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Home » ColumnsThou too Sirisena: The Rajapaksa way in New York?
Is Sri Lanka’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York getting ready for another jumbo sized delegation to attend the UN General Assembly (UNGA) sessions? So the preparations seem to suggest. An advertisement in the mission’s official website has called for quotations for hiring of vehicles from September 20 to October 4. Among [...]
National Government in place, but President Sirisena faces stiff dissent within the SLFP
Half the number of SLFP MPs defy whip and stay away from voting for key resolution Conflict over appointment of Opposition leader continues; different moves and contradictory statements UPFA in a shambles; defeat after defeat and divisions within divisions Like the pithy Sinhala proverb, for the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), it was a case [...]
The noise that the Speaker made
My dear Karu, I thought I must write to you to congratulate you on your appointment as Speaker of the House. It is a just reward for your long years of service to the country and, looking at the new Parliament we have just elected with so many old faces, it is hard to think [...]
TNA’s Sampanthan Opp. Leader, much to the chagrin of UPFA ‘rebels’
As to who should get the coveted Post of Leader of the Opposition in the 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka, was the subject of much debate, after the two main parties, the UNP and the SLFP, the main constituent party in the UPFA, decided to form a national government at the conclusion of the August [...]
Looking askance at this sweetly phased national government
One might easily be lulled into a sense of complacency for having kept the barbarians at bay, first in Sri Lanka’s presidential polls in January this year and then most decisively in last month’s general elections. Striking a cautious note Heartening signs are certainly evident such as the assumption of the United National Party’s Karu [...]
Will the Colombo Consensus spur economic growth?
The President’s inaugural address to parliament reiterated his commitment to good governance, national reconciliation, eradication of corruption, a compassionate and egalitarian society and environment protection. These are desirable objectives and have a bearing on economic performance. However, the presidential address was not a statement of economic policy, such as President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s policy statement of [...]
Maithri sets nation on course
It was the day when the meek momentarily inherited Parliament and the defanged wolf was forced to sit before the nearly fleeced lamb. At sharp 2.30 pm on September the 1st when President Sirisena walked the red carpet rolled out for him to the steps of Lanka’s supreme legislature, the bevy of girls who sang [...]
Blair pair came with their sales-ware
My August 16th column headlined “Beware of Blair bearing fibs” appeared two days after the Blair family– or some thereof — arrived in Sri Lanka for a two-week stay. In retrospect I think it would have been more accurate if I had said Blairs instead of Blair to include Cherie in the Blair bundle. The [...]