Opinion

Rise of New Economic Liberation

Published

5 years ago

2020/11/21

From cremation calls, to a huge ban on imports, we are moving to the Rajavasala Vimukthiya. Those who still use the Vimukthi line in politics had better be on the watch.

Amidst all the burdens of the Covid-19 pandemic that has now taken hold in Sri Lanka, there is a raging debate about burial, or cremation, of the bodies of Covid-19 deceased.

This is fast moving to a debate that is isolating one ethnic minority, against a combination of the majority, and several minorities, which can have painful consequences.

The call for cremations is becoming increasingly strident, against the burial callers. What is surprising is that the cremation criers – from politicians, the Sangha, academics, business people, intellectuals and social movers – have not thought of, or said the obvious.

It is that the continuing spread of the pandemic is entirely due to burials of the deceased. Just look at all those countries, from the record holding US, to so many in Europe, such as Spain, the UK, and Russia, where burials are the order of the day for the Covid-dead. Although there is no scientific evidence to prove it so far, the rapidly expanding numbers of the infected must certainly have much, or everything, to do with the many thousands of burials. In some US states, they are now even hiring prisoners to do the burials. Countries such as Brazil and Argentina cannot cope with the burials.

So why not just tell Sri Lanka, and the world, to stop all burials if the spread of Covid-19 is to be achieved? This can be an important publicity factor for Sri Lanka, in a world of the rapidly dying, enabling our leaders to forget the economic crisis we are now in, and make huge anti-burial ceremonies throughout the country. We can take the ‘One Country, One Law” principle to our people in words, largely ignoring the “One Country, Many Laws’ policy that strengthens the power of the already powerful.

Whatever opposition the pro-burial Muslims may take, they could be told that the spread of Covid-19 and deaths in Iran, Iraq and all other Islamic states is also due to their strict burial policies, in keeping with their politico/religious teachings.

We must ignore and completely forget the lack of any scientific evidence to prove this. Just keep in mind that our 2,500-year plus civilization had nothing to do with modern science. It is best to keep science out of both politics and government, in Sri Lanka, because the application of science poses a major threat to the power of crooked politics. Governance here today is a display of the absence of science, and much more the play of words and distorted thinking, which is profitable for those holding the reins of power – the Rajavasala Balaya, and all others hanging on to such Vasala Delight!

We have now heard President Gotabaya Rajapaksa address the nation, having completed one year in power – with all the power he has after the 20A. There was nothing said there about the destructionof forest land, the great expectations of more Presidential Pardons to convicted criminals, or how education is to be actually improved and made relevant, which most probably will be by having more catcher universities.

We also had his brother – Prime Minister and Finance Minister (apart from many other portfolios) – make the 75th Budget Speech in the country, as he reached 75th year in life. The 145 plus MPs with the government will see the Budget passed, with hardly any serious thinking of the criticisms by those in the hugely reduced Opposition, some of whom may even be in the lineup for more jumps to the government ranks; for the satisfactions of power and shelter in the Rajavasala.

Will Mahinda present the 80th Budget, too, or will his brother, Basil, move on from the 76th or 77th. Keep guessing.

There was much valid criticism by the Opposition’s Mr. Harsha de Silva, both an economist and politician. Much of what he said was about the poor arithmetic of the budget thinkers or writers, and also about the non-meaningful policies of Pohottuva politics of today. The combination of the Gotabaya and Mahinda political thinking leaves much to be desired in the context of good economics and budgetary policy. But that is the stuff of governance today – a Rajavasala Aarthikaya or Palace Economics!

Let’s move to the big Gotabaya policy of import bans. We saw this decades ago, under PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike, which certainly helped build several industries and promote local agriculture, but was too much of a burden on the people. With all the power of 20A and the huge majority in Parliament, we could certainly move to much bigger import bans, that will give meaning to the many special portfolios – such as Clay and Batik, just two examples.

If we are to really help the Clay or Pottery Industry, all imports that threaten clay products must be banned. Why should this country, having so much tradition and trust in clay, have metal pots, pans, saucepans, jugs, cups and saucers, jugs and other vessels? Isn’t it time to ban all of this and give the Clay Industry the opportunity it needs, to bring us back to the Clay Glory of the past? This can give a boost to our youth, who may bring new inventions on clay built electrical cookery products.

This could soon lead to a powerful “Hali-Valang” economy, that would stand out in the developing world for the First World to also take note.

There is also great hope for the Batik Industry. Isn’t it time to make a call for people to stop western design clothes, from trousers, shirts, coats, skirts and gowns, etc., and move to local Batik wear. There is so much designer opportunity here, bringing a huge boost to the Batik producers. Just think of all the fashion shows that will display the new Batik Wear, from vertical striped trousers and horizontals striped coats, mixed stripe shirts, and so much in the colourful wear of women. We are on the threshold of a great boost to our economy, with the dance of batik sarongs and trousers, and designer goals that will soon strike global markets. There could also be very special Batik Underwear and Lingerie producers who will even outdo the global leaders.

This is the rise of Gotabaya Economics with Mahinda Politics. We are fast moving to the Rajavasala Sandarshana Yugaya – the Age of Palace Display. Let’s think of more bans on imports of what we can produce here. Just tell the European Union to mind its own business, and let us achieve our own New Economic Liberation. The Rajavasala Vimukthiya.

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Opinion

Education needed about people not feeding wildlife

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/15

Thilina Walpola

Being wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers we took a river “safari” during a recent family trip to Bentota. We were dismayed to see that it seems to be the standard practice to feed the monkeys, I think they were the purple faced langurs, that were encountered on the river banks. Each boat that passed by stopped with boxed fruit, coconut and other odds and ends to feed them.

We managed to stop our guy from doing so but faced derision and laughter that we shouldn’t be afraid of monkeys. We tried to explain to him that this is a plague affecting Sri Lanka; elephants being fed on road sides and even in national parks, monkeys being fed from hotel balconies and apparently during river boat rides, birds being fed on hotel terraces etc.

This was met with further mockery and amused dismissal. An effort to make them understand that this was their livelihood that they were destroying it in this manner sailed over their heads. They even have a picture of a baby crocodile on the shoulders of a tourist on their billboard.

We need to consider the following:

Educate such tour operators about the importance of not interfering with the environment and the behaviour of wild animals.

Include education and training in the hotel school, and in schools in tourist resort towns about their duty and responsibility to the environment and the ecosystem on which we all depend.

If it is not already the case such operators should have licenses that should be revoked and fined if found to be engaging in such destructive acts.

Tamara Nanayakkara

Opinion

Capt. Dinham Suhood flies West

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

A few days ago, we heard the sad news of the passing on of Capt. Dinham Suhood. Born in 1929, he was the last surviving Air Ceylon Captain from the ‘old guard’.

He studied at St Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. He had his flying training in 1949 in Sydney, Australia and then joined Air Ceylon in late 1957. There he flew the DC3 (Dakota), HS748 (Avro), Nord 262 and the HS 121 (Trident).

I remember how he lent his large collection of ‘Airfix’ plastic aircraft models built to scale at S. Thomas’ College, exhibitions. That really inspired us schoolboys.

In 1971 he flew for a Singaporean Millionaire, a BAC One-Eleven and then later joined Air Siam where he flew Boeing B707 and the B747 before retiring and migrating to Australia in 1975.

Some of my captains had flown with him as First Officers. He was reputed to have been a true professional and always helpful to his colleagues.

He was an accomplished pianist and good dancer.

He passed on a few days short of his 97th birthday, after a brief illness.

May his soul rest in peace!

To fly west my friend is a test we must all take for a final check

Capt. Gihan A Fernando

RCyAF/ SLAF, Air Ceylon, Air Lanka, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan Airlines

Opinion

Global warming here to stay

Published

2 days ago

2026/02/13

Thilina Walpola

The cause of global warming, they claim, is due to ever increasing levels of CO2. This is a by-product of burning fossil fuels like oil and gas, and of course coal. Environmentalists and other ‘green’ activists are worried about rising world atmospheric levels of CO2. Now they want to stop the whole world from burning fossil fuels, especially people who use cars powered by petrol and diesel oil, because burning petrol and oil are a major source of CO2 pollution. They are bringing forward the fateful day when oil and gas are scarce and can no longer be found and we have no choice but to travel by electricity-driven cars – or go by foot. They say we must save energy now, by walking and save the planet’s atmosphere.

THE DEMON COAL

But it is coal, above all, that is hated most by the ‘green’ lobby. It is coal that is first on their list for targeting above all the other fossil fuels. The eminently logical reason is that coal is the dirtiest polluter of all. In addition to adding CO2 to the atmosphere, it pollutes the air we breathe with fine particles of ash and poisonous chemicals which also make us ill. And some claim that coal-fired power stations produce more harmful radiation than an atomic reactor.

STOP THE COAL!

Halting the use of coal for generating electricity is a priority for them. It is an action high on the Green party list.

However, no-one talks of what we can use to fill the energy gap left by coal. Some experts publicly claim that unfortunately, energy from wind or solar panels, will not be enough and cannot satisfy our demand for instant power at all times of the day or night at a reasonable price.

THE ALTERNATIVES

It seems to be a taboo to talk about energy from nuclear power, but this is misguided. Going nuclear offers tried and tested alternatives to coal. The West has got generating energy from uranium down to a fine art, but it does involve some potentially dangerous problems, which are overcome by powerful engineering designs which then must be operated safely. But an additional factor when using URANIUM is that it produces long term radioactive waste. Relocating and storage of this waste is expensive and is a big problem.

Russia in November 2020, very kindly offered to help us with this continuous generating problem by offering standard Uranium modules for generating power. They offered to handle all aspects of the fuel cycle and its disposal. In hindsight this would have been an unbelievable bargain. It can be assumed that we could have also used Russian expertise in solving the power distribution flows throughout the grid.

THORIUM

But thankfully we are blessed with a second nuclear choice – that of the mildly radioactive THORIUM, a much cheaper and safer solution to our energy needs.

News last month (January 2026) told us of how China has built a container ship that can run on Thorium for ten years without refuelling. They must have solved the corrosion problem of the main fluoride mixing container walls. China has rare earths and can use AI computers to solve their metallurgical problems – fast!

Nevertheless, Russia can equally offer Sri Lanka Thorium- powered generating stations. Here the benefits are even more obviously evident. Thorium can be a quite cheap source of energy using locally mined material plus, so importantly, the radioactive waste remains dangerous for only a few hundred years, unlike uranium waste.

Because they are relatively small, only the size of a semi-detached house, such thorium generating stations can be located near the point of use, reducing the need for UNSIGHTLY towers and power grid distribution lines.

The design and supply of standard Thorium reactor machines may be more expensive but can be obtained from Russia itself, or China – our friends in our time of need.

Priyantha Hettige