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Home » ColumnsDeal for Rs. 20 billion++ Russian patrol vessel this week, company chief comes in private jet
The Government will this week sign a US$ 135 million (or more than Rs 20 billion) deal to buy a Russian built Gepard 5.1 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Sri Lanka Navy. A delegation from Rosboronoexport, the monolithic state-owned enterprise for defence exports, will arrive in Colombo for this purpose. They are also expected [...]
Cupid’s one elusive guy
My dear Maithri, I thought I must write to you because you seem to be a bit upset these days, judging from your public remarks, lashing out at people who have been critical of you. We know you are doing a difficult job, balancing loyalties between the Blues and the Greens, but then, that is [...]
Trade deficit widens in spite of significant growth in exports
In spite of exports expanding by 8.2 percent in the first nine months of the year, the trade deficit expanded to US$ 6.8 billion during this period. If this trend of imports expanding by much more than exports continues in the final quarter of the year, the trade deficit is likely to exceed US$ 9 [...]
Political vultures and the carcass of the ‘rainbow revolution’
Vultures are circling high above in the skies as they watch what appear to be the struggling death throes of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe unity alliance with delight. Fury in Sri Lanka’s hamlets Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa hypocritically thunders on the twin dangers of the sale of national assets and the betrayal of national war heroes, going [...]
Marapana keeps an ace up his sleeve
The public of Sri Lanka need not worry. Those who seem concerned that our foreign policy is like a rudderless boat with nobody at the tiller, better think afresh. It is in safe hands whatever the loquacious members of the opposition might say. Only the other day the Foreign Minister (the third under the yahapalana [...]
Why nation’s political Siamese twins must live together or perish together
Last year in March when Ranil Wickremesinghe blew the 67candles on his birthday cake, he offered the first slice he cut to Maithri. Not to Maithree, the wife. But to Maithri, the President. And though she may have felt snubbed the prized first slice was not given first for her delectation but to her new [...]
SLFP-‘JO’ talks falter, Sirisena must go it alone, face the inevitable
What prompted President to back out of talks? Some SLPPers also blame Basil for breakdown Sirisena meets Ranil; PM warns UNP group of action against anyone attacking the President; SLFP also will check polls leaflets to avoid mudslinging at UNP Elections to all 341 councils likely to be held on Feb. 10; SLPP and its [...]
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