Oddities and expectations in 2014
View(s):Is it odd to tell Sri Lankans, mostly politicians, that two wrongs don’t make a right?
Often powerful politicians and their ‘favourite’ Sri Lankans get away even with murder on the grounds that whatever wrong – be it corruption, robbing the exchequer, theft, intimidation and harassment – is okay as it has been done in the past. “If they did it (earlier officials) why criticise us,” asked a top government official, heading an important agency when he was accused of corruption. “All my predecessors behaved similarly. Why target me?”
Is it odd to ask for a more disciplined government in 2014?
Isn’t it odd how the cost of living scenario plays out? The Government through its agencies – Central Bank or Census Department – projects a moderate picture of inflation and the cost of living with figures and statistics to boost. However Sri Lanka’s middle class is constantly complaining of high costs and incomes not keeping pace with rising inflation. This dichotomy is a forever debate with each side unwilling to accept the argument of the other.
Is it odd to wish for a calm and contented 2014 with lower food prices and far less corruption; and to wish for a land free of hunger and deprivation where the free are allowed to roam and the ‘powerfully corrupt’ scoundrels are among the deprived?
Is it odd to wish for an era where politicians cringe in the face of civilians; government servants stand up and welcome civilians in offices and politicians and the powerful drive on highways sans security and without whizzing through traffic?
Is it odd to wish for an era where racism and discrimination ends once and for all, and where religious freedom is enshrined not only in the Constitution but also in deed (by the Government of the day) not just mere words
Like any other year, 2014 is also loaded with political events and other happenings. Provincial polls will set the tone for wider national polls in 2015 … with the frequency based on the results of regional polls and the performance of the ruling party.
The UN Human Rights session in Geneva in March is also crucial as the debate over the country’s human rights record persists.
According to renowned Sri Lankan economist Saman Kelegama (see his analysis on this page), the cost of foreign commercial borrowings will rise as the era of cheap money from overseas sources end.
Much of Sri Lanka’s infrastructure development has been based on borrowed cash on a debt-financing growth projector. However whether infrastructure development and its speed continue under a more costly foreign borrowing regime remains to be seen.Will the many mixed development and integrated resort projects take off in first half 2014 particularly Krrish and the series of projects that include a casino, in the context of the negative issues surrounding mega casinos?
The Krrish mixed development project is projected to take off in the next few months with some new hoardings coming up promoting the project. The project has been stalled by funding issues and at least another 10 per cent balance needs to be paid to lease the property.
The next hurdle would be for Krrish to raise the next couple of millions for the construction, if this money has not already been raised or in the pipeline. The allegations of a pay-off to a top official, yet to be denied by the official concerned, continue to dog the project though Krrish has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Whether the James Packer, Dhammika Perera and John Keells Holdings integrated resort developments will start construction in first quarter 2014, now that full approval as strategic development projects has been given, remains to be seen in the context of the inclusion of casinos and gaming in these projects. However there is an ‘escape’ clause in the gazettes which refer to ‘other activities’ which could imply any other unspecific activity. The earlier, now withdrawn gazettes referred to gaming (a term absent in the new gazettes). While casinos are inevitable in the larger picture of a growing tourism product, the fear is that this kind of development could on the other hand lead to a proliferation of anti-social activity
Returning to the odds and ends of Sri Lanka’s development path next year, another issue that is likely to persist are internal squabbles in the Government. Already the cracks are showing with the Prime Minister with his back to the wall fighting to proclaim his innocence in an alleged drug smuggling case.
The internal battles are set to grow in the lead up to the provincial elections. Whether it would impact on the performance of the Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ruling party remains to be seen.
The Business Times wishlist for 2014 is the same as in 2013 when there were hopes and expectations that corruption would be minimised, cost of living would fall, responsible government and an independent judiciary.
While none of these expectations has been met and all these are perceived as wishful thinking, Sri Lankans still live in hope and expectations of a better future.