Why are we a nation that never develops?

25 October 2025 11:52 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 43 Bookmark

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For years Sri Lanka’s geographic location has been spoken about and even envied by many nations. Infact foreigners have always praised our natural resources, our lush greenery, our ideal location in the Indian Ocean and our warmth and friendship.

For these foreign governments Sri Lanka has been an ideal country for investments, leisure, tourism, business and even retirement. For them it’s an ideal place to stay and enjoy their money.

So when we are so ideal then why are we still so far behind? Last week I was in Dubai, for an official visit. It was my first visit to the country after over 20 years. The last time I saw Dubai was when it was a land of deserts with hardly any development. Land was in plenty back then and even high risers were not much spoken about or hardly even seen.

But what I saw last week stunned me. A country which was only a desert had emerged into one of the leading hubs in the world. High risers adorned the sky line and what was once an Arab nation had transformed into a multi cultural nation. Land had been utilized for investments and the empty acres that were still available had cranes stationed on it where new buildings were being constructed. A taxi driver joked saying when I visit next Dubai would have transformed further and it would be a new experience again.

Investments are galore in Dubai. From tourism to a financial hub, Dubai has it all now. Every space in that country defines how investor friendly their leaders have been and how flexible its laws are to invite further FDIs. Infact their Golden Visa policy is being utilized to its fullest potential and it’s now a world hub. Dubai also has scored when it comes to its connectivity. Years ago with it maintaining a small airport, it now boasts of one of the best airports in the world with almost all flights from Europe to South Asia using it as a transit hub. Its airport is digitalized in such a manner that even passing the immigration just required a scan of the passport by the travelers themselves. It’s one of the easiest check in and check out processes, all for the benefit of the passenger.

However throughout my trip, one thing kept repeating with almost everyone I met. Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country. If we had a true leader who puts the country’s interests first, then Sri Lanka would truly put Dubai and even Singapore to shame.

For years foreign investors came up to our door step with investments in several sectors including transport, BIA expansion and even the famous LRT project by Japan to ease traffic congestion. None of them worked. Why? Because our ruling leaders preferred commissions even before the project could be discussed and corruption was part of the package. Even powerful nations such as China, India, Japan and the USA became victims to such corruption in Sri Lanka. Politics also played a major role in driving out investors. From Parliamentarians to groups with vested interests who were funded by opposing countries, protests were rampant when a big time project attempted to enter the market. One example is the e-visa scam which happened last year. A global organization such as VFS Global who are in partnerships with 70 governments including the UK, USA, India, Europe and even China for years, fell victim to political corruption here so much so that their confidence in Sri Lanka was shaken. Another is the Colombo Port City. A land which could have emerged into a leading financial hub in South Asia is yet to reach its potential.

When some of these global giants are working well with other more powerful governments, contributing to their economies, why is it that they always face a blame game in Sri Lanka? Is it because they all turn into criminals when they enter discussions with the consecutive Sri Lankan governments? Or is it because we ourselves have given way for our politicians to turn into greedy money grabbing demons while they sit on their seats.

Whatever the reason maybe, our politicians and bureaucrats have failed us. My generation will soon be gone in seeing Sri Lanka still struggle and be way behind when compared to other nations. But now all we can pray for is that it gets a leader who can call a spade a spade and puts the interests of its citizens first. The day that happens, Dubai and even Singapore will have a tough competitor.