TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES

ASOKA SENEVIRATNE USA

In the history of mankind smart people have always turned challenges into opportunities. In the developed West this is usually a common mantra. When diabetes became a worldwide issues entrepreneurs developed sugar free sweets which turned into a billion dollar industry. When the United States was dragged into the 2nd world war after undeclared bombing of Pearl harbor by the Japanese, the US began to develop its first modern day Naval Fleet as a necessity to counter German and Japanese aggression. In the initial stages the US ship builders made several blunders to the extent that some newly built ships never could sail the first time. But they eventually succeeded in making soccer field size aircraft carriers.

Despite embargoes, restrictions and bans the LTTE succeeded in assembling a few crude aircraft sophisticated enough to travel 400 miles each way and bomb the heart of the airforce. Tamils who were trained into this craft in the West helped to achieve this. While the LTTE is a brutal killing machine, one has to acknowledge that this is a major victory for their rag tag military.

What can the SL government learn from this or will they turn this challenge into their advantage? SL government should assemble a few Sri Lankans from around the world who has the expertise in the aircraft industry. Pay them comparable wages and benefits to work for the motherland. Have them assemble planes that can actually be used real aircraft for their military offensives in the North. Well, this is what leaders and leaderships are all about. Done with aggression and will power this should lead the way to the birth of a brand new industry. Of course the private sector should do this with government funding and incentives.

The expatriate Indians working all over the world were invited by the Indian Government to work in India and in return they were offered comparable wages so that they would actually return to India. This move played a major role in the gigantic economic successes of India today. Obviously this is a good model for Sri Lanka to follow.

Well, like everything else in the modern world, this will only succeed if spearheaded by driven and talented individuals; not by corrupt or old fashioned lethargic beauracrats. The President is well advised to think out of the box and infuse fresh talent into the fore. If the LTTE can do it hiding in the jungles, the SL government should be able to do it hundred times over with powerful allies on their side.