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Home » ColumnsCommision alleges BIA duty free shop made fraudulent claims
A five-member Presidential Commission that probed ‘alleged corruption and malpractices from January 15, 2015 to December 2018’ has made strong strictures on the setting up of a Duty Free shop at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). The Commission said fraud and corruption had been caused by deliberately submitting fraudulent and misleading financial statements to obtain [...]
Tories tap Britain’s Tamil vote at Sri Lanka’s unitary expense
Britain’s ruling party, Boris Johnson’s Conservatives issued their Election Manifesto on Sunday, the 24th of November and immediately had egg on their face when Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to London accused it of containing a distortion in its reference to Sri Lanka. The paragraph over which the Lankan Government took offence was para 53 which [...]
Where we don’t fear to tread
Before and after his inauguration as president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa spelt out his vision for relations with other countries. While non-alignment, Sri Lanka’s traditional policy — though it has now and then veered one way or another — was to form the bedrock of policy coupled with evenhandedness and friendship with all. But if our relations [...]
Big task to restore peoples’ confidence in the Greens
My dear Sajith, I thought I must write to you when I heard that you had been appointed Leader of the Opposition a few days ago. The Green Man has finally allowed you to take the job that he held almost continuously for 25 years, but he is still hanging in there as the leader [...]
Real risks of a special presidential commission of inquiry
The presenting of a Cabinet Paper by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa this week, proposing the establishment of a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry (SPCOI), under the SPCOI Law (1978) to investigate government officials who had conducted ‘witch hunts’ of other public officials during the time of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition Government as well as ‘third parties’ [...]
Laying the foundation for economic development
Firm economic policies that can change the pace of economic development can only be expected after a new government is formed after the parliamentary elections next year. Meanwhile there could be a deterioration in the macroeconomic fundamentals, especially a fiscal slippage, as the people’s expectations are for economic policies that would benefit them immediately irrespective [...]
Swiss embassy case: Subtle move to embarrass new Govt.
Ranil nominates Sajith for post of Opposition Leader, but not likely to give up party leader’s post; Committee to formulate strategy Foreign Relations Ministry insists alleged victim should give a statement at CID headquarters; staffer ready to make statement The note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Relations arrived in the offices of Colombo-based [...]
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