Archive for the ‘Poverty’

  • 2 Jan, 2012
  • 1 Comment
  • Development,
    Economy,
    International,
    Poverty

In conversation with Prof. Anil K Gupta: Grassroots innovation and development

Screen Shot 2012-01-02 at 10.30.54 AM

Prof. Gupta teaches at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and was in Sri Lanka recently to deliver the first Ray Wijewardene Memorial lecture. Prof. Gupta is one of the world’s leading voices on social innovation, and the development of social capital. We began our conversation with Prof. Gupta defining what he sees as social entrepreneurship, and why it is important to recognise and nurture it. He then talks about the difference between big science and small science, and how the support of the former through national budgetary allocations does not necessarily address or strengthen the latter. Prof. Gupta also shares some insights into how grassroots innovation can be supported and through the blending of what he calls formal and informal sciences, development made more sustainable and equitable. Prof. Gupta’s multi-disclipinary background holds him in good stead when he talks about the double-helix of language and culture, and how the preservation of one is to support the development of the…

Continue reading »

Chaos in Colombo: Mêlée over jobs indicates a serious economic problem in Sri Lanka?

IMG_0963

Anushka Wijesinha (who blogs here), a Research Economist at the Institute of Policy Studies, sent us these incredible photos and video of the chaos in Colombo today when thousands of Korean job seekers appeared for Korean exam applications at the Police Park down Havelock Road. Mainstream media reports a figure of 10,000, which going by the video and photos appear to be mostly young men. In a speech by Dr. Anura Ekanayake, outgoing CCC chairman and IPS Board member, he noted that of the 4.5% unemployment rate overall in Sri Lanka, 18.1% of youth (age 15-24) are unemployed and within this around 10.7% of those qualified with A/Ls are unemployed. Anushka observed that, Many were queuing from 5pm yesterday, which means they had spent the night on the pavements. By the time the centre closed at 11.15am (as was informed by the officials there to those gathered 3,500 applicants had been registered. There was at least 1,000 more in the…

Continue reading »

Let’s stop corruption in Sri Lanka!

A litany of socio-political problems we face today can directly or indirectly be traced back to the existence and growth of corruption. Bordering on criminality, exacerbating extreme poverty, stifling economic development and ultimately frustrating democracy and good governance, corruption – from bribery and extortion to fraud and nepotism – is a wretched phenomenon that progressively wastes Sri Lanka’s social, economic and political potential. Addressing it requires a holistic approach that looks at the interdependence of the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, public institutions, private interests and civil society initiatives. This video, part of a larger media campaign conducted by the Anti-Corruption Programme of ARD has details of a national anti-corruption public exposition from 27th to 29th July 2007 that may prove to be a useful foundation in building public awareness on and against corruption. What are your ideas to help combat corruption in Sri Lanka?

Continue reading »
  • 24 Jun, 2007
  • 1 Comment
  • Nuwara Eliya,
    Poverty

The flip side of picturesque: Estate workers in Sri Lanka

From Al Jazeera’s channel on YouTube. Also read Causing a storm in a tea plantation.

Continue reading »

Robberies Increase In Jaffna

Gun-point robberies have increased in Jaffna. Town area houses are robbed day or night and even during curfew time. Last week some robbers went to a house during the day, introduced themselves as being from the CID dept and said they wanted to search the house. After they left a camera, money and a mobile phone were missing. Day before yesterday some robbers went to a restaurant and robbed at gun point. Sometimes the robbers sexually harass women as well. One month back some robbers robbed a house in Kalvianakadu. The house owner shouted thief and neighbours gathered and chased them away and caught one of them. The villagers assaulted the robber and he died as a result. A Jaffna library laborer is in police custody now. He was one of the people who beat the robber. Now Police have arrested him and magistrate has ordered that he be remanded.

Continue reading »

Jaffna Prices At MPCS Now Higher Than When Taxed

Jaffna people are now paying a higher price for essential things than when they were taken through the land route and taxed by the LTTE. Now essential items are taken to Jaffna by ship and sold through the MPCS (Multipurpose Cooperative Society) for ration. The prices are higher than the marketprice when they were taxed by LTTE. Before the landroute closed all the things taken to Jaffna by land. Normally LTTE imposed 15% duty for the essential things but everything was nevertheless sold at market prices in line with Colombo prices. Some pharmacies even sold the baby milk powder and baby infant lower than the market price eg 135.00 marked Cerelac sold for 128.00 rs. Those days some people criticised Jaffna people for paying double tax but the Jaffna people purchased everything at market pricees. A Correspondent asked the Jaffna G.A who decide the prices, he replied Ministry of Essential Services decide the prices. Before Aug 11th Now (Mark price)…

Continue reading »

A Look Into A Village In Kalutara

My recent visits to the coastal village of Nalarua in the district of Kalutara, about 5 kilometres from Kalutara town, got me thinking about life in the south. 450 families live in that village. I spoke to eight men and seven women on a Tuesday morning. Religion-wise 97% of them were Buddhist, 2% Catholic and 1% Muslim. They work as masons, carpenters, craftsmen working with coconut fibre to make ropes and small boats and others as garment factory workers. Their political affiliations are with parties such as the SLFP, UNP, JVP and JHU. I asked one of the middle-aged men asked whether there were any caste issues in their village. “We don’t have any caste issues, we are all Sinhalese living peacefully. For example one-day the temple was affected by an electric fire. We all got together and controlled the fire,” he said. While the people seemed very keen to not talk about any caste issues, my inquiries in the…

Continue reading »

Medical Certificates Needed for Nestomalt

Nestomalt is now selling in Jaffna for medical certificate only. After the closure of the land route a big shortage for nutritional food in Jaffna. Recently some Nestomalt taken to Jaffna and distributed through the marketing department for medical certificate only. The marketing department authorities said to the customers take a letter from an MBBS Doctor. They do not sell without medical certificate. Nestomalt selling in black market Rs1000.The ordinary people wondering how Nestomalt came to the blackmarket.

Continue reading »

Jaffna These Days

From Aug 11th security forces closed the A9 highway after the LTTE attack. A9 is the only land route connecting Jaffna to other places, as a result, people are now facing difficulties to travel to other places after the closure of the A9. Earlier an average 8,000 people travelled on the A9 daily. Now only two ways are open to Jaffna people. One is sea transport, other one is air transport. A vessel called Green oceanic carried passengers between Jaffna Trincomalee once a week and two local airlines conducted passenger service Colombo-Jaffna daily. People need Security clearence before the journey (MOD). These transport facilities are not enough to fullfill the Jaffna peoples’ needs. Thousands of people are waiting in Trincomalee to go to Jaffna and a big crowed has registered their names in the Civil affairs office to leave Jaffna. Before the land route closed an average 200 (12 seat) small vans carried passengers between Colombo-Jaffna daily, now these van…

Continue reading »

Thoughts For Discussion – A JVP View

I would like to throw out a few ideas for those who come from a peacebuilding paradigm for discussion if possible. My recent chat with a long-time supporter of the JVP, now aged about 50, driver of a three-wheeler who had two children, helped me see more clearly his point of view. After working at a ceramic factory for 20 years, where he progressed to being a skilled operator of the kiln, he was layed off along with everyone else at that plant with little compensation. He received a salary of under Rs10,000 a month at the time he was layed off. He didn’t find an opportunity to use his skills elsewhere and after being treated badly by another employer, he resorted to driving a three-wheeler. “I don’t have to be beholden to anyone else. I have my freedom and respect and I can live a life minding my own business,” he told me. What struck me most was his…

Continue reading »

Chikenguniya Spreads In Jaffna

More than hundred thousand people have been affected by Chikenguniya in the Jaffna District. Some students sitting for the Ordinary Level examinations were reported to have fainted in examination halls. Deputy director of Health Services Dr.R.Ketheswaran said seventy thousand patients took treatment in government hospitals and that private hospitals were also full patients sufferring from it. There is also a shortage of staff in government departments since 80% of the staff have also been affected. Due to the shortage of Paracetamol, prices of this painkiller have risen to 5.00 Rs per tablet.

Continue reading »

Situation in Vakarai

About 25,000 refugees in the Vakarai region of Batticaloa need assistance urgently in terms of food, medicines, shelter, water and sanitation. They have been facing shortages for over a month, and I received my information from refugees who had left from Vakarai about 4 days ago. The government sector is also not functioning so there are no schools and medical facilities. A convoy with essential items was turned back yesterday by the army from Mankerni base. The army gave the reason that LTTE artillery attacks on Kajuwatte camp made it unsafe. The LTTE spokesman Illanthirayan denies this and says there was no firing by the LTTE on Tuesday. On Wedneday, another convoy of essential goods is preparing to go to Vakarai. About 3,500 LTTE cadres are in Vakarai, according to the IDPs. The LTTE says they are providing humanitarian help for the camps, because the people are from LTTE controlled areas. The people there are feeling isolated because they can’t…

Continue reading »

About Groundviews

Located at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is a citizen journalism website that uses a range of genres and media to highlight critical perspectives on governance, reconciliation, human rights, the arts and literature, democracy and other issues. The site has won two international awards, including the prestigious Manthan Award South Asia in 2009. The grand jury's evaluation of the site noted, "What no media dares to report, Groundviews publicly exposes. It's a new age media for a new Sri Lanka... Free media at it's very best!"

cezarneaga.eu
canakkale canakkale canakkale balik tutma search canakkale vergi mevzuati bagimsiz denetim vergi mevzuati ozurlu engelliler