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Planning matters to all of us as it affects our everyday life. Planning deals with competing land use decisions relating to urbanisation, changing climate, demographic shift, socio-economic inequalities, infrastructure investment and technological advancement. A country’s ‘planning system’ should be one of the key tools of dealing with these challenges. Sri Lanka’s planning system has struggled to keep pace with the nation’s evolving needs. Evolution of planning Modern planning originated from the industrial revolution in early 20th century, in response to public health crises due to urbanisation and overcrowding. At that time, planning aimed to create safe, convenient and pleasant living environments. Planning has evolved significantly over the years, reflecting the dynamic nature of societal needs. Contemporary planning is not just about land use zones or regulations, it goes well beyond. The British colonial Government laid the foundation for the current planning system in Sri Lanka. Planning rules introduced during this period were replicas of British planning rules, designed to address urban challenges in the aftermath of the industrial revolution. This raises crucial questions about the adaptability and effectiveness of a planning system originally conceived in a different socio-economic context in our country. Since gaining Independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has undergone various changes. Our economic policies shifted from nationalist priorities to economic liberalisation in the late 1970s, to accelerate economic growth and urban development. As a result, the planning system has been amended numerous times to align with the changing political agendas. This has resulted in a more complicated and fragmented system that is heavily focussed on individual projects e.g. the Port City and not on overarching outcomes of what the planning system is seeking to achieve. Economic development and planning Since Independence, economic development initiatives have largely been dictated by the political regimes in power and their ideologies. Economic planning has been a national task which sets out prerequisites for future planning and development of the nation. The dichotomy between economic development and planning has remained unresolved to date largely due to the lack of long-term national policies. Economic development and planning are mutually reinforced. A well-functioning planning system can play a critical role in overcoming Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis. It can support Government policies to stimulate economic growth, attract foreign direct investments, coordinate delivery of infrastructure and services and ensure that economic growth benefits the entire nation while protecting the environment and enhancing the people’s quality of life. Shift towards evidence-based strategic planning Sri Lanka faces unique challenges exacerbated by climate change. The National Physical Planning Policy (NPPP) introduced in 2007 and revised in 2019, aims to guide development activities, managing urbanisation and protecting environmentally sensitive and vulnerable regions including coastal areas. However, its implementation has been hindered by ad-hoc developments across the country, causing an irreversible damage to natural environments. The discrepancies between national plans and local level implementation, lack of funding, political intervention and frequently changing Government priorities, are some of the main causes. The planning system is strengthened when there is a clear dividing line between each successive layer of planning. Through legislative requirement, each plan can give effect to the agreed outcomes identified by plans further up the hierarchy. Therefore, integration of the NPPP into the planning system is essential to ensure that land use, infrastructure and development decisions are evidence-based and aligned with national policies and priorities. It can then guide Sri Lanka’s long-term development trajectories and optimise investment decisions. Legislative and institutional challenges One of the major challenges facing the current planning system is the fragmentation of planning functions among multiple agencies such as the Urban Development Authority, the Board of Investment, Mahaweli Authority and the Colombo Port City Economic Commission. The duplicated efforts and conflicting priorities of these agencies have created unnecessary complexities and uncertainties into the planning system, impeding development outcomes. For example, the UDA Law was regarded as modern legislation when introduced in 1978. Over the years, this legislation has been amended repeatedly to reflect changing political priorities in an ad-hoc manner. As a result, it has become complex and overly focused on processes rather than outcomes. The outdated colonial-era planning legislation is still applicable in some parts of the country creating additional layers of complexity. Despite having the power for local-level planning, local authorities face significant challenges, including limited funding, lack of expertise and inadequate institutional support. The existence of a dual system of Government at local level (i.e. the Divisional Secretariats under the Central Government and Local Government under the Provincial Government) has been also identified as obstacles to local planning and delivery. Planning legislation should establish the foundation for the operational and administrative aspects of a planning system. It should set out the framework to formulate plans and make decisions about development and should define roles for those in the planning system – for everyone from the Minister to the local authorities. A planning system should provide a fair and transparent framework to assess development proposals by reducing risk and adding certainty to the decision-making process. This needs a better inter-agency coordination and a change in the planning culture within those institutions to promote knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Plan implementation and monitoring For decades, Colombo has been the focus of numerous plans, yet all plans have shown the inadequacy of the existing infrastructure. Without sufficient funding and resources, these plans have largely failed to deliver their intended outcome. Plans should be regularly monitored, reviewed and updated to reflect evolving needs and to ensure their anticipated outcomes are achieved. Almost all national plans made in the past century, envisioned transforming Sri Lanka into a global hub between the East and the West. However, the civil war and the economic crisis have caused significant hardship to the country, particularly limiting economic growth and urbanisation. The country’s geographical advantage, natural resources and emerging geopolitical opportunities offer hope to realise this vision. It is vital to create a robust and ‘fit-for-purpose’ planning system to harness these strengths and transform the nation’s vision into a reality. Navigating through global megatrends Our future is inextricably linked to the wider world. Global megatrends such as automation, Artificial Intelligence and climate change are reshaping societies and economies worldwide. These trends will influence how we plan our urban and rural areas. Capitalising on the opportunities presented by these trends is crucial to shape our future. Adapting to climate change, becoming cleaner and greener, navigating through geopolitical shifts and diving into technological advancements – offers both prospects as well as hurdles. Adopting advanced technologies can enhance planning processes, making them more efficient and transparent. However, challenges such as the digital divide, data privacy, institutional capacity and infrastructure constraints need to be addressed concurrently to realise the meaningful benefits of technological advancement. A strategic- led outcome and a focused planning system will enable us to identify, prepare and respond to these unprecedented trends in a timely manner. Political leadership Building a pathway to Sri Lanka’s future prosperity needs strong political will and leadership. Heavily politicised decision-making and the lack of transparency have eroded public trust in the planning system. Restoring this trust requires de-politicising planning decisions and ensuring public participation in the process. A planning system should place people and their choices at the heart of planning decisions to ensure that development aligns with the needs of the people and deliver long-term benefits for all. It should genuinely engage local communities, civil society and the private sector in the planning process from visioning to implementation. Political leadership is crucial to create a planning system that is responsive, inclusive and future-focused. Planners need to navigate the complexities of political influence and advocate for long-term national policies that align with the Government’s vision for the nation. Planning profession Planners play a key role in shaping the future of our urban and rural areas. They guide and manage change in the built and natural environment by developing policies and plans and identifying, prioritising and delivering agreed outcomes. Planners have a key role to play in addressing the current economic crisis the nation is facing. As a multidisciplinary profession, planners are trained and skilled to work in a range of activities and coordinating other professions involved in urban management. Since the setting up of the Department of Town and Country Planning at the University of Moratuwa in 1973, around 1,000 graduates had obtained their planning qualifications. The Institute of Town Planners Sri Lanka (ITPSL), established in 1982, has further strengthened the planning profession in the country. The ITPSL and the University have produced highly skilled planning practitioners to lead the future planning of the nation. However, the absence of the planning service minute has prevented the recruitment of planners, particularly in the local authorities. A better planning system could generate significant job opportunities not only within the public sector but also in private sector to lead the future planning of the nation. Planning reforms As Sri Lanka stands at a critical juncture, the common cry of the public has been the need for a ‘system change’. The outcome of the recent elections assured that a system change is indeed now inevitable. This presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for planners to advocate the newly elected Government to reshape the nation’s future by overhauling the entire planning system in Sri Lanka and creating a contemporary planning system that resonates with the country’s unique context. With genuine political leadership will the country turn this moment of crisis into a transformative path towards prosperity, ensuring that all Sri Lankans can benefit from growth and development? Can we think of a better time than this for planning reforms! The writer is strategic Planning Policy Lead, Maitland City Council, NSW Australia and a Former Lecturer, Department of Town and Country Planning, University of Moratuwa

Ultimately, the impact of the change from "water fee" to "water tax" will depend on how it is implemented and how the community responds to it. By engaging with stakeholders and fostering a dialogue around water conservation, we can work towards achieving our shared goal of ensuring sustainable access to clean and safe water for all. Let us embrace this opportunity to rethink our relationship with water and strive towards a more sustainable future for generations to come.In a separate but related event, Hundred Rivers Intelligent, a Chinese technology firm, has come under scrutiny for its controversial move to repurchase employee stock options at below-market prices. The company's decision has sparked outrage among its workforce and raised questions about its treatment of employees. The incident sheds light on the challenges faced by employees in China's tech industry, where issues such as compensation and corporate governance are increasingly coming under scrutiny.

As a leading player in the property development industry, Country Garden recognizes the importance of building trust, credibility, and goodwill with its customers, investors, and the public. The company has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with stakeholders, listen to their concerns, and take concrete actions to address any issues that have been raised. Country Garden has stated its commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and accountability to promote sustainable growth and long-term success.

This Timberwolves roster is different than the one from a year ago. That much is obvious in games, as Karl-Anthony Towns’ consistent scoring and general size is missed, as is the playmaking and ball security of guys like Kyle Anderson and Jordan McLaughlin. ADVERTISEMENT But their absences have been felt in the locker room, as well. Towns was a consistent source of positivity for the team. Anderson was one of the loudest vocal leaders. The latter can be especially difficult to replace, especially because it can be uncomfortable to speak up when things are going poorly and something needs to change. That was the position Anthony Edwards has found himself in early this season. Edwards has been praised for his leadership through his first four years on Minnesota’s roster. Mostly, that all came via positivity and example. Edwards can be coached hard, which gave the greenlight for the coaches to treat everyone else the same way. Edwards was also quick to credit his teammates around him for their contributions to the cause, and was eager and willing to spend time with and talk to anyone on the roster, players No. 1-15. He’ll also stand up for any of his teammates if the occasion ever arises. That’s why he has been so beloved in the locker room and why he was viewed as such a leader, even at his young age. ADVERTISEMENT But with Anderson’s departure, Edwards was now tasked with leading even through choppy waters. And the waves have been rather large through the first quarter of the season. Minnesota’s defense has fallen off a cliff in comparison to where it was a year ago. After never even as many as three consecutive games during the 2023-24 regular season, the Wolves endured a four-game losing skid earlier this week. At that point, words were exchanged, both publicly and privately. A halftime hash out during Minnesota’s loss Wednesday to Sacramento got the conversation rolling. Mike Conley got the dialogue started, but all indications are that Edwards was a healthy participant. Edwards noted it’s difficult to know what to say in those times. “Because you look at everybody, and everybody got a different agenda. It’s like, ‘What the (heck) am I supposed to say?’ You know what I mean?” Edwards said. “I’m trying to get better in that aspect, figure out what the hell to say to get everybody on the same agenda, because everybody right now is on different agendas. I think that’s one of the main culprits of why we’re losing, because everybody out there got their own agenda. I guess their imagination of what’s supposed to be going on, and what’s really happening.” Nickeil Alexander-Walker told reporters at Friday’s shootaround that this is the most vocal Edwards has ever been. And while the intention of everyone’s messages are pure, “sometimes it’s not always worded the right way.” ADVERTISEMENT “I think we’ve crossed that line of, ‘Man, I feel like you’re not hearing the message.’ It’s tough to be called out, because you start to feel like, ‘OK, are you saying I’m the reason?’ No one wants to be at fault,” Alexander-Walker said. “But at the end of the day, I definitely think that guys are open to hearing it better. And I think it just came from a stand point of, at a point and time in the conversation, there was a comeback. It was going back and forth now, as opposed to receiving it (and saying), ‘OK, I got you.’ That’s how it’s going to be. It’s very rare that someone is just going to be able to be called out and not have anything to say. “It’s human nature to be defensive, at the end of the day. But kind of remembering what we’re here for, and if I’m being called out, chances are I’ve got to look in the mirror and be better.” It’s a delicate dance. There has to be an environment rooted in accountability, but you also have to be sure not to lose teammates, as Jimmy Butler was criticized for doing during his short stint in Minnesota a few years ago. ADVERTISEMENT And while it’s never ideal for a team to be living through a stretch of basketball the quality of which falls significantly short of the expectation, these stretches will likely lead to growth for Edwards, if not on the court, then in the locker room. You can’t steer a ship to a title if you don’t know how to navigate turbulent tides. Day by day, loss by loss, Edwards is learning how to spin the wheel. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, speaks before the Senate at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos State Sen. Mike Reese, R-Leesville, and Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, speak at the podium before the Senate at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos State Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Many, tells a joke on the Senate floor at the state capitol on Friday, November 22, 2024. Javier Gallegos Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Income taxes will drop, sales taxes will rise and a much-maligned tax on corporate assets will disappear under legislation approved by the state Legislature Friday that ends two weeks of debate on how best to refashion Louisiana’s tax system. Final passage of the package during the special legislative session represents a major political victory for Gov. Jeff Landry, although lawmakers bowed to the pressure of special interests and scrapped major portions of his package that sought to eliminate tax breaks to simplify the complicated tax code. “It’s an exciting day for Louisiana,” said Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, who sponsored major pieces of the legislation and helped shepherd the package through the House. Landry can point to the fact that a majority of Democrats joined Republicans in approving each bill in the package except one. Landry achieved his prize goal of getting legislators to scuttle the graduated individual income tax system — which has a current top rate of 4.25% — for a single 3% rate as of Jan. 1. In conjunction, Louisiana will nearly triple the standard deduction for individual filers to $12,500 at the beginning of 2026. To pay for the tax cuts, legislators had to swallow increasing the state sales tax to 5%, or 1% higher than if they had allowed a temporary sales tax to expire next year. The higher sales tax will last for five years and then drop to 4.75%. Landry had sought to renew the expiring sales tax at just under a half-cent. Louisiana already had the country’s highest sales tax rate, and now a tax that hits the poor hardest will be even higher. Besides Landry, other political winners are Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, who led the way for the Senate to salvage the tax package after the House balked at approving a bill to extend the sales tax to 41 additional services. This week, Henry shuttled from meetings with Landry, Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice. Another winner is Richard Nelson, the revenue secretary, the architect of Landry’s plan. Nelson, a former state representative from Mandeville, ran for governor last year but dropped out and supported Landry. Corporate franchise tax repeal Besides the income tax and sales tax changes, legislators also agreed to Landry’s proposal to abolish the .275% corporate franchise tax, a longtime goal of the business community. The 84-16 vote in the House for House Bill 3 marked the only time Friday that a majority of Democrats did not support one of the tax bills. The Senate approved the bill unanimously. The governor’s plan overall will reduce state tax collections and give the biggest dollar savings to the wealthy and large corporations, with Landry saying it will spark an investment boom that will raise family income and reverse the population loss that occurred while John Bel Edwards was governor. Whether families that earn less than $40,000 per year will receive a net tax reduction was not clear Friday, given the sales tax increase. The House and the Senate breezed through the long list of tax bills Friday, with Democrats showing no fight – none went to the microphone to voice their concerns. The centerpiece of Landry’s package – House Bill 10 , which combined the income tax cuts with the sales tax increase – passed the Senate 38-1, with only Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, voting no. HB10 passed the House, 80-19, with 18 Democrats and Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Gray, voting no. She had said she had made a commitment to not raise the sales tax. It would cut individual income taxes by $1.3 billion and raise $845 million in higher sales taxes. Legislators made up the difference by raiding an infrastructure fund and drastically reducing tax credits that companies can take on their inventory tax payments to parishes. Landry sought to replace the three-tier corporate income tax system with a single 3.5% rate, but legislators established a single 5.5% rate. That will reduce taxes for companies paying at the 7.5% rate, while those at the current lower two rates will receive a higher standard deduction to allow them to avoid having to pay more money, said Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, who took a lead role in shepherding the package through the Senate. Reducing the top corporate income tax rate – House Bill 2 – won passage in the Senate, 38-1, with Duplessis voting no, and in the House, 90-9. Democrats cast all the no votes. Film tax credit saved Landry wanted to eliminate several tax incentive programs that independent studies show produce a low return on investment for taxpayers. But, after heavy lobbying, lawmakers kept the tax credits for film and TV productions and for renovations of historic property, although at a lower cost to the public. Also, Louisiana joined 44 other states in imposing taxes on digital goods such as streaming and games. Beyond all of those changes, Landry and legislators want to undertake a major rewrite of the state tax code. That will now be up to voters on March 29. Voters will be asked to approve a complicated change to the state constitution that would give a permanent pay raise next year of $2,000 to teachers and $1,000 to support staff – by paying off $2 billion of teacher pension debt. The proposed constitutional amendment would also give parishes the option of repealing the property tax on business inventory, and would double the standard deduction for seniors, take most property tax exemptions out of the constitution and put their fate in the hands of legislators, impose a cap on annual spending and make it harder to create more tax breaks in the future. The amendment also would merge two state savings accounts and, if passed, allow the governor to use some of that money to pay parishes to drop the inventory tax program. Remaining untouched are two popular tax items in the state constitution: the $75,000 homestead exemption and the sales tax exemption for the purchase of groceries, residential utilities and prescription drugs. Landry's goals In an interview Thursday morning, Landry said he had four goals when the special session began the day after this year’s presidential and congressional elections. He wanted to raise teacher pay next year and ensure that Louisiana didn’t have a budget shortfall next year that would lead to cuts in vital government programs. Landry wanted to lift Louisiana’s standing in the State Business Tax Climate Index of The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit favored by conservatives. Louisiana is currently 40th and would jump to eighth under the original version of his plan. Because of the changes by legislators, Louisiana would now land among the top 25, Foil said. Landry also wanted to reduce the overall tax bite. In general terms, lawmakers are offsetting the reduction in income taxes with the increase in the state sales tax and other measures. The reduction comes from the repeal of the corporate franchise tax, which will save companies $530 million in the 2026/27 fiscal year. The Landry administration says that won’t cause a budget shortfall and reduce services because revenue from the corporate franchise tax in recent years has flowed into one of the state savings accounts. But Jan Moller, director of Invest in Louisiana, a Baton Rouge nonprofit that favors a progressive income tax system, has said in recent days that eliminating that tax will reduce the money available for government programs because corporate tax revenue has been inflated in recent years. In the immediate aftermath of the special session, local governments emerged as clear winners. They fended off Landry’s attempt to end their ability to impose sales taxes on the sale of machinery and equipment and on prescription drugs. The state does not tax those purchases. Landry was trying to follow the advice of The Tax Foundation, which has given poor marks to Louisiana’s sales tax system in part because of the complication of local governments imposing sales taxes on some purchases that the state does not tax. Needing more money to pay for the income tax cuts, lawmakers voted to not direct $280 million in vehicle sales taxes for two years to three major infrastructure projects: to extend Interstate 49 in Lafayette Parish, to complete the four miles of unbuilt highway on Interstate 49 just south of downtown Shreveport and to build a new bridge over the Mississippi River in metro Baton Rouge. Spending to replace the Interstate 10 bridge over the Calcasieu River will continue. Along with jettisoning Landry’s proposal to extend the sales tax to services, legislators also backed down from trying to revamp tax rates f or oil and gas production . Along a similar vein, state Rep. Roger Wilder, R-Denham Springs, withdrew his bill to triple the tax on sports betting. A group associated with Davante Lewis, a Democratic member of the Public Service Commission, has sent text messages and posted Facebook ads criticizing those who voted for the sales tax increase. In the final minutes of the special session, Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, criticized the tactic, saying Democrats shouldn’t face criticism if they support good ideas from a Republican governor.