Linking peace to development

SINGAPORE's legendary Prime Minister and master builder, Lee Kuan Yew, has been quoted saying that he was guided more by the principle of fairness rather than welfare considerations in his development plans for the flourishing entrepot state of South-East Asia. Here is food for thought indeed.

To be sure, the inability of this country's central authorities in the past to abide by the principle of fairness in the allocation of State resources and in the opening-up of economic opportunities among Sri Lanka's ethnic groups, contributed in no small measure towards the generation of the country's wasting woes.

However there is no denying that a substantial number of our countrymen are wilting in poverty and measures need to be launched on a sustained basis to ease their lot even as the State goes energetically about the task of finding a political solution to our ethnic issue - a prime product of unfair treatment of some sections.

The public could be glad, therefore, that poverty alleviation and economic growth are receiving equal attention by the State. For instance, we had the news yesterday that the Samurdhi subsidy will be increased by 50 percent from this month, with the poorest of the poor being targeted in this program.

Simultaneously, Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was quoted saying that the eight percent economic growth, targeted in the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto is now achievable on account of the success recorded in the State-LTTE ceasefire talks.

The Deputy Finance Minister said that the growing economy would receive a further boost with the resumption of the peace process, paving the way for stepped-up foreign investment and enhanced productivity and employment.

It is encouraging to note that a sense of balance and proportion is playing a key role in running the local economy but special care would also be needed to ensure from now on that economic benefits are distributed evenly among Sri Lanka's regions.

This would need to be done, disregarding ethnic and language divisions. This would prove a key confidence-building measure in the peace effort. That said, it would need to be emphasized that even within Southern Sri Lanka redistributive justice would need to take pride of place to ensure that equitable development becomes a reality and the wealth gap between the rich and the power closes steadily.

Until these plans bear fruit, the poorest of the poor would need to be succoured along the way and the Samurdhi scheme consistently implemented.

However, there is no ducking the fact that the Samurdhi scheme is only an aid to economic betterment.

At some point the poor would need to stand on their own feet and this would be greatly facilitated by economic justice or equitable development in the country.

Development is inextricably linked with the peace process. In degree to the proportion to which the conflict is resolved, more financial resources could be injected into development.