Is Sri Lanka at the crossroads ….. An economic, social and political perspective of the country – By Aubrey Joachim
As the delayed UL309 touched down at Katunayake from Singapore my sense of elation intensified. I was visiting Sri Lanka after nearly 6 years. What was I to expect? My mental images were influenced by the pictures and videos seen on various media platforms during the pandemic, the lead-up to the aragalaya and its aftermath as well as the local and global news and financial press. Over the recent past a number of very enticing video blogs promoting the country’s tourist attractions and mouth-watering street food markets have also surfaced on the web. So too have Lankan lifestyle and reality entertainment shows added to the complexity. One clue to apparent economic conditions was looking out of the window on the landing approach and seeing the bright lights of the city of Colombo in the distance, well lit houses, roads and highways. Having experienced 100’s of night landings at Katunayake over 40 plus years, this was a feature that starkly stood out. This potpourri of data and imagery added to my excitement.
Stepping out of the aircraft and walking the air-bridge and the terminal towards border control did not give me hope. Nothing had changed for over 10 years. The officers were as despondent as I remembered them to be – even more so. The large numbers at the departure gates seemed to indicate what is well known and what I was to ratify later during my stay – people are leaving in droves.
The highway drive from the airport was as I remembered it to be – until the approach to the Kelaniya intersection when suddenly many brightly illuminated exits led to various other highways that have been in the making over the last 6 years. Some areas can be compared to Bangkok with criss-crossing elevated highways. As one crosses the high point of the Kelani bridge the lighted up Colombo skyline of brand new apartments, office complexes and other buildings greet the eye. My minds images are being re-calibrated. The approach to the Cinnamon Grand hotel goes through Fort, Echelon Square and Galle Face esplanade. This area is unrecognisable from even 5 years ago. A glance towards Colombo Port reminds one of Singapore with giant cranes and ships brazenly illuminated – the same lights seen from the landing aircraft. It is not surprising that Colombo Port is the 24th best port in the world! And, the brightly lit lotus flower of the Lotus Tower hangs in the night sky and can be seen from within a 5 kilometer radius.
A walk on Galle Face Green the next morning further adds to the awe. Panning 180 degrees from the Kingsbury end to the Galle Face Hotel end one gives an idea of how much development has taken place. A number of buildings clutter the once empty skyline. The Hilton and Galadari hotels are now dwarfed by the many structures around it. The Shangrila and a new Chinese luxury hotel must certainly provide a fantastic view from the ocean. The 6-star Cinnamon Lifestyle Hotel and office complex is due to open shortly. Every major hotel chain – and others – are now in Colombo. Walking towards the Cinnamon Grand I am overtaken by every vehicle brand on the planet – and of course the signature tuk-tuks. By all indications this is not a bankrupt nation. It defies every known economic theory. What is going on? Parallel economies at play?
The Colombo 5-star hotels are teeming with – mostly – Indian tourists with the breakfast restaurants looking more like an Indian bazaar. The local Colombo populace patronise the posh restaurants in the evenings enjoying every brand of imported beverage and most hotels have live bands dishing out mostly western music. Securing a dining booking at short notice in any of the top Colombo restaurants is near impossible. Colombo’s latest fad – the revolving restaurant atop the Lotus Tower does not have weekend reservations for weeks ahead. Traffic in the city and surroundings is merciless for most parts of the day. The proportion of ‘luxury’ vehicles on the roads will outdo Sydney. An evening outside the Cinnamon Grand foyer will prove this. My confusion deepens!
While the capital Colombo gives the impression of a country doing well – unless one delves deeper into the lives of the people – the rural areas do not paint such a good picture supporting the latest World Bank data that 25% of the population live below the poverty line. Tourist spots such as Nuwara Eliya, Ella and the South are teeming with foreigners – mainly Eastern Europeans with plane loads of Russians arriving on 4 times a week Rossiya Airlines flights each carrying 450 plus tourists. These tourist hot spots also see English, Australian, Canadian and other tourists – perhaps the Youtube travel vlogs are having their desired effects. Stopping by at a supermarket in Ella one could have been fooled that one had visited a Tesco Metro outlet in the UK. Every desired imported product was available – at a price of course and not in any way meant for locals. Of course every town has a familiar green-façade Liquor store which from my observation is always patronised even at 9 p.m. mostly by locals! Almost all roads are of a high standard – and clean. A talking point of many tourists. More clean public toilets, especially at tourist hot-spots such as the World Famous Nine Arches Bridge, are a dire necessity.
One common feature speaking to staff at the various hotels I stayed at was their inquiry as to migration and employment opportunities in our countries of domicile. In fact, some enterprising young people are exploring every avenue to undertake Master’s degrees or PhD’s overseas – just to leave the shores of Lanka. Not surprising that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment recorded 74,499 departures in the first three months on 2024!
My many rides in Tuk-Tuks was mainly to feel the pulse of the nation. So too was every opportunity speaking with shop-keepers, street side vendors and friends. The main themes were common – cost of living, corruption, political incompetence and of course the forthcoming elections. The latter topic elicits opposing views from the Colombo elite and the working class and rural populace. This reflects what their expectations are. If the majority view is any indication, it is likely that a major change is to occur in who and how the country is governed.
While I am not a die-hard supporter of any political party in Sri Lanka – not enjoying the privilege of having a vote, it is hard not to recognise that the once ostracised JVP in combination with the NPP seems to be gaining support. Their articulate leaders have not only convinced many academics and professionals of the genuine change that they will bring about but recent visits by these leaders to global Sri Lankan diaspora as well as invitations by foreign governments and diplomats is an indication of recognition and acceptance. The fact that this emerging political force appears to even attempt opposing camps to possibly combine forces to ward off the unthinkable is a major development in Sri Lankan politics. What they could not do with swords and guns in the 70’s may perhaps be achieved at the ballot half a century on. The problem is that the opposing camps are fractured and divided even within themselves. And, for the most part are carrying a lot of political baggage from the past. Is this the system change that the masses were clamouring for? Such a prospect is unthinkable – especially for the chauffer driven, champagne and whiskey drinking elite who patronise the top end restaurants and clubs. What is to become of the lifestyle that they are settling into in this brief 5 minutes in the sun?
Irrespective of the political outcome later in the year, the dark economic clouds are not too far from the horizon. While the foreign employment remittances – nearly 1 Billion dollars in the first 2 months of this year – and the tourist dollars are encouraging, such numbers will be dwarfed by the many billions of interest and capital repayments that are required to get the country back on track.
It certainly does appear that Sri Lanka is at the crossroads of political, social and economic change. Only time will tell which direction it would choose to take. So far this pearl of the Indian ocean has withstood and survived many a troubled time – feudal wars, colonisation, insurrections, civil wars, natural disasters, political instability and corrupt leaders. It still survives. Let’s hope that for the current and future inhabitants of the country and many overseas diaspora who call Sri Lanka home that God looks with favour on this beautiful land that surely would have been His Garden of Eden.
The author is Sri Lankan born, lived in Dubai and London has been in Australia for over 30 years.
