CREATIVE DESTRUCTION Dr. Ruchith Dissanayake Sri Lankans should never be complacent about the status quo Q: How do you perceive Sri Lanka as it is today? A: If this question was asked 50 years ago, most Sri Lankans would have said that the country has potential. Even today, many would say the same. How about 50 years from now? All countries have the potential for growth if they’re governed properly. Similarly, for Sri Lanka to achieve its full potential, there should be fundamental changes made to how the island is governed. I do feel that Sri Lankans are finally starting…
Author: LMD International
WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN Rashantha Devanesan Why the grass isn’t always greener on the other side – money aside Q: How do you perceive Sri Lanka today? A: I am very positive about Sri Lanka right now. If you compare it with what we went through about nine months ago, there’s been a quick reversal. My only concern is how sustainable this reversal might be. But in spite of rising prices and some other negative aspects, we seem to be heading in the right direction. CV IN A NUTSHELL Rashantha Devanesan runs a social enterprise (Kadambari Jewels) where she…
LONG-DISTANCE AFFAIR Wijay Kanagasundaram Why distance makes the heart of our expatriates grow fonder! Q: How do you perceive Sri Lanka today? A: The situation that Sri Lanka is facing today is unfortunate and saddening, to say the least. And people are facing tremendous hardships due to high inflation and the rising cost of living. CV IN A NUTSHELL Wijay Kanagasundaram grew up in Sri Lanka and studied at St. Anthony’s College in Kandy. Following a brief stint at HSBC Sri Lanka, he moved to the UK to read for an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance at the University…
Abeykoon is the first and only Sri Lankan to have competed at the Diamond League, which is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions. The series sits in the top tier of the World Athletics (formerly known as the IAAF) one day meeting competitions. In April last year, he exhilarated youngsters struggling for a real change to their life in Sri Lanka by setting a new Asian record in the men’s 150 metres event by clocking an awe-inspiring 15.16 seconds as he claimed the gold medal in the Perseo Trophy, which was held in Italy. Then in…
LMDers OVERSEAS Home sweet home LMD’s Sri Lankan writers living overseas have their say Monita Pesumal Bahrain As an expatriate who’s lived in the Middle East for 15 years, I was asked what I miss most about home. I miss the lush greenery visible from the air as the aircraft begins descending; the immigration officer’s warm smile as he stamps my passport; and the scenic route on the long drive home… It’s been a seven hour flight but I don’t feel tired. Despite the humidity, even the air smells different – if that’s possible. The phrases ‘comfort zone’ and ‘happy…
A TASTE OF SRI LANKA Cultural celebrations across the seas CUCINI XPRESS Whitby and Toronto Siblings San and Mirna – who are passionate about food – founded their first take-out restaurant in 2020; it is now a local favourite serving authentic Sri Lankan food along with fusion dishes in Ontario’s Whitby. San has worked in the restaurant sector for 20 years while his younger sister Mirna has a lifelong passion for cooking. She enjoys trying new foods and creating her own recipes. In addition, the restaurant has cloud kitchens that operate for delivery and pick up through its commissary. The…
Extracted from interviews published in LMD. Q How do you view the brain drain – and why is there still no reversal of it, in your opinion? JUNE 2022 Gaddafi Ismail Founder and PresidentDe Lune Corp Springfield (Virginia) As someone who left Sri Lanka for opportunities elsewhere, I can hardly fault young, educated Sri Lankans for moving out. However, there are many who – given the chance – would prefer to stay but feel hopeless about the future of the country and how valued they would be. Sri Lanka needs a visionary road map that reverses the brain drain and…
THE GAME CHANGER For business and leisure Port City Colombo is an ambitious development project that’s capturing the attention of investors globally. Located in the heart of Colombo, the project promises to transform business and lifestyles in Sri Lanka, by developing a world class master planned business city coupled with state of the art living and residential facilities. The Port City Special Economic Zone is tipped to attract top multinational companies and global businesses looking to set up regional hubs and headquarters. The development is set to act as a gateway for the world to Sri Lanka and South Asia…
ECONOMIC STABILITY A SINE QUA NON Reproduced from the March 2023 edition of LMD. The export sector went through its most challenging year in 2022 due to the economic crisis. Towards the latter half of last year, export businesses faced an unprecedented slowdown in orders due to the risk of recession in major markets. In the meantime, central banks around the world have continued to raise policy rates to curb inflationary expectations, which are unfavourable to export manufacturing countries such as Sri Lanka. Mohan Pandithage, the Chairman of and Chief Executive of Hayleys, maintains that “exporters played a significant role…
A handout picture provided by Saudi Arabia on 26 July last year unveils the design for the 500 metre tall parallel structures – known collectively as The Line – in the heart of the Red Sea mega city – Neoum. The futuristic city – sans vehicles, streets and carbon emissions – is set to feature two massive mirror encased skyscrapers that extend over 170 kilometres of desert and mountain terrain. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that the Neom project will ultimately house nine million people.