Category: Opinion
Opinion: Sri Lanka’s Path to Prosperity – Harnessing Foreign Investment Amid Climate & Political Challenges
By Jithendra Antonio Sri Lanka, an island nation rich in history and culture, is grappling with severe economic vulnerabilities. With limited land and finite natural resources, the country faces significant challenges in commercializing these assets. Climate change further exacerbates these issues, casting a shadow over key sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. Despite these challenges, […]
K.C.Vignarajah, 1940-2024, An Appreciation
By Jekhan Aruliah I first met Kangasu Chelvadurai Vignarajah, known to many by his initials KC, in 2016. I remember from that first meeting, a dinner of the Sri Lanka India Society, the mischief in his smile, the glint in his eye. Always elegantly dressed, Vigna had rare poise, manners and eloquence. It was a […]
‘s Mango Market: A Balancing Act with Economic Insights
By Chandula Idirisinghe Sri Lanka’s mango industry, deeply woven into the cultural fabric and dietary needs of Sri Lanka, is thriving with a 12.2% production boost and a 5% yield improvement over the past two decades. Yet, the industry is characterised by drastic seasonal price swings. Prices are currently low, and another significant drop is […]
Op-Ed: Journey Towards a Brighter Future: Reflections from Outgoing WB Group Country Management
The outgoing World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka, Chiyo Kanda and International Finance Corporation Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka, Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa speak about the highlights of their tenure in Colombo. They also share their thoughts […]
Opinion: Catalyzing MSMEs amid rising poverty?
By Indika Hettiarachchi As Sri Lankan economy is recovering from the economic crisis, there are lot of discussions on catalyzing the ailing micro, small and medium enterprises (“MSME”). MSMEs are believed to be accounting for around 90% of all businesses in Sri Lanka. Surveys indicate that over 20% of MSMEs were closed down during 2018 […]
Opinion: Establishing a Climate Change Fund – A Crucial Step for Sri Lanka’s Economic Future
By Jithendra Antonio Sri Lanka is at a critical juncture. Ranked 116th out of 182 countries on the climate vulnerability index, the nation faces escalating threats from climate change, including frequent droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. These climate-induced disruptions pose significant risks to economic activities, potentially stalling progress and destabilizing key industries. In […]
Opinion: Ranil Wickremesinghe + Elon Musk = Optimism for Sri Lanka
June 1, 2024 (LBO) – A few weeks ago Sri Lankan media was abuzz with news of a meeting between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the world’s richest and most famous person Elon Musk. When the photographs actually surfaced of the meeting, facilitated by the President’s Climate Advisor and Deputy Leader of the UNP Ruwan Wijewardene, […]
Opinion – From Socialism to Success: Sweden’s Economic Evolution
by M. Rizwan Muzzammil Introduction Both Sweden and Sri Lanka profess to follow Democratic Socialism. But Sweden has seemingly produced a more successful economy. This has led to the popularly held belief that Sweden is an example of Democratic Socialism done right. In this article a brief economic history of Sweden is provided (as published […]
Opinion: Sri Lanka’s Graphite and Turning Tides in International Electric Vehicle Value Chains
By Chaya Dissanayake and Rashmi Anupama The global demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs) is projected to reach a staggering 80 million units by 2050, with the United States (US) alone expected to demand one million of these annually. This rising global demand will lead to a hike in the need for natural and synthetic graphite. […]
Opinion: Tax-payers receive bill for SriLankan’s colossal losses: Advocata
The Minister of Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, recently announced that the Government would take over 210 million in dollar loans and 41.4 billion in rupee loans borrowed by Sri Lankan Airlines from state-owned Bank of Ceylon and Peoples’ Bank. Sri Lankan Airlines is bankrupt. No buyer will be prepared to take on both a […]
New data show massive, wider-than-expected global gender gap: World Bank
The global gender gap for women in the workplace is far wider than previously thought, a groundbreaking new World Bank Group report shows. When legal differences involving violence and childcare are taken into account, women enjoy fewer than two-thirds the rights of men. No country provides equal opportunity for women—not even the wealthiest economies. The […]
New Year, New VAT: Can Sri Lanka’s Poor Cope with the Increase?
By Lakshila Wanigasinghe: Ringing in the new year for Sri Lankans was an increase in the value-added tax (VAT) rate to 18% and a withdrawal of tax exemptions on several goods and services. The last day of 2023 witnessed long queues as people rushed to stock up on essentials such as fuel and gas. Although queues […]