results; the millers have agreed to release enough stocks of rice at prices determined by the government. Why did they wait until the CAA inspections to do so?

CAA Chairman Maj. Gen (retd.) Shantha Dissanayake has told the media his outfit has all necessary information about the stocks of paddy and rice the millers have in their possession, and action till be taken to ensure that there will be no shortage of rice.

The CAA seems keen to tame the Millers’ Mafia, and its action is reassuring to the public, but the proof of the pudding is said to be in the eating. Politically backed millers know more than one way to shoe a horse. The CAA should remain vigilant and take follow-up action if it is to achieve its goal.

Big-time millers create an artificial shortage of rice, weeks ahead of the commencement of paddy harvesting seasons, and governments import rice to meet the shortfall. The public consumes imported rice for want of a better alternative. Thereafter, the millers release some of their stocks into the market, causing the prices of rice to fall so that they can buy paddy at lower prices. The stocks of imported rice remain unsold in government warehouses and are disposed of as animal feed; the state suffers huge losses. In December 2019, more than 350,000 kilos of rice in Sathosa warehouses were found to be unsuitable for human consumption. The stock of rice had been imported in 2018, the All Ceylon Farmers’ Association told the media. This is the name of the game.

No campaign to librate the consumer and the farmer from the clutches of the Millers’ Mafia will succeed unless action is taken to make the rice and paddy markets highly competitive. The state should give small mills the much-needed leg-up by way of financial assistance. As we have pointed out in a previous comment, many small mills have gone belly up, unable to compete with the Millers’ Mafia. They purchase paddy with borrowed funds. Their bank loans are delayed and by the time they receive funds their big-time counterparts have finished purchasing paddy. Many farmers borrow from big millers to meet production costs and, therefore, have to sell their produce to the latter at low prices. They are caught in a debt trap. Others are dependent on the informal sector for funds. Microfinance companies are thriving at the expense of farmers. It is not out of any love for the farmer that the Millers’ Mafia has taken on the microfinance companies that exploit the farming community; it considers the latter an intruder.

Experts have warned of a possible worldwide food shortage owing to severe setbacks the agricultural sector has suffered across the globe during the last several months. The need for increasing the local food production cannot be overemphasised. The government has to look after the interests of the farming community in dire financial straits, unable to cover even the production costs due to exploitation by traders and millers and their inability to dispose of their produce at reasonable prices.

Vegetables are either left to perish on farms themselves or dumped on the roadside in areas like Dambulla as they cannot be sold although their prices remains high in other parts of the country. Ironically, this happens while a national cultivation drive is underway.

There is a pressing need for short-term and long-term action plans to help farmers, prevent waste of agricultural produce and keep the unscrupulous elements such as the Millers’ Mafia at bay. The Paddy Marketing Board, which has got a new lease of life needs to be revitalised further and its full potential tapped to protect both the paddy farmer and the consumer.

The CAA can only carry out limited operations. It, however, deserves praise for its inspections on Saturday.

Daily News Editorial

A timely suggestion

It appears that the Coronavirus that dominated the headlines in the mass media during the past three months is gradually giving way to other topics and issues of public concern, now that the pandemic is showing increasing signs of tapering off in this country. Instead, subjects that were swept into the background have once again started appearing on the public radar courtesy of the media. One such issue is the controversy surrounding the conduct of certain members of the Sangha community.

In fact, this issue came to the fore at a discussion between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Buddhist Advisory Council which comprises the country’s leading Buddhist prelates earlier last week. The Members of the Maha Sangha in the Buddhist Advisory Council enlightened the President on the necessity of a religious discourse due to the misconduct of certain monks that could cause discredit to Buddhism and the Tripitaka. The President said steps could be taken to rectify the situation during his tenure of office if corrective measures are proposed.

This is indeed a worthy proposal that must be implemented without delay in order to protect the good name of the Maha Sangha who had protected the nation for more than 2,000 years. Such a discourse has been proposed several years earlier, but it could not be held due to various reasons. Now that the President has also endorsed such a course of action, no time should be lost.

Certain monks among the top hierarchy of the Maha Sangha have already voiced their concern in this regard even before this discussion at the Presidential Secretariat. They have even gone to extent of enjoining political party leaders not to nominate any member of the Sangha on their party lists to contest the upcoming General Election. Another prominent monk has asked the public not to entertain any Bhikku coming to their homes canvassing for votes and urged all religious leaders not to allow politicians to use their sanctums to promote their political lines. Several political parties have already said they will not accommodate priests from any religion in their political campaigns.

All this, no doubt, stems from the widely held consensus that politics is not in consonance with the discipline and conduct expected of a member of the Sangha whose persona should necessarily be in conformity with the serene bearing and compassionate outlook which is an essential ingredient of Buddhist teaching.

According to a media report the Lekakhadhari of the Ramanya Nikaya the Ven. Attangane Sasanarathana Thera, has called for the striking off the list of the Bhikku register those presenting themselves as members of the Sangha belonging to his sect who act and conduct themselves unbecoming of the Sangha that goes to undermine the reverence and respect hitherto shown by the public to the wearers of the saffron robe. The Ven Thera has said he had noted several such persons portraying themselves as Bhikkus from his Nikaya even taking to social media to spew out content that are at complete variance with the teachings of the Noble One. He has called for all such monks to be removed from the Bhikku community.

No doubt the Ven Thera’s views and sentiments in this regard would be endorsed by all true Buddhists who have been observing the passing scene. Bhikkus placing themselves in the forefront of violent student demonstrations is not the ideal picture that any true Buddhist would be proud to behold. These monks could not be unaware that, with the global reach of television and social media their conduct will be viewed by a world audience which regards Sri Lanka as the seat of pure Theravada Buddhism, not to mention the generally held view that Buddhism is associated with peace, tranquility and quiet contemplation.

There is no gainsaying that the Sangha community in this country, has been made to suffer as a whole due to the conduct of some members among them. It is therefore hoped that the lead given by the Ven Sasanarathana Thera would make the Sangha hierarchy as a whole sit back and take note. It goes without saying that a Bhikku should conduct himself in an exemplary manner.

This is in no way saying that members of the Sangha should be cut off from the political or social mainstream. Their counsel for the wellbeing and the protection of the country has always proved to be invaluable. More than our lay leaders it is the Maha Sangha, who, in many instances have been carrying the standard of the country. They have been in the forefront to protect the country from peril at all times.

As the Ven. Theras of the Buddhist Advisory Council noted, there is a huge responsibility with the Maha Sangha to rebuild the society in the present context. We hope that the suggested discourse will allow them to engage in this onerous task with even more vigour and determination.

The Island Editorial

CAA vs Millers’ Mafia

Complaints that some parts of the country are experiencing a shortage of rice may have prompted the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to do what it did on Saturday. It inspected the warehouses of some big-time rice millers in Polonnaruwa. It is perhaps the first time the CAA officials have entered these silo complexes belonging to powerful political families including that of former President Maithripala’s sibling, Dudley, and former UPFA MP Siripala Gamlath.

The CAA says its inspections have yielded the desired results; the millers have agreed to release enough stocks of rice at prices determined by the government. Why did they wait until the CAA inspections to do so?

CAA Chairman Maj. Gen (retd.) Shantha Dissanayake has told the media his outfit has all necessary information about the stocks of paddy and rice the millers have in their possession, and action till be taken to ensure that there will be no shortage of rice.

The CAA seems keen to tame the Millers’ Mafia, and its action is reassuring to the public, but the proof of the pudding is said to be in the eating. Politically backed millers know more than one way to shoe a horse. The CAA should remain vigilant and take follow-up action if it is to achieve its goal.

Big-time millers create an artificial shortage of rice, weeks ahead of the commencement of paddy harvesting seasons, and governments import rice to meet the shortfall. The public consumes imported rice for want of a better alternative. Thereafter, the millers release some of their stocks into the market, causing the prices of rice to fall so that they can buy paddy at lower prices. The stocks of imported rice remain unsold in government warehouses and are disposed of as animal feed; the state suffers huge losses. In December 2019, more than 350,000 kilos of rice in Sathosa warehouses were found to be unsuitable for human consumption. The stock of rice had been imported in 2018, the All Ceylon Farmers’ Association told the media. This is the name of the game.

No campaign to librate the consumer and the farmer from the clutches of the Millers’ Mafia will succeed unless action is taken to make the rice and paddy markets highly competitive. The state should give small mills the much-needed leg-up by way of financial assistance. As we have pointed out in a previous comment, many small mills have gone belly up, unable to compete with the Millers’ Mafia. They purchase paddy with borrowed funds. Their bank loans are delayed and by the time they receive funds their big-time counterparts have finished purchasing paddy. Many farmers borrow from big millers to meet production costs and, therefore, have to sell their produce to the latter at low prices. They are caught in a debt trap. Others are dependent on the informal sector for funds. Microfinance companies are thriving at the expense of farmers. It is not out of any love for the farmer that the Millers’ Mafia has taken on the microfinance companies that exploit the farming community; it considers the latter an intruder.

Experts have warned of a possible worldwide food shortage owing to severe setbacks the agricultural sector has suffered across the globe during the last several months. The need for increasing the local food production cannot be overemphasised. The government has to look after the interests of the farming community in dire financial straits, unable to cover even the production costs due to exploitation by traders and millers and their inability to dispose of their produce at reasonable prices.

Vegetables are either left to perish on farms themselves or dumped on the roadside in areas like Dambulla as they cannot be sold although their prices remains high in other parts of the country. Ironically, this happens while a national cultivation drive is underway.

There is a pressing need for short-term and long-term action plans to help farmers, prevent waste of agricultural produce and keep the unscrupulous elements such as the Millers’ Mafia at bay. The Paddy Marketing Board, which has got a new lease of life needs to be revitalised further and its full potential tapped to protect both the paddy farmer and the consumer.

The CAA can only carry out limited operations. It, however, deserves praise for its inspections on Saturday.

Daily Mirror Editorial

Battling the coronavirus

For the past six months, the world has been battling the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. As at May 22, the virus had spread to 188 countries, with over 5,067,579 persons having contracted the disease and 332,711 had died of it.

In China, where the virus first appeared and was recognised to be of pandemic proportions, the government immediately went on the offensive and locked down the city of Wuhan, which was recognised as the centre of the epidemic and areas adjacent to it.

Within a short period of time, a number of human rights groups was crying foul complaining the rights of the people of Wuhan and its surroundings were being violated. Sections of the western-based media spoke stridently against the forceful removal of infected citizens to hospitals. Undeterred by the criticism, China continued with its lockdown and treatment of COVID-19 patients, but the death-rate continued rising. By the third week of March, however, the growth in numbers of COVID-19 patients began plateauing and its spread confined. Meanwhile on March 11, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Shortly after, the virus had begun spreading from Korea, to Japan to Italy and Spain and elsewhere. Soon the western democracies were forced to lockdown their own countries, in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. The human rights charges against China regarding lock-downs were soon forgotten, as country after country was forced to enforce lock-downs, social distancing and various other unpopular measures to bring the virus under control.

However, while most country leaders were putting various unpopular but necessary systems in place to combat the spread of the virus and protect their people, the self-styled leader of the ‘free world’ was in a state of denial.

US President Donald Trump, who is facing election year was on the horns of dilemma. Enforcing social distancing, shutting down businesses leading to food shortages, loss of employment and rising poverty seemed a sure-fire recipe for disaster to a person facing an election. And so, Trump who campaigned during the earlier election on the slogan ‘America First’, decided at this moment it was going to be ‘Trump First’ and to hell with the ‘great’ American people. Trump went into denial mode and he said coronavirus posed no threat to the US. The US was prepared to face the threat posed by the virus, no lock-downs or social distancing was necessary. The country has sufficient quantities of surgical masks and ventilators he claimed. The Medical experts were wrong, he stressed.

Trump said he had a ‘feeling’- not based on medical knowledge or expertise - that the anti-malaria medicine hydroxychloroquine was the medication to combat the coronavirus. To take matters to the borders of lunacy, the President then prescribed his countrymen to inject themselves with disinfectant to keep the coronavirus at bay! So the US authorities took no precautions against the coronavirus, despite medical advice to the contrary. Within weeks, the virus spread like wildfire throughout the country.

Today, on May 23, the US has the largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world – one million-six-hundred and forty-thousand and rising. The virus has also led to 96,340 fatalities. Around 36.5 million Americans have lost their jobs in the past two months, with experts warning that figures could peak above the Great Depression in 1933. According to the latest figures from the US Labour Department (as of 14 May), 36.5 million American citizens have filed unemployment claims over the past eight weeks.

Trump’s initial disdain of the coronavirus has cost thousands of Americans their lives, jobs and peace of mind. But, Trump never admits to making mistakes, rather he looks to find scapegoats to cover his exposed behind. This time around, with a forthcoming election staring him in the face, a worsening US economy, growing unemployment and thousands dying because he decided to put self before country, the aging US President is presently trying to shift blame and responsibility on to China and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the spread of the virus.

Latest polls in the US show Trump is now trailing his Democratic challenger by a margin of eight points or more. To worsen his plight, his challenger has stressed that he would not shield Trump from possible future litigation regarding his income tax returns and other alleged illegal activities involving his business empire etc.

Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus, Trump was leading the polls. But as the saying goes, ‘every dark cloud has a silver lining’ and perhaps the coronavirus may help the American voters see the dangers Trump poses to their country and vote him out of office and rid the world of one of its greatest disruptive figures.