Sustainability through good governance
Clearing
the land and growing of tea in areas around our most valued virgin
rainforest and natural heritage of the Sinharaja, is observed and
reported to cause changes in the forest’s climatic conditions.
At
a time when we seek long-term sustainable growth, even minor impacts on
the Singharaja in particular and our other forests would be a sure
recipe for disaster. Such negative impacts should not be thought of as
being minor, for they are irreversible.
We must not forget that trees, forests and the water resources they
generate to be the very essence of life itself. While some are actively
working to reforest areas linking patches of rainforests to bring them
to life again, there are others who are in it for the short-term,
seeking fast riches in logging, dealing in rare genes or encroaching
with unsuitable modes of land use.
There is talk of thousands of acres of land in the East being cleared
of its forest cover, in a reported attempt to establish large cashew and
other fruit plantations, even creating a tussle between the centre and
the province.
While we discuss these as issues of governance and attempt to
determine whose right it is to allocate land and benefit from it, it
will be prudent for the highest in the land to immediately put a stop to
any felling of trees outside of a very tight and well-managed forestry
and plantation plan for all of Sri Lanka.
Need to minimise uncertainty
Long years ago as a student of conservation economics, I learnt that
the most effective instrument available to ensure long-term sustainable
development is to minimize uncertainty. While a certain degree of
uncertainty will always prevail, what governments, policy makers,
strategic planners and project implementers should strive to do, we were
taught; is to guide policies to strengthen the belief people have of
their institutions and governance structures, to give them a sense of
security and a genuine feeling of being in it for the long-term.
The President has hinted that he will seek a fresh mandate from the
people around November this year, to enable establish a more effective
and desirable base to minimize uncertainties prevalent in the current
institutions, structures and instruments of governance.
Thus it is fair to assume, that there will be a relatively high
degree of uncertainty created among some of those exercising influence
in the current governance structures within the next few months, leading
to attempts at seeking shortcut ways to riches. It is possible that such
a situation would denude our natural resource base rapidly, even
resulting in irreversible outcomes. Having proper safeguards in place to
avoid such a situation should therefore also be a prioritised
initiative.
A new beginning
We have ended 30 years of deep uncertainty and paved the way for
establishing a lasting peace, though a lot more hard and determined work
needs to be done on that front.
We now also have the good news of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
loan facility being made available this week, after a long drawn
process. The rationale for it to be given to Sri Lanka, with the backing
of the majority of IMF member countries, is because the world sees the
potential of this nature rich land to rebuild itself to where it
deserves to be.
Moving beyond the negative expectations of many, the loan facility
will now give us, as a nation, the ability to clear up obligations and
focus on issues beyond those of short-term survival of the economy.
Our leadership can now confidently work on minimising uncertainty by
strengthening its mandate, stabilising institutions of governance at all
levels, resettling all internally displaced Sri Lankans, taking on
long-term infrastructure building, shaping our education, effective
establishment of the rule of law, ensuring security, safety and freedom
of expression for all citizens and better management and conservation of
our resources. It should give us the ability as a nation to work on the
sustainable development model we seek, where widest possible
participation of the people in development will be sought.
While the dominant growth models of the world focused on the creation
of wealth faster though the entrepreneurship of a class that held
exclusive access to capital resources, there is the alternative possible
of a slower but a more profound and sustainable model that is based on
enhancing the productivity and empowerment of the many.
Given the unprecedented challenges the world faces today of global
warming, food and water crisis, increased poverty, a depressed economy,
ageing of population and frequent incidence of pandemics, it is indeed
time that we looked at alternative ways of facing them.
The need perhaps is to stop galloping in unreal spaces of glitzy ways
of living to getting closer to the real spaces of nature through prudent
management of our water, soil, forest, renewable energy and people
resources.
The emphasis in the current model articulated by the leadership in
Sri Lanka has been an inclusive and regionally equitable model of
development, which can and must take a shape and form unique to Sri
Lanka. This need not mean a closed or a protected economy the likes of
that we saw in the 70s. It can be a model based on the principles of a
sufficiency economy, where the theory of comparative advantage for
global resource allocation in production, taught in the conventional
economics curriculum in our universities, may need to be re-evaluated.
Need to listen
Most of us also need to listen to, read and understand the various
policy directions our President as Head of State has articulated. Some
of the thoughts may seem alien or even irrational to those among us, who
are accustomed to now dominant growth models and have not paused to
think of the possibility of alternatives.
In my mind, this situation is further aggravated by the dichotomy we
face in having a duality in our media communication presentations that
predominantly shape our thinking. As a follower of bi-lingual media
exposure both in the print and electronic forms, I see almost two
different faces of Sri Lanka presented in the Sinhala and English media.
While I regret not being able to make this determinant on the Tamil
media, it perhaps is a similar situation.
Holding Accountable
Why we must dwell deep, understand and envision the thoughts of our
leadership, with open minds and without prejudice, is to enable us not
only to critique, share and support a shared vision and direction, but
more importantly, to hold the Head of State, other people’s
representatives and the government machinery responsible and accountable
for its effective delivery of sustainable development through good
strong governance at all times.
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