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Home » ColumnsDemocratic rule in challenging times
My dear elephants in the Green party, I thought I must write to you after hearing of the plans to ‘reform’ or ‘restructure’ your party. Believe me, after the thrashing the ‘pohottuwa’ chaps gave the Greens at the recent local council elections and the jolt that the Green Man got from that motion of no-confidence, [...]
Tight police security for underworld kingpin’s family wedding
Even if murders, crime and accident rates are rapidly rising, Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera, has the time to care for the social needs of those linked to the underworld. Last week, two Police stations in the Greater Colombo area were given orders to take security precautions, of all things, for a wedding ceremony of an [...]
Political compulsions supersede economic rationality in fuel pricing
The implementation of a cost-reflective pricing formula for fuel could not have come at a more difficult and inopportune time for the government than now. A cost reflective fuel pricing formula that is needed to ensure economic stability is not politically feasible for a government attempting to gain political popularity in its final stretch towards [...]
The Mirissa attacks and a minister’s (peculiar) argument
It is somewhat amusing (to put the matter mildly) that there is confusion as to whether Rs 200 million or Rs 1 billion has been allocated for repairs of Sri Lanka’s august parliament complex, deemed as ‘urgent’ for its maintenance. Misery for some, luxuries for others Regardless of the amusing aspects thereof, this is a [...]
Laughable, Mr Musthapha and merry-making in Mirissa
Normally I would have turned to the Commonwealth summit that concluded in London a few days ago and any worthwhile contribution Sri Lanka leaders made besides having the London Vihara’s loku hamuduruwa anointing President Sirisena’s head in traditional style possibly with some special oil. As one Sri Lankan wag told me they should have saved [...]
The four omens that inspired Siddhartha’s search for truth
Nine months before Siddhartha’s birth, his mother Queen Mahamaya Devi, who had long been childless, has a strange dream. She dreams being carried forth by the four world deities to the tableland of the Himalayas where the wives of the four guardians welcome her and take her to the lake Mansarovar. They bathe her in [...]
New look coalition after President’s policy speech on May 8
Preparations ahead of President Maithripala Sirisena’s May 8 policy statement have all the trappings of a ‘new look’ coalition getting set to run the 17 months of its remaining tenure. The two partners – the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) — are giving ‘face lifts’ to their parties. At [...]
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