“As a Nation suffering from false pride and baseless standards, we expect the ‘wise men’ to give counsel. Those wise men circle around the teachings that glow as the remaining embers of the fire that was once giving light as well as the warmth and made all feel comfortable. What all of them forgot to understand was that the whole system was growing in a visibly very lively spiral that did not stop emanating a kind of ales adding fairly on to the existing levels. We call it inflation and always try to pacify that there is no reason to panic.”
PROBLEM OF FOREIGN CURRENCY
When our Rupee has crashed we should have looked into other avenues without bleating about what is not there. If we could make most of what has to be imported, then we do not need that kind of hard currency. We could have seen to it that people had things to eat.
The recent economic catastrophe we were forced to experience was not something that can be treated as normal and natural. We could have done better, if our wise guys could become more realistic as simple farmers, without chirping on calculations, we could have easily understood that what mattered in Sri Lanka was the cost of food. The first wave of positive signs could have come as the harvest of a new crop. A crash programme to grow some crops would have brought in results. Not as the Best Yields but as something additional.
Even if we take CORONA/COVID-19 and the ECONOMIC Crash as the culprits, the reality is not that much hidden. Forget the best yields, what we must have is more land under food cultivation.
To start a Cultivation Cycle we will take more time. But to solve the foreign currency, in such a world like ours, with such advanced telecommunication facilities, what we shall need is only logical thinking. How many of our wise guys are aware of facilities already available?
We can be friends of all the countries and not enemies of any.
Why can’t we see the opportunities and find out how to make use of them.
I am a realistic Sri Lankan. I belong to Sri Lanka, a very small country where we have created problems only. We get bogged down in other problems and international political issues. What is preventing us from maintaining ourselves as a truly neutral country? Or problems are in our minds only. If we are patriotic, we will not allow anything wrong to happen. At the same time, if we are truly friendly and do not take sides, the chances of us getting threatened are also less.
How many of us know that for our foreign exchange problem and surplus earnings we have one big answer. As a single person I was trying to attract attention from the decision makers. After this, there may be many new veterans coming to talk about this.
THE ANSWER
The answer is
# 9802- FOREIGN ASSEMBLY OF U.S. COMPONENTS- the facility which has been there for more than twenty years now and it was known as 807 prior to that.
American History is as old as their Textile Industry. The well known American Fabric -the INDIGO Denim used in Five Pocket Jeans is still being produced there, but at a smaller volume because, when I heard that ARIND MILLS in India is the world’s largest Denim manufacturer I could not believe it.
What we have to do is to start talking to U.S. authorities and offer production space for the garments manufacturing based on fabric and accessories of U.S. origin.
That has a variety of complications but are very easy to resolve. How many large factories can we start here?
Forget new factories, just start rehabilitating the closed down factories within two to three months, all or foreign exchange problems can be solved.
How many factories did we have as BOI? And how many are left now? Why did they fail? It was because Sri Lanka became the ‘Shock Absorber’ for the orders.
It is really disgusting to note that the ‘Wise Guys’ have no idea about such good things.
They believe in increasing taxes.
Taxes will increase prices, and prices will increase Cost of Living and then the labour costs shall become high and discourage buyers. And the wise guys are talking about bringing the economy to a fast track.
That will be the end of Sri Lankan suffering.
This facility does not apply only to readymade garments manufacturing. It can be anywhere in manufacturing. The simplest and the most important at this moment, is the readymade garments manufacturing.
Imagine how far reaching can it be! We must not be entangled in ‘Geopolitics’. Let’s be friends for both the United States as well as for the Russian Federation.
The first reaction shall come from India. Because by the volume of garments made of United States fabrics the Indian Orders shall be affected. But it shall be for the 03% of Sri Lankan garments based on Indian Orders only.
We must not antagonize Indian buyers but for the sake of keeping Indian buyers happy are we to suffer?
Let's be realistic. But at the sametime, let us be wise enough to understand what is good for Sri Lanka.
Add new comment