Economic Crisis is the Top Voter Priority
In the latest polling by the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) conducted from August to November, 74% of Sri Lankans named the economy as their top…
Economy
Towards Stability, Equity and Prosperity in Sri Lanka – Part 5
As I have previously pointed out, although IMF programmes appear to solely focus on development, they do not cater to or deal with matters that affect socio-economic justice and a fair go.…
Sri Lanka’s Path to Systemic Change: Need for Support and Vigilance
The election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Sri Lanka’s executive president has introduced a transformative environment into the country’s political landscape. His approach is marked by an emphasis on empathy, transparency and…
The Politics of Foreign Aid
The focus of this article is the politics of foreign aid given by other states to the Sri Lankan state during the post-colonial period. The post-colonial period is an interesting case study…
Development: What Kind?
During this campaign year there are various discourses by political parties and alliances about how to develop the country or bring development in order to address the current problems faced by the…
Towards Stability, Equity and Prosperity in Sri Lanka – Part 2
The interim NPP government wants to make negotiated changes to the IMF conditionalities already agreed upon by the previous regime. If that is not feasible, the NPP will have to move away…
Poverty and Malnutrition in Sri Lanka: An Overview
Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Poverty and malnutrition are interconnected issues that continue to affect millions worldwide and Sri Lanka is no exception. In recent years, global poverty…
Building on Hope, Gaining Trust: Challenges for a New Government
Elections can be times of hope, offering the possibility of a fresh start, yet also bring deep divisions to the surface. Sri Lanka is one of several countries where in 2024 voters…
A New Dawn for Sri Lanka’s Democracy and Future
Sri Lanka’s 2024 presidential election has marked a historic shift in the political landscape with Anura Kumara Dissanayake securing a decisive victory. The election is seen as a resounding rejection of the…
Election Result – A Particular Understanding
An analysis of the results of the recent presidential election can be approached in different ways with different political purposes. This short piece is based on my interest in conflicts. I am…
Voters Want More Government Spending on Health and Education
As Sri Lankans head to the polls, most voters want the government to increase spending on health and education according to the latest findings from the Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS).…
Economy, Inflation and Unemployment: Most Pressing National Issues
Sri Lankans overwhelmingly cite the economy and inflation as their biggest concerns going into the September presidential election in the latest Institute for Health Policy (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS)…
Revisiting Ray Wijewardene at 100: Reality is Catching Up With His Vision
Ray Wijewardene (1924-2010) often quoted these words by the English poet Robert Browning, embedded in the poem Andrea del Sarto. An engineer, aviator, inventor, farmer and a public intellectual of the highest…
How to Preserve the Brand Value of Sri Lanka’s Wildlife Tourism
On August 1 Sri Lanka celebrates Sri Lankan Leopard Day, which will be observed annually following a proposal from the Wildlife and Nature Preservation Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS), the country’s oldest…
Focus on Inequality
Sri Lankans will participate in another presidential election before the end of this year. This election will be held after the country has faced what was probably the worst economic crisis in…