Assessing Sri Lanka’s growth trajectory

Wednesday, 21 September 2011 01:12 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dr. Anila Dias Bandaranaike is one of the reputed speakers scheduled to preside at the 32nd National Conference of Chartered Accountants to be held from 20 to 22 October 2011.

The theme of the seminar is ‘Quest for Balance’ and the noted statistician will be speaking on ‘Our Country: Vanity, Sanity and Reality’.

Her session will explore the challenges that Sri Lanka needs to address as a nation in order for long-term sustainable development to be achieved.

The dawn of peace has inspired Sri Lanka to become the ‘Emerging Wonder of Asia’ and this dream is supported by positive developments such as increased foreign  investment and opening up of hitherto inaccessible areas in the north and east to new economic activities.

However, despite the advantages, some concerns remain. She will address these concerns and central questions of ‘Where do we dream of getting to?’ ‘Are our plans for getting there realistic?’ and ‘Can we ever get where we want be?’ Dr. Bandaranaike’s session will provide a key talking point, motivated no doubt by her ability to hold forth competently on economic issues such as government budgets and other socio economic concerns such as poverty, education and healthcare.

Her session is infinitely timely because of the impending 2012 Annual Budget, laying the foundation for an intelligent and critical analysis of the country’s growth trajectory.  

Dr. Bandaranaike has to her credit a long and illustrious track record during her extensive career at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), from where she eventually retired as Assistant Governor in October 2007.

Her chief areas of contribution at CBSL were towards improving national statistical systems and national surveys in relation to socioeconomic and financial sector development.

Key responsibilities included overall supervision, technical input, guidance and implementation of these crucial national information systems.

“Statistics lend credibility and quantify generalised statements made by any institution, be it public or private,” she stresses.

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