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Home » ColumnsCBK handles advertising campaign for Sirisena
Representatives of advertising companies queued up outside the Colombo residence of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on Friday. They made different presentations to her on the propaganda campaign for the Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. That included not only campaigns in both print and electronic media but also on how to tackle the social media. Ms. Kumaratunga [...]
Poll overshadows economic imperatives: Whither reforms?
The current political developments have overshadowed economic concerns. The presidential election is the focus of attention for the rest of the year and into the early months of next year. Such distraction from the economy is an inevitable cost of a vibrant democracy: an accepted disadvantage of democratic politics. One can only hope that law [...]
Implementation of those ‘Maithri’ promises
A sudden and somewhat amusing enthusiasm for observing constitutional proprieties has become apparent on the part of the Rajapaksa Government. In his address at Colombo’s Nelum Pokuna theatre, (yet another public facility named after him) President Mahinda Rajapaksa warned this Friday that only his administration had the parliamentary majority to abolish the Executive Presidency. Implicit [...]
If Sirisena wins, what next?
Now that the initial shock effect of the announcement regarding Maithripala Sirisena’s candidacy in the presidential race has subsided, the questions that arise the ‘morning after’ are many. Sirisena’s courageous move in breaking ranks with the Government to challenge as formidable an opponent as Mahinda Rajapaksa continues to generate the admiration it deserves. What he [...]
Jolted UPFA takes countermeasures; Maithripala campaign begins today
Parties supporting common Opposition candidate to sign “Common Consensus”; finality being reached on name of new front and symbol President tells party members to beware of informants; members say brash conduct of two personalities provoked crisis TNA, SLMC still undecided, while Govt. reaches deal with Rishard’s ACPC Opposition political groupings backing Maithripala Sirisena as the [...]
Reds: Lessons learnt and confused
My dear Anura Kumara and the rathu sahodarayas, I thought I must write to you because I am a bit confused about what you are saying these days, at a time when everyone seems to be getting ready for the ‘Battle of the Blues’ which will be held in January next year, before the other [...]
Desertions, defections dominate as Govt. romps home at a canter
The sense of euphoria among ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) members that was prevalent when President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented his Government Budget to Parliament on October 24 had rapidly evaporated by the time the final vote on the Budget was taken on Monday. Within the course of the month, much had taken place within [...]
India rules heroin waves and waives Lanka’s rules
Last Wednesday, November 19, India sent a signal to the world’s drug mafia that they could patently use Indians, posing as Tamil Nadu fishermen, to smuggle drugs into Lanka confidently without fearing any reprisals. If their couriers were caught, convicted and jailed, even sentenced to death, India would stand as guarantor to get them off [...]