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Sri Lanka stands at a cross road. Either continue on a path that Sri Lanka does not really control or make decisions that truly benefit the country and get it out of the current crisis.

The people of Sri Lanka need to see the light at the end of the tunnel and having someone from Switzerland as a consultant may inspire confidence in the government.

 We propose a unique plan for Sri Lanka that avoids the pitfalls that many countries have fallen into. Examples of countries that are failing massively on economic principles are Pakistan (puts itself at the mercy of China and Saudi Arabia), Turkey (welcomes bad business at the expense of good business) and Japan (decades of stagnation). 

Our consultancy is not just about the ideas, but about helping to implement, monitor, respond to and fine tune policies that will bring Sri Lanka from the brink of bankruptcy to being very successful. In addition, we can help with communication campaigns, with the use of technology to better manage things and to lead negotiations. We need to start on this path as soon as possible.

No more negative or near zero interest rates

No more propping up the exchange rate

No compromises on sovereignty but great international cooperation 

No more begging on the international stage

No more import restrictions (the floating exchange rate does away with the need for restrictions)

Keep up the organic farming initiative

Protect Sri-Lanka fishing waters and expand sustainable fishing 

Expand the concept of the Climate Change University to biodiversity (for more information on biodiversity visit our site Biodiversity Vision )

Invest in education, including top notch basic and language education

Leverage technology

Embrace multi-culture

Lead the way with woman rights and human rights

Make Sri Lanka a Sea- and Airhub

Increase the variety of tourism offerings

Create an environment conductive for small business and take care of various industries

Use your own people to build top notch road and other infrastructure

Simplify all laws and taxes

1. Money supply should be expended by financing some public expenditure

   1. Such non-financed expenditure must be under independent control and

   2. should never exceed what would otherwise be the case with traditional methods 

   3. We can provide the management of that independent control with the aim of stability

2. If this results in nominal interest rates that are too high to be met by borrowers, then terms or laws can be changed so that borrowers only need to pay the real interest rate.  Whereas the difference between the nominal and real interest rates would be added to the loan principal which would increase the nominal amount of each loan but of course, not the amount of each loan in real terms

3. This is important because near zero or negative interest rates do not stimulate economic growth, as can be seen by the stagnation of Asia's brightest star after world war II, Japan

4. This is also important because we do not want to subsidize the rich or the middle class at the expense of the poor

   1. The number of poor in Sri Lanka has doubled in recent years largely because of misguided COVID-19 policies in other countries, which brought tourism down, affecting other industries directly as well as having spiral-down effects on businesses.  (The UN objected to these COVID-19 lockdowns as early as October 2020 in their COVID-19 report because they were particularly aware of the devastating effects these policies were having on the developing countries)

   2. It is in the interest of the middle class and the upper class to eliminate poverty in Sri Lanka because this increases wellbeing, makes a broader tax base, reduces crime and drug problems and makes the country more appealing to tourists and businesses

5. Low interest rates are robbing young people of their future

   1. Low interest rates are the main cause of high housing costs, because people who have collateral are able to borrow money to invest in property, driving up prices

   2. Young people have difficulties in saving up some money before buying or building, as interest rates are too low to make saving sensible  

   3. Any advantage that home buyers receive from lower finance costs are more than offset by inflated property prices

   4. Unscrupulous sales people also play a role, who fail to warn people that interest rates may not always stay low and to warn them of oversupply which leads people to take a big gamble on whether property prices will go up or down.  Through the dominant system, a lot of ordinary people tend to lose out, often their entire lifetime savings

   5. Those that are not willing to gamble cannot buy at the inflated prices

   6. Another factor that drives up property prices is lack of road and public transport infrastructure. This is so, because people need to keep in mind when they do purchase property, the time it takes them to get into cites and the expense i.e. fuel costs, etc

   7. Thus by not subsidizing interest rates (subsidizing money) and building excellent roads and public transport, young people could be given a future that is beyond their reach in other countries, leading to real wealth for the majority of people

1. Propping up the exchange rate is in any case not sustainable

   1. It allows people to take money out of the country at an unfair rate

   2. If big investors such as some hedge funds, Goldman Sachs or China want to make a run for the exchange rate, they still can  

2. It is a waste of money to borrow money just for the purpose of building foreign exchange reserves

   1. That money often does not even enter the economy

   2. Interest has to be paid on that money - a total waste

   3. The money has to be paid back at some point in time, generally without the perceived situation having changed

3. It is better to let the exchange rate find its own equilibrium

   1. A lower value of the Rupee stimulates the economy where it needs it the most

   2. People by nature are opportunists.   Sales people around the world are able to entice people into buying something based on a real or sometimes imaginary discount.  If people perceive that now is the right time to visit Sri Lanka because of a favorable exchange rate, they will.   This happened with Iceland which experienced a crash in 2008.  In the following years, tourism increased 400%.  Simply giving discounts is not enough as people need the publicity that comes with the news of the exchange rate going down.   Iceland also made publicity by other means.  Such publicity is another area I can help with.  Iceland is maintaining the momentum even after the exchange rate has gone back up and tourism recovered very quickly post COVID-19

   3. Restrictions on imports can be dropped as a lower exchange rate discourages people from importing for the time being

   4. This automatically leads people to spend more on domestically produced goods and services, which is exactly what the economy needs

   5. It also becomes more attractive for foreigners to do business and buy goods and services from Sri Lanka

   6. The danger of a low exchange rate is that foreigners buy up everything.  Sri Lanka is very well placed to withstand this tendency because the sale of land is already restricted

   7. This policy needs to be supplemented by a communication campaign advising people not to sell their businesses, houses, etc. for what amounts to a low price in foreign currency.   Explaining that they would be better off waiting until the exchange rate goes back up.  Again we can help with such communication campaigns

   8. Loan institutions would at the same time need to be prevented from forcing people to do what would amount to fire sales

   9. The same advice they need to get about purchasing foreign things.  Anyone who waits for the exchange to go back up, will be able to buy for example a car for a lower price or a better car for the same price

   10. A lower exchange rate (a lower value for the Rupee) now, will vastly speed up the recovery

   11. When a country is fortunate enough to have its own currency this is doable.  Unemployment, for example, can be totally avoided.  Inflation is only increased in the short term.  The prices of foreign goods and services go up, but inflationary pressure from within is much less

1. No bending over backward for loans from the IMF, China or any other source.

   1. The sovereignty of the country is at stake

   2. Temporary small loans (compared to the total debt) do not change much

   3. Loans that tie the hands of Sri Lanka may actually hinder recovery rather than promote it

      1. The IMF does not know best

      2. Private banks should be allowed to fail.  At least negotiations should take place to get debt relief from creditors before any rescue or takeover measures are taken.  Establishing new banks to replace them is not that complicated these days with fintech solutions

      3. Anything to do with crypto currencies and overvalued metals like gold should be totally avoided.  Holding on to any large amount of foreign currency is not a good investment

      4. People may promise everything is going to be all right if you just follow their advice.  But beware these people despite what they say may not have Sri Lankas best interest in mind and may indeed influence the financial markets e.g. through the media they are able to control so they themselves can make financial bets and gains.

      5. Even the IMF may be subject to external influence and even criminal as in the unproven case of the managing director of IMF Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn resignation just before he was about to save Greece from an Economic collapse.  (On 15 May 2011, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the Managing Director of the IMF (and a France Presidential hopeful), boarded a plane from JFK airport in New York on his way to save Greece from a financial crisis.  He was escorted from the plane by police on fabricated sexual abuse charges and had to resign from his position at IMF.  There is no official proof for this, but investigative journalism by a filmmaker has revealed similar methods being used by New York financiers.

      6. Sri Lanka would be in a better position to negotiate the refinancing of its debt if it did not agree to interim measures

      7. We can help with negotiations

2. Building upon the weaknesses of other countries.  Advantages may be realized just from being different

   1. Hong Kong has lost a lot of its attractiveness because of China's crack down on civil rights.  Sri Lanka has a chance to welcome Hongkongers, their wisdom and businesses

   2. Australia and New Zealand suffered a bit of a drop in reputation for their overreaction to COVID-19, and China remained for a long time on that path of self destruction.  Emphasize that Sri Lanka is different and never overreacts like those countries 

   3. Many people are not at ease with the Muslim countries because of Sharia laws.  Tourists and business people need to have confidence in a modern judicial system

   4. India loses out because of bureaucracy and protectionism.  Sri Lanka needs to offer an advantage in comparison to India.  Similar to what Switzerland has sometimes achieved in its relation to the EU

   5. Africa is perceived as underdeveloped.  Sri Lanka needs to project a different image

   6. Thailand has introduced a lot of Westerners to Asia.  Many of Thailand's visitors are ready for new Asian destinations.  Thailand's path towards cannabis (something that the Netherlands have come to regret) and their connection to China will make them less attractive as a destination 

   7. Vietnam is considered a good manufacturing base alternative to China but corporations are not so enthusiastic about Vietnam's system of Government

   8. Afghanistan is out in the cold because of its refusal to respect human and particular women's rights

   9. Pakistan is unattractive to investors because of its courtship of China and Russia and problems with terrorism

   10. Stan countries are unattractive because of their geographical closeness to Russia

   11. Myanmar because of its oppressive regime

   12. Bali, Indonesia because of its failure to keep its nature pristine

   13. Indonesia now because of its ban and penalties for sex outside of marriage

   14. Saudi Arabia because of its shunning of president Biden and its pariah status

   15. Singapore because it sometimes goes overboard with rules and regulations

   16. Other countries because of ties to China or rather failure to stand up to China

3. Cooperating with other countries gives great opportunities.  Here are a few examples

   1. India.  Like Switzerland is to Europe, Sri Lanka can be to India

   2. Madagascar.   People perceive Madagascar to be an exotic destination.  Sri Lanka can easily compete with Madagascar as such, but is even better placed to twin Madagascar as a destination for tourists who want to visit several interesting countries.  So being an Airhub and stopover destination for Madagascar may make sense

   3. The same applies to the Maldives, but because of their closeness, even more so

4. Becoming a hot spot for something and learn from other countries

   1. Like Austin, Texas for technology and live music

   2. Like Singapore for financial services, shipping and as an alternative to China to do business

1. It may sound like easy money to have international agencies feed your poor

   1. This is bad publicity.  It deters tourists from visiting the country.  Meaning you are saving cents but losing dollars.  A head start with tourism is needed

   2. It reflects badly on your government

   3. In the vast scheme of things it is not so much money

   4. It is all about prioritizing

   5. A communication campaign needs to take place to reverse the damage that has been done.  We can help with this

1. Stop rationing power and banning the import of certain goods

   1.  Buy enough oil (and publicize that it is NOT from Russia - we can help with this)

      1. You need to grow confidence for the economy, rather than break it down

      2. Make a communication campaign instead for people to go easy on energy  (we can help with this)

      3. Do not subsidize the high price of energy.  Having the price high when the market dictates it, is the best way to encourage people to save on energy.

      4. Banning the import of certain goods is not ideal.  Rather just rely on the exchange rate and possibly special import taxes and a communication campaign

1. The organic farming initiative.  May actually pay off in the end

   1. An organic ‘back to nature’ label for an entire country may be worth much more than people can imagine

   2. Switzerland narrowly missed an initiative that would have taken it in that direction, but it shows that a big portion of the population is thinking along these lines and not only in Switzerland, but across the globe

   3. Many people are willing to pay more for environmentally produced food and would favor traveling to places associated with environmental friendliness

   4. To take advantage of this, a communication campaign needs to take place.  Something we can help with

   5. Much ado is made of the fact that crops are a lot smaller without artificial help.   But those that make those arguments fail to mention that current intensive farming is not sustainable.  Scientists believe that in a few decades, everything will be depleted.  Even in the Netherlands, the most intensively cultivated country in the world, the government has taken big steps to reduce the intensive use of fertilizers

   6. Europe has lost 40% of its biodiversity.   Birds, fish, insects (including butterflies) are declining in sheer numbers, the number of species and the geographical coverage has suffered.  The most harmful pesticides are being banned in countries such as France and Germany.  But these are still being made there and exported to countries around the world.  A hypocritical situation

   7. It is the right thing to do, not to continue to take part in destroying the planet. Every country should do more to reverse the trend of destruction and not just point their fingers at specific countries like Brazil and ignore what is happening closer to home and to realize that other countries like Sri Lanka are particularly important.  We can help in building up biodiversity partnerships with other countries, companies and organizations

   8. Brazil, Indonesia and Congo signed a rainforest protection pact (Fall 2022).  Sri Lanka needs to promote itself by taking part in such initiatives

   9. It takes time to replenish the productivity of soils and requires different methods such as crop rotation, compost creation, more labor-intensive farming, rediscovery of more appropriate seeds, the help of science, etc 

Wecan help you make fishing sustainable and even more important for the economy and to retain its contribution to the wellbeing and the health of the whole population.  We have strong links to Iceland which is better managing its fishing industry than most countries  

The concept of the Climate Change University is a win-win proposition

1. Universities make up the hubs for economic growth.   Cities like Austin, Texas, Zurich, Switzerland and Munich, Germany are growing and doing better partly because of their great universities.  Austin has one of the very biggest universities in the United States and Munich and Zurich the most prestigious in central Europe

2. It would be advantageous to associate the new university specifically with biodiversity and not just climate change.  Climate change is a very important issue but even more important is biodiversity as we need mitigation for biodiversity in the face of climate change and to have a plan B if we can not stop climate change soon enough.  One of us  is a Professor of Biology at LMU Munich University, she has recently set up brand new, state of the art laboratories at the University.  She can also help build up the new university in Sri Lanka

3. The university could also be a technical university because technology can actually play a great role in fighting climate change.   All technologies play a role.  Software, hardware including chips, lasers, satellites, building technologies, transport design, urban management, just to name a few, can all provide solutions that enable people to be more energy efficient and to adapt to a different lifestyle such as remote work.  Another one of us was the head of IT at a technical college, he can also contribute to this area

4. Sri Lanka with its great biodiversity is an ideal place to attract international professors and teachers

5. We have a .edu domain that might be useful for Sri Lanka and which I have envisioned for a university that caters more to the developing world, e.g. with affordable online courses.  Perhaps we could work together on this concept

1. Education at all levels is key for Sri Lanka

   1. Basic education for everybody is important, including back to schools for adults

   2. In addition to typical university subjects, great attention needs to be paid to vocational training

   3. Research needs to be supported

   4. Collaboration needs to take place with other countries and institutions (which we can help with), but at the same time care needs to be taken so as not to be taken advantage of by countries like China.  China is attracting students from all over Asia but often with only its own agenda in mind  

   5. The West is on a peculiar path when it comes to higher education.  Universities are evaluated based on research publications.  However, most of that research is sponsored by industry and is often designed to show particular results that are advantageous for the marketing of the sponsored products.  Even professors in such fields as sport research are fed up with only having money to do research on products for some sponsors.  This gives a country like Sri Lanka that is not afraid to pave its own path to do some more meaningful research

   6. Education needs a balanced approach.  Many young people in Asia study very hard perhaps at the expense of social competence and literally suffer short-sightedness.  Education also needs to be about skills for everyday life, to widen the horizon and to navigate the new realities of the world, not least the access we have to both good and bad information on the Internet

   7. It is time to think outside the box when it comes to education.  To come up with new ideas and evaluate different methodologies on offer

   8. Sri Lanka could see if it could find the right balance with innovation and tradition regarding education

2. Preserve your local languages

   1. Enable fluency in other languages as this key to various businesses including

      1. Tourism

      2. Global education

      3. Hub between Africa and Asia and English speaking countries

      4. And practically any business, such as call centers

   2. It is easy to establish the language education that will advance the country in this direction

   3. Multilingual people benefit in many ways

      1. They become better in communication

      2. They bridge the gap been cultures

      3. They have access to more ideas, etc

1. IT is already of great interest and a developing sector

2. The IT sector is vast and people need to realize that it is not just about offering the services that everybody else is offering, but to offer something new and really add value (we can help with this)

3. IT is not just to be exported but also to be used for the convenience of the government and the people - digital platforms and solutions

4. Development in IT needs to be backed up by education and research (we can help with this)

Social norms.  Many nations are finding it a challenge to reconcile the expectations of foreigners with the local traditions

1. 1. Sri Lanka seems to be in a better position.  To take just one example:  In dominantly Muslim countries, western lifestyles are not quite compatible.  Potential tourists need to be aware to what extent they can be themselves in Sri Lanka

   2. All the people of Sri Lanka need to have a saying and effort should be made for better connections between the different people of Sri Lanka

   3. Thailand is making the mistake of embracing cannabis.  Something that the Netherlands has already learned does not attract the right type of tourists

   4. Alcohol consumption is another double edged sword.  Taxation could be used to encourage or discourage certain types of tourism

   5. Sri Lanka can learn from nations like Switzerland where everything is very neat and from nations which are too relaxed when it comes to waste management etc like Nicaragua. Visitors like neatness, but it should not come at the expense of individuality and naturality

   6. Crime needs to be kept under control without going overboard as seems to be the case with Singapore.  This is not done by long jail sentences but by creating the right societal conditions

1. Women rights

   1. The world is changing.  Lead rather than follow when it comes to women rights

   2. Women are behind the greatest economic growth  

   3. A dual earner core family obviously contributes more to the economy

   4. The availability of women labor e.g. in textiles expands the economy

   5. When a particular sector favored by women such as nursing or airport check-in staff is experiencing a labor shortage, allow wages in that sector to rise disproportionately.   Equality is not only about the same wages for the same job but also about allowing women-dominated sectors to be paid more when it makes sense 

   6. Make an environment that is comfortable for women.  They should not need to be afraid that someone will rape them, nor should they have to tolerate constant sexual harassment.  But do not go overboard as is happening in the West where young men are afraid to approach women

   7. Include women in government, politics and management.   Women tend to have a different perspective that is good for business and governance 

   8. Encourage gender neutrality throughout the schooling system

2. Child care and old age  

   1. When you have more dual earner families, childcare becomes more of an issue

   2. Do not make the mistake of the West of keeping children and old people separate.   Let them take care of each other.  This requires much less other staff (which makes it affordable) and is beneficial both to the children and the old people.  Everything does not need to be perfect

   3. In case you make a fund for parental leave to cover the wages of people just after childbirth, make exactly the same policy for men and women and do not allow them to swap that right.  If an employer knows that it will make no difference whether it is a man or a woman when it comes to parental leave, he is more likely to treat men and women equally

   4. Do not make special tax breaks or support for families with children.  Free education is enough support.  In the long run, a bigger population is NOT an economic advantage

   5. Allow people to contribute at any age.  Young people benefit from working as long as it does not restrict their ability to get an education and they have some time to play.  Old people should also be allowed to contribute in line with their abilities

3.  Human rights (See our site https://human.rights.hypocrisy.exposed )

1. Airhub.  Not as obvious as the Seahub.  Sri Lanka is well placed as an Airhub

   1. Because of its geographical location between Australia and the Middle East and between Africa and Asia

   2. An airline can benefit from not having to fly from every destination to every destination on their flight plans over Sri Lanka but instead have people change planes in Sri Lanka

   3. This allows them to use fewer planes

   4. To use smaller and more economical planes

   5. To offer more destinations

   6. With the future development of Africa, a growing number of destinations in Africa could make Sri Lanka as an Air and Seahub even more important than one can envision today

   7. Provides an advantage to travelers who get an opportunity to stretch their legs rather than having to endure a long-haul flight

   8. Gives the possibility of travelers making stopovers in Sri Lanka with the corresponding boost to the economy

   9. Gives travelers from various destinations a greater choice on routes to Sri Lanka, again boosting tourism

   10. Sri Lanka needs to open up its airways.  Do not worry about competition with the national airline.   The increase in tourism will make it worthwhile

   11. A small per-capita charge for people going through the airport could be applied

2. Seahub.  (Maritime hub) This area can only grow

   1. It needs to be very well managed to keep a good reputation

   2. It needs to have the latest technology and knowhow

   3. It needs ample land, deep water, labor, and even rail links between terminals and highways to cater to local industry

   4. It should be under Sri Lankan control (and never be used as a collateral)

   5. In cooperation with other ports and shipping lines.  Something we can help with

Sri Lanka like many other countries has suffered because of reliance on tourism in the wake of terror and COVID-19

1. 1. This gives no ground to give up on tourism

   2. Tourism can prove to be a tremendous help on the path to recovery

   3. Ways should be examined to work with foreign companies, booking agencies, chains etc.   We can help with this

   4. But at the same time, ways should be explored to retain more money within the country.   It is too much to pay 20% commission, basically to skim off the profit of the industry and send it to these booking agencies and franchise chains.   It is not so expensive to create a national booking system.  We can help with this.  The existence of such a system needs to be communicated to the potential visitors.  We can also help with this.  This is not to say that all bookings could be diverted to such a system but rather that a proportion of these massive commissions could be clawed back

   5. Encouraging small businesses such as those that are typically booked by Airbnb could prove to be the fastest way to get foreign currency

   6. Grow a culture of hospitality.  Make a communication campaign that teaches people to be truly welcoming.  Go beyond what Switzerland has done which is for everybody to be very polite.  Take it to a new level where people feel they are welcomed from the heart

   7. All sorts of businesses are making a more scientific / research based approach to doing business.  Everything is thought out and tested, for example web user interfaces.   With tourism, it is possible to employ the same methodologies to really examine what makes tourists feel welcome and comfortable.   (We can help with this)

   8. A new kind of tourism is developing, which you might not even call tourism.  Because many people nowadays can work from anywhere in the world over the Internet.  People are seeking new places to work from, at least temporarily.  Sri Lanka for them is an exotic destination that would attract many.  Make it easy for people to take up short-term residence, they bring money with them, paid by the corporations they work for, plus they bring new ideas and establish connections that benefit the economy.  (We can help with this)  

   9. Related to this is the business of 2nd homes.  Just make sure these homes do not stay unused for most of the year.   Make it possible for locals to rent them (but ban squatting and enforce that ban) or have them available for tourism.  Local people will benefit from the work required to maintain these places and to clean them

   10. Welcome people from around the world, including Chinese, Hongkongers, Indians, Arabs, Westerners but not governments

   11. Most countries with warm temperatures fail to take advantage of offering comfortable spas.   It can be wonderful to sit outside in a spa.  It simply does not compare to sitting in spas inside where chlorine fumes build up.  But sitting in a lukewarm spa is not pleasant.  When the temperature outside is rather warm, it does not cost so much to boost the temperature of spas to comfortable levels.  It should also be kept in mind that different people find different temperatures comfortable, even up to 44C.  Which gives an opportunity to offer several spas in one location.  It is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to create these kinds of facilities that are not only open at daytime but into the night.  The fact that the water is already warm makes it cheaper to heat it to the desired temperature

   12. People love things that are different and stem from different cultures.  Like palaces and temples.  Original sites can be complemented by replications or style replications elsewhere 

   13. Sri Lanka has the possibility of offering more services for a more competitive price, such as labor-intensive services, such as more personal service, massage, greater attention to detail, etc

   14. It is advantageous for Sri Lanka to cater to all sorts of tourists, from relatively poor tourists to the very rich.  Because it allows spreading the benefits of tourism more widely.  For example, investors that have more money can more easily build facilities for the rich, but these will not be everywhere because of the lack of good road infrastructure. Thus leaving it to other regions to develop facilities for travelers that prefer more raw types of facilities.  There is a tendency for countries to try to attract tourists that leave more wealth behind, but the importance of other regular tourists should not be underestimated

   15. Restaurants that feature local food are great but there also need to be restaurants that feature international food, fine cuisine and the food of the prevailing visitors.  Immigrants and vocational training can speed this up

   16. Tourists need infrastructure such as toilets and parking.   The lack of free public parking in Switzerland affects tourism negatively

   17. An abundance of walking paths is positive for tourism.   Care must be taken to give walkers and bikers the right of way and not curtail their access to mountains, lakes and sea shore.  Do not let private property hinder access for the general public.   Selected areas can be beautified with the planting of beautiful plants and trees.   Strategically placed benches add to the experience.  Balance environmental concerns with those of tourism.  Doing great things for the environment requires a buy-in from the general public so not being too restrictive is constructive for more land being set aside for the environment

1. Big business.  Small business

   1. Countries often spend disproportionate resources on attracting big business.  This is OK within reason.  It is important not to make too many concessions e.g. tax concessions because every business should really contribute to the economy.

   2. Small businesses should not be undervalued.  The bulk of business in most economies is done by small business

   3. Businesses that serve the local economy should likewise not be undervalued.   Governments often place too much emphasis on businesses that generate foreign exchange.  But businesses that merely provide local goods or services actually save on foreign exchange.  The more people buy locally, the less they require foreign currency.   Local goods and services provide real value and the economy can grow a lot from people providing goods and services to each other

   4. A communication campaign encouraging people to spend wisely might be in order.  Excesses like those of the West and some parts of Asia might as well be skipped.  Does the latest iPhone or Louis Vuitton Bag (made mostly from plastic) really provide value to ordinary people?  Or buying food only to throw it away or getting hooked on prescribed drugs, cigarettes or vapes?  Or buying reconstituted milk instead of local milk.   We can help with communication campaigns that help channel expenditure for the wellbeing of the people

2. Foreign bad business

   1. Keep organized crime out.  Even if it requires extreme measures.  Some countries now even deny entry to motorcycle gangs  

   2. It is much harder to control crime once it has gotten a foothold

   3. It is not about handing down longer sentences though

   4. Put extra money into policing and administration.  It is important that members of the police and officials do not supplement their income with bribes etc.  Increase legitimate pay and privileges instead

   5. Drugs.  Ways need to be found to reduce the impact on the population

   6. Alcohol, tobacco and vapes leave behind them very high societal costs.   Foreign companies whose original markets are shrinking, target instead developing countries directly and indirectly through influencers, films and media.  This must be worked against in every way possible.  

      1. E.g. banning advertising, and tax concessions to films that do not feature addictive substances.  

      2. Age restrictions on smoking that go up every year as in New Zealand.  

      3. Iceland invested heavily in sport facilities for young people and has reduced teenage smoking to 2%.  (This had a corresponding reduction effect on the use of drugs, unfortunately negated later in life by oversubscription of pharmaceuticals).  Compare Iceland's smoking rates to those of Lausanne, Switzerland where 20% of teenagers smoke.  (We can help tackle these issues).  Heavy taxes on these substances may be in order

   7. Gambling.  Some Chinese individuals are running offshore gambling centers in other countries.  Any income from gambling entails more problems than gains

   8. Internet scams reflect badly on the country they originate from including Ghana, Nigeria and Russia.  Sri Lanka should make sure that these do not originate from within the country, and educate the Sri Lankan people to detect and stay away from these and cryptocurrencies which are in effect scams too  (We can help with this)

   9. A lot of money spent on pharmaceutical drugs is a waste.  For example, the best-selling drugs for some time were blood thinners that research showed to extend the lives of patients by an average of 5 days.  Not at all worth it considering the non-fatal side effects and not even considering low cost alternatives.  A developing country can find much better use of money than spending it on useless, near useless or bad drugs (such as opiates which are actually reducing life expectancy in countries like the United States)  

3. Building sector, Road and other infrastructure 

   1. The education to build good buildings is something that can be thought relatively easily and which could contribute substantially to the economy, without requiring much foreign imports

   2. It makes no sense to have foreign workers engage in such projects when local people can be trained to do so and not just for one of projects but for continuous development

      1. This makes much more sense than stipulating that a certain percentage of certain foreign products should be made locally.  Let business freely choose what makes sense to produce locally and what not  

4. Energy efficiency and green energy

   1. Huge developments have been in solar panel cost efficiency.  So much so that in India, solar energy is now cheaper than coal-fired energy

   2. Do not subsidize any form of energy, but when taxing energy, be sure that it reflects the true cost including environmental costs and benefits such as

      1. Pollution from wood and biomass burning

      2. Pollution from coal, oil or gas

      3. Environmental costs associated with battery technologies

      4. Environmental costs of wind farms, scenic, noise and bird fatalities

      5. Lesser appeal of waterfalls from hydroelectric generation (can be partly offset by timed release of water)

      6. Environmental costs of flooding areas for reservoirs

      7. Potential environmental costs of varying water levels in reservoirs

      8. Potential benefits from creating beautiful reservoirs 

      9. Keep in mind that pollution is not just in the form of CO2 but also as chemicals and health destructive particles

   3. We guess that many in Sri Lanka opt to go without insulation, but as living standards increase, it will be good to prepare for change.  New heat exchange technologies will also enable places to use less energy

   4. Hydroelectricity, wind, solar and ocean-wave electricity generation will play an increasing role, but needs careful planning

5. Other industries

   1. Having the right framework is good for all businesses

   2. Eventually, even financial services might be offered from Sri Lanka

Places with a great infrastructure grow the fastest

1. 1. Sri Lanka needs to learn from the best

   2. Set goals that go beyond the mediocre solutions that most cities and countries embrace

   3. Great plans need to be made.  But everything can not be done at once, so begin by doing some areas very well

   4. It is possible to build towns and cities where pedestrians never have to cross a road.  This was even demonstrated as far back as 50 years ago

   5. One needs to marry the design of the most well-planned towns with those that have grown organically, to get the best of both

   6. Highways play a crucial role, but must be built in such a way that they do not endanger biodiversity or take the charm and tranquility out of the landscape

   7. One needs to learn from the mistakes of other countries. Tenerife, an island belonging to Spain, has a good motorway but part of it is always full of congestion because it does not have enough lanes and adding lanes without having planned for it will cost a lot in terms of landscaping.  Similarly some good secondary roads have been planned but only partially implemented requiring people to take very steep roads and/or follow a labyrinthic way to reach their destinations negating the advantage of an otherwise good road network

   8. The cost of fuel and time lost on roundabouts, traffic lights, badly planned and congested roads should not be underestimated

   9. To build roads, some houses may need to go.  Fair compensation should be given to those that have to move and those that are affected negatively by a new road

1. Taxes

   1. Build an environment which is conducive to business

   2. What is done elsewhere may be different than it seems.  In the US, big business is actually taxed more, as companies pay a tax on profits and shareholders pay again a tax on those same profits as they are required to add the income from shares to their income tax.  In Switzerland, they do not bother about very small businesses whereas in Germany, every cent counts

   3. Simplify taxes so that everyone pays the same and preferably a low percentage 

   4. A low tax rate attracts and retains business.  Short of a tax paradise but competitive with other countries for doing business

   5. Because of the crisis situation in Sri Lanka, business people are thinking of leaving.  By creating the right environment, you can encourage them to stay.  Sri Lanka needs these business people much more than some new business people

   6. Make trade agreements with as many countries as possible without giving up your special requirements e.g. not to allow land to end up in foreign hands.  Aim to eliminate import taxes

2. Simplify laws

   1. Let the markets do their wonder

   2. If the government provides a stable, easily understood environment, the rest will take care of itself

   3. Look at what happened to China, when it allowed capitalism to flourish

   4. What is the use of laws, when most people do not know about them?

   5. Employ lawyers to come up with ways to do away with various laws.  Take every law that has ever been made and consider if it is really necessary, if it could be simplified or if it could be eliminated altogether

   6. The same applies to bureaucracy.   Simplify or eliminate procedures.  Every business nowadays is looking at business processes to see if they can be improved, simplified and/or automated.  The same should be taking place for public services, laws and regulations

   7. Give people more freedom to do what they want and to spend their own money 

   8. Don’t get tied up in debates that do not really matter.  For example, America and Poland are tied up with discussion about sexuality and abortion.  Something that does not make a difference for the vast majority of people 

   9. Do not waste resources on spying on everybody.  I doubt that the resources that countries like the US and Germany put into this area are ever paid back. Just make sure that your own administration is not compromised by foreign agents.  Just like certain people find a country that focuses on organic farming appealing, more and more people appreciate a country where surveillance is not the norm.  Forward-thinking cities like San Francisco have decided to go without public surveillance.  Terrorists and criminals will always find ways to circumvent surveillance, so pursuing the surveillance path becomes a endless cat and mouse scenario