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Home » ColumnsThe ‘chilling’ of free expression in Sri Lanka
Is there any other country in the civilized world where the police act under a repealed section of the penal law when making arrests and that gigantic mistake is then sought to be justified by government ministers in the legislative assembly by resorting to the most annoying twaddle? Cavalier attitude to the law This is [...]
Declining economic growth, rising Inflation and widening trade and fiscal deficits
The Global downturn and drought have been underlying reasons for the deteriorating economic conditions that have arrested this year’s growth and generated a higher inflation rate. It is now more certain that the economic growth rate of 6 per cent that we predicted in this column of June 14th is likely owing to the adverse [...]
A debilitating case of election fever
“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is all this fuss about elections?” “Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “we are having elections again.” “I thought we didn’t need to have any more elections for a few years,” Bindu said. “That is true,” Percy said, “but Mahinda maama has decided that we should.” “Is that why some people are [...]
Diplomats told to go beyond cocktails and play crucial role
The journey in search of a new foreign policy for Sri Lanka appears to have begun on Friday. It was only a fortnight ago that President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, the leader designate of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM), on the sidelines of the Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil and spoke of [...]
Lady teacher seeks transfer to talk to boyfriend
It was a day when Uva Province Chief Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa met members of his electorate. There he listened to the grievances of his supporters and directed officials what action to pursue. After a long wait, a school teacher managed to meet the chief minister. She was asked what her problem was. She told him [...]
Opposition on the offensive as Govt. found wanting
It’s not often that the Opposition gains the upper hand in Parliament these days, being both outnumbered and outwitted by ruling party members, more often than not. However, there are exceptions to the rule, as was seen last week in Parliament, when the tables were turned on the government. Be it the Z-score fiasco, or [...]