SL shouldn’t go around the world with begging bowl in 2023: Cardinal

30 December 2022 06:36 pm - 30 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka should not go around the world with a begging bowl in 2023, but should establish a new structure to build up the nation, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said today.

“We should work towards creating a new structure for the country to move ahead in the New year and we must stop going around the world with a begging bowl. If we don’t do it, the nation will be lost.” The Cardinal said in a special statement.

“Sri Lanka will be marking its 75th year since independence in 2023. Many other nations which became independent alongside Sri Lanka, have moved forward but Sri Lanka has earned the image of being a poor country. We have fallen into such state because of the wrong decisions made by those who have ruled the nation from time to time,” he said.

“Sri Lanka should preserve unity, its people should forget differences and must be united for the sake of the nation during the new year," Archbishop Ranjith said.(Yohan Perera)

Comments - 30

Sam Silva Friday, 30 December 2022 07:03 PM

Dear cardinal We have been doing this begging for decades and no one paid much attention. Now it's worse and no way out.

Mahendra Fernando Friday, 30 December 2022 07:15 PM

Why don't you release some church funds towards loan repayments? We can withdraw the bowl.

Suddha Friday, 30 December 2022 07:23 PM

The cardinal is right. Sri Lanka has become an international joke and no country or international organization will provide funds for Sri Lanka. The whole world knows that Sri Lanka is reign by criminals and thieves. A real banana republic and the world is laughing!

secular Friday, 30 December 2022 07:28 PM

Just stick to religion and don't talk about what you don't know.

Raju sooriy Friday, 30 December 2022 07:49 PM

We will beg next year too as lot of heads are dumb thier. Mouths are shut by money

sss Friday, 30 December 2022 08:07 PM

True. But it will not happen 1. Politicians and officials are still stealing so much so ADB said they cannot allow the government to buy drugs with their handouts 2. The politicians , professionals and urban people are leading rich country life style which the bankrupt country cannot afford. The dollars are actually earned by poor rural people whose lifestyle require very few dollars. All and all the country that could not be divided by a war (again thank to mostly rural youth sacrificing their lives) is going to be divided due to corruption, mismanagement by politicians and officials and unaffordable lifestyles by the rupee rich.

Joshua Friday, 30 December 2022 08:28 PM

Cardinal.....what solution you have other than for begging?

Chryshan Friday, 30 December 2022 08:42 PM

We had some peace for a while and started getting up. Please keep away from politics and do what you are good at.

Dee Friday, 30 December 2022 08:47 PM

Wasn't the X'mas communion not enough?

DN Friday, 30 December 2022 09:07 PM

It is joke to ask not for going for begging after going for begging.

Punchi Friday, 30 December 2022 09:23 PM

Malaysian born cousin meets his Sri Lankan cousin for the first time in India both doing Pre University Studies in India in the early 1970s. Malaysian says to the Sri Lankan my Sri Lankan relatives are beggars. Sri Lankan mans daughter working as a Nurse in England meets and decides to marry a man there. The Father who has not met the to be son in law writes asking for money. We are a nation of beggars

Volker Metzger Friday, 30 December 2022 09:44 PM

The Catholic cardinal should hold back politically, precisely because the Catholic Church has enough to do with itself, not only historically but also at present!!!

Mahila Friday, 30 December 2022 09:50 PM

We (Sri Lankans), been begging worldwide, since 1948 - Independence 75 years ago – we have shown to entire world we are good at existing as a Beggar nation since, 1946, ”MARSHAL PLAN” for Gal Oya Valley Development Board (GODB) in Eastern province!!! ‘Founding father’ didn’t resort, demanding public bribes as in later years!! Unfortunately, "BEGGING ROLE", compounded since2005, when ‘Messiah’ became, started, “Robbing and Looting”, from Loan/Aid money!!!?? Norrichholai Coal Power Plant (NCCPP) deal, incumbent government demanded/obtained 20% from Chinese government!!? Until 2000 Chinese gave outright GRANTS!!! (BMICH in 1976 NAM)!!?? China CHANGED FROM GRANTS TO “COMMERCIAL BANK LOANS” FOR SL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ONLY THEREAFTER, ROBBIGN AND LOOTING BY GOVERNMENT IN POWER!!?? WHO, OR WHICH COUNTRY WOULD GIVE THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY 'GRATIS' ON GRANTS/LOW INTEREST WHEN RECIPIENT IS “ROBBING AND LOOTING”!!!???

Sujiva S. Friday, 30 December 2022 11:25 PM

Sri Lankans have nobody else to blame but themselves for foolishly electing thieves not just once but twice. It was a well known fact that the Rajapaksas were looting the coffers and hiding their money overseas. Yet we re-elected them again and again. Stop making stupid mistakes and we'll all be better off!

Aquarius Saturday, 31 December 2022 03:28 AM

It is not who comments that matters, it is the message. We should really stop going around begging. We have excellent human and natural resources, one of the best in the world, but we have clearly ignored the potential. Other countries are benefiting from our human resources whilst our natural resources are simply wasted. It is responsibility of our leaders to harness these blessings to its full potential and that will not happen with the level of corruption at all levels.

Lost Lankan Saturday, 31 December 2022 03:45 AM

Dear Respected Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. The new year message for you and all the preachers. Please either continue to work towards your preaching and practice what you say in those holy places within the 4 x walls or chose to leave and do politics. We public don't want to see dual roles and the society is being poisoned.

Eper Saturday, 31 December 2022 08:42 AM

The begging bowl became a essential commodity after 2020 as the politicians and tax evaders stripped Lanka of all its resources and reserves.The 30 year war/ 2004 tsunami/2019 Easter tragedy/1987 insurrection never made us beggars , as we are in today’s world. Everyone knows the simple way out , but our administrators (politicians money greedy tax evaders corrupt legal system state sector )will not agree to a just society in wealth,ethnicity, judiciary, priority to ACCOUNTABILITY by jailing the corrupt as done in Malaysia

Citizen k Saturday, 31 December 2022 08:45 AM

Mr Mahendra Fernando ,why should we ask the church to release funds as it is another form of begging.The Rajapakses should release the funds as that money legitimately belongs to the citizens.

Sokrates Saturday, 31 December 2022 09:25 AM

It is easy for the representative of a religion that has amassed enormous wealth and lands through oppression and displacement of people, robbery, murder and war to make such unwanted comments.

Disgusted Saturday, 31 December 2022 09:29 AM

We will for a very long time go around with the begging bowl, because ALL those responsible for the downfall of the country have either escaped overseas and or living the high life in the country. President along with the entire government have turned a blind eye to bringing those responsible before a court of law. I guess KARMA and or retribution will sure come down as far as the 3rd and 4th generations.

Volker Metzger Saturday, 31 December 2022 10:20 AM

The Catholic cardinal should hold back politically, precisely because the Catholic Church has enough to do with itself, not only historically but also at present!!! If he really wants to do something good for the suffering people of Sri Lanka, then he should ask the College of Cardinals and the Pope in Rome to sell some of the riches that the Catholic Church has stolen from us over the centuries!!!

Priyanee Wijesekera Saturday, 31 December 2022 10:26 AM

The country sure can do without the Cardinals moth eaten wisdom.He maintain ed a deafening silence during the regime of the Rajapakses

Jef Saturday, 31 December 2022 10:31 AM

Who ever making statements must be tharow..the real problem is our people and politicians we have no system in place due to corruption bribery elegal activities mismanagement financial theft the mess created by few gready politicians that had no satisfaction wanted more and more until the whole country bankrupted if we had genuine decent honest politicians and leaders with proper systems in place we would have not continue the suffering the massive debts that created with no accountability...Only god knows the future for this nations prosperity

Sam Sen Saturday, 31 December 2022 01:20 PM

For someone carefully analyze things, Cardinal’s statement has issues and answers for the future prosperity of SL. The issue is the racist politics by the Sinhalese leaders. They are the reason for the emergence of LTTE and the 30 years of war. The minorities are still under suppression. It is very clear for any right thinking individual that there is no recovery at sight. Even the so called expert RW said it is going to take 25 years. It is his baseless assumption. He might be thinking that he will be dead and gone by that time so the country will have a chance to recover. Because of RW, the looters and robbers are still holding on to power. By providing the Tamil speaking people the right place, the country will recover soon. Otherwise, SL will continue to be servant of the so called big brother India and the so called best friend (who debt trapped SL) China. This is high time the Sinhalese people have to think democratically and in the Buddhism way!

Gunadasa Saturday, 31 December 2022 01:37 PM

What is the new structure cardinal is talking about? How will country able to buy food, medicine, fuel and fertilizer once the structure is made?

Arup Krishna Saha Saturday, 31 December 2022 07:19 PM

I am an Indian. I love Sri Lanka. I wish all Sri Lankan a very happy new year.

Sinna Sunday, 01 January 2023 05:39 AM

Dear Rev.Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith,your advice we do not consider as political, that is our wish as a nation but this agent president who doesn’t show any interest to collect money stolen by himself as well as Rajapakshas which made country’s coffers empty, we made this blunder ourselves, when we decided to vote SLPP to serve justice to victims of Easter Sunday ,though not a Catholic but due to heartfelt sorrow and necessity to serve full stop to growing menace of religious terrorism. we inviting you to keep on advising the nation with your wise guidance and try to gather every individual and guide them to right direction as biblical shepherd who guided his frock of sheep

Disgusted Sunday, 01 January 2023 09:22 AM

Sam Sen, you hit the nail of the head, spot on bulls eye. I think it is stupid to bring in religion into the situation the country is now facing, just because the Cardinal voiced his opinion. We can go on and on blaming religion etc but it will only take the country further off the beaten . It is clear as crystal who those responsible for bringing down the country are, it's time the President did a U turn and paved the way for those responsible to be brought before a court of law and it will definitely mean seeking and using the international law that is in place to have those responsible living overseas to be sent back to Sri Lanka to face the full force of the law, failing which the second option is another flow on of protests as it appears this was the only way to drive out those in charge of the country and its people to realise its time to let go.

Kumarajey Sunday, 01 January 2023 11:50 AM

To the folks lambasting that Sri Lanka has become an international joke; relax. Take a chill pill. Half of the world doesn't know that a country called Sri Lanka exists. Or doesn't care. So it doesn't matter. For rest they have come to treat SL as some part of India or some place which is the source of cheap labouand housemaids. So lets not get too twisted on what the Padre thinks. In any case he enjoys too much of relevance in SL.

Ceylonese Monday, 02 January 2023 04:43 AM

Sri Lanka has been going around the world with a begging bowl since independence 76 years ago and have no intention of giving up. Thanks to countries like the US UK Australia and Canada for always coming to our aid and making our politicians richer and richer while the living standards of the ordinary people have deteriorated to a new low that we have had to beg from countries like Bangladesh.

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SL shouldn’t go around the world with begging bowl in 2023: Cardinal

Comments - 30

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