The clarion call for the Diaspora

With another provincial poll safely in the bag, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government moved back swiftly on to the development platform with measures afoot to tap the expatriate community for investment and expertise. The strength and skill of our diasporas have been amply demonstrated in the spheres of entrepreneurship and governance the world over. What they lacked was opportunity and facilitation to channel these strengths for the growth and benefit of what was once their troubled homeland. As the guns fell silent, the milieu of peace brought an environment for investment; a time to build bridges with the kith and kin. Let us empower this process with ample facility.
The Office of the President has commenced a programme of action together with foreign missions to both inspire and invite our expatriate community to play an active role in national development. Following a meeting with the President, the participants will also be presented with opportunity to convene and discuss with heads of industry on the various prospects and options for business in what is effectively a new Sri Lanka. Measures have also been taken to offer special airfares and accommodation for the visiting delegates.
The timing of the call for the Diaspora is challenging. On the one hand Lankan expatriates are fighting for economic survival in their own abode of residence due to the impact of the financial crisis and global recession. They are holding on to what ever savings because cash is king whilst individually Lankans are also worried about their own jobs, incomes as well as sustenance for their families living with them. This partly explains why Sri Lanka hasn’t seen a rush of Diaspora inflow to their motherland and investments, especially buying of property even after near six months since the end of war with the LTTE. It must be recalled that soon after the 2001 ceasefire the Lankan Diaspora was the first to fly back or invest bringing in what was then perceived as the peace dividend.
Despite the trying conditions globally or in their own countries of residence, Sri Lanka in the current post-war scenario certainly offers the Diaspora a fresh opportunity. Unlike 2001, this time around prospects look brighter especially since LTTE leadership has been decimated whilst the Government is also keen to root out any possible seeds of terrorism in the country. In this context the process of fresh invitation to the Diaspora by the Government is commendable. Sri Lanka can also draw lessons from the successful engagement of Diaspora by nations such as India, China and Israel etc. The Government must also incentivise the Diaspora and deliver. That includes a progressive look at regulations, law and order, public utilities and infrastructure. We need also to look closely at those elements which served to drive them away from Sri Lanka besides the war. Quite apart from attracting investments, this forum would also serve as an excellent stage for us Sri Lankans to learn from our very own about ourselves and what we must strive to do better. We must encourage such learning, and we need to be open to the counts and criticism that come our way. As much as we look to learn and take note of the concerns that would come forth, we must strive to provide effective remedy and assurance in a swift and efficient manner. Thus, this becomes not a process for merely the President and business alone; this is a process for the entire gamut of government and for the private sector to treat as utmost. We need to empathise with our diasporas; understand the reasons and actions that led to their flight from Sri Lanka. We need to own up to our own mistakes. They are the faces and victims of our lapse. We could tend to consider that the outlook of our expatriate community could well equate to the point of view of the international community. Thus, confidence built amongst the expatriate community, could well translate to confidence won amongst the international community. We must ascend this course to a win-win process for all. We Sri Lankans – both native and expatriate – must exercise an open mind. We must work together to overcome our scars of the past, let us demonstrate in action that a distinct and modern Sri Lanka could become a reality. Again, it’s an evolution of mindsets.
Victory beats the election drums and the government hints at an early general election. An early election backed by a sound fiscal plan would augur well for the development prospects of 2010, and the turn of events could well be a significant chapter in Sri Lanka’s political history. The nation and its leaders must prepare, to judge and to be judged – let development be the stake. In this challenge the Diaspora has its own part to play, one which they owe their motherland.