Sri Lanka's Finance Minister vows to press ahead with liberalisation as 2018 budget passes

by Thusiyan
Dec 13, 2017

Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera vowed to press ahead with liberalising Sri Lanka’s economy and ending what he termed a “nanny-state”, as parliament passed the 2018 budget this week.

In a speech delivered to the parliament, Mr Samaraweera said “for too long our people have been suppressed by an overbearing state and by archaic legislation which are a vestigial link to our colonial past.”

“The Budget focuses on liberalization to unlock the barriers to greater investment, trade, and start-up enterprises,” he added. “There are many who pontificate on the need for Sri Lanka to break away from the forces of globalization and to chart an independent path. But little do they realize that many of our major laws and legislation are still those designed by our former colonial rulers. We remain tied to this colonial legacy and continue to be governed by those diktats.”

He also pledged that his government “will not be a nanny state”.

As part of the move, Mr Samaraweera added that there was a need to liberalise Sri Lanka’s shipping industry “to encourage an environment of healthy competition” by “eliminating unfair trade practices by enacting prudent regulation”. 

However, last month the move was opposed by Sri Lanka's Ports Minister, SLFP MP Mahinda Samarasinghe. “We will discuss the modalities of implementation of these proposals with Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, while taking note of his concerns,” said Mr Samaraweera.

The budget was passed with 155 in favour, 56 against in the 225-member parliament.

It will see Sri Lanka face its highest debt repayment in the next two years, with Reuters reporting that Colombo is “in the process enacting legislation to borrow more than the annual budget limit to prevent a possible sovereign debt crisis”.

Sri Lanka also proposed increasing its budget allocation towards defence to USD1.9 billion (LKR290.7 billion) in proposals to parliament. The increase in spending makes the defence budget the top expenditure for Sri Lanka. The second highest expenditure will be interest costs to pay interest on loans taken out to finance previous deficits.

See the full text of his address here.

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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