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Home » ColumnsGovt.’s popularity gets a beating; growing concern over failure to tackle corruption
VAT hits millions of people and sends prices soaring Govt. sponsors Rajapaksa’s visit to Uganda amid questions over why no present leaders were invited One morning last week, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s mobile phone rang a few times. He was at his official residence at Stanmore Crescent, one of the most secure locations in the [...]
Heaping congratulations just isn’t enough
My Dear Palitha Thevarapperuma, I thought I should write to you to congratulate you on your latest achievement. No, it is not being appointed a deputy minister a few weeks ago by Maithri but being able to get a child admitted to a school in Kalutara, when his application for admission had been rejected by [...]
President takes steps to evict former regime’s key players
President Maithripala Sirisena was livid when he learnt at last Tuesday’s ministerial meeting that some key players in the previous Government were still occupying official bungalows. This is despite a number of notices issued to them to vacate. President Sirisena noted that one such person was in former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security contingent, and lived [...]
Testing the difference between the new and the old
In a notably pungent observation at the close of her mission visit to Sri Lanka this month, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Mónica Pinto took pains to remind Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Council of one fact. This was that the Council, set up with great expectations under the 19th [...]
The crippling burden of mounting foreign debt servicing costs
The massive increase in the country’s foreign debt and its huge debt servicing costs are a severe burden on the economy. They are a severe strain on the public finances and external reserves of the country. The current balance of payments crisis is very much due to this. Therefore bringing down the foreign debt is [...]
Let peace and happiness prevail this Vesak
Vesak Poya is just round the corner and it is time for us to take some important decisions on this occasion, instead of letting this hallowed event pass. Vesak Poya is an ideal occasion to spread loving kindness and respect for each other in this country blessed by the doctrine of Lord Buddha. There are [...]
A plague on both your houses
At a time when England is celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare it would not be inappropriate to quote a line from a play that somehow seems to capture the political madness here and the country of my birth. “A plague o’ both your houses” cried Mercutio in his dying moments in Romeo and Juliet [...]
Storm in a tea cup as 61 Lankans are named in the Panama Papers
But where’s the proof that will stand up in court? This week the world got its second instalment of the Panama Papers and Lanka received the names of 61 Lankans listed in that damning dossier. Immediately the call came from various quarters for stern action to be taken against the listed locals and Finance Minister [...]