Oxford Economics highlights impacts of illicit trade to Sri Lankan economy

Growth and development come hand-in-hand with better governance and application of law and order. Ill-considered strategies result in leakages that will see us meandering in this constant state of a ‘developing nation’ – a poster-child of disappointment amongst nations with limitless promise.

Aung San Suu Kyi charged after Myanmar army coup

Myanmar police have filed charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment and she will be detained until Feb. 15 for investigations, according to a police document.

Iran won’t accept any changes to nuclear accord: Rouhani

Iran will not accept any changes to the nuclear accord signed in Vienna in 2015, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

MTI’s Business Review of 2020 and Outlook for 2021

For the 10th consecutive year, MTI Consulting (via their Corporate Finance practice), in partnership with Daily FT, Daily Mirror and Sunday Times, has concluded the MTI CEO Business Outlook Study, collectively outlining the Sri Lankan business community’s perception of the state of business in 2021.

An appetite for health: Regulating Sri Lanka’s food environments to fight NCDs

While no one is immune to contracting COVID-19, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified specific groups that are at higher risks of becoming seriously ill. One such group is those suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including lung and heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Counselling Human Rights Council: A perspective by Pathfinder Foundation

As the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) looms large in about a month’s time, the debate on its controversial Resolution 30/1 of 2015, which the ‘Yahapalana’ government co-owned in an unprecedented and unwise move, has resumed with renewed vigour.

Sri Lanka can achieve a greener and more prosperous future

Farmers, hoteliers and homestay owners, fishers, producers of the famous Kanthale milk curd, Ayurveda healers, fruit growers, developers, safari jeep drivers, local dwellers—all derive their livelihoods from shared natural resources offered by the Hurulu-Kaudualla-Kanthale (HKK) landscape.

A race between vaccines and virus as recoveries diverge

In just three months since we released our last forecast in October, recorded COVID-19 deaths have doubled to over two million, as new waves have lifted infections past previous peaks in many countries. In these same three months, multiple vaccines have seen unexpectedly strong success and some countries have started ambitious vaccination drives.

We’re witnessing a global surge in innovation.This is how we sustain it

From a foot-operated handwashing machine invented by a nine-year old boy in Kenya, to a new “sky park” opened in Bangkok on an disused railway line that could serve as a model for greening abandoned spaces, to the roll-out of robots in health centres in Rwanda, the pandemic has unleashed an unprecedented wave of home-grown innovation.

Sri Lanka’s post-COVID-19 recovery: The need for inclusive economic growth

High levels of inequality impede sustainable growth and development of a country. Sri Lanka made impressive strides to reach an upper-middle-income country (UMIC) status in July 2019, only to slip back a year later. The COVID-19 crisis, amid growing inequities, is likely to make the task of regaining the UMIC status even harder.

Special Economic Zones and prospects for Sri Lanka

The motivation for Special Economic Zones, also commonly referred to as SEZs, stems from an innovative idea: to overcome distortions in policy and infrastructure constraints in domestic economies.

Sri Lanka’s economy hemmed in by COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions

The unprecedented disruptions of COVID-19 are causing a geopolitical reset — and as the global order is redrawn, small emerging market economies like Sri Lanka are vulnerable to the fallout. Sri Lanka straddles vital shipping routes and is at the centre of diplomatic spats between China and the United States, who called on Sri Lanka to make ‘difficult but necessary choices’ over its growing economic and political ties to China.

Test, trace, treat – Putting SL’s pandemic management mantra into practice

Sri Lanka’s extensive network of public healthcare workers has been the underlying force behind the country’s pandemic response. This series of articles, beginning with the Puttalam district, aims to capture the ground realities of pandemic management, from the perspectives of public health workers around the country.

Better late than never

Hats off to Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapaksa for at last realising that hard truth that “we would have been better off economically, had the country adopted a policy of focusing on producing import alternatives – rather than depending on other countries”.

Post-COVID educational priorities for Sri Lanka

The global shock of the COVID-19 pandemic proves, once again, the old adage that ‘it takes a crisis’ and especially so in the world of education. From school leaders to students, educators and parents, are absorbing the lessons, rethinking past assumptions and considering what once seemed like unlikely scenarios.

Productive workplace: Manage not projects but everything

No 21st century organisation can survive without a central information system that integrates its work functions across the units and management layers. Some organisations do this with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software tools,

Who should own the demutualised Colombo Stock Exchange?

The immediate implication of Demutualisation is that the process seeks to give majority control of the Stock Exchange to the investors who may not have trading rights.

Utilising recyclable PET plastic waste: Towards a circular economy

“Reduce, reuse, and recycle”- a household phrase you’ve probably heard over and over again either through school, from awareness campaigns or even on TV.

What are Sri Lanka’s economic prospects in 2021?

2020 was a year of ultimate disruptions across a widest spectrum, that no expert saw coming: the virus and its devastating impact on lives, livelihoods, society and governments.

Focus more on developing tea, rubber, coconut & minor export crop plantation sector

According to generally accepted economic theories and their practical application, boosting economic growth has been seen as the best way to create job opportunities and raise living standards of people.

Ceylon Planters Society celebrates 84th year of serving plantations industry

The Ceylon Planters Society (CPS) consists of working planters on plantations and in the corporate offices of the RPCs who were serving in the plantation before.

Pelwatte Dairy continues to extend support to dairy farmers

Pelwatte Dairy Industries stands in support of Sri Lankan farmers with regard to the ongoing Maha Oya land issue that has reportedly put the dairy farming community at stake.

Secret of post-pandemic economic recovery is found in English alphabet

Thanks to the timely, swift, firm, systematic, coordinated approach and action taken by the government and more thanks to the absence of parliamentarians, the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic was successfully brought under control in Sri Lanka.

Productive workplace: Build it up with right tools

A productive human being and one that’s not. What’s the difference? A productive carpenter is a one who has mastered his tools. A productive food delivery man is a one who has full control over his motorbike. A productive factory floor, in the 21st century, is a one fully computerised with appropriate tools. The same is applicable for any workplace. Productivity boosts with right application of correct tools.

Education equity in Sri Lanka: A pathway out of poverty

Although Sri Lanka has provided universal free education since 1939, around one-fifth of poor children drop out of school after the age of 14 years and another two-thirds after the age of 16 years.

CSE eyes introduction of a range of new products in 2021

In the backdrop of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) celebrating its 35th year in operation earlier this month, its newly appointed Chairman Dumith Fernando sat with Mirror Business to discuss his views and the upcoming plans for the country’s capital market operator, while recalling the key challenges and developments during the year. The following are the excerpts from the interview:

Money printing to repay debt: Worshipping MMT is likely to magnify economic instability

The notion that a sovereign government can print money to repay its debt without any financial limit has gained increased popularity in recent times, particularly in the US, based on a new approach to macroeconomics, known as Modern Monetary Theory (MMT).

Digitalisation at core, People’s Bank eyes change in perception

As far as democratisation of banking services in Sri Lanka is concerned, People’s Bank remains atop. It was the bank that took commercial banking, which was primarily serving the wealthy and the financially sophisticated, to the masses.

Taxing Tobacco: What did Budget 2021 miss?

In a series of articles on taxing tobacco, IPS has maintained that increasing tobacco taxation has undeniable health and fiscal benefits.

The storm shall pass and we will bounce back stronger, says THASL President

Following is the full speech made by The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte at the Association’s 2020 Annual General Meeting.