Opinion

Sri Lanka universities live up to their billing: Reject PhDs and hire non-PhDs

Dec 24, 2010 (LBO) - In a recent column on the failure of Sri Lankan universities, I said that: Faculty select their successors.Poor-quality faculty will …

Sri Lanka’s visa changes

Nov 01, 2010 (LBO) - I keep getting asked about when Sri Lanka will change its visa policies. The out-of-the-blue announcement that visitors from all countries …

Sri Lanka Central Bank, retrospect 1950 to 2010

Sept 27, 2010 (LBO) - In the modern era, the best recorders of history, as and when the important events occur, are the newspapers. But it is seldom that one …

“Restart” Sri Lanka university faculty

Sept 21, 2010 (LBO) - When all else fails in a modern computer, we hit “restart.” The machine powers down, clears all kinds of dysfunctions from the system …

Sri Lanka university fees reduced

Aug 30, 2010 (LBO) - The Minister of Higher Education has been quoted in the media as planning to reduce the fees charged from foreign students wishing to …

Sri Lanka central bank-run fund’s investment debate

Aug 23, 2010 (LBO) - An interesting public debate has sprung between the Central Bank and an opposition parliamentarian on the suitability of Bank’s …

Sri Lanka economist with many faces: H N S Karunathilake

July 26, 2010 (LBO) - A scientist normally belongs to a single school of thought. He would follow the traditions, views and methods of that school to the …

Sri Lanka central banker writes on good money and bad

July 16, 2010 (LBO)- Ex-central bankers seldom write books on their experiences. Perhaps, the fear of re living the traumatic experiences they would have …

Sri Lanka price floor for mobile calls

July 12, 2010 (LBO) - It is not the responsibility of a regulatory agency to ensure the profitability of telecom operators. Yet, when every single operator in …

Sri Lanka ITES; the problem is people

July 5, 2010 (LBO) - Although Sri Lanka was not known for exports of IT and business processing services, since 2005 this activity has graduated to earn around …

Sri Lanka private universities; do not rush and spoil the soup

May 25, 2010 (LBO) - The announcement by the new Minister of Higher Education, Hon S.B Disssanayake, on assuming office and in subsequent interviews, that the …

Sri Lanka’s infrastructure; a tale of two cities

May 18, 2010 (LBO) - Coming from Brasilia to waterlogged Colombo was a shock. Brazil is still not a developed economy, but its capital, Brasilia, definitely …

Connecting SAARC: Telecom trumps borders, not

May 04, 2010 (LBO) - The Wagah border crossing on the Grand Trunk Road, between Lahore and Amritsar, is world famous for the elaborate rituals of nationalism …

Sri Lanka’s myth of free education and its quality

May 03, 2010 (LBO) - After the release of the results of every major public examination, a spontaneous debate takes place in the country regarding the …

Sri Lanka’s profits and losses; a super profit making central bank is not good news

Apr 19, 2010 (LBO) - Two news items hit the headlines of media simultaneously last week. Both relate to the year 2009 and are sourced to the Central Bank …

Prerequisites for enhancing Sri Lanka’s status as a shipping hub

Apr 05, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka is to become a “Naval, Aviation, Commercial, Energy and Knowledge hub.” What are the conditions for maintaining and …

Sri Lanka’s counterproductive nationalism

Apr 04, 2010 (LBO) - This is an election special. There is value in analyzing election messages. Whether positive or negative, such analysis advances debate …

Prerequisites for making Sri Lanka an energy hub

Mar 24, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka is to become a “Naval, Aviation, Commercial, Energy and Knowledge hub.” Of the five hub visions, this is the longest shot. …

Sri Lanka’s inflation debate: should the CB continue with ‘no policy action’?

Mar 19, 2010 (LBO) - Sources from the Central Bank indicate that the Monetary Board, in its deliberation for the monetary policy action in the month ahead, has …

Consolidating Colombo, Sri Lanka as an aviation hub

Mar 16, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka is to become a "Naval, Aviation, Commercial, Energy and Knowledge hub." We are already an incipient aviation hub for the …