A vote of confidence

The endorsement by the World Bank of a lending package of US$ 900 million under the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) is certainly a thumbs-up for the Government in the context of the gloomy economic picture painted by various cassandras who were predicting looming sanctions in the coming days.

It is also a confidence vote in Sri Lanka despite the smear campaign carried out by various elements to blacken the image of the country.

That it is linked to the Government’s 10 year development plan under the Mahinda Chintanaya is also significant and could be considered as a stamp of approval on the development blueprint of the Government and also the positive social indices that influence aid.

The CAS has identified a wide gamut of areas for targeting such as rehabilitation of roads and irrigation networks, water supply, improving education, health and social safety nets and environmental protection.

The CAS plan covering the period 2008 to 2011 also seeks to improve the investment climate and competitiveness to encourage private sector investments and growth.

According to our main story in Saturday’s edition what is envisaged is a broad development thrust with particular emphasis on equitable development.

This gesture on the part of World Bank which had been portrayed as being unfriendly to Sri Lanka by vested interests is clearly an endorsement of the economic path pursued by the Government. It has also exploded the theory floated by certain elements that the ongoing military operations had hampered the aid flow to the country.

The alleged human rights violations heaped on the Government too had apparently not made an impression on the WB.

It is upto to the Government now to make best use of this largesse to forge ahead with its development plans. It should leave no room for waste and ensure the targets are attained within the specific time frame to bring expeditious benefits to the people.

It is hoped that this action by the World Bank will prove a catalyst for more aid flowing to the country and influence the EU to renew the GSP Plus facility to Sri Lanka that would ensure social stability vital for attaining our development goals.

SAARC unity through sport

The large army of Maldivian football fans who thronged the Sugathadasa Stadium on Saturday to cheer their country in the final against India has once against demonstrated the power of sports as a vehicle of interaction between peoples. It could also be a harbinger to more visits from our SAARC neighbours for sporting events in Sri Lanka and also reciprocal visits by Lankans to SAARC countries.

This while building brotherhood and good neighbourly relations could also go a long way in promoting fraternity and goodwill among the SAARC family.

The presence of President Mohammed Gayoom among the fans presented a picture of fellowship and camaraderie by a Head of State and his subjects which would not have been imagined in any other human endeavour save a sporting event.

Coming as it did on the eve of the SAARC summit to be hosted by Sri Lanka this promotion of brotherhood through sports we hope will engage the attention of leaders during their lengthy deliberations. The power of sports to pull down all walls of restrictions is only too well known to need elaboration.

So far all the resolutions made and vows taken to bring the SAARC family together have not made much headway other in the fields of trade and commerce. This hope could not have found better expression in the wild scenes and joy witnessed among the football fans of a SAARC country as witnessed on Saturday in another SAARC country.

SAARC leaders who will meet in Colombo in August should try the avenue of sports to get their people to interact more freely so that a lasting bond among the SAARC family could be forged.

It is hoped that upcoming summit would focus more on ways and means unifying people of the SAARC region by promoting more interaction. Such unity would lead to the strengthening of SAARC and make it a unifying force on the global stage.