Annual session of SLEA to feature ‘Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery Strategy’

SLEA President Dr. Upananda Vidanapathirana

Chief Guest Deshamanya Professor W. D. Lakshman

Guest of Honour Krishan Balendra

Keynote Speaker Professor Howard Nicholas

Featuring the long tradition of advocating on most vital and current economic issues, the 33rd annual session of the Sri Lankan Economic Association (SLEA) is scheduled to be held on 12-13 November via Zoom.

Multi-disciplinary panel of speakers will feature in this years’ annual session on the theme of ‘Sri Lanka’s Economic Recovery Strategy’. 

At present, the Sri Lankan economy is going through a rough patch. Long run inevitable challenges including fiscal and monetary imbalances, weak institutions, policy inconsistency and implementation gaps, and other causal factors were affecting the economy in recent years. Moreover, COVID-19 related shocks have aggravated this situation.

Despite the uncertainty in the global environment, both advanced and emerging economies are eager to set their policy measures aiming at pre-pandemic growth levels. Once these changes work their way through multiple channels, it would have multiplayer effects on the national economy. In this background, SLEA annual session is being held with an emphasis to consider the potential pathways to overcome economic disturbances.

The inaugural session will be held on 12 November. The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Howard Nicholas, Erasmus University and the Presidential address will be delivered by SLEA President Dr. Upananda Vidanapathirana. Deshamanya Professor W.D. Lakshman, Emeritus Professor and former Vice Chancellor at University of Colombo and former Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) will be the Chief Guest while John Keells Holdings PLC Chairman Krishan Balendra will be the Guest of Honour.

The technical sessions, based on four sub-themes, will take place on 13 November. Technical session I is based on the theme ‘Macroeconomic Environment’. Key topics and presenters will be ‘Fine-tuning of Monetary Policy’ by CBSL Director of Economic Research Dr. Chandranath  Amarasekara; ‘Sustainable Fiscal Policy’ by Professor in Economics at University of Colombo Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne, and ‘Structural Reforms for Inclusive Growth’ by IPS Executive Director Dr. Dushni Weerakoon. The technical session-I will be chaired by Dr. Lloyd Fernando and the discussant will be Prof. Sirimevan Colombage.

Technical session II is based on the theme ‘External Sector’. Key topics and presenters will be: ‘On the Proper Path to Export Promotion for Sri Lanka: A Reconnaissance and Recommendation’ by Dr. Sarath Rajapatirana, a former adviser to the World Bank, and International Trade Economist Dr. Dayaratna Silva; ‘Promoting FDIs’ by Professor in Economics at University of Peradeniya Prof. Anoma Abhayaratne; ‘Financial Flows of Sri Lanka: Causes and Effects’ by CBSL Additional Director of Economic Research Dr. P.K.G. Harischandra; and ‘Promoting Inward Remittances’ by Professor of Business Economics at University of Colombo Prof. H.D. Karunarathne. Technical session II will be chaired by Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean and the discussant will be Prof. O.G. Dayaratna.

Technical session III is based on the theme ‘Reviving Production Sector’. Key topics and presenters will be: ‘Rejuvenate the Industry’ by Prof. Ajith de Alwis from the University of Moratuwa; ‘Energising the Plantations’ by Plantations Hayleys Group PLC Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai; and ‘Modernisation of Domestic Agriculture’ by Sri Lanka Agriculture Economics Association President Dr. Wasanthi Wickramasinghe. Technical session III will be chaired by Prof. Danny Atapattu and the discussants will be Prof. Sunil Chandrasiri and Dr. Anura Ekanayake.

Technical session IV is based on the theme ‘Resuscitation of Services’. Key topics and presenters will be: ‘Streamlining Banking & Financial Services’ by DFCC Bank CEO Lakshman Silva; ‘Reactivating Tourism Industry’ by Professor in Economics at University of Colombo Prof. Suranga Silva; and ‘Rational Development of Renewable Energy: Technical and Commercial Reality’ by Resource Management Associates Ltd. Managing Director Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya.

Technical session IV will be chaired by Chandrasena Maliyadde and the discussants will be Dr. W.M. Hemachandra and Dr. Malraj B Kiriella.

The deliberations will encompass deeper insights into prevailing contextual challenges and further recommendations to strategise Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.

For more details of the event and for registrations, contact [email protected] or visit https://www.slea.lk.