The essence of perseverance

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement and impossibilities: it is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak” – Scottish Historian and Essayist Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

History in the making: The writer with the first SriLankan Airlines flight to land in St. Kitts, especially chartered for the CWG Summit in the background

The loss of the Commonwealth Games 2018 bid is but a stepping stone to greater success in our country’s steady progression towards economic, social and political stability and growth. This is no myth, fantasy or cliché, but the absolute and untainted reality which underscores the energy, dedication, euphemism and sheer, undiluted hard work that enabled a close fought contest to have taken place on 11 November 2011.

The lessons learnt from this year’s bid were numerous and the experience intensely kaleidoscopic. Even the staunchest critic will admit that the character and tenacity of our nation shone bright; the commitment and faith of our people cut through many cultural barriers and we as a close-knit troupe of Sri Lankan delegates – identities from several distinguished fields and echelons; representatives of a shared value – learnt foremost that we rose above the expected, the designated and the deemed.

We pushed the envelope in more ways than one. We, Sri Lanka, threatened to become the conquerors in a Union full of past colonisers and Imperial powers. We showcased our talents, cuisines, policies and plans unlike that of any predecessor; we believed in ourselves and in the ability of our steely nation; we honed and promoted our vision, and most importantly, we dared to dream at a time when the world was fatigued by recession and economic turmoil.

We have won

We, Sri Lanka, have won. We have emerged victorious. We have achieved accolades and bouquets, receiving positive and encouraging publicity from the world media for our “remarkable bid” …because we have persevered, dedicating ourselves to following a dream – a dream not defined or constrained by the loss of the Commonwealth Games bid. A dream that will benefit every member of Sri Lankan society.

A pioneering vision for the future that continues steadfastly even today in uplifting the lives of Sri Lankans and rebuilding the infrastructure of our country through “rapid economic development” as it is poised to enter a new era of globalised political economy.

Indeed, as the Commonwealth Games Federation rightly stated, the bid process for the Games has seen history in the making. It will not be too long before Sri Lanka, and indeed Hambantota, sees international-level games being hosted regularly. The blueprint for this is already well-drawn, with the Hambantota Sports City being hailed as a “highly practical and outstanding concept” by the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission.

Criticism

Many have come forward to criticise the Government and the Organising Committee for excessive spending, aiming for personal gain and a lack of focus. Others have opined that we lack the financial capacity to stage such a mammoth event.

International games, especially one possessing the stature of the Commonwealth Games, cannot be organised nor conducted on a shoestring budget. Sri Lanka strategised and concretised a foolproof plan and intricate budget in order to finance the Commonwealth Games – one which gave rise to a laudable private-public sector partnership never witnessed before in the country.

All monies were in place to go ahead with the implementation of such a pioneering plan, and comprehensive master plans regarding the actual construction of a Sports City and Games Park by 2018 were well under way.

In addition, a plethora of sporting and athletic training and development programmes (launching Sri Lanka’s Seven Year Strategic Plan for Sports), programmes aimed at developing new city infrastructure, programmes enhancing Sri Lanka’s profile as a tourist destination and promoting higher standards in the hospitality sector were also carefully crafted and initiated.

It is telling that since the bid process began, Sri Lanka has seen a gradual, albeit significant increase in tourism. Undoubtedly, our nation’s image and profile has been boosted internationally through the competitive bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

In reality, the Government’s contribution towards the bid process has been a modest $ 1 million, while the private sector pledged and contributed over $ 6 million, fully realising the widespread macro benefits of bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in Sri Lanka.

Indeed, the bid process has focused a bright spotlight on the immense potential of our country on the world stage, with the country garnering positive press coverage and favourable media attention around the world.

It was through such a close-knit private-public sector stakeholdership that the Government’s vision for a new Information Technology cum University City in Hambantota materialised and was later improved and refined through the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission. The private sector’s contribution and support has been continuous and long-term, aimed at endeavours undertaken towards reconciliation and rebuilding society after the end of civil war.

Money not misspent

Money during the bid process was never squandered. Rather it was utilised to ensure that our bid was successful and that our nation’s name resonated with the 70 member-states present at the Commonwealth Games Summit.

The Organising Committee has been accused of wasteful partying in the Caribbean, usurping much-needed national funds. The truth is that Hambantota, as a candidate city, had to host all the delegates in St. Kitts during the Commonwealth Games Federation Summit. This was accepted protocol.

Dedicated in our endeavour to win the bid, the Organising Committee displayed true Sri Lankan hospitality and showcased the best the country has to offer, by way of entertainment, cuisine, art, music, dance and a unique celebration of Sri Lankaness.

Brand Sri Lanka won hearts and minds that night! This was done with genuine intentions and not merely for the delegates to have a ‘good time’. Our hosting won rave reviews for its ‘island charm’ and carnival atmosphere and some leading news channels commented on how superlative our brand of entertainment was in comparison to our competitor, the Gold Coast.

Further allegations were baselessly strewn that the Organising Committee unnecessarily, and in an act of sheer excess, invited over 140 delegates to St. Kitts, in order to secure the bid while Australia had invited only 20 members.

Simply following protocol: Candidate city Gold Coast (Aus) partying hard and enjoying the festivities while hosting fellow delegates as part of their bid process

We displayed our strength in great numbers. We took the summit by storm. The underdogs were finally recognised. Not one delegate present was unworthy of being there. All had contributed towards buttressing our country’s profile, either domestically or internationally. All had carved a niche for themselves in their respective fields, be it politics, financial services, commerce and business, acting or sports.

Tremors arose from the Australian delegation when they witnessed the might of Sri Lanka; they were dwarfed by our sheer volume. Strength lies in numbers and this was our intended strategy during the bidding process.

What the critics failed to realise was that although the Australian Committee started small, towards the end of the bidding process they too had increased their number of delegates to over 100. Such is the need for one’s own ‘troops’ when waging a bidding war on foreign soil, against a formidable competitor.

Significance

of the bid

The bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Hambantota in 2018 is significant in that it brought attention to the need for equality and a sense of inclusiveness within the Commonwealth family. Our bid egged the Commonwealth to focus on its objective of promoting equality, humanity and destiny within all Commonwealth nations.

Emerging market economies in developing countries are poised to take over the world in the coming years with currencies like the Indian Rupee and the Chinese Yuan being promoted as standard trading multi-currencies alongside the US Dollar in the future by the IMF.

Given this scenario, it is fitting that the Commonwealth should seriously consider a bid from an emerging country like Sri Lanka, rich in potential during peaceful prosperity. Australia, Wales, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and England have so far won 18 bids in total. A disproportionate amount given that India, Malaysia and Jamaica have only won one bid each – 18/21 is a tough score to beat!

Often the Commonwealth has attempted to retain power within formal colonial empires, unconsciously sustaining a hierarchy of nations. So-called minions, especially former British colonies in Asia, have always been held in low esteem. The fact that once-conquered nations have now achieved sovereign status and wield equal power is a bitter pill to swallow for our former rulers.

Hence trepidation and hesitation ensue, when countries other than those in the hierarchy make legitimate claims to the right to participate equally in the ideals of the Commonwealth. It would be unfair if ‘life changing’ opportunities, such as hosting an international sporting event of this magnitude, were limited to only a few countries.

Perseverance and tenacity

It was indeed unfortunate that Hambantota was unable to win the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but our perseverance and tenacity wowed many, even in the face of defeat. It prompted outgoing President Mike Fennell to state that “Hambantota was a strong bid,” and that he hoped Hambantota would bid again.

Such was our impact in St. Kitts and every Sri Lankan should be proud of the effort undertaken by numerous individuals… some present in the Caribbean, but many working tirelessly in forgotten corners of the country towards the progression of their nation. Our effort to bring the Commonwealth Games to Hambantota was in honour of them.

The Organising Committee could not account for certain factors which swayed the vote in Australia’s favour. For example, inward missions from the different regions of the Commonwealth arrived in Sri Lanka prior to the summit to evaluate our candidacy and the efforts undertaken by us to win the 2018 bid. Members of the various inward missions were deeply impressed and appreciative of our multi-pronged policy initiatives and strategic plans for the 2018 Games. However, these members were not present in St. Kitts when the voting took place.

Thus, members who actually voted during the Summit were somewhat detached from the actuality of Hambantota as a competent and highly efficacious candidate city and some failed to share in our vision because of that.

Another significant downturn was Canada’s staunch support of Australia, which saw the country bringing up the problems and failures of India hosting the last Commonwealth Games. This caused anxiety amongst many smaller member-states since they would be held responsible if the debacle associated with the last Games held in India was repeated.

Until the last day, when voting actually took place, the Organising Committee was confident of securing the bid. With Canada raising concerns in a strong manner and having India as a neighbour and infamous predecessor, our chances of winning were downsized considerably. Still, it is important not to forget that a mere nine votes swung the bid in Gold Coast’s favour. A mere nine votes…

As the dust settles on the St. Kitts Summit and the world gears to see Queensland host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, as a proud Sri Lankan and a distinguished delegate who took part in the bidding process, I can assert that the Organising Committee has indeed changed the face of our nation internationally. Sri Lanka has now achieved significant credibility and publicity and has emerged as a formidable Commonwealth entity to be respected and honoured in the future.

(The writer is a Chartered Accountant. He is the Managing Director/CEO of Chemanex Plc, Chairman of The Finance Company PLC and serves on many other public and private companies in Sri Lanka and abroad. He is also a member of the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee of the Central Bank.)