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Home » ColumnsAre yahapalana ethics being observed? Minister’s company gets contracts for Rs. 3.6 b
Has a company associated with a United National Front cabinet minister been awarded contracts for two road rehabilitation projects which will cost the taxpayer Rs 3.6 billion? Insiders say the company has been under the minister’s name. Since they began bidding for projects under the present Government, the name has been changed and overall management [...]
More borrowing, more taxes; Govt. struggles to overcome crisis
Cabinet approves PM’s proposals to raise syndicated loans of US$ 3 billion through a coalition of foreign banks; Attorney General expresses concern over contract UNP-SLFP ministerial council to study and report on Mahendran issue; major re-structuring of Central Bank Kosgama damage and compensation as high as costs for major development projects; more details emerge on [...]
A new minister
My dear Thonda, I wanted to write to you because you are in the news once again after a long period of silence when we didn’t even know whether you were in Parliament or not. Now we are told that you will soon join Maithri and surprise, surprise, will be sworn in as a Minister. [...]
Can we repay our large foreign debt?
I have been asked the intriguing question as to how we could ever repay our foreign debt that is a high proportion of our GDP. The simple answer is that it is not necessary to rid the country of its entire foreign debt. What is needed is to bring down the foreign debt to a [...]
Natural disasters controlling good and evil
We believe in good and evil. While enjoying happiness some forget from where it originated. When they are in trouble and sickness, they go behind soothsayers. Those who show us the correct path are but a few in this world. Once I had an opportunity to visit Bangalore in India, along with a group of [...]
Does an apology suffice where torture is alleged?
In 2002, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka declared in a fairly run of the mill case that “the state is responsible for the law. The law is made for the protection of all citizens rich and poor alike. It is therefore the duty of the state to make its machinery work alike for the [...]
One small Everest step for Jayanthi, a giant leap for Lanka’s womankind
Exactly a full moon ago on the night of Vesak just before the break of dawn, a lone Sri Lankan woman was on the verge of realising the Everest of her lifelong elusive dream. Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, aged 36, was staring death in the face at 27,000 feet above ground zero, her eyes determinedly fixed and [...]
Rushing to the aid of beleaguered Cameron
Glory be. So it came to pass that in the year of our lord two thousand and sixteen three wise people came from the east. They did not come on camels like those before them who came to Bethlehem. They winged their way, more comfortably too if they travelled business class. They bore no gifts [...]