Category: Opinion
Opinion: Why marketers need to be empathetic now than ever
By Thanzyl Thajudeen As leading marketers, we have lately been focusing much of our efforts towards data, digital and the metaverse. We have more channels, content, and technology we need today to reach our potential customers, but this has unfortunately led us to cultivate a mindset of treating them as mere numbers and transactions rather […]
Black, White & Grey Markets: Dynamics of Foreign Exchange & Remittances in Sri Lanka
By Bilesha Weeraratne: Written Ahead of International Migrants’ Day on December 18, 2021. Despite the pandemic and related difficulties in remitting, remittances to Sri Lanka had picked up by December 2020 to record year-over-year growth of 5.8 %, contrary to all expectations. The reasons for such a quick rebound include catching up on postponed remittances, […]
‘s Hambantota Port Plug and Play ‘Park in Park’ Manufacturing Facility
By Maya Majueran Industrial Zones Industrial Zones are geographically designated areas that are earmarked by the government for the production of industrial goods and services. These zones normally enjoy a unique legal and economic status to promote investment from firms that might not otherwise be attracted. The prime objective was to enhance foreign investment and […]
Wartime organic farming lessons for peacetime
By Jekhan Aruliah There is recent precedent in Sri Lanka for suddenly “going organic”. The Sri Lankan Civil War saw years of economic blockades and embargoes in the North. Some items were totally banned, others were provided in restricted quantities. From ladies’ sanitary pads to batteries to petrol and cement, chemical fertilisers and pesticides many […]
The Climb Ahead: Making the Case for Human Capital Investments in Sri Lanka
By Hartwig Schafer , Vice President, South Asia Region, World Bank “Sri Lankan children make a dangerous climb for online school,” read the headline of a recent article carried by Al Jazeera. The article, and many others like it, came out in response to a set of photographs making the rounds on social media. The […]
IPS Policy Insights: COVID-19, Global Economy & Sri Lanka’s External Sector Outlook
Global economic developments have impacted Sri Lanka’s external sector performance, and the economy overall. While Sri Lanka managed the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak imposing lockdown measures for two months (March to May 2020), it has since been hit by a second outbreak since October 2020 and a third wave in April 2021. The […]
Pandemics & Disruptions: Safeguarding Lives and Livelihood of Sri Lankans
By Suresh Ranasinghe The impact of COVID-19 on Sri Lanka’s labour market, education, migration, and health sectors were discussed at the second webinar panel discussion held on October 13, to mark the release of the ‘Sri Lanka: State of the Economy 2021’ report, the flagship report of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka […]
COVID-19 and the Sri Lankan Economy: Policy Choices and Trade-offs
By Chathurrdhika Yogarajah: Sri Lanka’s macro-economic outlook amidst the COVID-19 pandemic came under the spotlight at a webinar panel discussion held on October 11, to mark the release of IPS’ flagship report, ‘Sri Lanka: State of the Economy 2021’. The event featured presentations by Dr Dushni Weerakoon and Dr Asanka Wijesinghe from IPS with expert […]
GSP+ Withdrawal: How Would it Impact Sri Lanka’s Economy?
By Asanka Wijesinghe and Eleesha Munasinghe: Sri Lanka’s preferential access to the vital European Union (EU) market faces fresh challenges after the European Parliament’s special resolution adopted in June 2021. The resolution calls for an assessment on “whether there is sufficient reason, as a last resort, to initiate a procedure for the temporary withdrawal of […]
‘s new Dean of the Faculty of Medicine talks about international engagement
By Jekhan Aruliah Interviewing Dr Rajendran Surenthirakumaran (Suren), the newly appointed in September 2021 Dean (Head) of the Faculty of Medicine University of Jaffna, I realised the vital importance of international outreach. International collaboration for expertise, experience, research, and for funding is as key to academia as it is for business. I am impressed how […]
| Lockdowns, medical measures, & vaccination needed to save lives
By Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, Resident Coordinator, UN Sri Lanka: The complex challenge posed by COVID-19 both in protecting public health and the socioeconomic functioning of the country confront policymakers with difficult choices. Large scale movement and physical distance restrictions, often referred to as ‘lockdowns’, can slow COVID‑19 transmission by limiting contact between people, but these measures […]
Dragonboats come to Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah Northwind Projects, a team promoting sporting and other activities in the Northern Province, successfully brought together the Sri Lankan Navy, the Northern Provincial Council’s Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sport and Youth Affairs and the Jaffna District Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Union’s Federation. They came together to kick-off dragonboat racing, canoeing, and the […]