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Home » ColumnsMystery deepens over Shiranthi’s Prados
An accident in the south involving a Prado SUV bearing unauthorised red licence plates on June 9 is baring some stunning details. Last week, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa admitted that “this vehicle was one among many imported duty-free into the country by the World Food Programme in the wake of the 2004 December Tsunami. They [...]
Charting a path for economic development and prosperity
The need for a pragmatic economic policy framework for implementation can hardly be overemphasised. However, the current preoccupation with political bargaining, power machinations, constitutional reforms, uncertainty of political developments and post-election outcomes are hardly conducive towards political parties focussing on economic issues and preparing long-run economic policies for development. In a parliamentary democracy, political parties [...]
Shameful compromises with regard to January 2015 consensus
As the year winds to its mid-term, the January 2015 consensus for a better Sri Lanka seems dangerously fragile. One can only wistfully enough, wish for a virtual miracle to rescue the country. Battle lines are clearly drawn in several impending and imploding collisions. On the one side, militant factions of the Tamil diaspora supported [...]
Heavy wait battle: Sirisena wants to wait, but UNP cannot
Conflicts and confusion over 20A and dissolution of Parliament; smaller parties to launch countrywide protests President offers ‘distinguished position’ to Rajapaksa, but former leader rejects it Senaratne’s slip is showing, but SLFP split now inevitable President Maithripala Sirisena was in Ampara last Sunday when news reached him about the contents of the Sunday Times (Political [...]
Blue hot, blue cold: Confusion continues
My Dear Maithri, I am writing to you after some time because I — and, I think most others in this blessed Paradise of ours — are slightly confused about what is going, almost six months after you took on the top job ousting Mahinda maama from his pedestal after ten long years, much to [...]
Memo to MR: Hug the political stage by all means but hands off temples, please
The stars hadn’t ordained, the astrologers hadn’t predicted and the people hadn’t decided it was the auspicious hour for former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to emerge from his temple kuti where he oft takes refuge and ascend the UPFA political stage at the Sanath Jayasuriya Matara ground last Friday. The tom-tom beaters had heralded the news [...]
Go-getters and Sri Lankan theory of relativity
Those who missed Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s remarks to a local business website on the appointment of his brother-in-law as managing director of the Insurance Corporation sure missed a hilarious piece of illogicality and non sequitur. While there is an eminently qualified and experienced business leader, Hemaka Amarasuriya as chairman and a professionally-qualified individual with [...]