Annual Report 2005 - Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka

Chairman’s MessageLast year, I complimented the IPS for achieving a numberof targets it set five years ago. This year I would emphasizethree areas where the IPS has to work on, viz., to promote adialogue to assist the government to implement certain keypolicy reform, to establish its position in the country as anautonomous body, and to establish the foundation to embark onpolicy advocacy and related work.It is increasingly clear that the Sri Lankan economy is goingthrough a very turbulent period. Managing the economy isbecoming increasingly complex under the existing politicalstructure. Many seem to be aware what reforms need to beundertaken to move ahead but when coming to implementingthese reforms the government seems to have faced variousbottlenecks. Consequently, very little progress has been madein reform implementation. In other words, managing change inthe Sri Lankan economy appears to be a major problem. This area needs in-depth study and the governmentneeds policy inputs on how to move forward. I recommend this area for close scrutiny by the IPS in the comingyears.While looking into this area and doing its normal research, the Institute must safeguard its autonomy. This isan area that the Governing Board has emphasized over the last two decades. The unique status of the IPSbeing a semi-government institute that is outside the ambit of the Administrative and Financial regulationsof the government has to be preserved if the Institute is to play its desired role. The Institute was establishedon this basis to give it autonomy so that it could engage in high quality research and achieve the vision it hasset for itself. With its current financial independence, the Institute is in a strong position to meet the objectivesset at the time of its establishment.Finally, the time may be opportune for the IPS to embark on research advocacy, sensitization, capacity building,preparation of Policy Briefs, information dissemination, and alliance building.I wish the Institute every success in its future activities.Gamani CoreaChairmanJune 20062__________ Annual Report 2005