BITTER BREW PRODUCED BY A TEAM OF WALL- EYED JOURNALISTS AT ABC’S FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE HAVING A TUNNEL VISION WHICH EXCLUDED CRITICAL FACTS AFFECTING THE TEA INDUSTRY IN THE PROGRAM. For them, nothing mattered, only that next spin whatever the consequences.
The name used for the documentary on the Tea Industry of Sri Lanka smacks of prejudice when the ABC attempts to convey directly that the Sri Lankan cup of tea, is bitter. The ramifications Sri Lanka faced in her economy recently and critical issues the Tea industry confronted internationally were completely ignored as the agenda of the documentary was highly questionable.
Tea was introduced to Sri Lana by the British white people who forcefully brought indentured Indian labour in chains to work on the tea estates in slave-master relationship when the indigenous Kandyan people refused to work as labourers on their own lands which were appropriated by the British under the Waste Land ordinance which they themselves enacted. The Indian labourers were treated as inanimate objects by the British. Even though the living standards are low among the labour population of the Tea industry even at present, one should compare the situation relating to many in the other plantation sectors and small-scale farmers in the country. Sri Lanka being a low-income developing country the payments they receive and the welfare services on which they can count- on are not satisfactory at all. The similar situation can be seen and experienced in most of the countries in the global South.
However, the workers in the plantation industry are in receipt of legally approved wages and medical facilities which are not shared by small time farmers and other labourers who depend on varying and unenviable payments without the paid holidays unlike Tea industry workers. The problems in getting drinking water in the dry season and sanitary facilities too are common issues faced by many who sell their labour. In short, the story of the third world workers who sell their labour is simply unenviable. But, when wage levels in tea growing countries in the developing world are compared, Sri Lankan tea industry labourers’ wage level is within the range of payments made in the global south,
In evaluating any industry rationally, one should discuss the effective productivity of the product, the competition in the market for the product, the prices the product will attract. Tea industry in Sri Lanka is facing continuous drop in productivity while facing stiff competition in the world market and attracting decreasing profit margins. Further, Sri Lanka presently is on a bailout program of the IMF under which wage increases have to be controlled in keeping with the stipulations.
The ABC and their producers of the Foreign Correspondence on Sri Lanka’s tea were blind to the relevant issues and did not provide space for a fair discussion in a balanced manner while unfortunately, the stress was on the painting of negative pictures with a biased mind.
If the Australian and the international market for Tea reacts to the negative picture painted by ABC regards the Tea industry, Sri Lanka will lose a good chunk of the foreign exchange earnings compelling closure of marginal tea plantations with the loss of employment for thousands of labourers.
ABC journalists’ rational mind were too busy to control their impulses!
