Columns
Home » ColumnsThe lessons Maithripala should learn from Malaysian Mahathir’s example
Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Mahathir stepped forward ten days ago to present in person the evidence to support the claim of the young at heart: that age is just a biological number, At the age of ninety plus two, when others of his same vintage would not ponder buying green bananas at the supermarket fearing [...]
Rajitha’s remarks cause deep concern in the Army
It’s the week when Sri Lanka marks the ninth year of the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas. Even if the Government, committed to a stepped-up reconciliation programme, marked it with an armed forces parade, Tamil diaspora groups are observing the event in different world capitals. Perhaps the yahapalana Government did not want to follow suit [...]
Malaysia predicament in Mahinda’s comeback trail
My dear Mahinda maama, I thought I must write to you, as people are talking about you once again especially after that Mahathir chap returned to power in Malaysia at the ripe old age of ninety-two. That almost makes it sound as if you are too young to run for high office when the next [...]
Fuel price: Commendable political courage to adopt rational economic decision
The decision to implement a cost reflective pricing policy for fuel was a rare instance of political courage in economic decision making. This unpopular decision to increase the price of petroleum products on May 9 was in the interests of the economy. It was an act of political courage at a time when the Government [...]
Contestations of victimhood and flawed patriotism
Somewhere, someone remarked to me this week that patriotism is at its most virulent when stalking the minds and intellects of human beings rather than when it cloaks itself in the deceptively heroic guise of (most always) men waging war against each other on the battlefield. Patriots parading their stuff That remark may well be [...]
Royal pageantry amid Britain’s political chicanery
By the time this column appears the much looked forward to Royal Wedding would be over. The Britons are famous for switching on the pomp and pageantry which they have been doing for centuries. All that would have, by now, been wound down. Even the royals, these days, have to scale down their expensive ways. [...]
President reveals plans to stop him from visiting Iran
That international power play has reached newer levels in Colombo was underscored by President Maithripala Sirisena during his state visit to Iran this week. “They tried to stop me from coming to Teheran,” he told a small group of journalists accompanying him. However, he did not identify who brought pressure on him, whether it came [...]
Read More