Launch of two books on Sri Lankan Economy

The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) and the Department of Economics and Statistics of the University of Peradeniya on 3 April will launch two Volumes on ‘Economic and Social Development under a Market Economy Regime’ edited by Dr. Saman Kelegama, Executive Director of the IPS and Dr. Dileni Gunawardena, Senior Lecturer of the University of Peradeniya.

The Volumes are in honour of Professor Buddhadasa Hewavitharana, former Professor of Economics at the University of Peradeniya and former Board Member and Chairman of the IPS. Professor Hewavitharana served the University of Peradeniya for 44 years – of which   he served 19 years as the Professor/Senior Professor of Economics as successor to Prof. H.A. de S. Gunasekara, making him the third Professor of Economics in the history of the University of Ceylon/Sri Lanka. 

During that same period, he served as the Head of the Department of Economics, Commerce and Statistics, administering the largest department of study in the university system in the country.  On his retirement, he was conferred the title of Emeritus Professor of Economics by the Senate of the University of Peradeniya.  His research interests have spread over a very wide range of issues, with practical engagements in policy making and development work. The Festschrift that runs into two Volumes is a critical examination of the impact of the market economy regime on the economic and social development of Sri Lanka. 

The 44 chapters in the two Volumes delve into many aspects of how the market economy regime that was introduced in 1977 impacted on various aspects of the economy such as economic growth, money and public finance, factor markets, the production sectors, and on society -- social and cultural. Professor Sirimal Abeyratne, Head of the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, W.A. Wijewardena, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, former Director-General of Economic Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat, UK, and Professor J.B. Dissanayake, former Professor of Sinhala, University of Peradeniya, will review selected chapters of the two Volumes. Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama will be the Chief Guest, while Prof. Wiswa Warnapala, former Minister of Higher Education and former student and colleague of Professor Hewavitharana at the University of Peradeniya will offer some insights on his association with Professor Hewavitharana.