5th Column
Home » ColumnsNo more rogues in Lanka politics
My dear voter, I thought of writing to you because, now that Parliament is dissolved at last and elections are due, you will be the focus of attention of all those seeking high office over the next few weeks. For a short time, they will want to make you feel as if you are a [...]
Concerns on economic downturn and post-poll growth
Many reasons account for the growing anxiety about the economy. The stoppage of several large foreign-funded construction projects has slowed down the construction sector. The mismanagement of the Treasury bond issue and the interim government’s economic management have not helped improve business confidence. The downward trend in stocks and low turnover reflects the depressed investment [...]
Waiting for the circus to come to town again
As agonizing suspense finally ends with the dissolving of the 14th Parliament of Sri Lanka, unlamented and unsung as well it ought to be, a palpable sigh of relief palpitates through the land. Hypocrisy at its height This was a House that had far outlived its time, even as school children nervously balked from visiting [...]
VIP high as the sky; but no smiles for the crew
Even the devas could not stop this self-acclaimed kingmaker to those from different political hues at different times from enjoying the real taste of paradise, not when every bit of it came free. The SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330 flight (UL 423) had taken off from Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok island airport, when he, imbibing [...]
To the hustings as President dissolves 7th Parliament; UNP’s minority Govt. survives
After weeks of speculation, President Maithripala Sirisena signed the Presidential decree bringing to and end the term of the 7th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 10 months ahead of its 6-year term. The dissolution came a little more than two months later than the day he had pledged to do so at [...]
Dissolution coming, coming and came
Dissolution this week, wrote some news media. That was early last week. Two days later they wrote dissolution “tomorrow night”. The tomorrow night came and went. The next day we were told it would happen that night. Next morning we woke up with gleeful anticipation only to find the pundits had misfired. Many citizens who [...]
Polls Ahoy! as Parliament shuts down
The proposed 20th Amendment was not the first box on the people’s tick list that demanded the nation’s foremost attention. Given the increasing instability of this government as it depended on the whim and fancy of an incongruous majority opposition for day to day survival, the pressing need for an immediate general election outranked all [...]
Week of suspense ends, but SLFP-UPFA still in turmoil
Details of Sirisena-Rajapaksa meeting on Thursday kept secret , but former President still pushing for PM’s post Dissolution gives reprieve to UNP on major issues, party goes into confident election mode, despite mismanagement charges After toiling for weeks to win majority support from his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and failing, President Maithripala Sirisena did [...]