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Home » ColumnsSarath Silva suggests CJ steps down
If he once commanded thousands of troops and led them to the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas, former General Sarath Fonseka has now become a political orphan. Two stalwarts of his Democratic Party – Tiran Alles and Arjuna Ranatunga – both Parliamentarians, have resigned. That leaves only one MP – Jayantha Ketagoda – with him. [...]
CJ decides to stay on and fight
Arriving some 15 minutes late for Monday’s Supreme Court sittings, the usually punctual Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake declared from the bench “as you understand, I had to collect so many documents”. She did not elaborate. Nor did lawyers present to represent clients in cases listed for that day raise any query. There was little doubt [...]
Budget draws no cheers, no jeers; SC rulings check Govt.
The past week was hectic for Parliament by all accounts. In addition to the presentation of the annual Budget by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday, the Government took the first step towards removing Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake from office by placing on the Order Paper of Parliament the charges levelled against her. As the legislative [...]
Former financial fiddler playing budgetary blues
My dear PBJ, I thought I should write to you to congratulate you on this year’s budget because we know that you are responsible for it even though Mahinda maama read it out in Parliament. Ah, what a change of fortunes it has been for you! It was only a few years ago that you [...]
Shameful stifling of freedom of expression
It is heartening to witness an element of angry vigor emanating from Sri Lanka’s legal profession against the pending impeachment of the country’s Chief Justice. The resolutions issued by the general membership of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka yesterday expressing concern over the impeachment and the indignation displayed by provincial Bar Associations show that [...]
Export strategies, constraints and successes
The previous two columns discussed the preconditions and economic policy imperatives required to generate robust export development. Good governance, rule of law, law and order and guarantee of property rights were among the preconditions required to encourage exports. The economic imperatives vital for sustained export growth were sound macroeconomic policies such as a low fiscal [...]
If judges may not use their judgment, why have them at all?
The tremors generated by the impeachment motion brought against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake continued to disturb the political landscape this week, though Budget 2013 may have momentarily grabbed the media spotlight. The battle lines have become increasingly stark as the simmering conflict of the past two months between the Executive and Judiciary erupts into an [...]