Singapore at 60: Prosperity with Purpose

“The economic progress of a country is ultimately measured not by the wealth of the few, but by the dignity of the many.” — Amartya Sen

Singapore, the small but mighty city-state, marked its 60th anniversary of independence—SG60—just yesterday. Once a sleepy port when Sir Stamford Raffles set his sights there in 1819, it has blossomed into a global financial powerhouse. Much of that transformation stems from the unwavering vision of Lee Kuan Yew, a leader who admired Sri Lanka’s potential as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” but was disheartened by its ethnic turbulence. He anchored his leadership on two pillars: fostering racial harmony and stamping out corruption—moves that elevated Singapore from stagnation to prosperity while many neighbors lagged. This prompts a deeper question: in today’s uncertain world of geopolitical tensions, economic shocks, and rising living costs—how does a small, open nation like Singapore preserve social dignity while pushing forward?

Addressing the Acute Rural Water Shortage Crisis in Tamil Villages - Analysis and Solutions for 2025

Batticaloa District (மட்டக்களப்பு): Addressing the Acute Rural Water Shortage Crisis in Tamil Villages - Analysis and Solutions for 2025

Date: July 28, 2025
Prepared For: District Secretariat Batticaloa, Ministry of Water Supply, Development Partners, Local Authorities, Community Leaders
Prepared By: S.Thanigaseelan

Executive Summary:
Batticaloa District, particularly its rural Tamil villages, faces a severe and worsening water scarcity crisis driven by climate variability, geological constraints, deteriorating infrastructure, salinity intrusion, and management challenges. Existing data from 2020-2025 confirms alarming trends: prolonged dry periods exceeding 8 months annually in coastal areas, groundwater salinity exceeding safe limits (often >1500 µS/cm) in over 60% of tested coastal wells, and significant seasonal water access deficits affecting 70-80% of rural households. Without urgent, coordinated, and context-specific interventions, this crisis will escalate, threatening health, livelihoods, food security, and social stability. This report analyzes the root causes, presents key findings, and proposes a multi-pronged, practical solution framework focused on rainwater harvesting enhancement, managed aquifer recharge, targeted desalination, infrastructure rehabilitation, robust governance, and community empowerment for implementation in 2025 and beyond.

Beyond Data: Listening to the Heartbeats of a Community

Kilinochchi, in the northern reaches of Sri Lanka, is a place where the soil remembers. For decades, it bore witness to war — to the sound of shells instead of laughter, to empty homes instead of bustling courtyards, to silence heavy with loss. When the conflict finally ended, the land was quiet, but it was not at peace. Families returned to broken homes, missing loved ones, and futures that seemed uncertain.

Forging Sri Lanka's Enterprise AI Strategy Amidst Global Currents

The global surge in artificial intelligence (AI) presents not merely an opportunity, but an imperative for nations like Sri Lanka. While the narrative often centres on economic leaps in giants like India or China, the critical challenge for smaller, developing economies lies in harnessing AI's transformative power resiliently. This demands a strategy acutely aware of inherent vulnerabilities, infrastructural constraints, and the paramount need for inclusive, ethical deployment. As someone deeply immersed in development economics and policy formulation, having navigated complex international and national governance landscapes, I contend that Sri Lanka’s enterprise AI journey must prioritise strategic resilience above raw speed. The projected economic impact – often cited optimistically, though precise, consistently verified figures for Sri Lanka circa 2035 remain elusive in authoritative public sources – hinges entirely on this foundation.

Tariffs Hobble Sri Lanka: A Critical Policy Analysis of Economic and Social Strain

Sri Lanka’s recent trade policy narrative is overshadowed by escalating tariffs that have severely impeded its economic revival and threatened social stability. Central among these are dramatically high U.S. import duties—approximately 44 percent—on key export commodities, including garments, rubber, and agricultural products. Discipline from global and domestic data, including World Bank, WITS, and CEIC, affirms that such protectionist measures stifle GDP growth, surge poverty rates, and expose Sri Lanka to structural vulnerabilities. This detailed analysis, drawing on credible data, case comparisons, and best practices, critically examines the ongoing tariff phenomenon, its implications, and offers policy pathways to restore economic resilience and equitable growth.

Context and Empirical Overview

Since peaking above 30 percent in the 1990s, Sri Lanka’s applied average tariffs have gradually declined to 4.43 percent in 2015 (CEIC/World Bank). Nonetheless, select duties—especially on imports like petroleum—inflation-adjusted, remain punitive, with maximum duties exceeding 600 percent . Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s trade-to-GDP ratio stood at just 46.5 percent in 2022, signifying moderate global integration .

Harnessing AI for Inclusive Growth: S.T. Thanigaseelan on Sri Lanka’s Path to a Smarter Economy

Exclusive Interview with S.T. Thanigaseelan (S.T.S), Development Economist & Policy Strategist: “AI Can Add Up to 1.8% to Sri Lanka’s Annual GDP Growth by 2030—But Only If We Move Now”

As the world races towards an AI-driven future, Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal point where strategic adoption could either accelerate economic recovery or widen existing gaps. S.Thanigaseelan (S.T.S), speaks to us about the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence on Sri Lanka’s economic landscape, highlighting both the opportunities and the pitfalls.

Q: How significant is the economic potential of AI for Sri Lanka’s long-term growth trajectory?

S.T.S: The economic potential of AI for Sri Lanka is profound—if it is guided by strategic policy alignment, targeted investment, and inclusive governance. Projections based on regional comparatives and World Bank modelling suggest that AI could contribute between 1.5% to 1.8% to Sri Lanka’s annual GDP growth rate by 2030, amounting to approximately $8 billion in cumulative economic value over the next five years. AI adoption could also catalyze productivity gains of 15–25% across key sectors such as agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, and public services. However, this growth will not be automatic—it requires deliberate action in building digital infrastructure, investing in human capital, and aligning our legal-regulatory frameworks with emerging technologies.

Sri Lanka's MSMEs Navigating the Enduring Ripple Effects of US Tariff Policies

Introduction: Beyond the Thunderclap – A Persistent Challenge

The initial "tariff thunder" unleashed by the Trump administration between 2018 and 2020, targeting goods primarily from China but creating significant global trade uncertainty and collateral damage, may seem like a historical footnote. However, for Sri Lanka's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those embedded in global value chains or reliant on the vital US market, the repercussions are far from over. While the most aggressive phase of tariffs has moderated under the Biden administration, the structural shifts in trade policy, persistent geopolitical tensions, and the amplified focus on "friend-shoring" and resilience mean Sri Lankan MSMEs continue to operate in an environment profoundly shaped by those earlier decisions. This analysis critically examines the enduring impact on Sri Lanka's MSME sector, drawing exclusively on verifiable data and established economic principles, and proposes concrete, actionable pathways forward grounded in development economics and real-world best practices.