brand logo

A bleak present and a worse future?

08 Jul 2022

  • Dejected public express their falling hopes for the time ahead  
BY Sumudu Chamara Whether 2019 will be the last crisis-free year Sri Lanka has experienced for the considerable future is a question people of almost all generations have. While 2020 and 2021 were affected by the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, what followed was the economic crisis created mainly by the foreign reserves crisis and shortsighted policy decisions. Despite countless promises by the Government and Opposition parties to bring the crisis to an end soon, the people remain rather hopeless about not only the coming few months, but also about the rest of their lives. Most people who spoke with The Morning about how the prevailing crises have affected their mental health and future plans were of the opinion that even if the economic crisis is brought under control, unless and until the Government is taken over by leaders with a proper vision for the county’s future and a conscience that can feel for the people, the country will not stop going through further crises.  An unstable future  There is a great uncertainty about the future. The people remain anxious, doubtful, and depressed, not only about the prevailing situation, but also about how it will evolve in the coming few months.  In this regard, 42-year-old taxi driver R.A.S. Attanayaka said: “Whether people have lost their hope is not even a question. Forget about long-term plans and hopes. Many have no hope even about the next meal. For example, we (three-wheeler operators) remain in queues for days to get a little over six litres of petrol, which is not sufficient to provide for our families and to maintain our vehicles. When keeping food on the table itself has become a challenge, how can we even think about the future?” He further explained how the crisis has affected the short-term plans of his family: “My wife wanted to go on the Kataragama pilgrimage this year, and we had planned everything. But, now, that is impossible due to the fuel issue and the high costs of everything. I had planned to change the tyres of the three-wheeler last May. But prices have skyrocketed and that has become a dream. I had also planned to finish building the ceiling of my house. But with increased costs of the necessary materials and labour, I don’t know when I would be able to do that. Even thinking about my children’s future is stressful.” He added that the people’s basic needs and pleasures have become luxuries, and that itself is enough in order to be depressed about the country’s future.   What is more, the prevailing economic crisis has also affected people’s assets and savings to a considerable extent. The main reason is the increased costs of goods and services, and the decreased value of the money. Retired public sector employee Udaya Silva (name changed on request), described his experience: “So far, I have managed my expenses with my pension. However, due to the economic crisis, I have had to spend money from my savings that were meant to last the rest of my life. I fear what my future would be like, if this situation continues for a few more months. I have to pay loans, obtain medicines, and buy food. I don’t have anything to sell – apart from a few jewelleries. I have children, and they are ready to support me. However, I should not have to depend on my children, and knowing full well that they too are struggling with the economic situation, expecting their help is unfair.” He noted that even though he receives a pension, its value has decreased significantly. “Inflation is through the roof. What my pension gets me now is half of what it got me a few months ago. I am not asking the Government to increase the pension. I am asking it to do what actually needs to be done, which is reviving the economy to prevent people like me from becoming beggars.” Changed hopes and plans  The Morning spoke to several persons who have had to change their plans for the future owing to the current economic crisis. While some of them expressed happiness about the way that their future plans were altered, some expressed great displeasure about the same. Twenty-six-year-old student Sandun Perera (name changed on request), described how his higher education plans changed to career plans because of the economic crisis. “I had planned everything to migrate to study in a Malaysian university. However, due to the lack of foreign reserves, I was not able to make the advance payment, and even the university had issued a notice asking for concrete proof that the applicants are currently in possession of enough US dollars in order to make the first year’s payments, at the base minimum.” Adding that this situation prompted him to postpone his higher studies-related plans indefinitely, he said that he is now involved in his father’s businesses, which he said he prefers over higher studies. “My father owns a farm that grows fruits with organic fertiliser. Even though the transportation of fruits is somewhat difficult due to the fuel shortage, there is a high demand for organic fruits these days. I am now a full-time worker at the farm, and I think that this business has a good future. Most importantly, I think that I will have a good future in this business.”  He further said that he will most likely not go abroad for studies at a later date, and will pursue this new career. This, he said, is a turning point in his life. However, the prevailing situation has compelled some to leave the country, even though they intended to work and live in this country. Thirty-one-year-old construction-worker-cum-welder V. Sammana Chathuranga, said that in a context where his livelihood has come to a halt due to difficulties in obtaining construction materials, he has lived jobless for around two months, and that he thinks migration for work is the solution.  “Due to the high prices and the limited supply of construction material such as cement, sand, and metal, my livelihood has practically come to an end. While existing clients cannot afford to continue ongoing construction work, other people are reluctant to start any construction work. This has left me and many others I know jobless and destitute. This is the only trade I know, and therefore, shifting to a new career or a job is not an option. I have come to terms with the reality that if I cannot survive here in Sri Lanka, the best option is migrating to a country that offers opportunities for people like me.” He said that he has found several job offers for his professional skills in several Middle Eastern countries, and that by the end of July, he will prepare all the necessary documents and leave the country. He stressed that he had not planned to migrate looking for work, even though he now has no other option. “Leaving my family behind in a collapsing country is not easy. It is one thing to leave the family and country seeking better career opportunities, but it is a completely different thing to leave them for any job that pays well with the sole hope of survival. If I could, I would have taken my family with me, and I intend to get them an opportunity to leave the country with me.” Real change not in sight According to those remaining hopeless about a crisis-free Sri Lanka in the foreseeable future, changing the existing political culture is the key to resolving the crisis, and it is unlikely to happen. They were largely of the opinion that with no promising sign of the necessary political changes in sight, the people cannot foster any hope. Thirty-three-year-old public sector employee Asanka Silva (name changed on request), said: “For the country’s situation to change, the political culture should be changed. Unless that happens, keeping hope about the country’s situation getting better is pointless. Look at the Parliament; they still laugh when arguing about the country’s situation despite the fact that there are patients without medicines, kids without school education or milk powder, people affected by pay cuts and lay-offs, and people dying in fuel queues. Every decision regarding the country’s economy is taken only within their politically motivated limits. So, as long as this situation prevails, people can have no hope of a better tomorrow. Their tomorrow is in the hands of people who do not care about it.”  Adding that waiting until the said situation changes is foolish, he said that either anti-Government struggles should evolve and spread, or people should just leave Sri Lanka for a better country. While the country’s situation is a matter of concern for many, it has affected not only the people’s future plans, but also their hopes for a better future. Some also opined that the situation is such that they would not mind the country returning to the state it was a decade ago, which they said was better than now. 


More News..