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Home » ColumnsPremadasa supporters push for official residence, but Sajith mum
UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa’s close supporters are on a campaign to muster support to seek an official residence for him. This is in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition. In this position, they say, he is entitled to an official house. This is much the same way an official residence was given [...]
Suddenly, the big bad wolf at Lanka’s door is a huggable, kissable teddy bear
The groundswell of nerve wracking fear swept across the land and held the nation in its grip when, in a pre-poll ‘breaking news’ flash, the SLPP’s tom-tom beaters Weerawansa and Gammanpila tub thumped their startling message that the ruling UNP was on the verge of selling Lanka’s sovereignty down the river to Uncle Sam for [...]
Murder trial that freed the masterminds
When a state is under authoritarian rule, whether by a majoritarian clique, a jack-booted junta or a decadent monarchy, justice as the world’s religions, renowned thinkers and philosophers teach us, is usually buried deep and forgotten. It is doubly damnable when a pliant, subservient or frightened judiciary dispenses that which it calls justice under a [...]
The arrests that tell us where we are heading
My dear Champika and Rajitha, I am writing to you because both of you have been charged and arrested, although for different reasons. People in Paradise are watching these events unfold with great interest. Champika, you were bailed after being denied bail at first. Rajitha, you are in hospital after being ‘missing’ for two days. [...]
Taking a long and hard look at ‘yahapalanaya’ failures
Preaching to others while lifting a supercilious finger at inequities patently becoming apparent in the return of the Rajapaksas to seats of power in Sri Lanka, the most recent of which is the government direction that the National Anthem will be sung only in Sinhala at the Independence Day celebrations next year, may serve as [...]
State of Lankan economy as 21st Century’s ‘second decade’ (2010-2019) ends
It is appropriate to assess the country’s economic performance at year’s end and at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. Although December 31, 2019 is popularly considered the end of the second decade of the 21st Century, the second decade actually ends in 2020. However this misconception provides a useful periodisation [...]
Great New Year likely for Gotabaya, while UNP faces worst crisis
New President rides high wave of popularity, carves a niche by projecting himself as distinctly different from predecessors Ranil due back tomorrow while party faces crisis within crisis over leadership and related issues Once neutral Sirisena now on four-wheel overdrive for Rajapaksas, but unlikely to get top post after general elections As an old year [...]
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