26 Feb, 2010 20:34:39
Top Sri Lanka economist seeks parliamentary entry
Feb 26, 2010 (LBO) - Top Sri Lanka economist Harsha de Silva has been nominated as a candidate from the main opposition United National Party for parliamentary polls to be held in April.

De Silva is on the so-called `national list` of lawmakers that a party can use to bring professionals from various fields to the assembly.

Under Sri Lanka`s proportional representation system each party gets the chance to appoint a number of lawmakers based on its actual electoral performance.

`I think we need a much more in depth debate about economic policy,` de Silva said.

`Because economics is going to be the main item in the next parliament`s agenda, there is a necessity for substantive debate in parliament.`

De Silva has been a firm critic of deficit spending, high inflation and weak macro-economic management and had managed to generate a strong public debate over macro-economic management from outside parliament.

Harsha de Silva is an economist with a PhD from the University of Missouri. Having co-founded, built and subsequently sold Sri Lanka`s largest market research agency to The Nielsen Company, he now focuses on development economics. His primary interests are in economics of information and communication technology in emerging Asia and economic policy in Sri Lanka. He also plays a catalytic role in the policy debate in Sri Lanka through his own weekly television show. Harsha is an Eisenhower Fellow.