Features
Clean Sri Lanka environmentally, socially and psychologically
Philosophical approach should integrate sociological and psychological principles as an essential part of the campaign
by Prof. Athula Sumathipala
Clean Sri Lanka; what does it entail?
The mission of the “Clean Sri Lanka” project” is to reposition the nationwide efforts of environmental, social, and governance initiatives through introducing change, integration, and collaboration”.
As stated on its official website, “Clean Sri Lanka project aims to address a cleaner physical environment and a nationwide moral commitment to enhance ethical principles. Enhancement of the three pillars of sustainability; Economic, Social and Governance (EESG), have been identified as the framework to address the overarching objectives of this strategic plan with specific stakeholder goals, actions, time lines and outcomes”.
Human nature of resistance to change
Human nature is such that they are resistant to change. That is why so many people especially as organiations, when presented with a new initiative or idea—even a good one, with tons of benefits—will resist it.
We have already witnessed such resistance, in relation to the clean Sri Lanka project; threat to strikes, misinformation campaigns etc. No surprise. That resistance can also be easily exploited by the opportunists who wants to derail this programme for their own gains, no matter what the overall benefits the proposed programme brings.
The role of “proactive change management”
Proactive change management happens when leaders actively seek to manage the challenges and opportunities in a program. Every change projects comes with many unpredictable aspects. A proactive change manager will anticipate such potential challenges and plan for such problems well in advance. Thereby, they will be equipped to create contingency plans for unexpected challenges.
The role of the brain in facing changes
The brain has three main parts: the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem. Cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is composed of right and left hemispheres. They interpret sights, sounds and touches. It also regulates emotions, reasoning and learning.
Cerebellum maintains the balance, posture, coordination and fine motor skills.
Brainstem, regulates many automatic body functions.
Part of the brain, the amygdala interprets change as a threat and releases the hormones leading to fear, fight, or flight. (See Figure 1)
In particular, the function of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for complex thinking, self-regulation, and future orientation, is only completed around the age of 24.
Because the brain’s prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers rely more on a part of the brain called the amygdala to make decisions and solve problems than adults. The amygdala is involved in emotions, impulses, aggression, and instinctual behaviour.
The limbic system, often referred to as the emotional centre of the brain, is responsible for processing emotions, forming memories, and regulating behaviour. It includes key structures like the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, each playing a vital role in emotional and social processing.
Therefore, biologically, we can conclude that the younger generation acts more emotionally than rationally compared to the adults. However, that does not mean all adults are acting rationally. Understanding this phenomenon is in no way justifying and normalising it.
Hence, adolescents and also adults should learn about emotional regulation and improve their skills to communicate their frustrations, anger, disagreements in an acceptable and civilised manner.
Such frustrations, anger, disagreements are potential manifestations of the Clean Sri Lanka programme which could be easily exploited by opportunists.
That’s why the science and the art of science should be carefully integrated into proactive change management using cognitive behavioural principles, conformity theory and principles, as they are key components in this, Clean Sri Lanka project for successful implementation.
Emotional regulation
Emotional regulation is the conscious or unconscious processes of monitoring, evaluating, modulating, and managing emotional experiences and expression of emotion in terms of intensity, form, and duration of feelings, emotion related physiological states and behaviours.
Being able to regulate emotions is important since our emotions are closely connected to how we think and behave. Our thoughts and feelings help us to decide how best to respond to a situation and what action we should take. Essentially, emotional regulation can influence positive and negative behaviour.
Learning skills to regulate emotions means that, instead of acting impulsively and doing something that may be regretted later, we are able to make thought-out choices. It also helps out to manage our conflicts of interest or competing interests.
This means that we can learn to manage relationships with others, solve problems, and have better control over our behaviours.
To do so, one need to develop emotional intelligence. Positive attitudes and emotional intelligence go hand in hand. That is why it’s so important.
Attitude is a way of thinking or feeling about something, it’s a psychological construct which governs behaviours. Negative or destructive attitudes are like flat tyers, without changing one cannot go anywhere.
Emotional intelligence (EI)
In a book written by Daniel Goleman in 1995, on emotional intelligence theory, he outlined five components of EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Self-regulation; helps openness to change, motivation; helps a passion for work beyond monetary returns, energy and persistence, empathy; putting yourself in others’ shoes, social skills; ability to find common ground and rapport, and persuasiveness. People with EI makes good leaders as they can use their ability to recognise and understand their own emotions to make more informed and rational decisions. They can also use their ability to empathise with the emotions of their team members to take into account their perspectives and needs when making decisions
Emotional Intelligence can matter more than IQ; “intelligence quotient”. In his book, Goleman pointed out that emotional intelligence is as important as IQ for success, including in academic, professional, social, and interpersonal aspects of one’s life. It’s something which can be developed through coaching and mentoring.
Conformity principles
Conformity is a form of social influence that involves a change in the common belief or behaviour of a person or group of people to fit into how others are. This may have a good outcome or bad outcome.
Solomon Asch conducted several experiments in the 1950s to determine how people are affected by the thoughts and behaviours of other people. In one study, a group of participants was shown a series of printed line segments of different lengths: a, b, and c (Figure 1). Participants were then shown a fourth line segment: x. They were asked to identify which line segment from the first group (a, b, or c) most closely resembled the fourth line segment in length. (See Figure 2)
Each group of participants had only one true, outsider. The remaining members of the group were confederates of Ash. A confederate is a person who is aware of the experiment and works for the researcher. Confederates are used to manipulate social situations as part of the research design, and the true, outside participants believe that confederates are, like them, uninformed participants in the experiment. In Asch’s study, the confederates identified a line segment that was shorter than the target line a, the wrong answer. The outside participant then had to identify aloud the line segment that best matched the target line segment.
Asch (1955) found that 76% of participants conformed to group pressure at least once by indicating the incorrect line. Conformity is the change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if he does not agree with the group.
Research shows that the size of the majority, the presence of another dissenter, and the public or relatively private nature of responses are key influences on conformity.
The size of the majority: The greater the number of people in the majority, the more likely an individual will conform. In Asch’s study, conformity increased with the number of people in the majority, up to seven individuals. At numbers beyond seven, conformity leveled off and decreased slightly. The presence of another dissenter: If there is at least one dissenter, conformity rates drop to near zero (Asch, 1955).
The correct answer to the line segment question was obvious, and it was an easy task. But the outsiders who participated in the study gave wrong answers. Researchers (Deutsch & Gerard, 1955) have categorized the motivation to conform into two types: normative social influence and informational social influence
In normative social influence, people conform to the group norm to fit in, feel good, and be accepted by the group. However, with informational social influence, people conform because they believe the group is competent and has the correct information, particularly when the task or situation is ambiguous.
So, what is happening in current society. The great majority of good people conform to the bad minority allowing the wrong thing to happen. Therefore, the very same conformity principles can be used by empowering the majority of good people not to conform to the bad or wrong minority.
To achieve that people should get out of the “learned helplessness” mode, which was described by Seligman in 1976. Learned helplessness is what social science researchers call it when a person is unable to find resolutions to difficult situations, even when a solution is accessible. People that struggle with learned helplessness tend to complain a lot, feeling overwhelmed and incapable of making any positive difference in their circumstances. The feel that they are powerless to change others who have conformed to the “norm”. They give up and just get one.
There is also the bystander effect, or bystander apathy. Social psychological theory states that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim or initiate an action in the presence of other people. They simply assume that the other person will do it. If everybody expects the other person will do ultimately no one will do it.
Social psychology is the scientific study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. Social psychologists explain human behavior as a result of the relationship between mental states and social situations, studying the social conditions under which thoughts, feelings, and behaviors occur, and how these variables influence social interactions.
The best way to describe what to do in the context of all the above phenomena are operating, is using Cognitive behavioural theory and interventions based on that. Cognitive-Behavioral Theory states that human thinking determines human behaviour and feeling. Therefore, by changing one you can change the other.
The triad; behaviors, thoughts and feelings
The basis of cognitive behavioral theory is that a person’s thoughts, ideas, and beliefs underpin their emotional reactions and behaviors. (See Figure 2)
As described in the above diagram we have assumptions and core beliefs about us, the others, the future, the country, the world and so on. We call it a schemata. We process information using these schemata. Some of these can be positive and useful (functional) and some are negative and counterproductive.
The easiest way to understand this is to learn about Kisa Gothami’s story. When Kisa Gothami’s newborn son died, she did not realize so and she ran to Lord Buddha asking him to cure her son. Lord Buddha at once knew that the baby was dead but wanted Kisa Gothami to learn about death herself. Lord Buddha asked her to find a handful of mustard seeds from a household where no one has died. She went knocking on all the doors in the village but could not find a single house without a death in the family. Soon she realized the lesson Lord Buddha was trying to teach her: that no family is spared the occurrence of death. Lord Buddha used a bahaviour to teach Kisa Gothami to change the way she thinks about death. We call it cognitive restructuring.
Compatibilities between cognitive approaches to therapy, such as CBT, and Buddhism have been acknowledged by its originators Aron Beck (2005) and Kwee & Ellis (1998).
Our nation needs mass scale cognitive behavioural interventions to change the way they think about many things; us, others, future, country, what is rights and wrongs, one’s responsibilities and duties. We need to change our learned helplessness mentality created through the so-called bankrupt society that has no future.
Without addressing these assumptions, core beliefs, and thinking errors; the schemata, by using scientific principle and interventions, to change the crucial behaviors and thinking neither the President nor 159 MPs alone will be able to do much for the nation who expect a paradigm shift in the development of a nation. Their duty was not finished by voting a new President and a Government into power with the 2/3rd majority.
Each citizen who is seriously thinking of a prosperous nation need to change first to change the country and it;s wrong doings. If you want the Government to stop bribery and corruption you need to first stop offering bribes. Reflect on your self first and also inculcate such attitudes in the younger generations with optimism.
Role of media in behavioural change
The media has an undisputed role in influencing behavioral change by shaping public opinion, disseminating information, and creating awareness.
Raising awareness through campaigns can promote positive behaviors, changing stereotypes, bringing progressive narratives. modeling behaviors in films or on social media, can inspire individuals to adopt similar behaviors.
Creating social pressure through peer Influence challenging conformity, learned helplessness, conducting campaigns on social media encouraging widespread behavioral change, educating and empowering, supporting and influencing public policy and reinforcing positive behaviors are a few.
However, be mindful that media is a double-edged sword, it can inspire positive change when used responsibly but can also perpetuate negative behaviors if misused. Its influence on behavior depends largely on the accuracy, ethics, and creativity of the content it disseminates.
Be mindful, for the first time in history, the essential and fundamental conditions; objective and subjective, have come together offering a golden opportunity for a genuine change. The political leadership should not leave any stone unturned to use the scientific advances of science relevant to
three fundamental components: biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. These elements are not isolated; they interact dynamically to shape the way we perceive the world and respond to it. They should understand how these foundational aspects of behavior provide a framework for understanding the complex nature of human actions and how to change them.
The author of this article is an internationally renowned academic with a strong track record in research especially carried out in Sri Lanka using cognitive behavioural principles. Some of his interventions are considered front line in post disaster situations.
He is an Emeritus Professor at Kings College London and Keele University. He is also the Director, Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social care and the Chairman of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies.
He had been an invited plenary speaker at the 11th International Congress on Behavioural Medicine, Washington DC, USA (August 2010), 19th World Psychiatric Association (WPA), World Congress of Psychiatry, Portugal, Lisbon (August, 2019). Melbourne, Australia (February, 2018). 16th Congress of the International Federation of Psychiatric Epidemiology Melbourne, Australia (Oct, 2017), Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZAP) Napier, New Zealand (Oct 2007), to name a few related to cognitive behavioral theory/therapy.
It was a few years back that a former President of Sri Lanka took it on himself to pronounce SAARC ‘dead’. Since then there have been other sections of Sri Lankan opinion that have joined the critics of SAARC and taken the solemn stance that SAARC has indeed died what may be called a natural death.
Their fatalism is understandable. SAARC has failed to meet at heads of government or state level for the past several years to take the SAARC process notably forward. Regional cooperation has more or less been only an appealing idea. No substantive concrete projects have taken off to make the idea a hard reality. ‘Inner paralysis’ seems to be SAARC’s lot. Hence the fatalism in these circles.
However, being one of the worst cash-strapped regions of the world and a teemingly populated one with people virtually left to their devices, what choices do the ‘SAARC Eight’ have other than to try their best to band together and continue with their cooperation efforts, however small they may be?
There is no escaping the mounting debt trap for many of these countries and bankrupt Sri Lanka is a glaring example, but ‘throwing in the towel’ and abandoning themselves entirely to the diktats of the strongest economies and their agencies will prove a ‘living death’ for many countries in the SAARC fold.
The gains may be meagre but giving-up on SAARC cooperation in full would prove self-defeating for the organization and South Asia. Right now, the collective intention ought to be to salvage what the region could from the tenuous cooperative efforts. Moreover, such initiatives could go some distance to generate a degree of goodwill among the Eight and help in sustaining a dialogue process.
Given this backdrop it proved ‘a stich in time’ for the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo, to recently host the SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar to a round table discussion on the unifying potential of SAARC and its future possibilities, besides other related issue areas.
Held on June 24th and moderated by RCSS Executive Director and former ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, the forum brought together a vibrant, wide ranging audience comprising academicians, diplomats, senior public servants, civil society activists and many others. Following the presentation by Ambassador Golam Sarwar titled, ‘Reigniting SAARC: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Ahead’, a lively Q&A followed.
The above forum could be described as an act of lighting the proverbial ‘candle’ rather than ‘cursing the darkness.’ It surely is a ‘darkness’ that could be seen as daunting considering that the region’s pivotal powers, India and Pakistan, are failing to act in a spirit of accord but are engaged in bitter finger-pointing on a number of questions of vital importance to SAARC.
On the other hand, what is the rest of the region doing to bring the above sides together? It is disappointing that to date the rest of SAARC has failed to launch a major diplomatic drive to bring peace between the feuding regional heavyweights. It needs to act without delay and establish its earnestness and this effort would need to prove SAARC’s staying power in the unfolding months and even years.
In assessing SAARC’s seeming failure local opinion in particular has failed to factor in what could be described as weak leadership. Since Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh, the founding father of SAARC, the region has failed to produce a visionary leader who could advance the SAARC cause with charisma and drive.
Among other reasons, weak leadership accounts considerably for the faltering and stuttering status, as it were, of SAARC. Badly needed are leaders who could go the extra mile, think less of narrow national interests and work diligently towards the collective well being of the region but SAARC’s millions of ordinary people have been made to wait in vain for leaders of such stature. Instead, they have been burdened with politicians who seem to be relishing the apparently moribund state of SAARC.
Looking back, it could be said that it was the dynamic leadership factor that led to the launching of the Non-Aligned Movement and for its sustenance for a few decades. True, it could be seen in some quarters that NAM is no more, but as in the case of SAARC, the former too has been unfortunate to be burdened over the years with politicians who lack the vision and drive to unflaggingly advance the fortunes of the South. NAM and SAARC lack the dynamism and vision of leaders of the stature of Jawaharlal Nehru, for example, to give them the required guidance and intellectual depth.
The reasons are complex for there not being among us currently political leaders with the vision and the steadfast commitment to advance the legitimate interests of the South. However, it could be stated with conviction that the majority of Southern leaders have too easily caved in to the demands of the global North and its financial agencies.
These leaders have failed to see, for instance, that the largely market economy oriented Northern governments would not view with favour a centrist economic model that attaches priority to the interests of the dis-empowered publics of the South. This realization ought to have dawned on the current government in Sri Lanka, for instance, some while ago but it has no choice but to abide by IMF dictates since economic survival at present is unthinkable without the latter’s succour.
Accordingly for SAARC this should be the time for some soul-searching. Priority needs to be attached to ending the feuding between India and Pakistan since at present the material fortunes of the region hinge largely on these regional giants giving peaceful relations among them a try. This is no easy challenge to meet but some daring, visionary diplomacy needs to take hold among the rest of SAARC.
There is some sense in SAARC bringing the peoples of the region together through programs that address their best collective interests. A meeting of minds among SAARC nations could enable SAARC and its agencies to build a region-wide people’s movement for progressive political and economic change that could in turn lead to the region’s political leaders sensitizing themselves more to the neglected needs of their publics.
However, the time is ‘now’ for the initiation of these progressive changes and the voice of SAARC well wishers would need to drown out those of their critics.
A seminar, “Sri Lanka’s Economic Crossroads: Navigating Recovery, Resilience and Growth” was recently held by the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) at the OPA Auditorium, bringing together economists, OPA members, and professionals from diverse fields for an insightful discussion on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and future growth prospects.
The event was held under the patronage of Jayantha Gallehewa, President of the OPA, and was jointly organised by the National Issues Committee (NIC) and the Seminars, Workshops and Programmes Committee of the OPA. The event reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing professional excellence, fostering insightful intellectual engagement, facilitating interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and creating a constructive platform for informed dialogue on issues of national importance.
The panel of speakers comprised Dr. Harsha Aturupane, Lead Economist and Programme Leader for Human Development at the World Bank for Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Dr. Achinthya Koswatta, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Open University of Sri Lanka, and Anushan Kapilan, Lead Economist at Verité Research.
In his welcome address, the President of the OPA emphasised that Sri Lanka was at a critical juncture in its economic recovery journey where sustained reforms, effective implementation, and collective national commitment are essential to achieving long-term stability, resilience and inclusive growth. He noted that the country had experienced one of the most severe economic crises in its history with the economy contracting by 7.8 percent in 2022 and a further 11.5 percent in 2023, resulting in significant economic and social challenges.
Delivering his introductory remarks Bhanu Wijeyaratne, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the National Issues Committee, underscored the need to move beyond short-term economic stabilisation towards a comprehensive agenda of structural transformation. He observed that the economic crisis had revealed deep-rooted weaknesses within the economy, including persistent fiscal pressures, rising public debt, foreign exchange limitations, and insufficient diversification of the export base. He stressed that addressing these challenges through strategic reforms, institutional strengthening and long-term economic planning would be essential to establishing a more resilient and competitive economy.
While acknowledging recent positive developments, including improved inflation management, tourism recovery and signs of economic stabilisation, Wijeyaratne stressed the need to advance reforms aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline, enhancing productivity, improving competitiveness, developing human capital and reinforcing governance and institutional effectiveness.
He further highlighted the important role of professionals, businesses, academia and other stakeholders in contributing to evidence-based dialogue and supporting Sri Lanka’s journey towards a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economic future.
Delivering the keynote presentation, Dr. Harsha Aturupane provided a comprehensive assessment of Sri Lanka’s economic prospects within the broader context of global economic transformation. He argued that Sri Lanka functioned as a small open economy whose performance is significantly influenced by developments in the global marketplace. External factors could not be controlled, and the country must strengthen its domestic capacity and resilience to respond effectively to international economic shifts, he noted.
Tracing the evolution of global economic systems, Dr. Aturupane highlighted the transition from ideological divisions between state-controlled and market-oriented economies towards increasingly pragmatic approaches focused on growth, competitiveness and development. He noted that Sri Lanka’s own economic journey reflects a similar evolution, with contemporary policy debates now centred on practical solutions for sustainable economic progress.
The presentation also examined the transformative impact of globalisation. Dr. Aturupane observed that global economic integration had enabled several East Asian economies, including South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, to achieve remarkable economic advancement through export-led growth strategies. Sri Lanka similarly benefited from this process through the expansion of its apparel industry and increased integration into global value chains.
Turning to Sri Lanka’s recovery programme, Dr. Aturupane emphasised that the ongoing stabilisation process should be viewed as a national programme supported by the International Monetary Fund rather than solely as an IMF initiative. He observed that strong worker remittances, improved tourism earnings, enhanced government revenue mobilisation and prudent import management have contributed significantly to economic stabilisation.
Despite this progress, he cautioned that rebuilding foreign exchange reserves and meeting future debt obligations remain major challenges. He underscored the need to strengthen export performance, attract investment and generate sustainable foreign exchange earnings to ensure long-term economic resilience.
The discussion also focused on monetary stability, inflation management and exchange-rate policy. Dr. Aturupane stressed that maintaining price stability was fundamental to sustainable growth and household welfare, while sound monetary policy remains essential for preserving economic confidence.
Looking beyond stabilisation, he argued that Sri Lanka must transition towards a broader economic transformation agenda. Sustainable growth, he noted, will depend on expanding productive capacity through investment, technological advancement, innovation, skills development and structural reforms.
Among the key constraints identified was the high cost of energy, which continues to affect competitiveness and investment attractiveness. Dr. Aturupane emphasised the importance of improving efficiency and affordability within the energy sector to enhance Sri Lanka’s business environment.
He further highlighted the social dimensions of the crisis, noting the rise in poverty and economic vulnerability among households. Strengthening social protection systems and ensuring inclusive growth, he argued, must remain central components of the national development agenda.
Another critical challenge identified was Sri Lanka’s demographic transition. With an ageing population, outward migration and evolving labour market dynamics, the country is increasingly confronting labour shortages in several sectors. Dr. Aturupane suggested that greater automation, increased labour-force participation and strategic workforce planning would be necessary to address these emerging realities.
Concluding his presentation, he emphasised the need to improve governance, strengthen institutions, enhance competitiveness and create an enabling environment for private sector investment. Sri Lanka’s future success, he noted, will depend on its ability to move decisively beyond crisis management towards a development model founded on resilience, innovation, productivity and inclusive growth.
Dr. Achinthya Koswatta reiterated the importance of policy consistency and predictability in fostering investment and industrial development. She observed that frequent policy changes create uncertainty and discourage long-term investment decisions, whereas stable and coherent policy frameworks build confidence and support sustainable economic transformation.
Meanwhile, Anushan Kapilan highlighted the substantial progress achieved in restoring macroeconomic stability following the recent crisis. He noted significant improvements in fiscal performance, including increased government revenue, reduced reliance on debt financing and a historically low fiscal deficit.
He further observed that public debt levels are declining faster than anticipated, economic growth has exceeded expectations and inflation has been brought under control more rapidly than forecast. Nevertheless, he cautioned that the recovery remains uneven, particularly within the industrial sector and that many households have yet to experience a meaningful improvement in living standards.
The seminar was expertly coordinated by Eng. Chamil Edirimuni, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the Seminars, Workshops and Programmes Committee, while the technical moderation and interactive discussion session were facilitated by Bhanu Wijeyaratne, Vice President of the OPA and Chairman of the National Issues Committee.
The event was attended by Tisara De Silva, President-Elect of the OPA, Eng. Ravi Rupasinghe, General Secretary, Past Presidents, members of the Executive Council, representatives of the General Forum and professionals representing a wide range of disciplines.
The seminar concluded with a vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives, reaffirming the importance of evidence-based policy dialogue, institutional collaboration and collective national commitment in advancing Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, resilience and sustainable growth.
Yes, for UK-based presenter and artiste Samantha Kay, home is where the heart – and the roots – are. And her roots run deep in Sri Lanka.
In an exclusive interview with The Island, Samantha says “I’m proud to be Sri Lankan. My mum is from Kandy and my dad is from Colombo, so Sri Lanka has always held a very special place in my heart.
“Whenever I visit Sri Lanka, I love spending time on the beautiful south coast, especially Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. It’s somewhere I always feel connected to my roots and completely at peace.”
Now living in Bournemouth, on the south coast of England, where, she says, she is lucky to be close to some of the UK’s most beautiful beaches, including the iconic Sandbanks, Samantha has built a career that refuses to fit into one box.
She is a radio presenter, podcast host, singer-songwriter, personal trainer and life coach.
“I genuinely love the variety because every role allows me to connect with people and, hopefully, make a positive difference in someone’s day.”
Of course, music has taken her far.
One of her proudest achievements, she says, was releasing a song with 90s music icon Angie Brown, which reached No. 9 in the UK Club Charts.
She also reached the final stages of The X Factor and performed at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands.
Beyond music, Samantha competed in bikini bodybuilding across the UK, winning several titles. “It taught me discipline, resilience and self-belief,” she recalls.
Today, her focus is on radio, podcasting and coaching women. Her podcast encourages people to live life on their own terms rather than feeling pressured to follow society’s expectations.
Says Samantha: “Whether someone is single, changing careers, travelling solo or simply trying to find their purpose, I want them to know that it’s never too late to create a life that feels authentic. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit into the box, maybe you were never meant to.”
Samantha Kay also spent a year in Dubai, performing at five-star hotels, including FIVE, and coaching at the iconic outdoor gym on Palm Jumeirah.
“I taught strength and conditioning classes, and hosted wellness retreats, combining my passion for music, health and inspiring others.”
However, with family matters calling her back to the UK, she made the choice to return. “Family comes first,” she says.
Looking ahead, Samantha plans to grow her radio and podcast work, release more music, and expand her wellness retreats.
“My biggest passion is helping people, especially women, build confidence and believe in themselves,” she says.
“Wherever my career takes me, I hope to continue inspiring others to live with courage, kindness and authenticity, while never forgetting my Sri Lankan roots.”
Current El Niño Status in Sri Lanka
A few showers may occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.
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