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Premiership quips at wedding banquet
Last week’s report headlined “Political debate over Premiership erupts again” had its sequel from, of all places, in the plush banquet hall of Colombo Hilton. Among other matters, we said that the “Premiership issue also reverberated in the halls of the Colombo Municipal Council during a meeting of members. Mayor A.J. M. Muzzamil declared that the [...]
Political Column
Price cut for New Year, but high price to pay in Geneva
Supermarkets passing on 15 per cent tax to consumers but Govt may reduce prices for Avurudu season India negotiates with US on resolution against Lanka but likely to support it eventually Commonwealth conference call soon to decide on SL issue despite GL’s claims in Parliament By Our Political Editor The threat of a second United [...]
Lobby
Laws to clean up local sports bodies
Not enough to de-politicise the existing corrupt system which retains legislators’ eligibility to hold office By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent Parliament this week approved new regulations intended to clean up local Sports bodies, but did not suffice to de-politicise the highly politicised Sports sphere. While both Government and Opposition MPs welcomed the new regulations, [...]
5th Column
From hero to zero, is he cricket’s Mervyn?
My Dear Malinga, I thought I must write to you because everyone is talking about you these days – without you even playing a cricket match! In fact, I don’t think anyone in this country has ever triggered such a reaction by saying so little — eleven words to be precise! When a reporter asked [...]
Focus on Rights
Trivialisation of law and justice
In a piquantly provoking postscript to months of tumultuous conflict between the government and Sri Lanka’s legal community over the clearly arbitrary impeachment of the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, legal practitioners were advised by her successor during the opening of two rural circuit courts this week, to protect the trust that the public [...]
The Economic Analysis
Fundamental structural weaknesses in trade
The persistent trade deficits experienced since 1950 is due to structural weaknesses in the country’s trade composition. These structural weaknesses resulted in massive trade deficits of more than US$ 9 billion in the last two years. Containing the trade deficit to more manageable proportions of about US$ 6 to 7 billion is difficult owing to [...]
From the sidelines
US resolution and the Indian fallout
From the sidelines By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya Breaking the silence on India’s stand on the US resolution to be brought against Sri Lanka at the current session of the UN Human Rights Council, India’s ruling Congress party on Thursday reacted stating that India will not interfere in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. For weeks now the opposition has [...]