Category: Opinion
Opinion: Ceylon Steel excels with standardized “Flat Iron”
By Dr Edwin Ariyadasa Making Steel Industry history in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Steel Corporation has entered in to the production of standardized “Flat Iron”. Among the welding technicians, “Flat Iron” is known as “Steel Plating”. Ceylon Steel Corporation Ltd, the pioneer in Sri Lanka Steel Industry, presents standardized flat iron to the market, along with […]
Opinion: Globalization and technology need saving from themselves
By Rich Lesser, President, The Boston Consulting Group What does the political environment in many developed nations tell us about the sustainability of two of the major drivers of global economic progress: globalization and technology? This piece offers a personal perspective on the root causes and implications of the current turmoil and what corporate leaders […]
Opinion: Sampur Coal vs LNG – backward looking policy on display
By Lancelot The Sampur power plant has been a topic of much contention over the last few years. Now there is a school of thought that the plant should be fueled by LNG, as opposed to Coal. Many analysts, and also top level corporate titans, see this as a problem as the project timeline will […]
Opinion: Education – what is the objective?
By Ranjit Hulugalle Each day we have numerous articles on what is wrong with the education system, arguing that children must be taught how to think, not what to think. Frankly this has been the broken record for 70 years since the Kannangara education reforms, making education accessible to all. We simply have not corrected […]
Opinion: Investing in an increasingly uncertain world
By Alexis Calla As savers and investors, most of us concern ourselves with the short-term. And these days, the short-term concerns have been keeping us quite busy. The impact of Britain’s momentous decision to leave the European Union, the testy US Presidential elections, major central banks’ seemingly incessant policy manoeuvres to forestall an economic hard […]
Opinion: MRT vs LRT shows lack of Vision by Sri Lanka’s Urban Planners
By Lancelot Reports on Lanka Business Online indicate that Sri Lanka has decided to choose Light Rail Transit over a Monorail system, and that Japan has confirmed the funding. To a person with some vision, this seems like a choice between dumb and dumber. The world is moving in a different direction. Car sharing, ride […]
Opinion: Sri Lanka Dept Of Immigration And Emigration Is A National Disgrace
By Lancelot Being a Sri Lankan who has lived abroad, I have made several dozen trips to the Department of Immigration and Emigration over the past decade. I have been to the department for Passports, Visas, Dual Citizenship, and to help a friend navigate the process once or twice. A few days ago, I did […]
Opinion: Is it time to close the Dehiwela Zoo?
Jul 05, 2016 (LBO) – I long for a Sri Lanka where our animals enjoy the same freedom and protection from fear and harm as people do, and are respected and revered. Over the years, concerned citizens of Sri Lanka, organizations, visitors to the Zoo, and the media have highlighted issues of suffering and inadequate […]
Opinion: Key success factors of adopting Electronic Payments
By Channa de Silva If a country is to achieve the vision of financial inclusivity, such is the case in Sri Lanka, establishment and adoption of electronic modes of payment is of paramount importance. Financial inclusivity is the delivery of financial services at affordable costs to sections of disadvantaged and low-income segments of the society, as […]
Opinion: Tax strategies to tackle shadow economy
By Rajul Awasthi Tax administrations in developing countries are increasingly concerned about the persistent problem of loss of tax revenues to the shadow economy, and they often deploy a range of strategies to plug tax leaks and augment revenues. The erosion of the tax base prevents governments from collecting the revenue it needs to provide essential […]
Opinion: Time for a better capitalism
By Henry Blodget Over the past few decades, the US economy has undergone a profound change. This change has helped rich Americans get richer. But it has also contributed to growing income inequality and the decline of the middle class. And, in so doing, it has fueled populist anger across the political spectrum and slowed […]
Opinion: Sri Lanka’s Efficiency Enhancers Lagging
By Arosha Jayasundera It is revealing to see how Sri Lanka fares in the global business sector. According to the World Competitiveness Index, Sri Lanka ranks halfway — 73rd overall out of 144 countries, and we have moved down in ranking since 2011. There are 12 pillars which contribute to this ranking, and the ‘efficiency […]