Sri Lankan Government Research Articles

Technical & Economic Feasibility Study of Proposed Pump Storage Power Plants at Kuda Oya, Mul Oya, Gurugal Oya, and Dambagasthalawa

This paper presents a Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of proposed Pumped Storage Power Plants (PSPPs) at KM (Kuda Oya, Mul Oya), KMG (Kuda Oya, Mul Oya, Gurugal Oya), KG (Kuda Oya, Gurugal Oya), and Dambagasthalawa. Sri Lanka aims to transition away from a coal-dominant electricity sector within the next decade, aligning with sustainability goals outlined by the United Nations. In pursuit of affordable and clean energy sustainability, the Sri Lankan government has opted to shift its long-term energy policy towards renewable sources, departing from fossil fuels. Despite this shift, a significant portion of Sri Lanka's electricity consumption—approximately 600 MW from oil and 900 MW from coal—persists. The country now aims to source 80% of its energy from renewable sources, necessitating a focus on underutilized opportunities. In selecting the best candidate sites for Pumped Storage Power Plant (PSPP) design, comprehensive hydrological and sedimentation studies play a pivotal role. In this endeavor, we endeavor to re-rank the selected candidate sites for pumped storage power plants considering technical & financial feasibility by conducting comprehensive hydrological and sedimentation studies. These studies are pivotal for assessing the feasibility and long-term viability of potential sites, aiming to select the most sustainable candidate site in every aspect. Therefore, the primary objective of this research is to conduct a thorough hydrologic study of the proposed KMG and Dambagastalawa pump storage power plants, focusing on identifying potential energy-saving opportunities in pumping when these plants operate as open-loop systems. This study will analyze the hydrology of the upper ponds of the Kuda Oya, Mul Oya, and Gurugal Oya (KMG) pump storage power plants, and the Dambagastalawa Oya pump storage power plant, assessing the potential reduction in pumping energy. Such insights are essential for optimizing the design and operation of PSPPs to ensure economic viability and sustainable energy generation. Furthermore, this research addresses the importance of studying sedimentation in both the upper and lower ponds of the KMG and Dambagastalawa pump storage power plants. Sedimentation calculations will be performed to determine reservoir lifetimes, offering critical insights into the long-term feasibility and maintenance requirements of these projects. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable guidance to policymakers, investors, and PSPP designers in selecting the most suitable sites for addressing Sri Lanka's peak power demands and urgent electricity needs. By emphasizing the significance of hydrological and sedimentation studies, this research underscores the importance of thorough site assessment in optimizing the design and operation of Pumped Storage Power Plants.

Integrated Theatre Command: Strategic Synergy between the Armed Forces of India

The changing dynamics of the modern warfare, advancement of critical and emerging technology, changing geopolitical scenario and political instability in the neighboring countries, for example, the situations in Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Further, the evolving multidimensional security challenges from multiple fronts such as the border dispute with Pakistan and China, standoffs in India-China borders, presence of Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean Region, Geo-Political influence of China in Maldives’s Government and Sri Lankan Government are posing significant threat to the India’s National Security, Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity. To address these security challenges and potential threat from multiple fronts such as Land, Air, Surface water, Underwater, Space and Cyber, an integrated approach is needed for effectively countering the multidimensional security challenges emerging from multiple fronts in multi domains. Therefore, an integration of armed forces and strategic synergy between the armed forces of India is paramount important for India’s National Security and Interest. This gives special impetus towards the creation of an Integrated Theatre Command in India. Further, an integrated Theatre Command is crucial for tackling the multidimensional defence challenges in future.

An Analysis of Policy Frameworks on Business Formulization and Disaster Management to Mitigate Flood Loss and Damage Among Informal Businesses in Sri Lanka

The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Egypt made a historical decision on disaster loss and damage for vulnerable countries. Even though parties agreed to salvage vulnerable nations with generous support, a fundamental question remains as to the extent to which these vulnerable countries can accurately identify the most vulnerable communities/areas. In Sri Lanka, informal businesses are particularly vulnerable to floods, but their informal status has limited the extent to which they could receive flood protection, including disaster-resilient infrastructure developments. The main objective of this paper, therefore, is to identify challenges that informal businesses have experienced in dealing with flood disaster risks. In doing so, we analyzed government policies and laws that are related to business formalization and disaster management. We also conducted interviews with key informants to verify our data. Our analysis found that the Sri Lankan government requires informal business owners to follow complicated rules to register their businesses. For these owners, who are not highly educated, these processes and fear of high tax rates discouraged registering their businesses. The central government tends to prioritize flood mitigation actions for formalized business areas. Informal businesses are not usually covered by flood insurance and compensation. In conclusion, we emphasize the need to establish widely available legal and administrative support for informal businesses to register. Adopting business continuity plans (BCPs) and keeping standardized business records also help businesses minimize flood loss and damage.

The Level of Perceived Stress and Affecting Factors due to Current Economic Crisis Among Undergraduates in Faculty of Health-Care Sciences, Eastern University Sri Lanka

Abstract In 2021, the Sri Lankan government officially declared the worst economic crisis in the country. The ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka has been affecting the whole sector of the country. The undergraduate students who stayed in hostels had to suffer a lot due to restrictions of family income. The parents face difficulties in affording all expenses required by their children as university students. As a result, students had to cut down their daily expenditures. Due to this crisis, the students had to be affected by various levels of stress leading to disruptions in both physical and mental health. It also caused poor academic performance. Some students had to quit their studies. Stress is an emotional feeling affecting all ages and it appears at any time of the life cycle. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of perceived stress and affecting factors due to the current economic crisis among undergraduates in the Faculty of Health-Care Sciences (FHCS), Eastern University Sri Lanka (EUSL). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire to gather information and a complete enumeration was done. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) instrument was used to assess the severity of the undergraduate perceived level of stress-related current economic crisis. Demographic variables and affecting factors due to the current economic crisis were considered. The overall mean stress score in the study population was 22.91(SD=5.386). The majority of undergraduates reported moderate stress 70.8% (N=240). A multiple linear regression analysis was applied, Pearson correlation was used, and all necessary tests were performed. There was a statistically significant, positive correlation between the level of perceived stress and their family income per month (p=0.000). The contributing factors correlated with perceived stress were unable to enjoy meeting people, unable to frequently visit home, unable to take meals from outside and instead of cooking, trying to save extra expenditure money, unable to frequent shopping for dresses, cosmetics, jewelry. The level of perceived stress reported by the majority of the students was moderate. Mainly their family income per month contributed to stress among them. Policymakers and the university administration have to consider more about the stress levels of the students and plan suitable programs like scholarships to manage stress.

Impacting factors and degree of influence on the selection of ICT subject in GCE Advanced Level

Education in Sri Lankan education focuses on accelerating the country’s knowledge economy by producing skilled and knowledgeable people who suit present-day needs. Moreover, society wants universities to produce graduates, and of course, those graduates must be employable. Meanwhile, job opportunity is guaranteed for job seekers skilled in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) nowadays. Thus, the Sri Lankan government introduced a new stream “Technology” in the year 2015 as an educational reform. The success level of this government initiative should be measured in an acceptable form for further improvements. The most productive way to measure success measuring the interest of students in ICT on GCE A/L, and the factors that influence it. This study was conducted to examine the factors fluencing ICT subject selection by GCE Advanced Level students and to find out the degree of influence of each factor. The coastal region area of Ampara district of Sri Lanka was covered as a sample population for our study. Data to find out the influencing factors were collected by having One on-One interviews with four categories of stakeholder groups, namely principals or deputy principals, teachers, students, and parents, and prepared a questionnaire with these factors and distributed among the A/L students from different schools to gather their opinions from 266 respondents to find out the degree of influence of factors using the convenience sampling technique. Later, the answers to the questionnaire were analyzed by a statistical data analysis tool which shows that the family income, awareness programme, other main subjects in A/L, and the results of mathematics, English, and ICT subjects in O/L are affecting the ICT subject selection in A/L, meanwhile the results says that gender, parents’ education, and previously followed ICT related courses are not having relations in A/L ICT subject selection, and it revealed the degree of top encouraging factors such job market, opportunities in higher education, and getting high z-score and discouraging factors such lack of resources available in the medium, having no relevancy with other main subjects, and lack of interest in IT.

The grand strategy of a non-Western small state: Sri Lanka and the LTTE during 2006-2009

ABSTRACT This article examines the grand strategy of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) vs. the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during 2006–2009. It examines the conflict in terms of civil war and history, explores the concept of grand strategy, and suggests a typology of ways to bring change (Fight, Cooperate, Manipulate) along with a definition. The article argues that the grand strategic decision to Fight ended the LTTE’s insurgency, and concludes that any sustainable political solution, let alone peace, should follow military victory, not the other way around.

Pemenuhan Hak Atas Pekerjaan Dan Penghidupan Yang Layak Dalam Negara Yang Mengalami Krisis Ekonomi

Introduction: The economic crisis that occurred in Sri Lanka was due to the accumulation of foreign debt that could not be paid, resulting in high inflation in the country. State conditions like this have had an impact on the inability of the state to meet a decent standard of living for Sri Lankan citizens and the neglect of the rights to work of Sri Lankan citizens. Which of these rights have been regulated and have been recognized and respected through the provisions contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).Purposes of the Research: To find out the arrangements regarding the fulfillment of the right to work and a decent living by the state based on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).Methods of the Research: This type of research is normative juridical, where the research is carried out by collecting primary, secondary and tertiary data obtained using library research. The legal material that has been collected is analyzed qualitatively which breaks it down systematically based on legal disciplines to achieve clarity of the issues to be discussed.Results of the Research: The results of this study show that the right to a decent life and the right to work have actually been regulated, respected and recognized and protected in the provisions of ICESCR article 11 paragraph 2 of the ICESCR which states that "the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger" ( the basic right of everyone to be free from hunger) and article 7 of the ICESCR which regulates the right of everyone to enjoy work, so that these rights must be fulfilled as a form of respect for human rights. The economic crisis that occurred in Sri Lanka which had an impact on the non-fulfillment of the rights to a decent life and the right to work is an act or an act of non-fulfillment of human rights related to these rights which in principle constitutes a violation of human rights, so that events or this situation, the Sri Lankan government in various ways or efforts continues to take strategic steps to be able to overcome the economic crisis that is currently happening in Sri Lanka.

The realities of return migration: Reintegrating women migrant domestic workers in Sri Lanka

This paper critically analyzes the Sri Lankan government’s management of return migration. Adopting an intersectional lens, it examines how exclusionary policies and programs fail to protect the rights and welfare of returnee women migrant domestic workers, resulting in poor reintegration outcomes. The paper focuses on three interconnecting issues that disproportionately impact upon their rights, as revealed by empirical fieldwork carried out in Colombo in 2018. Research findings from interviews and focus group discussions with civil society organizations (9), government agencies (3) and international organizations (3) highlight the need for an inclusive policy approach. Such an approach would involve a holistic response guided by inter-agency coordination and comprehensive data that would better tailor services to the specific skillsets and diverse circumstances of returnee women domestic workers.

"Ad hoc policy decisions" in the news: Media framing analysis of a pesticide import ban in Sri Lanka.

Modern agriculture relies on pesticides to maximise outputs. While many highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) are banned in places like the European Union due to concerns about harm to the environment and human health, their use continues in many low- and middle-income counties (LMICs). Pesticide suicide is a public health problem unique to countries where HHPs are used, and Sri Lanka has successfully implemented several HHP bans as part of a suicide prevention strategy. On 27 April 2021, the Sri Lankan government announced an imminent import ban of all fertilizers and pesticides which was later revoked in November 2021. The aim of this article was to explore the media framing of the import ban as it pertained to pesticides. Guided by Entman's typology of frame functions, we analysed newspaper articles from nine Sri Lankan newspapers (N = 102) between 20 April to 31 October 2021. Overall, most framings were supportive of the ban, captured by framings that articulated the ban through a health, environment, and organic farming narrative. Framings that foregrounded farmer or industry livelihoods and the pesticide market were primarily adopted to express opposition to the ban. The presence of frames opposing the ban within media articles increased over time during the study period. There was a greater proportion of opposing frames in private newspapers compared to government (78% vs 22%). Many of the articles analysed described the widespread impact of the ban, but only 11% of articles represented the voices of policy end users. This study adds understanding to the ways communication via outlets like mainstream newspapers may shape public support or opposition to pesticide bans in a LMIC. Mass media is an under-recognised factor in policy implementation and this study may inform planning to implement pesticide bans in other countries.

Current Economic Crisis Effect on the Rural Community (By Ritigaha Arawa Village in Rideemaliyadda Divisional Secretariat in Badulla District Sri Lanka)

Today, Sri Lanka has faced to an economic crisis, and even everyone is suffering from it. COVID pandemic was a reason to expand the crisis, but the economic policy fallowed by Sri Lanka was the main reason for the crisis. The Sri Lankan government announced Sri Lanka as an economically bankrupt country, and Sri Lanka has also stopped the resettlement of foreign loans. Exports, import restrictions, organic policy, taxation, inflation, and a lack of investors are the main reasons for spreading the crisis. The rural community is the most suffering unit of society and the objective of this paper is to examine the effect of the current economic crisis on this community. Mix methodology was used, and questionnaires, discussion, direct observations, and field visits were used to collect the data. Day to day life has been lost to the rural community with the economic crisis, and their income is not enough to fulfill their basic needs. As a result of it, some students have stopped their education, and many young people are suffering their lives with the crisis. Lost job opportunities, and the increasing price of goods are reasons to spreading malnutrition in the rural community,and the crisis has spread all over the rural community in Sri Lanka.

Power implicit in language: A case of the Sri Lankan Government’s securitization of the COVID-19 pandemic

This is an attempt to uncover the ways in which the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) securitized its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and how that process of securitization functioned in furthering its overall approach to its legitimacy and governance. Regarding this, the article focuses on the language which characterizes the discourse and the references made to the Sri Lankan armed conflict. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), written and audio-visual texts from government media outlets, private media outlets, and English news articles are assessed in this article as primary data. The discourse on the studied corpus reveals how the State securitized its response to COVID-19 as one befitting a military threat rather than a public health risk. In militarizing the securitizing process, the police and triforces were deployed as first respondents. References made to their experience in defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as well as to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s role as Defence Secretary in the armed conflict against the LTTE, were used in legitimizing the process of securitization. References made to the “sacrifices” made by the State, and the military, by extension, were used in instilling a sense of responsibility among the public to show their support for the government in its attempt to grapple with the pandemic. The public were also asked to act in unison which included an implied demand for discarding their diverse identities. This article further reveals a novel form of religious securitization emerging from the studied corpus in relation to GoSL’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Implications of Rooftop Solar Penetration in Sri Lanka from Utility Point of View

Solar is one of the fast growing and economical renewable power generation sources. The intention of development of solar power generation is to promote clean energy while addressing the basic requirement of uninterrupted and reliable electricity supply.The Sri Lankan government decided to adopt a policy that would use subsidies to encourage the growth of solar PV-based electricity. As a result, the market developed with a large number of customers eager to install solar rooftop systems, and they received strong assistance from solar power service providers. Hence, the utility is required to absorb the solar energy produced and this study focuses on the impact of solar penetration to the utility.System dispatch data for year 2019 and rooftop solar generation data for a period of 6 months of year 2019 were considered for the analysis in this paper. The model compares the financials of two scenarios to estimate the impact to the utility. The base case scenario, which is business as usual with the already installed solar generation in the system and No solar scenario which assumes that there is no solar in the system and therefore the demand is met by other available generation capacities in the system.This paper examines the two scenarios with careful calculations of how the system can still run without solar in the system. Daily demand patterns were also analysed and then expanded to months and summarized for the year. This research focuses the financial impact of solar electricity penetration to the national grid and how everyone can still be benefitted.

Indian Ocean Internationalisms: The Sri Lankan Pursuit of Peace, 1971–89

In 1971 the Sri Lankan Prime Minister tabled the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace at the 26th United Nations General Assembly, marking the state's international debut at the global stage. This article analyses the trajectory of this highly significant initiative in the context of rapidly evolving political instabilities within Sri Lanka and across the Indian Ocean region. It argues that Sri Lanka's pursuit of peace during the 1970s and 1980s stemmed from multiple threats to its sovereignty combined with the state's desire to develop strategic allies and the material donations that flowed from those relations. The pursuit saw Sri Lanka align with India, the USA, the Soviet Union, and Britain at moments of political deterioration. These alignments enabled the Sri Lankan government to seek material supports to address breakdowns of political relations with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in the south and Tamils in the north and east. The article argues that the Sri Lankan pursuit of peace irrevocably transformed Indian Ocean internationalisms and shows how a small state aligned to suit its political needs. The pursuit also linked Sri Lanka's Indian Ocean peace efforts to a liberal order in problematic ways and strengthened international backing for violence against its citizens.

Disrupting the “Tamil diaspora-terrorism” paradigm: the political mobilisation of younger generation Tamils in the London diaspora

ABSTRACT Following three decades of armed conflict, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009. The victory was framed as a successful counterterrorism operation, yet, the GoSL’s military campaign in the Tamil-populated Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, faces credible allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. As the armed conflict reached its apex, the Tamil diaspora mobilised politically across the globe and the participation of younger generation Tamils (YGTs), namely, those who were born outside their parents’ country of origin, or had settled outside of their ancestral homeland as children, caught the attention of scholars and analysts. Within this small pool of literature, the pervasive and problematic counterterrorism-inspired concept of “radicalisation” surfaced. This article contributes to critical debates on terrorism by analysing the cursory application of a radicalisation framework to the political mobilisation and perspectives of YGTs. Based on critical ethnographic research on YGT activism in the London diaspora, this article provides an alternative to criminalising and marginalising approaches by utilising an emotion-based conceptual framework, derived from social movement studies, to unearth and understand the complex mechanisms, contexts, and processes surrounding their political mobilisation.

Unveiling Sri Lanka's brain drain and labour market pressure: A study of macroeconomic factors on migration.

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of GDP per capita income (GDPPCI), unemployment, higher education (HE), and economic growth (EG) on migration in Sri Lanka. Numerous global and local studies have explored the influence of macroeconomic and socioeconomic factors on migration. In the Sri Lankan context, fewer studies have probed the impact of GDPPCI, unemployment, HE, and EG on migration, particularly concerning brain drain and domestic labour market pressure. An applied research methodology was adopted, utilising annual data from 1986 to 2022. The statistical data were sourced from reports by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Labor Force Survey Data from the Department of Census and Statistics (LFSDCS), and University Grants Commissions (UGC). This study utilised the Vector Error Correlation model (VECM), Vector Auto-regression (VAR), and Granger Causality test through STATA. The empirical findings of the VAR model highlighted that GDPPCI and EG negatively impact migration, whereas unemployment and HE positively affect migration. The study's implications demonstrated that GDPPCI, unemployment, HE, and EG were the primary factors influencing the country's migration decisions. These findings will hopefully inform and guide the Sri Lankan government and policymakers for more effective decision-making.

Reimagining Victors' peace in Sri Lanka: Exploring an alternative approach

AbstractThe three‐decade‐long Sri Lankan civil war between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers) came to an end following a major GoSL offensive in May 2009, which resulted in GoSL claiming a “victor's peace.” The war caused the death of around 80,000 to 100,000 people and internally and externally displaced hundreds of thousands. During the three decades, five attempts at formal peace processes were initiated, all of which ended unsuccessfully. This paper identifies the root causes of the Sri Lankan civil war using the social cubism analysis by Byrne and Carter (Peace and Conflict Studies, 1996, 3, 5). It then examines two of the five formal negotiations, namely the Indo‐Lanka Agreement of 1987 and the Wickramasinghe‐LTTE agreement in 2002. Finally, it explores an alternative approach to building peace in Sri Lanka using the multimodal approach by Byrne and Keashly (International Peacekeeping, 2000, 3, 97) utilizing the nested paradigm, and the time dimension of peacebuilding by Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies (1997).

Challenges Faced by Arts Graduates in the Current Job Market: A Sri Lankan Perspective

Unemployment is a major issue for arts graduates in various countries, including Sri Lanka. In 2023, the Labor Force Survey reported an overall unemployment rate of 4.7%, with over 50,000 unemployed graduates, mostly from Arts and social sciences backgrounds in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the Sri Lankan government should develop appropriate policies to reduce unemployment. Consequently, research is needed to identify the factors and challenges faced by arts graduates in unemployment for policymakers. Numerous studies worldwide have explored the factors and challenges of unemployment among this group. The main objective of this study is to identify the challenges faced by arts graduates in the current Job market in Sri Lanka and to identify the causes of unemployment and propose recommendations to them. Quantitative research method was used to achieve the objectives of the study, the primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 120 Arts undergraduates from the South Eastern, Eastern, Peradeniya, and Jaffna Universities. Simultaneously, secondary data were gathered from books, research articles, University Grant Commission report, National Audit Office report, Sri Lanka Labor Force Survey report, and websites. The collected data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The study found that major challenges for Arts graduates include abundant job opportunities in the private sector. However, issues such as the necessary knowledge and skills often lead to prolonged unemployment. Many Arts graduates anticipate government jobs due to the perceived job security and pension benefits in the public sector. Simultaneously, Arts stream graduates who have completed professional courses and internship training are more likely to secure their first jobs immediately after graduation compared to those who haven't undergone such training. Nevertheless, a significant challenge is the limited employment opportunities for Arts graduates, both in the private and public sectors. The study indicates the necessity for substantial structural reforms on both the supply and demand sides to enhance the employability and employment rates of graduates. The government must take a leading role in these reforms to generate more job opportunities for arts graduates, while higher education institutes should initiate significant changes in study programs to cultivate intellectually rich and highly skilled graduates in arts and social sciences.

Acceptance of ChatGPT by undergraduates in Sri Lanka: a hybrid approach of SEM-ANN

PurposeThis study aims to investigate Sri Lankan Government university students’ acceptance of Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (ChatGPT) for educational purposes. Using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) model as the primary theoretical lens, this study incorporated personal innovativeness as both a dependent and moderating variable to understand students’ ChatGPT use behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative study used a questionnaire survey to collect data. A total of 500 legitimate undergraduates from 17 government universities in Sri Lanka were selected for this study. Items for the variables were adopted from previously validated instruments. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4 was used to investigate latent constructs’ relationships. Furthermore, the variables’ relative relevance was ranked using a two-stage artificial neural network analysis with the SPSS 27 application.FindingsThe results of the analysis revealed that eight of the nine proposed hypotheses were confirmed. The most significant determinants of behavioural intention were habit and performance expectancy, closely followed by hedonic motivation and perceived ease of use. Use behaviour was highly influenced by both behavioural intention and personal inventiveness. Though personal innovativeness (PI) was suggested as a moderator, the relationship was not significant.Research limitations/implicationsThe research highlights the impact of habit, performance expectancy and perceived ease of use on students’ acceptance of AI applications such as ChatGPT, emphasising the need for efficient implementation techniques, individual variations in technology adoption and continuous support and training to improve students’ proficiency.Originality/valueThis study enhances the comprehension of how undergraduate students adopt ChatGPT in an educational setting. The study emphasises the significance of certain variables in the UTAUT2 model and the importance of PI in influencing the adoption of ChatGPT in educational environments.

Towards happy relief campers: Surfacing psycho-social issues, conflicts and other problems for flood-affected residents and officials in Kuruwita, Sri Lanka

Floods are a common natural disaster globally, particularly in Asia, with significant impacts on humans and property. However, the psycho-social issues and conflicts faced by flood-affected residents and government officials who support them are less researched in the existing literature, particularly within the Sri Lankan context. This study aimed to explore the nature and reasons for conflicts and psycho-social issues arising for flood-affected residents within the Kuruwita Divisional Secretariat (DS) of the Kalu river basin of Sri Lanka following the 2017 flood event. It also investigated the problems faced by the government officials during flood events. The research employed a key informant mixed-method approach, with government officials participating in a two-part workshop where they answered a questionnaire and engaged in a poster presentation. According to the results, the main reason for conflicts was limited or uneven distribution of compensation, and officials faced problems when performing their duties during flood events, often related to the distribution of compensation and tensions arising from racial/cultural differences. The study concluded that it is crucial for the Sri Lankan government to provide solutions to the issues and problems faced by flood-affected residents and government officials who support these communities. Further research and policy development are needed for effective flood risk reduction within the Kalu river basin.

Exploring the Challenges for Work-Life Balance among Married Female Nurses

The topic of Work-Life Balance (WLB) is highly significant in today's fiercely competitive world, and it is a challenge that is critical to be balanced. The principal aim of this research endeavor is to discern and delineate the multifaceted challenges intrinsic to the delicate equilibrium of work and personal life that confront married female nurses employed in government hospitals across Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the problem statement guiding this scholarly investigation is oriented toward the identification and comprehensive analysis of the obstacles and impediments intertwined with harmonizing the demands of their professional nursing responsibilities with their personal lives, emphasizing the distinctive context of the Sri Lankan government hospital setting. To achieve this, the researchers conducted a mixed study design that involved the collection of primary data through questionnaires and interviews. Convenience sampling was used to gather quantitative data and the Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for qualitative data. The sample size was 384 for the quantitative data and the sample for the qualitative study was determined by the saturation level of 12 married female employees. The findings of the study revealed that the major challenges of WLB faced by married female nurses are time management, work stress, multitasking, and personal issues. Key recommendations of this study are implementing supportive legislation and initiatives to aid nurses in work-life balance, providing support systems, flexibility, and family-friendly policies, promoting balance strategies, continuing research for tailored solutions, and acknowledging the societal importance of work-life balance for married female nurses.