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Home » ColumnsThe balance of payments heading for a deficit in 2018
The balance of payments that was in surplus last year is likely to be in deficit this year. This reversal of the balance of payments surplus of US$ 2.01 billion last year is mainly due to the unfavourable developments in global financial markets that led to outflows of foreign investments from Sri Lanka. Expectation The [...]
The ‘kill bite’ of Sri Lanka’s proposed counter-terrorism act
There is a clever but devious strategy employed by big cats on the hunt for a kill. Three or more may approach a wary prey from one direction resulting in the attention of that unfortunate animal being focused on the group danger whereas a single predator will creep unobserved from a completely different direction and [...]
Mangala briefs SLFP leaders on budget reliefs
Other issues notwithstanding, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and United National Party (UNP) leaders met to discuss matters over the November 4 budget proposals last Thursday night. Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera gave the SLFPers, for the first time, a general idea of how his budget proposals would be. The meeting was [...]
Mayhem in Paradise!
My dear Modi, I thought I should write to you because I assume you must be quite confused these days, what with our fellows here reportedly saying that Indian intelligence agencies want to assassinate them- and our PM turning up on your doorstep the very next day, saying “namastey, how are you?” Now, there was [...]
Sirisena touches a raw nerve with assassination plot claim
It was not the best of all goodwill messages from Lankan President Sirisena to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Ranil Wickremesinghe would have wished he carried with him tucked in his inside coat pocket when he took flight on Thursday to New Delhi to meet his Indian counterpart and present Lanka’s credentials to be [...]
Fruitless search for honest politicos
At a public meeting not too far from Colombo last week President Maithripala Sirisena asked a pertinent question. Like Pontius Pilate he did not wait for an answer, probably because he knew what it was. The question posed was not only relevant but crucial right now seeing the accusations flying around about high-level corruption not [...]
Sri Lanka in a state of denial
Maithri admits meeting Mahinda at his residence but former president denies the claim. Basil Rajapaksa debunks reports that Maithri-Mahinda talks have collapsed SB served a lavish dinner to Maithri, Mahinda and Basil at his home during their meeting Rajitha goes into a spin over President Sirisena’s remarks in the Cabinet. President Maithripala Sirisena accused India’s [...]
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