The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Columns

Political Column

Alleged war crimes: D-day for SL next week

The mission shifted hurriedly from purported investment promotion to tourism last Monday for External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, who is in Britain. Bell Pottinger, the British-based public relations firm which receives millions of sterling pounds from Sri Lanka for promotion work and even conduct of diplomacy parallel to the High Commission in London, hurriedly summoned a news conference. It hand picked those to be invited.

5th Column

You made us happy when skies were grey

My dear Murali,
I thought I must write to you because, in the hullabaloo of losing the World Cup Final you have played your last game for Sri Lanka and retired from international cricket, almost unnoticed and I believe you deserved a better farewell than that.

The Economic Analysis

Economic challenges posed by global crises

On the eve of another national New Year, it is appropriate to ponder on the responses of the country to the several challenges that face the country’s economy. This is especially so with respect to whether there are specific ways in which we should respond to recent global developments that were discussed last week. Do the recent global developments require a redirection of economic policies?

Lobby

Would you take family problems to neighbours, PM asks Opposition

Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratna posed an interesting question to opposition legislators in Parliament on Thursday--would they discuss a family dispute with their neighbours, without resolving it within the walls of their home?. It was apparent that this question followed the PM’s obvious gaffe during previous month’s emergency debate about the existence of LTTE camps in South India and a belated attempt at damage control.

Focus on Rights

Can the state law office deny the right to justice?

Very few thinking people in Sri Lanka will assert in all good conscience that the office of the Attorney General has been free from political controversy as a matter of historical fact. That last rider is important lest it should be thought by a misguided few that all the evil began (and therefore would end, logically speaking) with the current administration.

Talk at the Cafe Spectator

GL's gimmicks for 'paid holidays' at people's expense

Talking of visits, External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris was this week on an "official-holiday" as one wise-crack put it. 'Official' because he went to Britain on what he claimed was official work, 'holiday' because he was on holiday in Britain after that. Put more bluntly, he was on a paid holiday or the taxpayer had to foot the bill for him to go on holiday.

From the sidelines

Overreacting to Blake and Gandhi?

Two recent references to Sri Lanka by high level representatives of foreign governments have caused concern in government circles. This is not surprising considering that the relationships with the US and India are among the most important in Sri Lanka’s foreign relations.