Category: Economic Flash Published on Tuesday, 11 March 2014 10:31
Chief Minister of the Northern Province, Justice Wigneswaran, has elaborated upon how diaspora remittances have deleterious effects. He has said that these remittances were having a very adverse impact on the lifestyles of the Tamils in the North. In his view, it was causing irreparable damage to the community, especially young people. Historically, the North was known as a socially conservative society which attached very high priority to education, a strong work ethic and simple living.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Tuesday, 11 March 2014 10:24
There is a strong consensus that entrepreneurship is crucial for driving the innovation and change that is essential for successful development in a highly competitive global economy. It is particularly so for small economies that are more reliant on external demand (exports) to achieve high growth on a sustained basis. Entrepreneurial success is also an important means of achieving equitable and regionally balanced development as it is an important determinant of spreading the benefits of growth to women, youth and other groups who have difficulty in starting and growing businesses.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Tuesday, 11 March 2014 10:20
The US Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) announced a tapering of its bond buying program (QE3) following a meeting of its Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) last week. Its purchase of US bonds ($40 billion) and mortgage-backed securities ($35 billion) has been reduced by $10 billion from $85 billion to $75 billion a month. The announcement, while anticipated in the near future by markets, came earlier than expected. Only 37% of economists polled by Bloomberg expected the Fed to announce the commencement of its tapering program at its December 2013 FOMC meeting.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Monday, 23 December 2013 10:44
Doha Round Impasse
Two years ago, it was officially announced that the Doha Round had reached an impasse after 10 years of negotiations. Pascal Lamy, who was then Director-General of the WTO, admitted this publicly.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Thursday, 21 November 2013 13:46
The Budget Speech has become a major landmark in the nation’s calendar. It is much more than the government’s income and expenditure statement for the forthcoming fiscal year. It is much more important as an indication of the direction and priorities of government economic policy.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Thursday, 21 November 2013 13:43
Sri Lanka is in the midst of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is about to assume the position of Chair-in-Office for the next two years. It is, therefore, timely, to consider how best Sri Lanka can leverage its position as one of the founder members of the association for the benefit of the people of this country.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Tuesday, 12 November 2013 15:48
It has been widely reported that Sri Lanka has come down in the latest World Bank Doing Business Index (DBI) from the position of 81 to 85 among 189 countries in the world.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Wednesday, 09 October 2013 09:01
Rising Life Expectancy
Life expectancy has reached 74.9 years in Sri Lanka today. This reflects the considerable successes the country has achieved in its social development during the post – independence era.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Thursday, 15 August 2013 09:08
Pathfinder Economic Flash
From Underutilized Asset to Economic Blessing
Utilizing land for wealth and job creation
Any grossly underutilized factor of production, whether it be land, labour or capital is equivalent to an economic crime as it deprives people from opportunities for wealth creation and gainful employment.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Tuesday, 06 August 2013 09:24
Pathfinder Economic Flash
Export Expansion and Diversification in Sri Lanka: Towards a New Paradigm?
Missed Opportunities.
After the disastrous consequences of the anti-export bias and import substitution polices, Sri Lanka, since 1978, has implemented many strategies and programmes to promote export oriented industries and agriculture.
Category: Economic Flash Published on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 10:31
Pathfinder Economic Flash
African Renaissance: Opportunities for Sri Lankan Companies
Africa’s Economic Revival
Sub-Saharan Africa has become one of the fastest growing regions in the world. The 1990’s was seen as the “lost decade” for the continent and Africa was written off as a basket case.