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Home » ColumnsNo Avurudu festivities, but Avurudu games go on
My dear Avurudu Kumaraya, I thought I must write to you because you must be wondering what to do these days. If it was any other year, you would have been extremely busy, getting ready for the festive season that will be upon us in a few days. Unfortunately, we are living in extraordinary and [...]
Paddy sector declared essential service; troops given powers to ensure fair price
The government yesterday declared the paddy sector as an ‘essential service’ and will deploy the armed forces to ensure the ‘equitable distribution of rice at fair prices.’ The move follows reports reaching the special Presidential Task Force that traders have begun hoarding rice stocks. Many instances of rice being sold at exorbitant prices have also [...]
Medical A-Team must join Task Force to battle COVID
Even as the sudden burst of showers this week was welcome to wet the arid earth and to ease the prevalent heat, the recommendations this Tuesday of six chair medical professors of Lanka’s universities on an exit strategy from the current COVID curfew and lockdown, was a welcome dose of pure ozone infused into an [...]
Fighting a new enemy
These are unprecedented times. For most nations around the world they are testing times in more senses than one. Frontline workers such as doctors, nurses and care workers fighting to contain the spread of this dreaded disease and save lives, too have fallen victim. Last week a doctor from Sri Lanka Dr Anton Sebastianpillai died [...]
New Year hopes expectations and hard realities
When people greet each other today with the traditional greeting “Subhaaluthavuruddak” it is more in hope that the New Year will be a happy one, more than the expectation of a bright and prosperous year ahead. This New Year dawns at an inauspicious and difficult time for people, especially the poor and those losing their [...]
Politicians and diplomats, get your priorities right
In terror filled months which stretch endlessly into each other, the covid-19 pandemic has seen thousands die, obliterated assumptions of functional ‘First World’ health systems, stamped incredible images of shoppers fighting over toilet paper in Australia and the United States on our unwilling retinas and led to the best as well as the worst of [...]
Normalcy not far off, the question is how long
President holds talks with Premadasa’s Samagi Jana Balavegaya but wanted three party leaders left out of delegation Election Commission and President in constitutional dispute over parliamentary elections; Deshapriya rejects allegations of playing politics The shock for Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leaders came through a telephone call just hours before a meeting they were to [...]
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