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Home » ColumnsBawa: Glittering example of a rotting Foreign Service
The Government has picked a gem of a candidate for the post of Ambassador in Sri Lanka’s new Afghan mission. The official curriculum vitae of Shah Nawaz Marikar Bawa reveals that he has some experience in the gem and jewellery sector — but none in the field of diplomacy or international relations. His three-page bio-data [...]
Achieving balance of payments surpluses despite trade deficits
Trade deficits have been a characteristic feature of Sri Lanka’s export-import economy. However, despite persistent trade deficits, it has been possible to achieve much smaller balance of payments deficits, and in some years, to even realise balance of payments surpluses. Workers’ remittances have been mostly responsible for offsetting the large trade deficits. In 2013, in [...]
Ukraine, UN resolutions and the rank hypocrisy of US policy
The astounding developments in Ukraine over the past several weeks continue to unfold as the draft of a third US resolution against Sri Lanka simmers in the Human Rights Council awaiting possible amendments before it goes to a vote at the end of this month. Swiftly moving events in Eurasia create new variables in the [...]
Sri Lanka’s dangerously isolationist corner
As we head towards the debating of yet another and progressively sterner draft resolution against the Government of this country at the United Nations this month, a besieged mentality appears to be reflecting in some quarters of public opinion. Predictably, this is used by government politicians from President Mahinda Rajapaksa downwards to drum up local [...]
US draft gets tougher, calls for probe by OHCHR and SL Govt.
The United States is expected to deposit tomorrow with the Bureau of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva an updated resolution on Sri Lanka. This revised draft, a copy of which is available with the Sunday Times, makes it explicit that there would be an international probe into alleged war crimes and clarifies the [...]
For a few cricket dollars more
My Dear Angelo and the cricket team, I thought I must write to you not only because of your great performance at the Asia Cup where you were unbeaten and eventually became champions, but also because you were in the news a few days later asking for more money from Sri Lanka Cricket. First though, congratulations [...]
Tamil Nad ill wind may herald Lanka’s tempest of doom
Two weeks ago Tamil Nad Tiger God Mother Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa called upon the United Nations to hold a referendum amongst Tamils in Lanka and those displaced elsewhere to determine the establishment of a separate state of Eelam on Lankan soil. This week, not to be outdone, Tamil Nad’s opposition party, Muthuvel Karunanidhi’s DMK [...]