Letters to the Editor
View(s):Some thoughts on attracting large and medium scale foreign investors
Nimal Sanderatne, in his column‘Imperatives For Economic Development’in the Sunday Times of August 9 writes under the heading ‘Fiscal consolidation an economic prerequisite and priority for development’ explaining the current financial status of the country in a nutshell, identifying the reason for the major crisis our economy is facing today, namely the ever widening fiscal deficit.
The writer has touched on most known and unknown reasons for such crises, but it would have been more informative if areas such as corruption and its ramifications were also discussed. Corruption in the country has kept away most foreign investors as they face unnecessary red tape. If they come, they will generate jobs for skilled and unskilled workers and better revenue for the country. The plight is no government has been able to curtail this evil.
The COVID-19 situation has given Sri Lanka an opportunity to seek lucrative foreign investments since the government has curtailed the pandemic admirably, where other countries have lagged behind. The WHO has recognized this. In the present scenario, if the government takes firm steps to eradicate corruption that takes place when foreign investments are negotiated, securing and attracting large and medium scale foreign investors will not be a dream.
To address the ever-widening fiscal deficit, the remedy is to improve exports by offering our exporters and entrepreneurs the best facilities. They include soft import costs for raw materials and equipment among others. This will see higher local capital investments and will improve investor efforts to bring new business ideas that will generate higher revenue to the country. While attracting foreign investors, a strategy should be in place to encourage the deployment of underutilised capital of the local business sector and pave the way to expansion of businesses. They will then be presented with more export opportunities to trade their products in the global market.
A short-term tactical approach (borrowing more money) will not be effective. Long-term efforts and strategies to meet objectives to overcome the struggles of the public(debt servicing cost) have to be launched. The systems should be in place and accountability of the government officials needs to be assured.
Saman Jayasena Via email
Paintings on the walls that do not help national unity
We appreciate all men, women, university students, artists, clergymen and youth who voluntarily come forward to beautify the country by creating colourful paintings on the walls by the side of roads.
Now there are no walls left for politicians, tuition masters, traders and theatres to paste their posters.
The pictures drawn on the walls most often depict historical scenes and cultural events. But some pictures do not suit the place and deliver the wrong message. The painting at Galagedera- Rambukkana junction (Y junction) shows three unhappy faces of people from different ethnic communities staring in different directions as if they are not on good terms with each other.
What is the message given by this painting? Will it encourage unity and harmony among the communities?
It would have been better if the artists had drawn happy and smiling faces facing each other and perhaps holding hands to symbolise national unity. It would have been even better if they had drawn Galagedera’s forgotten national hero- T.B. Jayah who joined hands with D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of this country and Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam, in helping gain Independence. T.B. Jayah’s parental home lies only about 150 metres from this junction.
They could have even drawn pictures of the former Ministers and MPs such as K.A. Jabbar, Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne, Tikiri Banda Ilangaratne, Sarath Amunugama and Rauff Hakeem who have done some service to the country, particularly to the Galagedera electorate .
A.W.M. Kaleel Galagedera
Our public veterinary care services need strengthening
I started vaccinating my dog from the fifth week after birth and since it is critical to vaccinate against major viruses, a veterinary surgeon at the Government Veterinary Hospital in Welisara Ragama, recommended the dog be given the vaccination against the Parvo virus. On my subsequent visits to the vet, the dog was given the vaccinations for other major diseases including the second vaccination for Parvo.
However, after the 12th week it contracted the Parvo virus and was rushed to the same hospital for treatment and treated continuously for four days. The fifth day being a Sunday they told me to show the dog to a private vet but with all this care it died on the sixth day.
The veterinary care at Government hospital is expensive and we pay for all the medicine, equipment and medical services but there is a serious doubt about the quality of the medicines being administered and services provided. The said hospital lacks basic supplies like Sodium Chloride (Saline), Metronidazole etc. and they have to be bought outside and brought to the hospital. Though a list of veterinary surgeons is published, there is basically the same vet almost all the time. Most of the vaccinations and medical services are performed by personnel wearing rubber slippers. Gone are the good days when the quality of these public institutions was of high standard.
I request the Govt, to give priority to strengthening Public Veterinary Services specifically in the forward march for dairy farming in our country.
Adrian Weerasekera Via email