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Home » ColumnsPlea for general pardon: President having second thoughts
President Maithripala Sirisena’s left yesterday for New York to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), a move which has become the focal point of attention for Colombo-based diplomats, Tamil diaspora and even larger sections of the Government. Unlike his previous visits every year, it comes in the backdrop of moves by the Criminal Investigation [...]
Dusk vigil to pray for justice for Kamer
No one can say for sure whether Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen arrested by the Australian Police three weeks ago of secretly plotting to kill Aussie politicians and bomb Aussie hot spots was a lone wolf, a closeted Muslim fanatic who clothed his dark secret of being a terror merchant in burka and instead pretended to be [...]
A despondent homecoming
My dear Angie and the Sri Lankan cricket team, I thought I must write to you because everyone is talking about you and blaming you for your recent defeats in the desert where you lost to Bangladesh and even to Afghanistan. This must be an awful time for you, but you must be thankful that [...]
Taming non-essential imports vital to improve trade balance
Restraining non-essential imports are imperative to reduce the massive trade deficit that is heading to over US$ 10 billion this year. Taming the growth of non-essential imports, such as gold and vehicles, is crucial to reduce the trade deficit to a manageable level. Increased imports have more than counterbalanced the gains in export growth and [...]
A nonchalant IGP at the heart of the storm
The unseemly tug-of-war between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the National Police Commission, with the IGP openly balking to carry out directions of the NPC, must be deplored quite categorically. Putting the credibility of ‘independent commissions’ at risk Indeed, the manner of both parties being summoned by the Speaker to resolve these issues [...]
Karu J. laments lawmakers’ poor attendance, unruly conduct for the millions spent, daily
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya this week urged MPs to attend sittings regularly, after the House had to be adjourned on several days in its previous sitting week, due to poor attendance. He said it is a matter of regret that sittings have to close abruptly due to a lack of quorum, adding it was the responsibility [...]
More on our wretched diplomessy
As though the unending teledramas played on our small-screens fail to provide enough tragic-comedies to titillate a jaded public, our Foreign Ministry has been quietly but surely making its own farcical contribution to Sri Lanka’s theatrical tradition. It is not often that a ministry which once enjoyed a healthy reputation at home and abroad for [...]
SLFP appoints committee to review coalition with UNP
Govt. faces dilemma on many issues, questions as to whether it is running on auto-pilot President expresses concern over rising CoL, but UNP leaders blame it on world issues and Rajapaksa era loans President Sirisena gets Rs. 700 million for eight-point food production programme, including renovation of thousands of tanks and revival of agriculture [...]
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