‘‘GROUND VIEW’’ is a civil society initiative facilitated by the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) GROUNDV IEWMAY-JUNE 2008 Volume 1 No. 3 Bi-monthly Journal Rs. 50.00 -Anna Akhmatova Quoted by Dr.Neelan Tiruchelvam in the Budget Debate Nov.16,1998 page.........04 UNICEF page.........18 supported Tangalle Water page.........04 Supply Scheme completed page.........13 page.........22 Towards Creating a viable agricultural sector page.........15 page.........24 02 GROUNDV IEW NO 30/81 1/1, Longdon Place, Colombo 07, SriLanka Tel: (94-11)2506855, 2598415: Web: www.humanitarian-srilanka.org E- mail: [email protected] PREAMBLE For contributions, information and advertisements please contact: 0112598413 or 0112506855 Views expressed in Groundview are the contributors’ own and do not ALLIANCES CAN BE PERILOUS necessarily represent the opinions or The Ally Of Today May Be The Enemy Of Tomorrow policies of the CHA lliances formed on the basis may receive a double body, and the master wish to kill him, too.” Then Meat-Face peered of expediency will last only may prolong his life.” On hearing: this proposal, into Smart’s visage, as much as to say: “Come till one of the partners Spike-Ear said: “If that is possible, my friend, my now! Say something, so that he may calm decides that he is the only body shall be so devoted. Tell the master that down.” But Smart laughed and said: “Come, competent partner while this thing should be done. I stipulate only that come! You ate the camel’s heart all by yourself. Aothers are lulled in to the soothing illusion the Death-God be requested to guarantee the Why do you look at me?” of control of the anticipated benefits of bargain.” their joint enterprise. Therein lies a tale. Having made their decision they all went to And Meat-Face, hearing this, fled for his life, visit the lion, and Smart said: “0 King, we did making for another country. But when the lion In a part of a forest lived a lion named Thunder- not find a thing today, and the blessed sun is had pursued him a short distance, he turned Fang, with three counselors, a wolf, a jackal, already near his setting.” On hearing this, the back, thinking: ‘’He, too, is despicable creature. and a camel, whose names were Meat-Face, lion fell into deep despondency. Then Smart I must not kill him.” Smart, and Spike-Ear. One day he fought with a continued: “0 King, our friend Spike-Ear makes At this moment, as fate would have it, there furious elephant whose sharp-pointed tusk so this proposal: ‘If you call upon the Death-God came that way a great camel caravan, heavily tore his body that he withdrew from hunting. to guarantee the bargain, and if you render it laden, making a tremendous jingling with the Then, suffering from a seven-day fast, his body back with 100 per cent of interest, then I will bells tied to the camels’ necks. And when the lean with .hunger, he said to his famished give my body.’ “ “My good fellow,” answered the lion heard the jingle of the bells, loud even in advisers: “Round up some creature in the lion, “yours is a beautiful act. Let it be as you say.” the distance, he said to the jackal: “My good forest, so that, even in my present condition, I On the basis of this pact, Spike-Ear was struck fellow, fmd out what this horrible noise may may provide needed nourishment for you.” The down by the lion’s paw, his body was torn by be.” moment he issued his orders, they roamed the the wolf and the jackal, and he died. wood, but found nothing. On receiving this commission, Smart advanced Thereupon Smart reflected: “If Spike-Ear here Then Smart reflected: “How can I get him all to a little in the forest, then darted back, and cried were killed, then we should all be nourished for myself to eat?” With this thought in his mind, in great excitement: “Master! Run, if you can a few days. However, the master is kept from he noticed that the lion’s body was smeared run!” killing him by friendly feeling. In spite of that, with blood, and he said: “Master, you must go my wit will put the master in a frame of mind to the river to bathe and worship the gods, “My good fellow,” said the lion, “why terrify me to kill him. while I stay here with Meat-Face to guard the so? Tell me what it is.” And Smart cried: “Master, food-supply.” On hearing this, the lion went in the Death-God is coming, and he is in a rage After these reflections, he said to Spike-Ear: to the river. against you because you brought untimely “Friend Spike Ear, the master lacks wholesome death upon his camel, and had him guarantee food, and is starving. If the master goes, When the lion was gone, Smart said to Meat- the bargain. He intends to make you pay a our death is also a certain thing. So I have a Face: “Friend Meat-Face, you are starving. You thousand fold for his camel. He has immense suggestion for your benefit and the master’s.” might eat some of this camel before the old pride in his camels. He is near at hand.” master returns. I will make your apologies to “My good fellow,” said Spike-Ear, “make haste to the master.” So Meat-Face took the hint, but When the lion heard this, he, too abandoned inform me, so that I may unhesitatingly do as had only taken a taste when Smart cried: “Drop the dead camel and scampered for dear life. you say. Besides, one earns credit for a hundred it, Meat-Face. The master is coming.” Whereupon Smart ate the camel bit by bit, so good deeds by serving his master.” Presently the lion returned, saw that the camel that the meat lasted a long time. And Smart said: “My good fellow, give your was minus a heart, and wrathfully roared: “Look own body at 100 per cent interest, so that you here! Who turned this camel into leavings? I (From the Panchatantra) GROUNDV IEW MAY - JUNE 2008 03 cover story That Sri Lanka is spiralling ever deeper statistics cannot be obtained from Therefore a word of caution seems into an economic quagmire of the worst the entire country, and taking into to be in order. While economic data scenario is no secret. Inflation is out consideration the massive disparities and statistics is often more or less of control, money is becoming literally in wealth distribution between the representative of the real economic nothing more than bits of paper, and Northern And Eastern provinces which ground situation in many countries, there seems to be no coherent policy to are beleaguered by the conflict and sadly, the same cannot be said for battle the country’s economic troubles. the rest of the country, the statistics Sri Lanka. Politicisation, due to the To put it simply, the people are hungry. thus collected are not only flawed, but Government’s inherent need to look What is surprising however is, the grossly misleading. good at least on paper, while failing optimistic data being printed out by For example, the per capita income miserably in practice, has made the the reel by the Central Bank and the worked out from the national income arena of census and statistics at best a Department of Census and Statistics. accounts is deceptive because it comedy and at worst, a tragedy. These departments use indicators such includes the income earned by both The need of the hour is for an as the Gross National Product, Per government and non-government independent data gathering Capita Income and Household Income institutions, which does not however organisation to be formed, or an and Expenditure Survey. These are filter down to the general public in any existing institution invited in to however far from indicative of the real meaningful form, while the Household adequately represent the country’s ground situation as the data gathering income and expenditure survey (HIES) economic situation, and for this methods employed to compile such since it does not take into account the organisation to work without undue statistics are seriously flawed. population of the country in its entirety, let or hindrance, so that the wool is no Firstly, owing to the ongoing war, is lacking in essential data. longer pulled over our eyes. S1617 less per capita income per year are defined as Rs.110,407 (USD 1,004) and monthly per capita low income countries, between USD 906 and income was Rs.9,201 (i.e. average income USD 3,595 are defined as lower middle income per person per month) . This is the realistic countries, between USD 3,596 and USD 11,115 measure of per capita income because it takes are defined as upper middle income countries into account the rise in prices, i.e. inflation. By Muttukrishna sarvananthan and over USD 11,116 are defined as high Principal Researcher income countries. In 2007, Sri Lanka had a per Furthermore, according to the latest Household Point Pedro Institute of Development, capita income of USD 1,608 per year, which Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) means it is a lower middle income country. undertaken by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) during 2006/2007 the Per capita income determined by the above mean per capita income per month was only er capita income is derived by dividing method is misleading, because it is worked out Rs.6,463 (i.e.