Columns
Home » ColumnsMaldives drifting away from China, and towards US
The Maldives is apparently moving steadily away from China and heading towards the United States – as symbolised in last week’s official visit by the Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid to Washington DC. Following the visit, the US State Department issued a glowing report on the Maldives, “applauding its commitment to advance justice sector reform, [...]
New face, new gameplan?
My dear Shammi, I thought of writing to you when I heard that you had been elected to the big chair in the organisation that runs cricket in Paradise. To be honest, this came as a surprise, what with so many court cases and controversies clouding the election until the end. Still, what can we [...]
Rajitha digs the beedi, Maithri stubs the fag: So what’s Mangala’s preferred puff?
GOVT. MUST FACE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF ‘BAN THE FAG’ SYNDROME MADE IN THE NAME OF HEALTH As Finance Minister prepares for his budget presentation next month, the smoke that fires debate must gain his best attention This week as Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera twiddles his fingers and scratches his head trying to figure out [...]
Diplomats in search of a hangman’s noose
That was unfair, terribly unfair, burdening some of our super-class diplomats (no cracks please) to go find a sturdy rope to serve as a hangman’s noose. True, our patriotic thinkers from the frontlines of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic corps have, over the years, performed many tasks, which their professional counterparts from some capitals of the world [...]
CC debate rages with President leading attack
A day-long adjournment debate on the Constitutional Council (CC), with President Maithripala Sirisena again making an appearance, was the highlight of the final week of Parliamentary proceedings before the Finance Minister’s Budget Speech on March 5. The debate, which had been requested by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) lasted for almost nine hours on [...]
Resolving the foreign debt trap and reducing external financial vulnerability
the current foreign debt of about US$ 53 billion that is about 77 percent of GDP is unsustainable. This year’s debt servicing costs of more than US$ 5 billion, together with the high debt servicing costs in the next few years, is a massive burden. Since we are unable to service the debt with foreign [...]
19th Amendment, one more stage act in a long running political drama
The admixture of sanctimony and sheer hypocrisy in the condemnation of Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Council (CC) and the 19th Amendment to the Constitution by President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Parliament this week is unmistakable. President Sirisena’s likening of the 19th Amendment to a ‘legitimate child’ born under his authority who was [...]
Abolition of executive presidency overshadows talk of a presidential poll
President Sirisena talks to the Sunday Times over pol roti and lunumiris SLFP-SLPP common alliance talks take a slow pace President admits no remedy if PC polls are not held first President Maithripala Sirisena says that he will not call for a presidential election until he completes his full five-year term. If he stands [...]
Read More