{"id":18965,"date":"2013-03-24T06:17:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-24T10:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=18965"},"modified":"2013-03-24T07:51:28","modified_gmt":"2013-03-24T11:51:28","slug":"ethno-religious-forces-have-invaded-and-distorted-the-functioning-of-the-market-place-in-a-completely-irrational-way-dayan-jayatilleka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=18965","title":{"rendered":"Ethno Religious Forces Have Invaded and Distorted the Functioning of the Market Place in a Completely Irrational way-Dayan Jayatilleka"},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/p>\n

Quintus Perera<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Protest in Maharagama-Jan 2013-pic courtesy of: gossiplankanews.com<\/p><\/div>\n

S<\/strong>ri Lanka\u2019s loss at this week\u2019s UN vote in Geneva and religious intrusion into the market place was the main focus of a discussion on Monday organized by the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC).The club is sponsored by Etisalat.<\/p>\n

In all the crises building up in Sri Lanka, the Government appeared to be \u2018sleeping\u2019 and weak in its responses, panellists said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Opening the discussion on Sri Lanka\u2019s short-term future in \u201cPolitics, Economics and Astrology\u201d, political scientist, writer and former diplomat Dayan Jayatillake said Sri Lanka would lose the US-backed resolution in Geneva on Sri Lanka by more votes than in 2012. (On Thursday, the resolution was passed with a majority of 12 votes against nine in 2012).<\/p>\n

He said for the first time in post independent Sri Lanka, ethno-religious forces have invaded the market place and exemplified it with a reference to the \u2018Halal\u2019 issue, which had distorted the functioning of the market place in a completely irrational way.<\/p>\n

The most surprising (but not surprising to a few) comment came from well-known astrologer Piyasena Rathuwithana who said that planetary movements would affect the world, the country and the political leaders.<\/p>\n

According to these changes, the Opposition Leader would become the second citizen in the country (after October), he said.<\/p>\n

The comment threw a cynical response in the form of a question from Dr Jayatillake to Mr. Rathuwithana. \u201cIsn\u2019t the Opposition Leader already the second citizen,\u201d asked the former ambassador to France and earlier the Geneva-based UN, who yesterday (March 23) launched his latest book \u2018Long War, Cold Peace\u2019.<\/p>\n

The unique discussion held at the club\u2019s host hotel, the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, also included Laxman Siriwardene, Executive Director, Pathfinder Foundation who said there was unlikely to be any major changes in the economy this year but noted that there should be more focus towards private sector. Expressing concern over the level of corruption, he said that between 1956 and 1977 the corruption in the country has been at retail level but after 1977 it has grown to wholesale level.<\/p>\n

He also expressed concern over the emergence of hardline Buddhist groups interfering in the marketplace. Mr. Rathuwithana\u2019s comments drew interest and some hilarious moments particularly because lots of decisions in Sri Lanka \u2013 even economic ones \u2013 are made on astrological predictions. He analyzed the recent history of the world vis–vis Sri Lanka and noted how these planetary movements affected the world and how there were good time and bad times. He said that according to these movements Sri Lanka is moving towards stability.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jayatillake said that a successful economy should have integrated production, an integrated market and an integrated workforce.<\/p>\n

Ethno-religious fanaticism now raising its head would infuse fear that would defuse the economic integration. He asserted that these \u2018extra-economic\u2019 factors and the cartelization of resources and power would have a serious debilitating effect on the economy.<\/p>\n

It would be worst when one considers that these extra-economic activities have state patronage, which in his view would not bring happy prospects to the country.<\/p>\n

The vote against Sri Lanka would have spiraling repercussions on Sri Lanka and its economy particularly in trade, garment exports investment and migrant worker remittances, he said.<\/p>\n

It would be both a barometer of Sri Lanka\u2019s standing in the world and also a bill of health by the world system.
\nCountries like Vietnam and Myanmar which had worst situations than Sri Lanka were able to draw much more foreign investment than Sri Lanka, he said adding that the Commonwealth summit is another hurdle to overcome.<\/p>\n

\u201cApart from Geneva and the Commonwealth Summit there are many small things against Sri Lanka happening in many parts of the world, all of which affects the country,\u201d the former diplomat said. One of the hallmarks of prosperity of a country \u2013 a better middle-class \u2013 is not apparent in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

Taking a dig at the United National Party, Dr. Jayatillake said Sri Lanka\u2019s impasse in politics is because the political market place is not competitive.<\/p>\n

He said that in the corporate sector if a company makes losses for 18 years it would be suicidal and the management would be pinned to the wall by its shareholders and the head removed. But such monopolistic political bankruptcy is visible in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

Monopoly in the political market place in Sri Lanka is rampant, he asserted. Therefore his bitter concoction to remedy the ills of the country is to restore the equilibrium in politics by making the political market place competitive once again. COURTESY:BUSINESS TIMES<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Quintus Perera Sri Lanka\u2019s loss at this week\u2019s UN vote in Geneva and religious intrusion into the market place was the main focus of a discussion on Monday organized by the Sunday Times Business Club (STBC).The club is sponsored by Etisalat. In all the crises building up in Sri Lanka, the Government appeared to …<\/p>\n

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