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Home » ColumnsRanil says no Thajudeen talk with Rajapaksa
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa went to the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Parliamentary complex last week for a brief chat. It soon sparked speculation that Rajapaksa held the meeting to appeal to Premier Wickremesinghe for help in the event any member of his family was implicated in the alleged murder of Sri [...]
Consensual politics must ensure consensus on economic policies
The two thirds majority by which the 2016 budget was passed was a reaffirmation of the political alliance between the two main parties. It did not signify an economic consensus on the budget. Some MPs who voted for the budget expressed concerns regarding several budget proposals and implied their disagreement with the fiscal and economic [...]
Sri Lanka’s deficit of justice cannot be corrected by laws alone
Euphoria in regard to the Cabinet decision this week that Sri Lanka will sign the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances must be tempered by several factors. First, a sober appraisal makes it evident that though we have ratified a bewildering array of such treaties, a huge gap exists between international commitments and practical realities. Gap [...]
2,500 village development centres to restructure economy
UNP presents concept paper for comprehensive grassroots level reforms on polls pledge “New country in 60 months” Dispute over timing of local council polls; Ranil wants date before National New Year, Sirisena not keen Rajapaksa gets active again amid speculation of a new third front for local polls President Maithripala Sirisena had some words of [...]
End of Presidency: Only a spectre?
My dear JR, I thought of writing to you even though you are in the Land of Never Return to let you know that after thirty seven long years and six Presidents, the Blues and Greens got together last week and announced that they would like to do away with the Executive Presidency that you [...]
President sings but is it from one song-sheet
So President Sirisena had attended a felicitation event for Sri Lanka’s legendary musician, Pandit W.D.Amaradeva. Not only did President Sirisena quite rightly praise Pandit Amaradeva for his undoubted contribution to the world of music but joined him in singing some songs composed by Amaradeva. Not having heard Maithripala Sirisena sing though I have heard him [...]
Wijeyadasa must come clean on friendship with arms dealer
This morning the Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe must ask himself a few simple questions: Has he as a member of parliament availed himself of any generous hospitality in the past extended to him and his family by the controversial Avant Garde chairman, the arms dealer Senadhipathi whom he has been defending so vigorously in public [...]