Tuesday, 4  March 2003  
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A mutually - beneficial "Passage to India"

In this era of interdependent growth, it is gladdening to learn of the plans of the political leadership of India and Sri Lanka to link the two countries through an elaborate road network. Describing these plans as "good news for India and even better news for Sri Lanka," Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had gone on to explain how a road network of these proportions which would link vital regions of India and Sri Lanka, would benefit both countries.

If all goes well, this road network would one day link Hambantota, in Sri Lanka's deep South with Mumbai, India's commercial capital. In its initial stages, the scheme will ensure the construction of the Colombo-Matara highway. Next, work would get under way to link Matara with Hambantota. The connection to the North will be from Colombo to Mannar and from thence to Southern India, through a bridge which will run across the Palk Strait. Apparently, this road network will be eventually expanded to cover South-East and Eastern Sri Lanka as well.

That this practicable bridge-building exercise would strengthen economic and trade ties between India and Sri Lanka is plain to see.

Since the proposed road network would be linking some of Sri Lanka's most vital ports on its Western, Southern and Eastern coasts, besides facilitating a "Passage to India," our subcontinental neighbour would be in a position to access these ports and despatch its goods expeditiously to world markets because of Sri Lanka's strategic location at an important intersection of busy sea lanes.

Such links are bound to have ripple effects on the local economy, along these trading routes, with a multitude of enterprises and services springing-up in the adjacent countryside to complement and support the emerging trading and business arrangements. Sri Lanka could also explore the exciting possibility of penetrating the vast and variegated Indian market with its manufactures and exportable goods.

Besides the strengthening of Indo-Lanka economic and business links to the benefit of both countries, we could be glad that these visionary plans would also help vastly in facilitating our economic development plans for Sri Lanka's deep South. Queries have been raised in some quarters about equitable development, particularly in the current context of rejuvenating the economy of North-East Sri Lanka.

Since, the announced road development plans would have the effect of galvanizing the economic forces of Southern Sri Lanka, a degree of equitable development could be expected in the deep South as well. This is vital if the rumblings and the disaffection in Southern Sri Lanka is to be defused. For instance, a Free Trade Zone, in Hambantota is bound to bring about more job opportunities for our Southern youths.

With poverty in the deep South being thus looked after to a degree, economic grievances stand a lesser risk of being exploited by disgruntled political elements who are now hell-bent on clinging on to any tenuous allegation of unfairness.

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