The Economics Of Poetry
I will try to balance the books, moral and historical ones, caused by migration, that give me a paycheck and put food and drink on the table, that keep my…
Development
Hiding the Sins of the Elite
Therein lies the rub. At the heart of most of the crises that have beset the nation of Sri Lanka is a corrupt, inequitable and underdeveloped economic structure of colonial origin. Attention…
The Right to the City: GotaGoGama
Today, Colombo’s tent city GotaGoGama is a hive of activity but sustaining this energy will undoubtedly strain resources as participation waxes and wanes. I am reminded of another such space which celebrated…
Protecting the Environment in Times of Economic Turmoil
World Environment Day is celebrated every year to highlight the importance of the environment we live in. This year the theme is only one planet but to Sri Lankans it would be…
Supporting Urban Poor Families in Colombo
Low income settlements in Colombo experienced greater food insecurity even before the pandemic with 72% of households being food insecure[1]. Women in low income households in Colombo were more likely to be…
Protecting the Rights of the Disadvantaged When Talking to the IMF
Had the decision been thought out and strategic like that of Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia during the Asian financial crisis, I would have backed the Sri Lanka government’s lack of interest in going…
No More Loans Without Accountability
Newscutter I am writing from Jaffna, rather disappointed and disenchanted with the IMF and the Government of India for trying to bail out our horrid government as detailed by the Hindustan Times.…
How an Incompetent Cabal of Voodoo Economics Practitioners Ruined Sri Lanka’s Economy
Sri Lanka is set to commence its discussions with the IMF on Monday. The country has jumped off the plane of economic stability without a parachute and now we must hope that…
An Emergency Economic Stabilization Plan
Sri Lanka is at a very dangerous juncture with usable reserves that have dropped to about $150 million. Acute shortages of essentials ranging from fuel to medicine have become prevalent. Rising public…
Averting the Looming Food Crisis
A food crisis is inevitable. Food prices are soaring; shortages in essential food items are creating long queues, affecting people’s ability to work and get on with productive lives; the foreign reserve…
The Crisis and Where We Go From Here
Much more lucid than in his disastrous last address to the nation, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was noticeably sombre and sober on Wednesday night. Perhaps mindful of the critiques that followed his earlier…
Russia-Ukraine Crisis: How Should South Asian Economies Respond?
It is almost three weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine, the second-largest country in Europe by geographical area after Russia. Early expectations of a quick and decisive Russian military victory have not materialised…
Capturing the Disappearing Glory of Slave Island
As elegant old buildings and diverse neighbourhoods disappear before our eyes, sacrificed on the altar of development, a group of people came together in 2018 to initiate the We Are From Here…
Ecosystem Restoration? Stop the Continuing Destruction
The laudable theme of this year’s World Wildlife Day is Ecosystem Restoration. What a noble ideal but is it applicable to Sri Lanka? In the last two years, the country has seen…
All Shock and No Therapy for Hapless Population
Guardian A nation was promised vistas of prosperity and splendor and about 6.9 million voters opted for it, subsequently providing a two third parliamentary majority to implement the vision. A little over…
