Discovering Sri Lanka ... late
WE tend to discover late in life that we have been captives of misconceptions that have piled up as a result of wrong information. This information might be a mixture of rumors, half truths or complete lies. The mental picture I had about Sri Lanka was far from the truth concerning this beautiful country despite the fact that during the past years I have known a number of Sri Lankans from simple housemaids to people holding other professions such as doctors, engineers and administrators. I have also known some high-placed Sri Lankans including former ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and ministers who visited the Kingdom or attended the meetings of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and others. You go to Colombo, Kandy, Benthota, Nuwara Eliya or other towns and cities in Sri Lanka and you will discover that the beauty of this country is not only in the scenic view or landscapes but also in the polite and hospitable manner of the people who always receive you with welcoming smiles and readiness to serve. You will also see that the streets are clean and that people do not throw garbage from the windows of their cars. It is true that the streets are narrow and congested but they are clean, decorated with trees and washed every day by rains. They are not suffocated by smoke or dust and you will not hear the loud voices of drivers driving luxurious cars and talking to people with conceited tones. I spent the last few days in this beautiful country meeting people at various levels and discussed with them the situation in their country after 30 years of war against the Tamil Tigers. I read all the newspapers including those belonging to the government and the opposition as well as neutral publications and those loyal to President Mahenda Rajapaksa. The economic situation of the country amazed me. A report by the central bank, the summary of which was published by the daily Nation on April 15, said the economic growth rate reached 8.3 percent last year. This rate was not less than eight percent during the previous two years. The rate of unemployment was 4.2 percent. The inflation rate during March was 5.5 percent. These figures are between reasonable to excellent. The report expected the migration of the Sri Lankan manpower to drop during the next phase because the economy of the country needs them. The remittances of the overseas Sri Lankan workers amounted to $ 4.1 billion in 2010 and rose to $ 5.1 billion in 2011. The remittances were expected to go higher this year. Remittances by the overseas workers were considered pivotal for the country's economy. They are more than the country's income from textile industry. The interest of the country's visitors in the old buildings and museums is worth mentioning. There are museums for everything. Along the narrow roads built by the British during their colonization of the country you will find museums including the tools and machinery which were used by the Britons in the construction of these roads. Some of these equipment might date back to more than 200 years. We will also find in factories, labs and old hotels sections for displaying equipment from the times of the British, Portuguese and the Dutch some hundreds of years ago. They all invaded Sri Lanka and colonized it. There is a large number of old buildings in Colombo and other cities and towns. Despite the passage of years, these buildings are still maintaining their beauty and grandeur. Some of them were still being used for the same purpose for which they were built in the first place. There is also the cultural aspect. The public theater presents folklore shows in various cities and towns. There is also a lot of public parks and natural reserves. I was amazed by the interest of the Sri lankans in these things which some people might consider a necessity. Sri Lanka was a big surprise to me and my colleagues in the journey. This might be referred to the very fact that my previous conception of this country was totally wrong. I can write about this country more than these page can accommodate. [email protected]
