Economic Parley

July 31, 2007 (LBO) – The annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Economic Association (SLEA) will look at regional inequalities, employment and social safety nets, health education and infrastructure, its organizers said. "The slow growth of the economy, inequity of income distribution is a major cause of this poverty", SLEA President A Indraratne said.

The sessions to be held on August 10 and 11 will be inaugurated by Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal and the keynote address delivered by World Bank's Sri Lanka director Naoko Ishii.

Papers on regional inequalities will be presented by former central bank head of statistics, Anila Dias Bandaranaike and Nimal Sanderatne.

Papers on access and efficiency of the education system and health policy and public private partnerships will be presented by Chandra Goonewardena, Swarna Jayaweera, Palitha Abeykoon and N Samarappuli.

Papers of labour, employment and poverty will be presented by Raja B Korale and R M K Ratnayake. Infrastructure investment will covered by Priyantha Wijethunga and access to land, credit and markets by Nimal Rawaweera.