Healthy oceans and sustainable fishing

Oceans cover two thirds of world’s surface, and over 7.6 billion people directly or indirectly benefit from oceans around the world. Global fishery production is ever expanding, and according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fisheries and aquaculture assure the livelihoods of 10-12 percent of the world’s population. 

SL to advance cross border trading through NSW, trade information portal

Simplification of trade procedures and documentation, harmonization of the trade practices and rules, transparent information and procedures of international flows, recourse to new technologies to promote international trade and more secured means of payment for international commerce could be identified as trade facilitation. 

Customers’ personal experiences – once so fondly remembered – may fade with time

Two weeks ago, we spoke about creating a visual image of your customer service profile by giving a percentage to each of the three levels: Level 1 – initial transactions, Level 2 – repeat customers and Level 3 – customer advocates. 

Virtusa hosts professional panel discussion on ‘How to Achieve Career Nirvana’

As more women enter the workforce the pressures and challenges they face only begin to increase each year. Despite these growing obstacles many women persev

The vibrant role of women in building a modern and prosperous Sri Lanka

Today, despite immense progress made by enterprising, socially conscious and highly successful female leaders like social entrepreneur and philanthropist Otara Gunawardene, Ceylon Biscuits Group Manag

Does the stock market reflect state of the economy?

The stock exchange in any country is comprised of leading companies which play a pivotal role in the respective economy. 

Are you breathing plastic air at home? Here’s how microplastics are polluting our lungs

Research shows that many of the microplastics in our bodies come from the air we breathe – not just from drinking bottled water or eating fish from polluted oceans. Due to their small size, microplastics can be inhaled and may induce a wide range of diseases including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer. 

Should emerging markets worry about higher interest rates and strong dollar?

The US 10-year treasury yield recently hit 3 percent, the so-called “psychological ceiling,” for the first time in five years. It remains to be seen whether the long-term rate will settle there, but capital markets in advanced and emerging economies seem taken aback.

Sri Lanka and the world: Whither political prudence ?

There is piercing hopelessness for the future when listening to certain political rhetoric in Sri Lanka. 

When (and when not) to use PPPs

In the context of strained public finances and limited borrowing capacity for developing countries, there is growing debate on the roles of public and private actors to deliver the trillions of dollars of infrastructure necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Five reasons why Sri Lanka needs to attract foreign direct investments

To facilitate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Sri Lanka is launching this week an innovative online one-stop shop to help investors obtain all official approvals. To mark the occasion, this blog series explores different aspects of FDI in Sri Lanka. 

How can Asia keep looming financial challenges at bay?

About two decades ago, prior to the Asian financial crisis, investor overconfidence triggered a mispricing of risk on Asia’s economic prospects. The region’s policymakers and financial markets became complacent and risk aversion dropped, causing a surge in capital inflows to Asia that resulted in overleveraged banks and corporations.

Disruptive technologies: The challenge to business

Today the rise of emerging markets, the accelerating impact of technology, new talent demands, an aging population, and the easy flow of capital and knowledge are having a transformative impact on business, leaders and economies. By 2025, a single regional city in China will have a GDP equal of Sweden (22nd largest economy in the world). We have never had more data and advice at our fingertips – literally. 

What’s the real investment in a Sri Lankan hotel plant?

The tourism industry has been referred to as a ‘Thrust industry ‘and ‘Engine of growth’ by the state ad nauseam, while in reality the industry is paid only lip service. The immense benefits both direct and indirect often go un-noticed. 

Tobacco policy: Mitigating influence of vested interests

Sri Lanka ratified the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in November 2003. The FCTC is a global treaty developed in response to the health consequences of tobacco consumption and the formidable power exerted by the vested interests of the tobacco industry.

A.S. Jayawardena: Governor who turned adversity to prosperity

It was August 26, 2000. The Central Bank’s new state-of-the-art building was to be declared open by Finance Deputy Minister Prof. G.L. Pieris. Governor A.S. Jayawardena, Deputy Governor Manik Nagahawatte and I were standing under the foyer of the building to receive the chief guest. 

Climate change readiness: Is Sri Lanka doing enough?

Sri Lanka is being slapped with a number of significant challenges in its growth agenda and in that list, what it didn’t expect is to receive a blow from the impacts from climate change.

Far from plain sailing on Maritime Silk Road

China’s South Asian ambitions for its Maritime Silk Road (MSR) have hit foul waters. On the one hand, the MSR must navigate the strategic competition between India and China and on the other, it needs to satisfy the divergent interests of Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (the South Asian countries on the MSR). Its growth in the region is not likely to be smooth. 

the making of a modern chief executive officer

Industries worldwide unlike ever before are experiencing systemic failure as a result of the digital disruption, coupled with an economy stuck in reverse. Therefore, when we look at successful CEOs and what distinguishes them from the rest, it is good to look beyond the skills that they supposedly have in common. This is where we really start to see the in born talent of outstanding CEOs. 

ASEAN in 2018: Strength in economic diversity

The saying ‘there is strength in diversity’ often comes up when people talk about ASEAN’s cultural differences but it is also true that economic diversity is one of the bloc’s great strengths.

Japan’s Indo-Pacific strategy: The importance of Sri Lanka

Reacting to an increasingly assertive China, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has looked to expand his country’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. Trips to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives in January 2018 culminated in Abe and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena holding further talks in Tokyo during March, where the pair focused on issues of economic and maritime co-operation, security and regional order.

Colombo’s wetlands float to top of flood prevention plan

Thomson Reuters Foundation: On the surface, Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo looks like any other fast-growing South Asian city, with buildings stretching as far as the eye can see and skyscrapers rearing up along its coast.

The ‘real’ truth about investments

Everyone wants definitive answers or the ‘the truth’. This is especially the case in the investment world, where people are vying to make correct predictions about the future. We all prefer to listen to people who appear confident about the outlook. Yet, research suggests these are the very same people we should be sceptical about. This is because the apparently ‘confident’ forecasters are less willing to embrace that they

Plain packaging, a not so plain problem

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet recently voted to introduce standard or plain packaging to tobacco products with the objective of reducing the appeal of smoking. Australia and the United Kingdom are two countrie

The hidden side of cigarette pricing

The media in Sri Lanka has often misrepresented the cigarette industry and cigarette taxes in favour of the monopoly producer Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC). In June 2017, Verité Research (VR) published an Insight titled ‘Who’s responsible for ‘Alternative facts on tobacco taxation’. Official statistics published since the article, lend further credence to the analytical inaccuracies highlighted by VR.

Sri Lanka can create jobs, boost exports, by moving brains: Hausmann

Many advanced nations from Singapore to the US have open policies that allow people to migrate easily, bringing knowledge and skills to transform economies and create new jobs, a top Harvard economist said.

SL–China relations: The Great Silk Road needs to pick up speed

It was good news for the country on Monday when China approved a US $ 1 billion loan to revive a long-delayed expressway in central Sri Lanka. The construction of the first phase of the road linking the capital Colombo with the hill resort of Kandy had been delayed for more than two years due to a lack of foreign funding.

Creating a better global trade system

I would like to thank Derrick Olsen for the kind introduction and thank WorldOregon for hosting this wonderful event today. 

Financial institutions are very traditional in the way they manage and protect data

The financial sector is under increasing pressure from many stakeholders to manage the regulatory compliance and the associated risk more effectively. With the advent of the Basel lll regime, as well as the restrictions laid down by the regulators, the process of correctly identifying as well as utilizing the right data for controlling risk and doing business has become a critical one.

Asia needs to adapt swiftly to rapidly aging populations

The world is experiencing an unprecedented demographic transition – it is getting older. By 2025, 26 percent of the global population will be at least 65 years old.