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PRCA APAC findings shed light to the state of the PR industry in Sri Lanka

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PRCA APAC findings shed light to the state of the PR industry in Sri Lanka

ASIA PACIFIC – 12th October, 2022 – The APAC chapter of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the world’s largest and influential PR body, carried out a survey during October with the view of understanding and informing on the state of the PR industry in Sri Lanka. The survey was carried out among 33 leaders and senior executives from over local and multinational PR agencies.

97pct of the respondents stated that the PR industry has got competitive over the recent years, with pricing, industry connections and influence playing a key role instead of talent and innovation. 25 out of 33 professionals cited that their clients ‘somewhat’ understand the true potential and impact of PR, and that the pandemic and recent economic events have pushed companies to manage their reputation proactively.

‘The findings give a hint that despite being a niche industry, the PR profession and landscape in the country is poised for exponential growth given that some of the diverse challenges and suggestions are addressed timely. We at PRCA APAC will actively be involved in uplifting the standards together with the agencies and other stakeholders,’ said country representative Thanzyl Thajudeen MPRCA, who curated and led the initiative.

Print topped as the most preferred channel among clients (79pct), followed by online, social media, TV/radio, and others. However, 42pct mentioned their clients citing print PR as not effective at some point with 33pct strongly advocating that print is very much here. When it comes to which channels their agencies promote, online surpassed print slightly by 12pct.

Most of the clients were seen engaging with on-going PR activities, followed by reputation building, brand positioning, crisis response and mitigation, and internal communications. 88pct of those surveyed have been involved or encountered clients requesting crisis response PR strategies with 76pct mentioning internal communications plans.

The challenges their clients were facing include budget cuts (91pct), exchange rates (64pct), import ban (55pct), and retaining talent and finding customers (50pct). Agencies cited client budget cuts (94pct) as the biggest concern faced with the present volatile situation, followed by convincing clients the crucial role PR could play, payment delays, and employee turnover.

However, 67pct cited that proving and justifying ROI and value of PR is the greatest challenge with the need to have more measures, tools and insights in place.

Despite the many challenges and half of the respondents feeling a burnout in their role, the PR industry is very optimistic. 79pct stated that there are many new areas to learn within the discipline, citing that PR is becoming more social than digital and that it also requires an approach backed by analytics, accountability and ethics.

This was well reflected when asked as to why they work where they work. Learning (79pct) superseded all other factors such as agency reputation, networking, compensation, networking, job mobility, and workplace environment. 72pct have also taken up self-paced learning activities recently, including networking with other industry peers in the last 12 months.

The PR professionals cited that the industry needs to work more towards knowledge sharing, collaborations and partnerships, and talent and capacity building (73pct), with nearly half of them suggesting the need to uplift its ethical standards.

Many voiced the need to address and change the misconceptions among clients and society at large of what PR really is, going way beyond the traditional ‘media release’ sense, and that a solid educational or vocational framework is required to help aspiring students and professionals alike to comprehend and understand this lucrative profession in its right essence including ongoing knowledge transfer and training sessions among all agencies involved in the broader spectrum of communications.

ABOUT PRCA

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is the world’s largest professional PR body.
We represent more than 35,000 PR professionals in 82 countries worldwide. With staff in London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, and Buenos Aires, we are a global advocate for excellence in public relations.

Our mission is to create a more professional, ethical, and prosperous PR industry. We champion – and enforce – professional standards around the world through our Professional Charter and Code of Conduct. The Code compels members to adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice.

We deliver exceptional training, authoritative industry data, and global networking, and development opportunities.

We also manage the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) – the umbrella body for 41 PR associations and 3,000 agencies across the world, and LG Comms – the UK’s national body for local government communicators. Additionally, we support the delivery of the Motor Industry Communicators Association (MICA).

The Sri Lanka representative can be reached via [email protected].

Thanzyl Thajudeen,

Director

Isuru Bandara, business partner of Thilini Priyamali, remanded!

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Isuru Bandara, business partner of Thilini Priyamali, remanded!

Isuru Bandara, who has been recognised as the business partner of Thilini Priyamali, an accused arrested over a large-scale financial fraud, has been remanded till tomorrow (19).

Bandara was arrested by the Financial Crimes Division No 02 yesterday (17).

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National People’s Council Secretariat formed to strengthen participatory democracy

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National People’s Council Secretariat formed to strengthen participatory democracy

Establishment of the National People’s Council Secretariat for the formation of the People’s Council to strengthen participatory democracy.

It has been revealed that due to the gap between the center of governance and the people of the periphery, the representative democratic structures that have been operating in Sri Lanka do not pay due attention to the public opinion sufficiently in the policy and decision-making process and since the people’s real issues are not adequately addressed, social criticism is arising in this regard.

Based on this, it has also been seen that opinions and objections against representative democracy are emerging in the society. Under that situation, the need for a strong mechanism where public officials and the public can discuss rural issues together, determine development priorities and rural people can participate in the decision-making process in an organizational structure where participatory democracy is practiced at the rural level has emerged.

It will be possible to effectively and efficiently prevent public oppression that may occur due to bureaucracy and arbitrary politicization through an organized mechanism that actively find public opinions for public policy formulation and implement those policies with community participation.

The National Movement for a Just Society has accordingly presented a concept paper on ” People’s Council System” with an independent institutional structure where public participation can be ensured for the formulation of public policies and the successful implementation of those policies. The concept paper also proposed the establishment of the “National People’ Council and “Village People’s Councils ” to cover every Grama Niladhari Division in the Island.

Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Hon. President to accept the proposed People’s Council system as an fundamental policy and to establish the “National People’s Council Secretariat” as the national level independent central institution for establishing the People’s Councils system

Japan to organize SL creditors’ meeting amidst Paris Club support

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Japan to organize SL creditors’ meeting amidst Paris Club support

Japan is working to organize a meeting of Sri Lanka’s creditors by the end of this year in hopes of solving that country’s debt crisis, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The meeting, which will discuss such issues as finding ways to reduce debt payments, aims to curb China’s influence by helping Sri Lanka cope with its so-called debt traps, which arose after China provided huge loans to the country to fund infrastructure developments and other projects.

The Paris Club, an informal group of 22 official creditor nations, has assured its fullest support for Sri Lanka to overcome the current debt crisis.

The assurance was given by the Co-Chairman of the Paris Club, William Roos in a meeting held with State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe in Washington, during IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings.

“Mr. Roos assured The Paris Club’s fullest support for Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to find an early resolution to its debt crisis,” State Minister Semasinghe said in a tweet.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe asked Japan for help during talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other people during a visit to Japan at the end of September to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to Japanese government sources.

The meeting is expected to focus on measures to reduce debt payments and postpone repayment deadlines, among other related steps. Japan continues to urge other creditor countries to play a proactive role in dealing with the issue.

Sri Lanka’s economy has suffered due to sluggish tourism during the novel coronavirus pandemic and soaring food and resource prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In April, the Sri Lankan government introduced an emergency measure to suspend its repayment of external debts.

According to the Sri Lankan government, the nation’s external debt at the end of June stood at $46.6 billion, accounting for about 70% of its gross domestic product.

Sri Lanka has more than 20 creditors, with China topping the list at $7.3 billion, followed by Japan at $2.7 billion and India at $1.7 billion.

While struggling to repay its debts, Sri Lanka in 2017 effectively transferred to China the operating rights of one of its ports.

China — which has come under criticism from the international community for causing Sri Lanka’s economic collapse — will not play a leading role in restructuring Sri Lanka’s debts, and the Japanese government will have to tread carefully in its efforts to reach agreement among creditors in a manner acceptable to Beijing.

Govt seeks ILO help to set up digital database of workforce

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Govt seeks ILO help to set up digital database of workforce

The Government has sought assistance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to build a digital database of Sri Lanka’s workforce.
The request was made when ILO Country Director Simrin C. Singh and ILO Headquarters Senior Employment Specialist Sher Verick called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday. 

Citing the initiatives taken by the Labour Ministry to create a thorough digitalised database of the workforce, Premier Gunawardena called on the ILO to facilitate to fast-track the process.

The Prime Minister informed on the overview of the economic impact post-pandemic and challenges on the workforce, as well as the Government’s short-term and long-term measures taken to rebuild the economy and assist employees, employers, whilst giving more attention to safeguard low-income workers.

Highlighting the Government’s strong desire to promote mobility in the labour force, Prime Minister Gunawardena provided an explanation of the numerous training initiatives that have been undertaken to advance skill sets. He believes that increasing the quality and quantity of work is the most effective way of lifting people out of poverty.

Despite some indications of encouraging trends, ILO Country Director Singh said most developing nations, including Sri Lanka, are struggling due to the global recession, budget constraints, issues with debt sustainability, and rising inflation. 

Against this backdrop, she stated that these difficulties have led to a labour market crisis.

Employment Specialist Verick claimed the ILO’s founding principles were concerned not only with securing sources of income but also with providing a way for individuals to live a self-determined existence and fully participate as citizens in their communities.

Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara stressed that quality is the essence of the concept of decent work, which is defined by the ILO as chances for men and women to achieve productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.

The ILO delegation pledged its full support to all of the Government’s initiatives for the welfare of the workers and steps to improve workforce skills.

Opposition Leader adds congratulations to Booker Prize 2022 winner Shehan Karunatilaka

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Opposition Leader adds congratulations to Booker Prize 2022 winner Shehan Karunatilaka

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa speaking to Parliament today (18) added his congratulations to Shehan Karunatilaka, winner of the Booker Prize 2022, for his novel ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.’

Appreciating Karunatilaka’s global recognition, the Opposition Leader added he won the Gratian Prize in 2008, the Commonwealth Prize in 2010 and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in 2012 for his novel “Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Matthew.”

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WB to work with the IMF and foreign donors for SL’s sustainable growth

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WB to work with the IMF and foreign donors for SL’s sustainable growth

The World Bank has assured it will work closely with the International Monetary Fund and other development partners, to support Sri Lanka’s recovery and sustainable growth.

The assurance was given by World Bank Vice President South Asia Martin Raiser during a brief meeting with State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe on the sidelines of the IMF and the World Bank annual meetings taking place in Washington, D.C.

A statement issued by the Finance Ministry noted that State Minister Semasinghe had an insightful conversation on options available to recover Sri Lanka’s economy with the World Bank Vice President for the South Asia Region Raiser and World Bank delegation.

The State Minister also added the new concessional funding requested by Sri Lanka would remain linked to reforms, the progress of debt restructuring, and the program agreed with the IMF.

The discussions also focused on the current creditworthiness of Sri Lanka, which is no longer entitled to source funding through the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). 

The process will entail a ‘reverse graduation’ to International Development Association (IDA), which will move Sri Lanka from an IBRD-only country to an IDA country. However Sri Lanka will remain listed as a middle-income country, the statement added.

As per the World Bank Vice President South Asia, sustained improvements in economic and social conditions by the Government could pave the way for Sri Lanka to graduate from IDA in the future.

State Minister Semasinghe is heading the Sri Lankan delegation attending IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Washington, D.C.

The World Bank’s Vice President South Asia said that it would extend further support after reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

This was stated at a discussion between World Bank representatives and State Minister Semasinghe in Washington.

There are 17 ongoing World Bank-funded projects in Sri Lanka. The World Bank’s, said that the projects were being redesigned to provide financial assistance to meet the current crisis.

Explaining the current situation in the country, the minister pointed out the need to provide the World Bank loan assistance to banks and financial institutions.

He requested the WB representatives to take necessary measures to issue such financial assistance at low interest rates to the people engaged in agriculture, livestock, small and medium scale enterprises and businesses.

Representatives of the World Bank said that they have already decided to allocate funds for domestic gas and fertilizer supplies.

Tax increases, the removal of diesel and kerosene subsidies will have a severe impact on many sectors including fisheries.

The government is also concerned about other groups at risk. He said that these issues would have to be considered in reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Trade Unions responding to CEYPETCO go on sick leave. Legal actions will be taken, says Subject Minister!

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Trade Unions responding to CEYPETCO go on sick leave. Legal actions will be taken, says Subject Minister!

Trade Unions responding to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) today (18) have decided to resort to a trade union action in objection to the proposed Special Petroleum Regulations Act due to be debated in Parliament by going on sick leave.

President of the Petroleum Public Employees Union Asoka Ranwala warned that fuel distribution may be delayed due to this trade union action.

However, responding to the trade union action, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said that legal actions will be taken against anyone obstructing the distribution of fuel or any affair of the energy field, under the provisions of the Essential Service Regulations Act.

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Shehan Karunatilaka interview: ‘Sri Lankans specialise in gallows humour. It’s our coping mechanism’

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Shehan Karunatilaka interview: ‘Sri Lankans specialise in gallows humour. It’s our coping mechanism’

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida has won the Booker Prize 2022, and a few weeks earlier we spoke to Shehan Karunatilaka about the legacy of his country’s civil war, his publisher’s tough love… and exploring the afterlife

How does it feel to be longlisted for the Booker Prize 2022, and what would winning mean to you? 

To make any longlist requires luck. To get longlisted before the UK launch of your book is an extra bit of fortune. To have a novel about Sri Lanka’s chaotic past come out just when the world is watching Sri Lanka’s chaotic present also requires an alignment of dark forces. Unlike my protagonist Maali Almeida, I don’t gamble. So I don’t expect to roll two more sixes, though I will scream with joy if I do.

What was the starting point for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida? Was it a slowburn idea or a moment of clarity? What made you want to write this particular book now?  

I began thinking about it in 2009, after the end of our civil war, when there was a raging debate over how many civilians died and whose fault it was. A ghost story where the dead could offer their perspective seemed a bizarre enough idea to pursue, but I wasn’t brave enough to write about the present, so I went back 20 years, to the dark days of 1989.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

What does your writing process look like? Do you type or write in longhand? Are there multiple drafts, long pauses, sudden bursts of activity? How long did The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida take to write? 

It took too long. I began writing in 2014 and went through multiple versions, but maybe it needed that amount of time to evolve. First, I researched 1989, studied supernatural folklore, collected ghost stories and filled A3 sheets with notes in pencil. Then I typed an outline. And did beats for every chapter. Of course, the outline kept changing, as did the beats, and the ideas. But as soon as Maali’s voice emerged, the story began to find its rhythm, and five years later was ready to be read.

You’re one of several writers on the longlist published in the UK by small independent publishers – what does that mean to you, and how does it affect you as a writer? 

It’s wonderful to be with a publisher who cares about the work and is able to give the story the tough love it needs. I’m not sure a larger publisher would’ve been as patient and generous as Natania Jansz and Mark Ellingham at Sort of Books were with Seven Moons, and its author.

We worked steadily through the pandemic to make sure the strange plots and off-kilter characters were easy to digest. Then Peter Dyer created that brilliant cover. It was a true team effort and we’re all delighted to share this success.

Shehan Karunatilaka © Eranga Tennekoon

One reviewer described The Seven Moons… as ‘part ghost story, part whodunnit, part political satire’. Is that a fair description, or are there other significant ‘parts’ that potential readers should know about? 

Three balls is plenty to be juggling. So yes we had the mystery, the afterlife and the politics to balance the narrative. But there’s also a love triangle at the heart of this, some tender relationships and a fair bit of ghostly philosophising. Though hopefully the reader is too caught up in the story to notice the many moving parts.

For those who might not be very familiar with Sri Lanka’s civil war, what made you decide to set the book in 1989? What’s the significance of that year and what are the parallels between Sri Lanka then and now? 

1989 was the darkest year in my memory, where there was an ethnic war, a Marxist uprising, a foreign military presence and state counter-terror squads. It was a time of assassinations, disappearances, bombs and corpses. But by the end of the 1990s, most of the antagonists were dead, so I felt safer writing about these ghosts, rather than those closer to the present.

I’ve no doubt many novels will be penned about Sri Lanka’s protests, petrol queues and fleeing Presidents. But even though there have been scattered incidents of violence, today’s economic hardship cannot be compared to the terror of 1989 or the horror of the 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms.

We all pray it stays that way.

Although set against a backdrop of violence, the book – like your first novel, Chinaman – is very funny. The Booker judges described it as being ‘angrily comic’. Is that the tone you were aiming for and, if so, why? 

Despite having a grim history and a troubled present, Sri Lanka is not a dour or depressing place. We specialise in gallows humour and make jokes in the face of our crises. Just look at the zany footage of the July 9 presidential pool party and the many memes surrounding the Aragalaya.

Laughter is clearly our coping mechanism. In Chinaman, I used the archetype of the drunk uncle, and for Seven Moons it was the closet queen. Both characters are known for a dark and cruel sense of what’s funny.

Do you ever imagine your own afterlife? If so, how does it compare to the one you’ve invented here? 

In the course of researching this, I didn’t encounter any ghosts or have any convincing epiphanies on the hereafter. But I’m not sure if any of the great ghosthunters or famous spiritualists have either. Who’s to say my version of a disorganised bureaucratic afterlife with an absent God isn’t the correct one?

1989 was the darkest year in my memory, where there was an ethnic war, a Marxist uprising, a foreign military presence and state counter-terror squads.

An earlier version of The Seven Moons… was published in India in 2020 as Chats with the Dead, yet it seemed to take a while to find an international audience. Why do you think that was and how did it change in becoming The Seven Moons…? 

They’re both the same book, though Moons is perhaps less esoteric to a western reader and more accessible to an audience who know nothing about Sri Lanka or its ghosts.

You’ve written a children’s book and, according to Wisden, the second-best book about cricket ever written – as well as rock songs and copy for advertisements. What are you working on next and how different from The Seven Moons… will it be? 

I am working on a few new projects, but none of them will feature cricket or ghosts.

You’re the second Sri Lankan writer in two years to be nominated for the Booker. Have western audiences finally woken up to the quality of Sri Lankan writing or is it just in a very strong place right now? Which other Sri Lankan writers should people be reading?  

There’s no shortage of compelling stories in Sri Lanka’s past or present. When I started writing Carl Muller, Romesh Gunasekera, Shyam Selvadurai and Michael Ondaatje were the gold standard. As well as Arthur C. Clarke, whom I very much claim as a Sri Lankan writer.

Today, we have literary stylists like Anuk Arudpragasm and Nayomi Munaweera, genre storytellers like Yudhanjaya Wijeratne and Amanda Jay, comic scribes like Ashok Ferrey and Andrew Fidel Fernando, and dozens of talented writers like poet Vivimarie Vanderpoorten and essayist Indi Samarajiva.

And this is just in English. Hopefully, a new generation of translators can bring contemporary Sinhalese and Tamil works to a wider audience.

Do you have a favourite Booker-winning or Booker-shortlisted novel? 

Just one? Could easily do a top 10, but I’ll stop at 5.

Lincoln in the Bardo. Cloud Atlas. The Handmaid’s Tale. Girl, Woman, Other.

And, of course, Midnight’s Children.

The Booker Prizes

Appropriation Bill 2023 to be tabled in Parliament today

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Appropriation Bill 2023 to be tabled in Parliament today

The Budget Appropriation Bill for 2023 will be tabled in Parliament today (18).

The decision has been taken during the Working Committee on Parliamentary Affairs chaired by Speaker Abeywardena.

Commencing from today, the Parliament sittings will continue till October 21.

Oral questions will be taken into account from 09.30 to 10.30 in the morning, and the debate on the second reading of the Petroleum Special Provisions Bill will be held from 10.30 am to 05.00 pm.

Thereafter, from 05.00 pm to 05.30 pm the debate based on the government’s motion to adjourn the assembly will be held.

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