3,283 research outputs found
SINGAPORE’S DIRECT INVESTMENT IN SRI LANKA: PAST EXPERIENCE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS
No full textApart from aggregate accounting of Singapore’s investment abroad, case studies on the performance of these investments in individual countries hardly exist. This paper is an attempt to compile such a study by focusing on Singapore’s investment in Sri Lanka. Singapore is one of the largest foreign investors in Sri Lanka though Sri Lanka is a small recipient of Singapore’s total overseas investment. The bulk of Singapore’s investment in Sri Lanka has been in service industries. As usual these investments have created many employment opportunities. However, because of high import dependence the Singapore firms in Sri Lanka have begun to generate trade surpluses only recently. Revealed comparative advantage indices combined with attractive fiscal incentives and low-cost factors of production indicate that there are large investment opportunities in the manufacturing sector that remain to be exploited. The ongoing war obviously has deterred the expansion of Sri Lanka’s FDI base to its full extent.Economic and social indicators, foreign direct investment, employment, trade balance, revealed comparative advantage, future investment opportunities.
Improving poverty measurement in Sri Lanka
No full textThe past few years have seen great progress in the area of poverty measurement, both in terms of the development and consolidation of best practice, and in conceptual and methodological advances. This study examines poverty measurement in Sri Lanka against the backdrop of these developments, reviewing 22 poverty measurement studies over the period 1969-2002. It evaluates existing sources of data for poverty measurement, and makes recommendations that identify priority actions for improvement, key players in the process and what steps need to be taken.poverty measurement; sri lanka
Proceedings of the National Conference on Water, Food Security and Climate Change in Sri Lanka, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 9-11 June 2009. Vol. 1. Irrigation for food security
No full textFood security / Climate change / River basins / Water shortage / Irrigated farming / Water quality / Tanks / Aquatic plants / Rice / Food insecurity / Water resource management / Zero tillage / Weed control / Agroforestry / Canals / Surface runoff / Remote sensing / Sri Lanka
Environmental assessment of the south coast of Sri Lanka, with special reference to the 2004 tsunami
No full textFollowing the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, Sri Lanka experienced >30,000 confirmed
deaths and disruption of livelihood. Damage to coastal ecosystems was less than
anticipated, especially in comparison with reported impacts from unsustainable
development. This research examines tsunami related damage against a background of
anthropogenic pressures. Fishery changes were determined through interview of three
generations of fishers targeting frigate tuna. Significantly higher values for best day’s
catch and largest specimen ever caught were obtained by older fishers than younger ones.
Values were also significantly higher during early years, providing clear evidence of
resource decline and the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’. Most fishers reported posttsunami
decline in frigate tuna, but mainly from a larger new generation of fishers, rather
than extra boats provided by aid money or (direct or indirect) biophysical impacts from
the tsunami. The number of boats post-tsunami increased significantly in all research
areas, which could result in further catch decline.
The perceptions of 500 Sri Lankan fishers about the influence of risk factors on tsunami
death toll and house damage are quantified). Mangroves, coral reefs and sand dunes
afforded protection against tsunami damage (67–94% of fisher responses), as did
housing and roads. Fishers believed rivers/estuaries, concave coastlines and hotels
exacerbated impacts. For comparison, multi-variable models for death toll, housing
damage, inundation area and distance are built, incorporating both natural and
developmental risk factors. Bathymetry is the only factor significantly associated with
all indicators of impact. Mangroves and marsh were not a significant factor in final
multivariable models. However, in terms of inundation, sand dunes were identified as
protective, while bodies of water exacerbated damage. The extent of agreement and
variance between modelling results and the opinions of fisher questionnaires is critically
examined.
Research findings highlight the need for better coastal management. While the role
mangroves in tsunami protection remains equivocal, their known role in providing many
other ecosystem services suggests that mangroves warrant greater conservation attention
in Sri Lanka, in the face of coastal development pressures. Coastal policy and
conservation priorities should be influenced by scientific research (e.g. the tsunami
model in this thesis) as well as traditional ecological knowledge and opinions from indigenous people. Factors shown to provide tsunami protection often cannot be altered
by human intervention (e.g. topography and bathymetry). However, sand dunes could
potentially be preserved to reduce future impacts. Tsunamis are rare events and further
research should be carried out to determine which risk factors are important for more
frequent events (e.g. monsoon). The needs of coastal communities should always remain
paramount in considerations of future tsunami and environmental policies
Sowing New Ideas: An investigation of anthropology’s contribution to rural development in S.E. Sri Lanka
No full textThis thesis is a study of rural development resulting from ethnographic research carried out in the villages of Mediriya, Therrapahuwa and Walamatiara in Moneragala, Sri Lanka. As rural villages are being drawn into increasingly complex relations governed by forces of globalisation, this study develops an understanding of the significance of these interactions within the context of development. In Sri Lanka, current (worldwide) concerns for 'sustainable’ development based on 'participation' in order to alleviate 'poverty' and 'empower' local people, must be examined against a historical backdrop in order to appreciate the significance of rural intervention today. I examine issues of knowledge and power emphasising how a variety of stakeholders negotiate, manipulate and form relationships in order to gain access to resources. This thesis tackles development issues on multiple levels. As part of a DFID (Department for International Development) funded natural resources project, focussing on the high density intercropping of banana with rubber, my role was to provide an in-depth study of livelihood strategies and factors influencing farmer decision-making within home gardens and smallholdings. I reflect on the advantages of Indigenous Knowledge Research, which provides a greater insight into how local people identify and tackle problems than previous 'top- down' efforts. However, the fine line between involving local people in development and 'extraction' are also highlighted. My experiences of working within a multidisciplinary team prompted me to reflect on the whole context surrounding the research process and consider the role of anthropology in development. It is argued here that while the involvement of anthropologists in development is not without its dilemmas, anthropology can usefully contribute using a holistic approach to examine the processes of development, placing natural resources research within a wider social and political context and highlighting the difficulties involved in trying to understand something about Others
Glass Ceilings, Sticky Floors or Sticky Doors? A Quantile Regression Approach to Exploring Gender Wage Gaps in Sri Lanka
No full textRecently developed counterfactual techniques that combine quantile regression with a bootstrap approach allow for the interpretation of lower quantiles of the "simulated unconditional wage distribution" as if they related to poor people. We use this approach to analyse gender wage gaps across the wage distribution in Sri Lanka using quarterly labour force data from 1996 to 2004. Male and female wages are equal at the overall mean, but differ greatly between public and private sectors and across the wage distribution. We find that differences in the way identical men and women are rewarded in the labour market more than account for the difference in wages throughout the distribution. We find evidence of wider wage gaps at the bottom of the distribution in both sectors (indicative of "sticky floors"), but little evidence of larger gaps at the top of the distribution ("glass ceiligs"). Conditional wage gaps increase when controls for occupation, industry and part-time employment status are included, consistent with females selecting into occupations that better reward their characteristics. Policies that address gender bias in wage setting - especially in the low and unskilled occupations - are indicated, while policies that address gender bias in hiring and in workplace practices are likely to be more appropriate than policies that seek to improve womens' productivity-enhancing characteristics in reducing the gender wage gap.Gender gap, glass ceilings, sticky floors, quantile regression, public sector
Proceedings of the National Conference on Water, Food Security and Climate Change in Sri Lanka, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 9-11 June 2009. Vol. 2. Water quality, environment and climate change
No full textThis is the second volume of the proceedings of the National Conference on ‘Water for Food and Environment’, which was held from June 9 –11, 2009 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The volumes 1 and 3 have been produced as separate documents of this report series. In response to a call for abstracts, 81 abstracts were received from government institutes dealing with water resources and agriculture development, universities, other freelance researchers and researchers from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Forty seven of the eighty-one abstracts that were submitted were accepted for compiling full papers. In the past couple of years the sharp increase in food prices worldwide has raised serious concerns about food security, especially in developing countries. To effectively address these concerns a holistic approach is required that encompasses improved agricultural water productivity, adaptation to climate change, targeted and appropriate institutional and financial measures, and a consideration of environmental issues. The main purpose of the conference was to share experiences in these areas and to find opportunities to improve farmers’ incomes and food production, and to promote environmentally sustainable practices in Sri Lanka in the face of growing water scarcity and the challenges of climate change.Wetlands, / Environmental flows / Assessment / Water allocation / Case studies / Rivers / Farming systems / Models / Groundwater / Aquifers / Domestic water / Rainfed farming / Climate change / Wastewater irrigation / Rice
Rīgas Politehniskā institūta absolventa, inženiera un orientierista Rodrigo Slaviņa dzīvesdarbība un ieguldījums orientēšanās sportā
No full textRakstā atspoguļots Rīgas Politehniskā institūta (RPI) Ķīmijas fakultātes absolventa (1963), inženiera, Triju Zvaigžņu ordeņa virsnieka, trīskārtēja Padomju Sociālistisko Republiku Savienības (PSRS) čempiona, sporta meistara orientēšanās sportā Rodrigo Slaviņa veikums orientēšanās sporta tradīciju veidošanā, Latvijas Olimpiskajā komitejā (LOK), kā arī raksturota viņa darbība Latvijas Orientēšanās federācijas (LOF) vadītāja amatā, izvērtēti nopelni orientēšanās sporta popularizēšanā un sasniegumi dažāda mēroga sacensībās. Veidojot rakstu, autori intervējuši R. Slaviņu un izmantojuši viņa personīgo arhīvu, Latvijas Nacionālā arhīva Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīva un RTU arhīva dokumentus, Latvijas Nacionālās bibliotēkas krājumu, zinātnisko literatūru, publikācijās presē.The authors of the article have gathered information on the achievements and characterized the work of a former student of Riga Polytechnic Institute – Rodrigo Slaviņš. In response to the forthcoming 85th anniversary of the famous Latvian persona – Rodrigo Slaviņš – an engineer, an athlete ( the Master of Sports of the USSR in orienteering), one of the coordinators and organizers of the Latvian sports life, one of the founders of the mass sports event «Magnēts» (which has been organised already for 50 years), as well as a grandfather and husband, the authors of the article aim to contribute to and celebrate the history of Riga Technical University
FIGURE 11 in Two new species of Lankascincus (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sripada Sanctuary (Peak Wilderness), in Sri Lanka
No full textFIGURE 11. The lateral view of head of holotype male NMSL20070501, 58.27 mm SVL, in life.Published as part of Wickramasinghe, Mendis, Rodrigo, Roshan & Dayawansa, Nihal, 2007, Two new species of Lankascincus (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sripada Sanctuary (Peak Wilderness), in Sri Lanka, pp. 1-24 in Zootaxa 1612 on page 14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17897
the case of Sri Lanka
No full textThe power system Sri Lanka is an islanded power system of a relatively small size. Other than
the coal power plants, combined cycle plants and gas turbines, a significant portion of
electricity requirement is supplied by large hydro, mini hydro and other non-conventional
renewable energy power plants. Accordingly, the power system of Sri Lanka can be identified
as a low-inertia power system.
CEB, the power transmission operator of Sri Lanka, adheres to N-1 reliability in the
transmission network. They are not expected to keep N-1 reliability in generation according to
the current practice. It means that the internationally practiced power system reliability levels
do not exist in the power system Sri Lanka.
Even before Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) additions, the power system was
largely dependent on under-frequency load shedding (UFLS) after large generator
disconnection. Introducing NCRE to the power system has worsened the situation further.
The aim of the study was to identify the behavior of the power system of Sri Lanka during and
after generation disconnection and study possible methods to improve the power system
performance after generation disconnection event. The impact of battery energy storage
systems on frequency response was studied for the power system of Sri Lanka. A cost analysis
on battery energy storage system was performed. Increase in costs was also calculated if an
internationally practiced level of spinning reserve is maintained in the power system Sri Lanka.
Suggestions to improve the performance of the system are included in the thesis, based on the
findings of the research
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