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Home » ColumnsGeetha being screened before Parliament role
She was at one time heart throb of the Sinhala cinema and described by her fans as the glam girl of the silver screen of yesteryear. She plunged into the world of politics from the cinema world and just two weeks ago, voters in the Galle District decided that she should become an Honourable Member [...]
Squabbling for portfolios as ‘home grown’ democracy takes root
Cabinet of 33 from UNP and 12 SLFP to be sworn in on Friday; President to address Parliament on Tuesday Sirisena consolidates party position, empowered to decide on portfolios and leader of opposition The Sunday Times obtains names of likely ministers; UPFA’s fate in the balance; Of 95 MPs, 70 back to sit in Government [...]
MR’s nightmare: Blues are waking up with the winner
My dear Mahinda maama, I thought I should write to you because very few people must be writing to you these days now that the elections are over and no one is talking about ‘Mahinda samaga negitimu’ (waking up with Mahinda) anymore. This must have come as quite a shock to you and we are [...]
Reforms difficult but essential; education for economic development
Good economics is bad politics in the short run. Good economics is good politics in the long run. Since the perspectives of politicians are short-term, governments are diffident in undertaking economic and social reforms. Furthermore, our political culture and social milieu are often opposed to change. At this economic and political juncture when macroeconomic conditions [...]
Accountability is not limited to a majority-minority dynamic
With the September 2015 report of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) referencing war-time accountability of Sri Lanka’s political and military command looming nearer, the question which we need to ask is quite simple. Recognising the systemic problem As much as decades of politicized and bloodied elections were confounded by the conducting of an [...]
How Rosy, Sanga faced presidential corker
For Bernadine Rosy Senanayake, it was a consolation comforter to wipe dry her tear-dewed petals for failing to come up roses when she blotted her chance of bowling the public over at last week’s general elections. For Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara it was a popular presidential tribute for hitting the peak of public applause with his [...]
Yahapalanaya fails to make the national list
Sri Lanka’s voters did to Mahinda Rajapaksa what the British voters did to Winston Churchill 70 years ago. In fact the Sri Lankan voters went one better. They defeated Mahinda Rajapaksa twice — in January and August this year. Churchill was celebrated for leading a struggling Britain through its finest hour as he fought to [...]