BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

Economic backwardness in Sri Lanka had been a part of life of Sri Lankans since the era of homo sapiens and rulers in the country from time to time have been able to introduce new policies or to reform the existing policies with a view to generating productivity. In Britain there was a saying Churchill for war and Atley for peace. Rajapaksa regime did a good job for eliminating the ethnic based war but they failed in economic development and using good management policies for the economic controls as their family associates did many corrupt works. The country needs fundamental macroeconomic policies and policy makers need to identify them and advise the public to consistently work with such policies. However, many talking against Rajapaksa regime could not prove and they were just talking only.

Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe must direct to control the population of the country. Sri Lanka should have only 15 million and this requirement has been subjected since late 1950s but it was not achieved by the country. What the government done was ignoring fundamental requirement being engaged in irrelevant issues. If Sri Lanka has a good population plan to maintain 15 million population it can achieve many macroeconomic targets such as excess budget, good balance of payment and trade balance, attract more and more foreign investments. The president needs to identify fundamental macroeconomic problems and control issues primarily with a lower population.

In Sri Lanka, ethnic groups and religious groups press to increase own population and create many economic problems and encourage to maintain economic backwardness. If Sri Lanka has 15 million total population it would be a better country in Asia with a strong macroeconomic condition. According to this advice, Sri Lanka needs to reduce the total population by seven million which include all age groups.

The policy of Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe needs to give priority to reduce population and improve macroeconomic conditions of the country. Internationally this situation may be a hinder for begging foreign aids but it would be strengthening the economic power of the country.