Category: Opinion
Beyond Sovereignty Rhetoric: Structural Barriers to Sri Lanka’s Economic Independence
“Political independence and economic independence are inseparable.” — Deng Xiaoping By Prof. Asoka.S.Seneviratne Introduction President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent pronouncements on economic independence strike a vital chord for a post-default nation navigating international debt restructuring. However, moving from political rhetoric to genuine economic sovereignty within a three-to-five-year horizon requires more than declarations of intent. Drawing […]
Sri Lanka’s Reserves: Build Them Wisely, Not at Any Cost
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” — Aristotle By Prof. Asoka.S.Seneviratne Summary The Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe, deserves credit for placing the question of foreign-reserve accumulation within its proper broader context: reserves cannot be built sustainably at any cost. At the Reserve Management Conference […]
Opinion: How & Why Economic Growth & Development Matter
By Prof. Asoka S. Seneviratne Executive Summary The central question for Sri Lanka is whether economic growth is improving the lives and opportunities of ordinary citizens. Growth is often presented as a headline GDP percentage, but it is morally neutral: it does not automatically guarantee fairness, equitable distribution or improvements in human capability. Sri Lanka’s […]
Opinion: Neoliberal policies slowing down Sri Lanka
By Indika Hettiarachchi Key Points: Despite 5.1 percent GDP growth during the first quarter of 2026, IMF predicts Sri Lanka’s GDP growth will remain around 3 percent in 2026 and 2027. Many investors are concerned as to why measures to catalyze post crisis economic recovery are not producing higher economic growth. One of the first […]
Opinion: Will the “tax shock” kill Sri Lankan economy?
By Indika Hettiarachchi “Current IMF backed tax policy framework likely to slowdown economic growth and increase poverty.” Under the latest IMF extended fund facility program, Sri Lanka has achieved substantial increase in tax revenue – to a level never seen in the history. Data show that for the first quarter of 2026, tax collections increased […]
Opinion: We Were Here First – The Case for Malay Political Representation in Sri Lanka
By Thanzyl Thajudeen, a Sri Lankan Malay There is a mosque on Slave Island in Colombo that has stood for more than three centuries. Masjidul Jamiya was not built by merchants or pilgrims. It was built by soldiers, Malay soldiers who came to this island in service to the Dutch crown and, after 1796, to […]
Opinion: India–SL Binational Bridge & Tunnel – Why SL Should Embrace the Opportunity of the Century
By Jithendra Antonio For decades, Sri Lanka has debated ports, airports, expressways, free trade agreements, and foreign investments as pathways to economic transformation. Yet one proposal has consistently resurfaced across governments, administrations, and geopolitical cycles as perhaps the most consequential infrastructure project ever contemplated for the island nation: a permanent land connection between India and […]
Healthy minds, safe workplaces: A shared responsibility for Sri Lanka’s future of work
By Joni Simpson and Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav She wakes before the mist clears. By the time most of Colombo is having breakfast, she has alreadybeen working for two hours, plucking, carrying, meeting a daily quota that does not changeregardless of her rest, discomfort or nourishment. She works on a tea plantation and is among […]
Sri Lanka’s Competitive Edge: Intellectual Property Rights and the Power of Geographical Indications
By Dilani Hirimuthugodage, Research Economist, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) With Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness steadily declining in major destination markets amid global economic uncertainty, the need to explore innovative tools for sustaining export growth has become urgent. Improving export competitiveness is essential for robust growth. One powerful, yet often underutilised, tool […]
Petrol, Pressure and Public Sentiment: Sri Lanka’s Fuel Crisis Through the Lens of Real Conversation
Over 64,000 engagements. More than 3,100 online results. 853 unique voices. Nearly 30 per cent of conversations running negative. Talkwalker captured the full arc of Sri Lanka’s National Fuel Pass conversation as it unfolded and what it reveals about public trust, economic anxiety, and the cost of getting policy wrong should matter to every institution […]
Middle East Conflict: The Impact on Migration and Remittances in Sri Lanka
Bilesha Weeraratne, Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East (ME), Sri Lanka finds itself at a particularly vulnerable juncture as it carefully navigates a fragile economic recovery. Labour migration offers jobs to counteract the lack of opportunities within the economy. Related micro-level remittances prevent households […]
Opinion: Oil, Inflation and the QR System
By M. Rizwan Muzzammil Recent unrest in the Middle East has raised concerns that Sri Lanka may face a shortage of oil supply. Because oil plays such a central role in the economy—powering transportation, construction, electricity generation, and many other activities—many observers expect that such a shortage will inevitably lead to inflation. This expectation is […]