News
Lanka needs to switch from investing in non-tradable to tradable goods fast: MP
By NETHMI RAJAWASAM
ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka continues to lag behind in its integration into global production networks due to short-sighted goals of producing non-tradables over tradable goods that can be exported, oppositional legislator Harsha De Silva has said.
“There has been a significant growth in the non-tradable sector and production of non-tradable goods between 2010 and 2019. From the growth in the total economy’s production, 70 percent was from the non-tradables sector which cannot be traded in the international market,” the opposition MP said during a debate in Parliament recently.
Non-tradable goods include items such as public services, real estate and construction, goods with very high transportation costs, and commodities produced specifically to meet local retail consumers.
The MP said that due to shortsighted large infrastructure investments such as the development that has gone into the Hambantota area, Sri Lanka’s production has shown exponential growth in the non-tradables sector.
About 50 percent of the foreign direct investments that came into the country in 2000-2020 were directed towards the non-tradables sector, while only around 25 percent went into the export-oriented market, former Chairman of the Board of Investment Thilan Wijesinghe said at a forum organised by Advocata Institute recently.
“This way the non-tradable sector that was developed with the massive foreign loans was proven to produce short term development that was unsustainable in the long run,” Wijesinghe said.
“In 2010 economic growth was recorded at 8 percent, in 2011 it was 8.4 percent and in 2012, 9.1 percent, but in 2013 it was recorded that it was 3.4 percent,” De Silva said, following a trend that denotes that growth has since been declining, due to the unsustainability of the concentration of investment in the non-tradables sector.
De Silva said North East Asian countries that employed sustainable practices have successfully integrated themselves into global trade networks.
“Our outlook on production should speedily switch to tradable goods or else face the consequences of being unable to match exports with imports,” he said.
The legislator pointed out that the reason behind the popularity of such short term goals in Sri Lanka have been the opportunistic nature of leaders.
“Since the political aim of achieving short term growth in the non-tradable sector had been achieved in the past, essential trade and investment reforms had been neglected. As a result of this, Sri Lanka’s growth was significantly stifled and slowed, in relation to its equals in the region,” he said.
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
[Aljazeera]
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings
Mandhana, Shafali and Ghosh lead dominant India to Asian Games gold
Fatima Sana and Umm-e-Hani secure bronze for Pakistan in Asian Games
India bat first in Asian games womens cricket final
Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
Govt. confident of 2/3 majority despite NPP split speculation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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