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Home » ColumnsDissolution likely after Vesak, General Elections in late June
Ruling troika agrees on 26 posts for SLFPers, but party split with significant number still backing Rajapaksa Shocking details of Udayanga Weeratunga’s alleged arms deals with Ukrainian rebels; but former ambassador still missing FCID says progress being made in probe of multimillion dollar MiG deal also involving former President’s cousin The Lodge, once known as [...]
Minting ministers the Maithri mantra
My dear Newly Appointed Ministers, I thought I must congratulate you on your new appointment. I am not sure whether you realise it, but you are a very lucky group of people. That is because most of you, after being ministers for twenty years and then losing an election, are now ministers again, after just [...]
Political uncertainty hits economic stability and performance
Political and economic uncertainties have characterised the first days of the new regime. There is confusion about the course of political developments, the period in office of the current coalition government, the composition of parties for the forthcoming election and when it would be held. These political uncertainties as well as economic policies that have [...]
A strange beast called a ‘National Government’
As the crisis in the SLFP deepens, the capitulation of its membership to the UNP-led Government continues. Frontliners included, the once-vociferous critics of the Government have adjusted their positions on issues, and no less than 25 SLFP MPs have accepted portfolios as ministers, state ministers and deputies. The SLFP has become a stakeholder in a [...]
Giving ear to the public roar in January 2015
Admitting that the passionate ‘yahapalanaya’ breast-beating of the Maithri campaign in the run-up to the January 2015 presidential poll was nothing more than an election slogan has become inevitable in the wake of the recent formation of a so-called ‘national government.’ What else is one to say when one-time Rajapaksa loyalists of exceeding ill fame [...]
Behold, bemoan the mirage of change
A nation’s outrage burst in full flow last Sunday evening when President Maithripala Sirisena thought fit to induct 26 members of the SLFP as Ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers of his government, rolling out the red carpet of welcome to a questionable coterie of the Rajapaksa regime the people held in opprobrium and had [...]
Upcoming elections and playing political games
The British parliament was prorogued last week ahead of the general elections due to be held on May 7. The date is fixed and set in stone as it were. That is about 40 days from now. Our own yahapalanaya government has a few days less than that in its 100-day programme which is intended [...]
Funds in foundations of Rajapaksa wives frozen
Two different Magistrates’ Courts have frozen funds belonging to the Sirilak Saviya Foundation and the Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation. The Sirilak Saviya Foundation is headed by Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation is headed by Pushpa, the wife of former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The newly set up Financial Crimes [...]
Speaker to rule on ‘split personalities’ within Government ranks soon
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has a tough decision to take within the next few days. He has to decide who should be the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, in the wake of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) members deciding to join the UNP-led Government with the sanction of the SLFP. The confusion caused by the [...]