Category: Opinion
X-Press Pearl Disaster: From Flames to Prevention
By Ruwan Samaraweera: Sri Lanka’s ecological disaster related to the MV X-Press Pearl, a container ship carrying hazardous chemicals that caught fire off its coast on 20th May 2021, is back in the news as the country attempts to claim damages. The ecological disaster washed up tons of plastic pellets and other pollutants on the […]
‘s Innovations are Lagging Behind in Sri Lanka
By Dilani Hirimuthugodage “I do not intend to get a patent right for my invention as I do not want to disclose my research findings and methodologies to the public domain“, stated a female researcher who has discovered a solution for dengue fever. Like her, many female innovators are unwilling to obtain Intellectual Property (IP) […]
Battling Disease & Debt: Financing Non-Communicable Diseases Amidst Economic Crisis
By Sunimalee Madurawala: Introduction “The shortage of medicines will significantly impact medications for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). If NCD patients don’t receive their regular medication, their condition will worsen,” stated a Provincial Director of Health Services speaking on the implications of the economic crisis on NCDs. Over the last few decades, NCDs have emerged as a […]
Women’s Day, Strength and Knowledge through Togetherness
By Jekhan Aruliah “Every day is women’s day” snorted my female friend in Colombo irritably responding to my question over the phone from Jaffna whether she knew 8th March is “Women’s Day”. She is right. Mothers, sisters and daughters will tell you a woman’s day never ends. A woman deals with whatever comes as it […]
Opinion: Driving sustainable and inclusive growth for everyone
By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Rapid development in Asia and the Pacific has propelled the region to become a key engine of growth for the global economy, yet this prosperity has not reached everyone. And with the […]
Apptimus Tech, Jaffna’s software firm from bedroom to 7,000 square feet in 5 years
By Jekhan Aruliah The Yarl Geek Challenge has a strong record as nursery for tech startups. By 2022, its 11th season, YGC alumni have started more than 60 companies employing hundreds of people. This doesn’t include those who emerge from these companies to setup their own startups. Yes It’s great when competitions and colleges give […]
IMF Publication: Regulating the Crypto Ecosystem – The Case of Unbacked Crypto Assets
The ongoing evolution in the crypto ecosystem is revealing both opportunities and pitfalls. Crypto assets were originally developed to democratize payments but are mostly used for speculation and, in the case of certain types of dollar-denominated stablecoins, also as a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation. Unbacked crypto assets are the oldest and most popular […]
‘s Mineral Sector
December 7, 2022 (LBO) – Demystifying the Minerals Sector Why is it that many entirely legitimate investments by the private sector are immediately demonised as a racket by certain commentators with ulterior motives, and then sensationalized by the media? Conspiracy theories leading to private sector verdicts of guilty unless found innocent seems to be the […]
History Repeating Itself: Sri Lanka’s Electricity Crisis
By Imesha Dissanayake: The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis revealed vulnerabilities in the Sri Lankan economy and weakened its economic state. Given the severity of the challenges faced, the economy is now at a fragile state with many crises at hand. One such crisis is the electricity crisis where sporadic power cuts even […]
Taxing Tobacco: Why the 2023 Budget Should Increase Tobacco Taxes
By an IPS Research Team Sri Lanka’s economy is at a critical juncture where urgent steps are needed to improve the country’s fiscal position. The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) has maintained that increasing tobacco taxation has undeniable health and fiscal benefits. In this context, policy solutions, such as taxing tobacco which […]
Opinion: What Sri Lanka Can Learn from China’s Bitter Experience
By M. Rizwan Muzzammil The following article, describing the economic growth of China, extracts information from “The Power of Capitalism” by Rainer Zitelmann. The reader is encouraged to refer to this book for more details and references. The Great Leap Forward Mao Zedong wanted to turn China into a shining example of Marxist Socialism, and […]
With people rushing for Sri Lanka’s exit, is anyone coming back?
By Jekhan Aruliah In July 2022 the Sri Lanka Sunday Times reported “Pandemonium at passport office”, reporting people sleeping for days in queues waiting to get their papers stamped. The Ceylon Today newspaper reported in September 2022 that “About 2000 doctors have left so far this year due to the current economic crisis”. With so […]