Letters to the Editor
View(s):Essentials vs desirables: Time to cut the coat according to the cloth
Ours is a small economy when compared with many other countries that can afford to lock down whenever they want to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We do not have many natural resources such as oil, gas, iron, copper, steel and gold etc. Our economy depends mainly on tea, remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad, tourism and garment exports. If income from any of these sources drops, the economy suffers badly.
For so many years, we have been spending lavishly. Every year there was a budget deficit, because our expenses were more than our income. To bridge the deficit, every year we borrowed locally as well as from abroad. Some of the investments made from borrowed money did not yield the expected returns. All of us know what those white elephants are. This led us to borrow more and more to settle previous loans and pay interest on such loans. This is common knowledge.
Having learnt bitter lessons, we should face the reality. People have to be told what is available and what we can afford–that we have been making merry over and above our means and that we cannot do this any more. People will understand, because they know even at home they cannot spend more than what they earn.
Having imported everything spending our meagre earnings, we are now facing a grave situation. We should not import any luxury or unnecessary items until we come to a financial standing where we can prepare a clean balance sheet. That is how poor nations managed to stand on their feet. It cannot be done overnight, it can take years and years, but it can be achieved if all of us understand the meaning of financial discipline.
When the government formulate its policies, essentials should be clearly separated from desirables. It should be implemented rigidly and equally without favour.
Take for example, the vehicles on the roads. All the luxury vehicles in the world are found in Sri Lanka. We import all such vehicles out of borrowed money. Fortunately our current President took a bold decision and put a stop to vehicle imports. We can manage with the stock of vehicles in the country for some time without any more brand new or reconditioned ones. If they break down, repair them and use. The government has not stopped import of spare parts, in fact import duty of spares was reduced. We have competent people who can use discarded old vehicles and reproduce good vehicles not necessarily the original model, it could be even a different model using old engines, chassis and imported spares or even improvised parts. Let us give our technocrats an opportunity. No foreign exchange is spent, but to a great extent, we can manage our vehicle requirement.
It is high time to cut the coat according to the cloth.
H. de Silva Via email
Have permanent vaccination centres to avoid the hassle
After so many months, neither the government nor the people have learned how to solve the problem of long queues at vaccination centres. At most centres people crowd together (spreading the virus) and clashes are also seen among them as well as with officials.
Instead of putting up vaccination centres here and there on an ad-hoc basis, why cannot the government put up permanent centres as the vaccination programme will continue for a long period as thousands will daily be entering the age group which needs the vaccine. People too should be educated to come at a time convenient for them without gathering even before the commencement time. Even to hell, go early- should not be a motto here!
People should follow the way they go to the polling centres – at one’s own convenient time.
K. Siriweera Via email