Now is the time to invest in South Asia’s future

A few years ago, Binita Biswokarma’s life took a sharp turn for the worse.

O’ Sri Lanka … the long and short of it

For long, our nation’s tourism authorities have considered figuring out a way to justify the return on investment to politicians and policymakers as key to serving the interests of the industry.

Wellness tourism industry gets own association

The practitioners in the wellness tourism industry endorsed the formation of the Sri Lanka Wellness Tourism Association (SLWTA), seen as a long-felt need by those actively involved in the industry.

Experience Centre Asia: Showcasing new future of work, today

According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, our industry does not respect tradition - it only respects innovation.

A Block to be unchained? –Blockchain implementation in Sri Lanka

The Fortune Business Insight estimated that the global blockchain technology market size is expected to reach US$ 21,070 million by the end of 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 38.4 percent, showing a promising start for the upcoming technology.

Hydropower still the largest renewable energy source for electricity generation in Sri Lanka

From ancient times, humans have used the force of water flowing in streams and rivers to produce motivepower. However, such use is not very evident in the history of Sri Lanka.

New CB Governor looks for alternative policy approach to deliver development

Following is the full text of the speech made by new Central Bank Governor Deshamanya Prof. W.D. Lakshman at the Monetary Policy Review press conference held last Friday. He is the 15th Governor of the Central Bank.

Lou Gerstner Jr., though a tyro in computer industry, left his heavy imprint on IBM

Louis Vincent Gerstner Jr., (born March 1, 1942) is an American businessman, best known for his tenure as Chairman of the board and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IBM, from April 1993 until 2002. He is largely credited with turning IBM’s fortunes around.

A practical solution through affiliated university colleges

We are quite happy that the new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his election manifesto has given an undertaking that an additional 100,000 university places will be found for students qualifying at the GCE A/L exams.

Private sector best practices can overcome bureaucratic inertia

The new President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa pledged during his campaign that he would create a well-disciplined, efficient, and productive public sector. He said without an efficient and productive Government we cannot take the country forward. He pointed out that the State sector employees will be empowered to deliver.

Act carefully or drown: Three lessons from New Orleans for Sri Lanka

Our hearts sank as we looked at the Hurricane Katrina-affected house, now the Flooded House Museum in the City of New Orleans, United States. Our team from the World Bank was accompanying Sri Lankan officers visiting New Orleans in October 2019, to learn from the city’s post-Hurricane Katrina flood risk-management efforts.

Gender dimension of remittances to Sri Lanka: Who remits more?

Remittances are often considered a stable and reliable source of development financing. In 2018, remittances to Sri Lanka totalled to US $ 7.015 billion. At macro level, the contribution of remittances to the Sri Lankan economy is immense.

Do we need a new rule book for app-based services?

The whole issue of Uber and the recent reports on mainstream and social media on assaults by Uber drivers on unsuspecting passengers has spread across the world – from the USA, India and now to Sri Lanka. The recent assault of a passenger by an Uber tuk-tuk driver here at home, has generated a lot of talk on social media, spurring investigative journalists from mainstream to look at the various aspects of app-based taxi services. Not so much the

When tea and sympathy not enough, a living wage for Sri Lanka’s plantation workers

Tea is one of Sri Lanka’s major export commodities; it sustains the livelihoods of the majority of the estate population in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, it contributes 10 percent to the agricultural gross domestic product and 12 percent to the value of total exports of the country.

The sustainability challenge of China’s BRI

China is focusing on its commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the expense of long-term sustainability. In the early stages of BRI, an overriding concern with commitment set off what Yuen Yuen Ang calls a Maoist mass campaign to promote the BRI ‘with frenzied enthusiasm and little coordination’. All provincial governments rolled out their local plans to support the central directive while Chinese companies rushed to justify their pr

Banning oil palm cultivation: Throwing baby away with bathwater?

It is very unfortunate that the government has decided to stop the expansion of cultivation of oil palm without considering in depth, the merits and demerits. Totally banning the globally most widely used weed killer, glyphosate in 2015, was a similar folly of the previous regime, overlooking the views of the scientists and government high officials and largely on a highly erroneous scientific hypothesis that it was a causal factor in the Rajarat

Azim Hashim Premji: Extraordinary compassionate Indian entrepreneur

Azim Hashim Premji (born July 24, 1945) is an Indian business tycoon, investor, engineer and philanthropist. He is popularly known as the Czar of the Indian IT industry.

Sri Lanka’s need for data scientists

In 2012, the Harvard Business Review named being a ‘data scientist’ the “The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century”. If that is not appealing enough, it is estimated that by 2020, there will be 40 trillion gigabytes (40 zettabytes) of data created.

Shifting narrative on trade policy: From int’l to domestic

The multilateral trading system and the liberal order on which it is founded are under immense strain. A toxic mix of populist appeals to protectionism and the invocation of national security concerns is disrupting and weakening the global value chains that have underpinned growth in international trade since 1970s.

Sri Lanka’s foreign policy in new Rajapaksa era

The return of the Rajapaksa family to the leadership of Sri Lanka raises questions about how the country’s foreign policy approaches to India, China and the United States may change. Media reporting immediately after the November 16 election expressed apprehension about Sri Lanka returning to China’s orbit after a presidential campaign marked by strong anti-US sentiment. Now that the Rajapaksas have reclaimed both the presidency and prime minis

Enterprise software giant SAP plans huge thrust on Lankan SME mid-market

Following are the excerpts from an interview Mirror Business conducted with Sajith Simon, SAP Head – General Business, India Subcontinent, at SAP India (Pvt.) Ltd, on the enterprise software giant’s operations in Sri Lanka and its future plans for the market. SAP entered the Sri Lankan market about 20 years ago and since then has a strong customer base in multiple sectors including apparel, manufacturing, automotive and agro-processing.

The role of taxes in tobacco control: Has Sri Lanka got it right?

The recent hike in cigarette excise taxes to compensate for the reduction in value added taxes (VAT) is commendable, not only because this keeps government revenue from cigarettes unchanged, but also because it prevents a drop in the price of cigarettes, which can increase tobacco prevalence and related harm.

Opportunities for scaling up climate finance in Sri Lanka

The National Consultation on Climate Finance Mechanisms for Financial Institutions in Sri Lanka organized by ICC Sri Lanka together with UNESCAP brought together professionals from several sectors to discuss pressing issues in promoting climate-resilient investment from the private sector.

Smarter strategies for sharing South Asia’s rivers

South Asia is facing severe water scarcity. As the region’s population grows and its economies develop, a lack of sustainable water development strategy is leading to increasingly acute water shortages.

Anita Roddick used her business profits to campaign for a better world

Dame Anita Roddick (October 23, 1942 – September 10, 2007) was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of The Body Shop, a cosmetics company producing and retailing natural beauty products that shaped ethical consumerism.

Peace, business and prosperity

Every nation, every community and each individual is facing the social and political impact along with the impact of violence. Interpersonal violence results in medical, policing and judicial costs immediately after the violent incident occurs and it has longer-term implications for productivity and economic activity.

Possible agriculture sector adaptations to climate change impacts

This is in response to the suggestion made by Daily Mirror to its readers to participate in finding solutions to climate change related problems.

Healthcare in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The healthcare systems of many countries face considerable challenges in dealing with demographic transformations, and to cater to the consequent emerging health care needs.

Do Sri Lankan leaders have courage to implement US $ 5bn deal to kick-start our economy?

Today, the world over, airports, ports, roads, power plants, railways, etc. are being operated by the private sector and/or through public-private partnerships.

SA’s opportunity for economic independence

Even in today’s glum economic climate, the average American is seven times as prosperous as the average Mexican, about 20 times as prosperous as the average person of sub-Saharan Africa and about 40 times as prosperous as the average citizen of an African country like Mali, Ethiopia or Sierra Leone.