Lesson to Opposition: Negative Vs positive strategies
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| Tourists arrivals on the increase. File photo |
Sri Lanka is now witnessing the development in terms of economic and social welfare. The progress of the tourist sector can be seen in recent years. In tourist sector it can be seen the progress in recent years. Sri Lanka has been ranked as the number one tourist destination by the New York Times in its list of ‘31 Places to Go in 2010’. At the same time, Daily Candy, a luxury-living website, has devoted it entire travel issue to Sri Lanka, telling readers that “you’ll be roaming the South for adventure (elephant safaris), history (colonial fort towns, old Buddhist temples), rain forests (and mountains and tea plantations) and gorgeous beaches. It’s pretty much the best place we’ve ever been”.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) recently predicted around 500,000 tourists would have headed to Sri Lanka by the end of this year while the Sri Lankan Government has announced plans to welcome 2.5 million visitors a year and add a further 25,000 hotel rooms nationwide by 2016.This is about development.
IMF programs
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said recently that Sri Lanka was among some countries that have shown an improved economic climate and outlook. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Director, Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF, said economic activity has accelerated in many of Asia’s low-income countries, thanks to higher external demand, strong investment in the commodities sector, and also, accommodative macroeconomic policies. “We are seeing in some countries that have been supported by IMF programs, a markedly improved outlook, such as in Sri Lanka and Mongolia,” he said. Moreover Sri Lanka was elevated to a Middle Income Emerging Market status country by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Further Sri Lanka ranked as the eighth fastest growing economy in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the United States. The EIU said that Sri Lanka’s economic growth would be second only to China.
According to a report Sri Lanka would record a 6.3 percent GDP growth rate that is second only to China, which will record 8.6 percent in the Asian region. Interestingly Sri Lanka’s stock market has been ranked the second-best in the world. Last week Sri Lanka’s Laugfs Gas initial public offering of shares worth a total of Rs 2.5 billion was oversubscribed on Thursday, a few hours after opened for subscription.
Town development
According to economists the ‘Fivefold Global Hub project (naval, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge hub) will be the engine driving the economy forward, pulling the agriculture, services and industry sectors along. They were in the view that maximum benefits must to be accrued to the local economy in the process. Sri Lanka is the country which is always famous for her uniqueness of achieving objectives.
The town development of main cities with infrastructure development can be seen across the country. Though there is a debate in recently introduced program on ‘Wheat terrorism’ a clear message is communicating to the general public on the nutrition value of food which they consumed. Recently it has reported that around 1,800 doughnuts sell within a matter of 30 minutes at three leading Colombo school canteens.
Accordingly 4.2 percent of students below 16 years of age, 4.4 percent of them between 16 years and 18 and 9.8 percent of them between 18 and 22 years have diabetes.
After the State started a campaign to discourage the consumption of wheat-flour based foods there can be seen the decrease in wheat consumption throughout the country and an increased awareness especially among schoolchildren on bad food habits.
Guinness Record
In the light of this development the role of the Opposition cannot be underestimated. We can now see that ‘negative strategies’ are been adopted by the Opposition in Sri Lanka.
It is all about protest campaigns, demonstrations etc. But this writer would like to recommend ‘positive strategies’ for the Opposition to win in the long run. That is not merely supporting the Government. That is supporting the nation, supporting the country. It should be the better way to understand the needs and wants of the most important vote base in the country.
As an example the JVP can extend its support to reduce wheat floor consumption by conducting conferences and by using its strategically competitive advanced poster campaign.
Furthermore Sri Lanka plans to create a Guinness Record with massive tree planting campaign to mark the beginning of the second term of Office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Deyata Sevana National Tree Planting Program that was held on November 15, 1.1 million trees were planted islandwide within 11 minutes on the day.
A large number of schoolchildren participated in the tree planting campaign. It is a duty for Opposition also to support this campaign. Even UNP can also start a massive tree planting campaign (even more than 1.1 million) next September 6 to commemorate its 65th birthday. That is a positive strategy in a political sense. For the Annual IL Maha Viru Samaruwa (November heroes commemoration) of the JVP, it can organize some educational programs for schoolchildren (O-L and A-L), workshops for small businesses and entrepreneurs etc. to develop their skills, knowledge and competencies.
This will be in keeping with their main political motto as well. That should be the way the country should move forward. What we seen now is mere protesting to satisfy their own political segments. But there is a real need from the Opposition to help Sri Lanka (not the Government) to win and this will strategically help them come to power in the future.
