Ashok Pathirage, who burst into Sri Lanka’s corporate scene by pioneering Softlogic, and took over Asha Central Hospital this week, has come a long way since the 1990’s by taking on the likes of business tycoon Harry Jayawardena and successfully beating him at his own game.

Rising cost of living, printing money, inflation, depreciating rupee, foreign loan saga, corruption … the economic muddle that Sri Lanka is in seems endless.The United National Party is taking the government head-on in a clash over the US$500 million commercial loan threatening to stop repayments and not honour the loan commitments if and when it comes to power.

UK based businessman Ronnie Peiris has settled a tax probe by the Inland Revenue Department to the tune of Rs. 60 million and more over the controversial Waters' Edge Golf Club land transaction initiated during the administration of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Just as the dollar hit the Rs 113 barrier on Wednesday, forex dealers were assured by the Central Bank that the latter will not pressurise banks on foreign exchange trading and allow free operations, enabling the market to stabilise.