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Home » ColumnsDinesh’s visit to old Royal teacher Sivalingam prompts tears and cheers
There was kudos for Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, within minutes after he tweeted that he had called on his former teacher when he visited Kallaru in Batticaloa last week. He found the time to do so during a three-day vacation he took in a coastal resort in Pasikudah. The tweet was accompanied by three [...]
We sing to thee Mother Lanka, to thee we sing in mother tongue
The degree to which the old colonial strategy the British employed to divide and rule their imperial conquests has paid off even more than it was bargained for is evidenced by the fact that even 72 years after Lanka shed the yoke of foreign rule and gained independence, the hot topic of debate presently raging [...]
2020: Political puzzle for people of Paradise
My dear citizens in Paradise, I thought I must write to you to wish you a Happy New Year as well as to reflect on the year that was and look forward to the year that is to come. Most of you will be exhausted after the big race last year but 2020 promises to [...]
Reducing fiscal deficit and reviving economic growth formidable challenges in 2020
The economic challenges facing the country are many and formidable. Reducing the fiscal deficit, bringing down the accumulated domestic and foreign debt, enhancing exports and foreign direct investment and reviving the economy are foremost challenges for the government/A strong resolve is needed to mitigate the fundamental weaknesses of the economy and develop an enabling investment [...]
Knaves in power and fools as the populace
Duplicitous politicians who engage in constitutional games to hoodwink the public must be clearly exposed for the truly shameful creatures that they are. Chopping and changing the primary text Constitution-making in Sri Lanka has generally been instrumental. Amendments to the nation’s primary text are driven by obvious political agendas. There are rare exceptions like the [...]
Cleaning up a tainted public service
There was a time when our public service was a respected ‘institution’ manned by highly-skilled officials performing public duties for the benefit of the people. Today that seems like eons ago. That golden era when officials were not afraid to take independent administrative decisions without running behind every two-bit politician to earn some merit points [...]
UNP leadership: Parliamentary group to decide next week
Ranil chairs NDF meeting Switzerland backtracks from its previous position Swiss intelligence operatives were in Colombo BASL condemns Swiss Govt. Switzerland has publicly expressed regrets for challenging Sri Lankan “authorities’ commitment to due process” and for calling that “into question” over the saga involving an embattled staffer at the embassy in Colombo. Their about turn, [...]
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