Analysis

Sri Lanka’s Female Migrant Workers: Flying Abroad on Borrowed Time

By Manisha Weeraddana In a small roadside hut in Nattandiya, Asoka Malini, a returnee migrant worker, spends her days with a handful of vegetables.  She worked for 6 years in Saudi Arabia as a housemaid and a care worker, earning a monthly salary of LKR 20,000. As a mother of two, Asoka now faces an…

(0)Comments | November 9, 2023 12:06 pm

Who owns the wealth of the (Lakdiva) Indian Ocean? – By Prof. Samitha Hettige

SL is begging for wealth. Some citizens suffer in the Middle East to help the effort while others (& some media) make & market internal conflicts to earn wealth. Some import SL conflicts for domestic use. Those who count the number of Chinese ships coming to SL don’t talk about the money ships bring as…

(0)Comments | November 7, 2023 12:30 pm

Empowering Sri Lankan Women: Highlights from the National Policy Conference on Women’s Access to Decent Work in Sri Lanka

By Kimuthu Kiringoda and Himani Vithanage  In Sri Lanka, only 7.7% of working-age females are engaged in formal employment with decent wages and decent working hours. The country’s persistent challenge of low female labour force participation is compounded by a multitude of unique barriers to improving women’s access to decent work. Decent work is multifaceted,…

(0)Comments | November 6, 2023 12:31 pm

Approval of government falls to 9% in October: Verité Research survey

Latest ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll shows a large reversal in sentiment The approval rating of the government fell from 21% in June 2023 to 9% in October 2023 according to the latest round of the Gallup style ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll of Verité Research. The survey showed that satisfaction with the state of…

(0)Comments | November 6, 2023 9:33 am

CSE Launches Stock Borrowing & Lending and Regulated Short Selling

What is Stock Borrowing and Lending (SBL)? Stock Borrowing & Lending (SBL) is a mechanism that is introduced by the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) through the Central Depository System (CDS) to facilitate the lending and borrowing of shares among investors. SBL involves connecting lenders of shares with borrowers for a pre-determined period and interest rate….

(0)Comments | November 6, 2023 8:33 am

ILO to Launch Groundbreaking Report on the Impact of Multiple Crises on Sri Lanka’s MSMEs

The report is based on extensive analysis, including surveys of over 550 MSMEs across 10 districts One of the main findings indicated that tourism, manufacturing, construction, transport and storage, wholesale and retail trade were among the severely impacted Outlines recommendations to facilitate the growth of MSMEs, focusing on areas that can have a broader impact…

(0)Comments | November 2, 2023 12:00 pm

Sri Lanka’s key inflation rate rises to 1.5% in October

Reuters – Sri Lanka’s key inflation rate rose to 1.5% in October from 1.3% a month ago, the statistics department said on Tuesday. The Colombo Consumer Price Index (LKCCPI=ECI), a leading indicator for broader national prices, tracks inflation in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s biggest city. Food prices fell 5.2% in October after declining 5.2% in September, from…

(0)Comments | October 31, 2023 4:08 pm

Business Sentiment – Uncertainty Mars Biz Confidence

Shadows loom large as the pendulum swings yet again amid multiple sensitivities Business confidence remains clouded by ongoing developments – and heavily dependent on their outcomes. The IMF’s review of the four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF), ongoing debt discussions with creditors, rapid disinflation, fluctuating fuel prices and the added complexity of the Israel-Palestine conflict –…

(0)Comments | October 30, 2023 1:42 pm

Dr. Lalith Kotelawala & the Shanxi Merchants – By Prof. Samitha Hettige

They say cowards die many times & the brave only once. There must be many who bravely invested in the ventures of late Lalith Kotelawala (LK) & die daily due to the fall. They may know if LK died once or not after his fall from fame in 2008. LK once said that he grew…

(0)Comments | October 30, 2023 12:43 pm

Between Homefront Policies and Global Developments: Sri Lanka’s External Sector Outlook

By Nilupulee Rathnayake Having weathered a challenging period marked by a deep economic crisis, Sri Lanka is now demonstrating positive signs of an economic upturn. Still, amidst limited homefront policy alternatives against an unfavourable global backdrop, a critical question arises: how will Sri Lanka’s external sector cope in the face of these challenges? Notably, import…

(0)Comments | October 25, 2023 11:52 am