5th Column
Home » ColumnsMake them say “Yes he can”
My dear Green Man, Please pardon me for not writing to you earlier because I know I should have — to congratulate you on becoming the PM once again. You are making a habit of this, aren’t you: being the PM when someone else is the Bog Boss? This is now that third time you [...]
Clearing the way for public’s right to know
In an interview to a local newspaper, the new secretary to the Media Ministry, has said that the “Right to Information Act” or Freedom of Information Act – call it what you will — is expected to be tabled in parliament on February 20. It is appropriate that this should return to parliament as a [...]
Mahinda sycophant now grovels to kiss the ground Maithri walks on
If oil is refined, alcohol is distilled and grain winnowed to separate the wheat from the chaff, then what folly will it be to add the crude discarded back to the resultant product, cleansed of its impurities. As the new Government embarks upon cleaning up the system and paving the way to restore the old [...]
Divided House unites for common good, at least for 100 days
When Parliament adjourned on December 12 last year, after fixing January 20, 2015, as the next sitting day, other than a murmur about the impeding presidential election, no one was expecting that, within the course of five weeks, the political fortunes of the UNP which had endured nearly 20 years in the Opposition, would rise [...]
Good governance vital for healthy sustained economic development
Good governance was the core promise of President Maithripala Sirisena. Good governance is an end in itself. It is vital for democracy, decency and dignity of human society and encompasses a whole range of social, political and economic activities. Good governance is crucial for economic efficiency and sustained healthy economic development. President Obama once said [...]
The new Indo-Lanka equation — what was India’s role?
There has been increasing speculation in the international media that India influenced developments in the run-up to Sri Lanka’s January 8 election, contributing to a regime change. It originated with a Reuters news agency report that said Sri Lanka last month expelled the Colombo station chief of India’s spy agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), [...]
Taking the measure of the ‘Maithri’ presidency
The fact that the now deposed Mahinda Rajapaksa Presidency set the standard so deplorably low for good governance and democracy should not deter the Sri Lankan public from demanding that the incumbent Government fulfill election pledges to the highest extent demonstrable. We should not lapse into a mindset of settling for less purely due to [...]
How Balasuriya’s police promoted Rajapaksa at presidential poll
The Police Department put out a 36-page glossy, colourful brochure, just weeks ahead of the Presidential election on January 8. It extolled the virtues of the UPFA Government. A highlight was the listing of all good things offered in the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s budget proposals last year.Former IGP and the then Law and Order Ministry [...]
Shocking revelations of deep security state within the State
Defence Ministry-sponsored private army links up with private maritime company supplying arms Huge armouries of private firms kept in Galle Navy camp and at BMICH; potential threat to C’wealth leaders and Pope President calls for explanation from new Defence Secretary for trying to defend predecessors actions Revelations of corruption, abuse of power and a multitude [...]