Comments on: In conversation with Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy on Sri Lanka’s post-war economic development

By: Tmama

Tmama — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:59:27 +0000

DrC is correctlyanalysed thesituation; today we have even the cheif arms procurer KP is gladly lending a hand to rebuild.
I would say the looking for the rate f Economic growth rate alone would not be the answer though that is an important indicator, as we know well how the books are cooked from the confessions of few retired world bank economists, CIA agents etc.

It is correct that to achieve stable growth each region must reach the critical mass not depending on Agriculture alone. That is essential for double digit growth, for example you see peasant farmers in China only rarely, today. Even in all provincial cities people have moved to multi story blocks often of 10 or more storeys in height and that have made another industry out of intensive agriculture for vegetables, flowers etc..

THis is a task where each sector has to shoulder the weight. New entrepreneurs are needed particularly from diaspora to build, fund, operate power stations, ports, airports, universities, schools, technical colleges libraries and the commitment from all sectors and old public sector dependence would not be sufficient for seedcorn.

May I add that it is not likely that the North and the East will stay for ever under the umbrella of old leaders now coming under the guise of TNA.

By: Nagalingam

Nagalingam — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:10:49 +0000

Sanjana’s interview with Dr. Coomaraswamy is illuminating with respect to his analysis of development in the least developed and Asian countries. At the end of the interview, Sanjana posed a question about the golden opportunity SL has now for development and whether SL will grasp it or will it also be another lost “golden opportunity”.
Dr. C did say that this is the best opportunity since 1958 and then moved on to Economic Geography, Asia and South East Asia and India.

I was expecting Dr. C. to analyse post-war economic development in the context of a continuing conflict (though the war is over) in Sri Lanka. Should we wait till a solution is found to resolve the conflict before development which may under the current policies result in yet another “golder opportunity, or start development and hope the conflict will resolve itself? Is there a relationship between development and resolution of decades long conflict? If development is pursued without the resolution of the conflict, will such development escalate the conflict?

I hope Sanjana could get Dr. C to share his ideas on the issues of post-war development as opposed to post-conflict development and their consequences.