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Home » ColumnsBan on chief minister: President rescinds order by military commanders
One of the first tasks for President Maithripala Sirisena, after he returned to Sri Lanka from Japan, was to issue an order to immediately rescind instructions sent out by Commanders of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. They had issued separate instructions that debarred Eastern Province Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed from entering their [...]
Corruption probes: President mindful of impact of grilling public officials
Widespread concern over delays and failures to act against alleged plunderers but Sirisena concerned about administrative issues Lankan leader gets international recognition that Sajin Vaas could not buy for Rajapaksa at the cost of millions of dollars Moves to win over ten more SLFP dissidents — with perks and privileges provided; Govt. determined to defeat no-faith [...]
Prattling on
My dear Rajitha, I thought I must write to you because you are in the news once again. I know that being a politician, you must be thinking that any publicity is good publicity but I am not so sure about that, especially when other members of your family are also involved and you are [...]
Increasing revenue vital for fiscal sustainability and debt reduction
Increasing government revenue is crucial for reducing the fiscal deficit and containing the public debt. If the government fails to reduce the fiscal deficit from 7.2 percent of GDP in 2015 to the targeted 5.4 percent of GDP in 2016, the economy could be in dire straits. Increasing government revenue from as low as 12 [...]
Proving that the 19th amendment is not mere propaganda
Where Sri Lanka’s non-adherence to the Rule of Law is concerned, there is a disturbing continuity between the immediate ‘Rajapaksa’ past and the present which cannot be wished away despite all our optimism. Signs of this were evident at the very start of the Sirisena Presidency giving rise to considerable disquiet. These patterns have now [...]
To have and not to have – how wonderful!
People talk about the wonders of the world. I am old now. The Guththila and Muusila Jathaka story comes to my mind and is a good lesson. The Bosath Guththila,when confronted by his rival Muusila, acknowledged humbly that he was no longer an expert at playing a musical instrument as he was old. We must [...]
Playing pandu with politics and cricket too
Writing in the British newspaper “Guardian”, columnist Owen Jones gave a succinct reason why politicians in this country are trusted even less than estate agents, a breed that hardly evokes public confidence and respect. Sri Lanka might not have such a large brood of estate agents or house and property agents as we know them, [...]
Jayalalithaa, the new Lakshmi in Wigneswaran’s Jaffna shrine
Something is stirring in the northern heartland of Jaffna and it is not the sprouting of the season’s first spring onions breaking ground and shooting off their presence. It has all the signs of blossoming into a full blown affair; but, alas, the darling buds of May may have to be nipped before they bloom [...]