Doing things differently and doing different things

The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself

Doing things differently and doing different things are two primary mechanisms we must embrace to come out of this economic mess that we are in. Well, the answer to why change is because repeating the past that led us to this present predicament is not at all a sound idea. I am not yet sure that we have understood this. Even with our backs against all the walls in and around us we still plan, and discuss doing more of the same that we were doing before. 

The benefactors and the advisors who have flocked around definitely are tinkering around the edges but the primary advice appears to be the same. Some gross inefficiencies may be getting addressed but the mechanisms appear similar to what you give as in chemotherapy – the bad and the good are all taken to task! Of course, with some management, the claims have surpassed common sense taking a negative percentage to a positive percentage transition as next best since the modern sliced bread – the best growth in Asia in recent times, etc. Generating a high value of GDP through sheer borrowing and spending on non-productive endeavours was what we were – or the leadership of us at the time – doing. Interestingly a result of such figures and efforts not many are comprehending or understanding.

If what you want starts appearing you are quite happy with how that happened and whether we have mortgaged again another aspect of ours is immaterial as we live on with fully appreciating the change. The often-used oxymoron Sustainable Development understands the value of sustaining growth rather than always striving for the increase of the number. A stagnant lower value of economic growth can have much more of a real meaning and value than digits that are trying to race ahead. Sri Lanka has had a few investments carried out over a period where the results indeed had been somewhat rewarding. 

Free health and free education empowered the general community yielding performance numbers that we all are proud of. Our bragging rights in this space have merits as demonstrated by the good standing that we get with the human development index. 

Numbers are slipping 

However, the numbers are slipping and we are rapidly getting recalibrated. However, partially the investments by the State in people had been carried out with a more political mindset than an understanding of the value of the results realised through the investment. The vote bank was and is on the top of the mind. We have never seen the reinvestment of these wonderful yields back to generate returns for more or even sustain the investments. 

As a result, the investments in these welfare mechanisms too had to come through borrowed money which only led to debt. The electorate values more the leadership that promises more and more of both in the quarters of materials and or revenge. To continue with the program loan schemes are designed and executed and a good part of the year is spent by some groups of officials only planning the next round of proposals. Sri Lanka since independence had somewhat of a dubious distinction – unstated perhaps – being a darling of investment agencies. The first World Bank mission to Sri Lanka around 1955 stated that we are ever ready to consume the fruits of our labour rather than planning and moving forward with the results. Looking at analytically the landscape of higher education, SME development, and poverty eradication one can easily identify multiple programs supported through international funding agencies. Examining in-depth investments, deliverables, and impacts one may observe that we have most of the time only succeeded in institutionalising the problem in all its manifestations rather than identifying and resolving them. 

I looked at the issue space of the country again. Issues resolved well mean progress is realised. When President Roosevelt indicated that ‘The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself’ it was a seriously thoughtfully crafted statement. The issue of dust storms linked to large-scale agriculture and mono-cropping – there were yield benefits to the eye but that did not affect his statement done for the lone term benefit – resulted in such phenomena. Connecting the dots led to this Presidential intervention. Sri Lanka is still failing to acknowledge the seriousness of 30-50% postharvest losses in food crops and produce. 

Doing things differently points you to be more productive as a starter. Productivity is an issue with us. This is getting attention at the highest level now with the plan of a productivity commission. Remember Sri Lanka not only had a year of productivity but extended it to a decade too earlier. However, results have not been encouraging not because of the technocracy but may be due to all manners of conflicts that we were facing

Embed technologically smart systems

Address this right and so many other benefits would accrue immediately. Embed scientifically sound and technologically smart systems – we are not the first to go on this journey – the country positioned itself into a whole new datum from which it will and can operate. The sad part is having avoided real action we have to pursue this today as a high climate-risk nation. El Nino’s and La Nina’s are going to hit us badly even if the winds do not rise to 150 km/h and the deluge stays below 175 mm in rainfall at worst. 

We should understand when one or two of these events strike, we take huge economic hits simply due to our lack of resilience. We have been lucky so far having avoided facing double or triple whammies. Still, the Bay of Bengal is becoming less predictable or much more variable and the Eastern coastline and the adjacent provinces are perhaps the canaries in the proverbial coal mine for Sri Lanka. The number of days over 35C is increasing and the cumulative effects of these changes are never in our action plans. Doing things differently points you to be more productive as a starter. Productivity is an issue with us. This is getting attention at the highest level now with the plan of a productivity commission. Remember Sri Lanka not only had a year of productivity but extended it to a decade too earlier. However, results have not been encouraging not because of the technocracy but may be due to all manners of conflicts that we were facing. However, the question remains – We had to face those issues primarily due to discontent brought in by insecurity, economic contraction, distrust, ad-hoc promises, etc., etc. Today we are looking at reducing the numbers of the bloated public sector again, an exercise for which reports exist from early years. 

Failing to address problems earlier on 

The understanding is, failing to address problems earlier on, continuing to make decisions that go against the right way, we transform simple problems into wicked problems. At present it is instructive smart options designed and developed in Sri Lanka enabling solutions in this area externally but getting no traction internally. Believe that is one of the most important first areas to address on the road to smart recovery and regeneration. Fast-tracking solutions to existing issues where we all know what is wrong as well as what is to be done. Just see the listing I jotted down included in this as a figure. Definitely, many more could be added. Don’t you think if we start purposefully solving these taking them one by one or as clusters – we have to bring in doing different things too – we are on a transformation journey?

Considering the turbulent times ahead, the approaching 2030 where so many deliverables are expected from all, enabling in turn all of us to stay afloat we just cannot designate this is an election year and leave the decisions needed now to be postponed for the future. It is frustrating to hear the term this is an election year when so much needs to be done. It is interesting to note even before any declaration a TV station indicates why positive development news from a local research cannot be aired because they just cannot squeeze it in due to the need to cover all political news. 

After all, so much news from the political front had to be aired – so important, so relevant and so profound! Yet some grisly murders and traffic accidents find quite elaborate blow-by-blow descriptions in prime time without any issue and in a repetitive manner as well. This estate also should come to its senses on understanding what are helpful and necessary in a journey of transformation that the country requires. 

It must be stated that most of what is required either in different things or ways is based on science and technology and nothing else. 

It is time that scientific common sense starts making sense to the planning community. We must remember what Einstein said – The significant problems we have (It must be remembered most of these we have created ourselves) cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them. Sri Lanka has to alter the way of planning and implementation. Let us herald in a culture of creativity and innovation and get people – the nation’s human capital – to ‘do things differently and do different things’. This is the surefire way of ensuring winners and these winners mean making the nation.