Too many Sri Lankans living in poverty – Survey

Are too many Sri Lankans living in poverty? That’s the big question posed by LMD, courtesy of TNS Lanka. And the answers - as revealed in the September edition of LMD, out this week – are not surprising. A majority (78%) of respondents gave an emphatic: “Yes!”

In the thought-provoking analysis of the survey results, also published in the widely read business magazine’s current edition, the people render their verdict on an issue affecting many of their fellow Sri Lankans.
As an LMD spokesperson observes, speaking exclusively to The Bottom Line: “While a massive percentage of respondents agree that there is too much poverty in Sri Lanka, some 18% of respondents surmise that there still aren’t enough beggars and homeless people crowding our streets and filling our refugee camps! While 4% say that they don’t know whether too many Sri Lankans are living in poverty – possibly because they live in ivory towers!”

All of this begs the question of whether the state – to say nothing of the employers of the working poor – are doing enough to reduce poverty in Sri Lanka… as the regular ‘Talking Point’ column in LMD comments: “With such a high level of poverty, someone or something has to be blamed – and for 75% of our respondents, that is the government; while two-thirds point the finger at our politicians.” (Existing policies; local and multinational companies; and international bodies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and donors don’t escape their share of the blame at the hands of the people, either!)

The insightful analysis and commentary is based on a survey commissioned by the pioneering business publication and executed by a leading market-research and information-services company, TNS Lanka.
Asked whether the state is doing enough to reduce poverty in this country, 59% say

“No,” 34 per cent say “Yes” and seven per cent profess not to know… the respective percentages for employers doing their part to help the working poor are “No” (64%), “Yes” (20%) and “Don’t know” (16%).
LMD comments: “Clearly, if employers are not taking steps to reduce poverty levels, something needs to be done to help the poor. Fifty-four per cent of the respondents feel that the poor should be given handouts. However, 43 per cent demurred – declaring that this will only result in them becoming dependent on subsidies, being unproductive and failing to improve their living standards proactively.”

The burning question is, how can the appalling levels of poverty prevailing in Sri Lanka today be reduced? The respondents leading suggestions were: “Provide employment/self-employment opportunities” (80%), “Reduce the prices of essential consumer goods” (72%) and “Introduce poverty-oriented government policies” (45%).

For more details, read the latest edition of LMD, out this week at major bookstores and selected retail outlets. The business magazine is a publication of Media Services, which also publishes THE LMD 50, lifestyle journal LIVING and the special standalone edition of THE MOST RESPECTED ENTITIES IN SRI LANKA, in addition to presenting the weekly business programme BENCHMARK.