By Raj Gonsalkorale Sri Lanka GDP growth rate needs to rise above 8% over ten years to achieve a GDP of USD 200 million and a GDP per capita of USD 9000 to qualify as an upper middle-class status. A high-income status requires a per capita of $13,846 or more. Can Sri Lanka achieve these […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Globally, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to business self-regulation with the aim of being socially accountable.” From a broader perspective this definition includes improving working conditions, reducing carbon footprints, participating in Fairtrade, and many more actions. On its most basic level, CSR is a manifestation of a business’ recognition of a duty to […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Some are more equal than others” is a paradoxical phrase from George Orwell’s allegorical novel Animal Farm that highlights societal hypocrisy, where the concept of equality is proclaimed but a privileged few receive preferential treatment Theatrics in Sri Lankan politics has reached a crescendo with the arrest, remanding and bail out of Mr […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale On 21 November 1938, Hitler met with the South African defence minister Oswald Pirow and told him that the Jews would be killed if war broke out. The same month, an official of Hitler’s chancellery told a British diplomat of German plans “to get rid of [German] Jews, either by emigration or if necessary, […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Currently, one in every six individuals in Sri Lanka suffers from multidimensional poverty, with 95.3% of this population residing in rural and estate areas. The continued existence of this condition negatively impacts the country’s economic and productive potential. This initiative seeks to address the situation by strengthening social protection and strategically targeting […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Sri Lanka has to navigate its foreign policy within turbulent waters considering its pivotal location in the Indian ocean. Being the neighbor to India, a regional power which some consider an emerging superpower, and which shows a kind of political bi polarity, with shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels, often resulting […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale The geographic terms Israel” and Palestine” have a long history and specific connotations for Jews and Arabs with respect to their competing claims to the same land. The only way forward for Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs is to cease looking backwards. Dr Daniel Miller – https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/ australianoutlook/israel-and-palestine-where-should-history-begin-and-should-it-matter/ The article by Dr […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale In a letter addressed to the Health Minister, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) pointed out that medical staff are increasingly being forced to request patients to obtain medicines, consumables, and laboratory investigations from external sources, an act that, in the absence of official guidance, has subjected them to […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Drug use disorders, a pressing issue globally, have particularly strained Sri Lanka’s public health and security systems, affecting its youth and communities. Sri Lanka has witnessed a troubling rise in drug-related issues, with a 13% increase in arrests for drug offenses during the 2022 economic crisis, totalling 152,979 individuals. The infiltration of […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale “Free” critical thinking, in a philosophical sense, refers to the ability to think independently, without being unduly influenced by external pressures or internal biases. It involves questioning assumptions, analysing information objectively, and forming reasoned judgments based on evidence and logic. Essentially, it’s about thinking critically for oneself, rather than passively accepting information or opinions.  Keeping […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Venerable Walpola Rahula Thero’s 118th death anniversary fell on the 9th of May. On the 24th of May, a commemorative event is being organised by the Walpola Rahula Foundation Trust chaired by his only Monk pupil Venerable Galkande Dhammananda at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. It is timely and of significant relevance […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Good ideas fail automatically. In a competitive environment and with limited resources, political parties need robust strategies to maximise their chances to win. In every day’s working routines, there is often a high focus on action and reaction – and little to no direction due to an unclear or non-existent strategy – […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale The trees The quotation “Missing the wood for the trees” means being unable to see the whole picture or larger context because one is fixated on minor details or individual components. It suggests a lack of perspective and an inability to understand the bigger picture due to being too focused on the small parts.  […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Going by some decisions taken by US Presidents that have had very negative consequences for the USA itself and other countries, a dilemma does arise about democracy and what it means and how it is exercised in the USA. The latest being the decision taken by one person, President Donald Trump, that […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Considering the instances where proliferation of waste dumping is increasing, and the ongoing deaths and injuries  due to maniacal driving by bus drivers, and others, one cannot but feel that the much-publicized Clean Sri Lanka concept has not yet got off ground as desired.  The government needs to lift their game or […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale GDP Is the wrong tool for measuring what matters – It’s time to replace gross domestic product with real metrics of well-being and sustainability– Joseph E. Stiglitz A country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the standard measure of the total value of all goods and services produced within its borders during a specific […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Much research has been done by numerous experts on the future of the plantation industry involving tea, rubber and coconut. While very valuable strategic options have been provided and focus shifted to existing and emerging technology as a futuristic vision, critical grass roots activities have not been adequately addressed. Who will pluck […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale High road crash fatality and injury rates on Sri Lanka’s roads are undermining the economic growth and progress made over the past decade on reducing poverty and boosting prosperity. Estimated annual road crash deaths per capita in Sri Lanka are twice the average rate in high-income countries and five times that of […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale This endeavour goes beyond merely cleaning up the environment. It aspires to restore the deeply eroded and deteriorated social and environmental fabric of our motherland. We aim to create cleanliness and rejuvenation across all sectors of society – President Anura Kumara Dissanayake unveiling the Clean Sri Lanka initiative on the 1st of […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale It takes nine months to complete the drug procurement process, thus there is no immediate solution to address various glitches in the system. In order to address the importance of tackling the root causes of the issue and introducing a comprehensive plan to address it, we have to study the problem, identify […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale “You have the complete right to convince any truth as a lie and any lie as a truth. That is your democratic right. You have the right to see the negative side when the government is doing something good. And also, you have the right to praise when a leader, government, institution […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Sri Lanka has become one of the fastest aging countries in the world. Its share of the population over 60 years of age, which was 12% in 2014, has exceeded the average of all countries in the South-East Asian region. According to population projections, this proportion will reach 28.5% by 2050. With ageing […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale  Whence comes the power of words? Citizens of purportedly civilized nations have come under the sway of the rhetoric of demagogues. Soldiers have killed and been killed following the orders of military superiors. Leaders of some religious sects have put people to death for utterances labelled blasphemous or heretical. Leaders of others […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Government has no wealth, and when a politician promises to give you something for nothing, he must first confiscate that wealth from you — either by direct taxes, or by the cruelly indirect tax of inflation. –John Wayne Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when there […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale Paradox of Power: Militarily it is a unipolar world of U.S. hegemony; economically it is a multipolar world with U.S. leadership; but on many transnational issues – such as international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the migration of people, epidemic disease, drugs, and environmental degradation – we live in […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale The current administrative arrangements do not seem to have brought the required equality and equity to children with disabilities and addressed the challenges faced by them although some headway has been made over time.  A high-level State agency is needed for policy formulation, to coordinate implementation of policies and for  monitoring progress […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale  It’s the economy, stupid – Bill Clinton” It’s the economy, stupid” is a phrase that was coined by Jim Carville in 1992. It is often quoted from a televised quip by Carville as “It’s the economy, stupid.” Carville was a strategist in Bill Clinton‘s successful 1992 U.S. presidential election against incumbent George H. W. Bush –Wikipedia https://www.tradingview.com/news/te_news:429243:0-sri-lanka-gdp-grows-4-7-in-q2-2024/#:~:text=Sri%20Lanka’s%20GDP%20rose%204.7,highest%20in%20nearly%203%20years. As […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale When a politician promises to give you something for nothing, he must first confiscate that wealth from you — either by direct taxes, by indirect tax, and by inflationary pricing arising from more debt – paraphrasing a quote by John Wayne Election time is a bonanza time for the hearing pleasure of […]

By Raj Gonsalkorale The IMF may have their own agendas. But they are in the country because our politicians and officials failed to manage the economy leading it to bankruptcy. Some degree of economic and financial discipline is evident today, thanks to the presence of the IMF. Any proposed re negotiations should be on the […]

Raj Gonsalkorale Democracy must fall because it will try to tailor to everyone: “The poor will want the wealth of the rich, and democracy will give it to them. “Young people will want to be respected as elderly, and democracy will give it to them. “Women will want to be like men, and democracy will […]