FT VIEWUnlearnt tsunami lessons
TWO minutes of silence as a mark of respect for the 40, 000 odd people who perished in the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, makes one wonder about the survivors The historic and appalling tragedy that left scars still not healed six years later washed up many questions of Sri Lanka’s ability to deal with natural disasters.
While the tsunami might be but a memory for most, the fact that 60, 000 flood displaced people are still looking for assistance cannot be ignored. Despite the lapse of years Sri Lanka is yet to implement a competent mechanism to deal with natural disaster and this has become more important as climate change has brought its own set of challenges to our sun dappled shores.
Christmas thoughts
SRI LANKA is celebrating Christmas with extra vigour this year. On the surface this seems like a well deserved break, after all the economy is doing well, growth is at a historic high and the recent Budget outlined the first step to take the country global.
Streets, shops and markets were filled to bursting point with shoppers in the run up to the Christmas weekend with bargains proclaimed every few feet. Bonuses were eagerly received and stuffed into savings accounts or other investments as insurance for the future and it would be well to continue this practice in the new year as Sri Lanka has one of the lowest saving rates in south Asia.
Entrepreneurship empowered
FOR Sri Lanka, entrepreneurship is the backbone of the economy, a fact that was acknowledged by the prime minister during a recent award ceremony to mark the most accomplished local entrepreneur.
Protecting coconuts
THE Government has decided to place a ban on felling coconut trees, given the increasing prices and loss of production, especially in the festive season.
As Christmas and New Year looms closer, people are readying to empty their wallets at the altars of checkout counters at supermarkets and kadés countrywide. At a time when coconuts have become almost a luxury item, on the surface the Government’s move seems practical.
Dual labour challenges
LABOUR troubles are part and parcel of the new year and 2011 is heralded with a two-pronged challenge. On the one hand, the trade unions want the employees of export processing zones to be given a 30% salary increase, while on the other contentions are arising from the implementing procedures of the pension scheme that was proposed by the Budget.
Guiding reconciliation
The decision by the Government to allow the United Nations (UN) panel to consult with the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) will be welcome news to many.While the exact nature of the deliberations are under dispute at the moment, with the Government saying that the panel members will make “representations” to the LLRC while the UN sources note that it will be an “interaction,” the results of this move will hopefully bode a positive development for Sri Lanka’s battered human rights reputation.
Policy paradigms
AFTER three decades of conflict Sri Lanka has the right to aim for lofty development goals. Yet in this journey identifying the key points for attention can be a challenge. Few speeches dealt with this need as succinctly and in depth as the recent address by the World Bank Managing Director during a visit to Sri Lanka.
Coconut conundrum
IN a time of stress, the impossible sometimes comes to pass. The Government has decided to import coconuts from next week onwards to combat the rising cost of living that has become the bane of festive seasons.
Power perspectives
PROPOSED electricity tariffs have electrified the business community with many demanding that more reasonable rates be imposed to assist business. A range of businesses, including hotels, ceramic products, apparel, manufacturing and packaging, made their representations against the proposed increase during the public hearing held by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Shameful waste
THE report by the Treasury that around 45% of the developments projects are behind schedule denotes that the time has come to take a serious evaluation of the path that the country is taking.
According to reports, of the 681 ongoing development projects, 300 are behind schedule and four have been halted altogether. It said that impediments to implementation continued to result in significant cost overruns.
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