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Home » ColumnsTop cops say they are being kicked around like footballs
Handpicked Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) Chief moved out to look after dogs in Kandy With the 20th Amendment pending approval in Parliament, the “independent” Police Commission has come into much focus. Just last week, former Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara told the Commission of Inquiry probing the Easter Sunday incidents of 2019, that ex-President Maithripala Sirisena transferred [...]
Hands off states’ internal affairs, President tells the United Nations
As the United Nations began celebrating its 75th anniversary beneath a pall of COVID restrictions, and asked member states to answer the theme question ‘What We Need of the United Nations,’ Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s pithy reply was: ‘We expect the United Nation will place due emphasis on non-interference in domestic affairs of other [...]
Politics: All about monkey tricks
Brilliant! Just brilliant! I would have missed the whole episode had it not been for the picture of the monkeys. There they were, about six of them seated on a rock as if in conference. Okay it may not have looked like an ancient convecticle as in the days of Socrates. But then it did [...]
Doing away with the trappings of democracy
My dear JR, I thought of writing to you because, had you been with us, you would have celebrated your 114th birthday last week. Hardly anyone remembered, but it’s not because you haven’t left a legacy. In fact, you can be happy that you have left an enduring legacy – the Constitution you drafted for [...]
“Epa”, “Oney”: Shouting match erupts as 20A is tossed around
The battle over the 20th Amendment to the Constitution began amid chaotic scenes in Parliament this week when the Government presented it to the House even as Opposition MPs staged a protest inside. As soon as Justice Minister Ali Sabry rose to present the motion on Tuesday , MPs from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), [...]
Resolving the structural weaknesses of the balance of payments
Trade deficits have been a recurrent feature of the country’s balance of payments. There have been trade deficits in most years and balance of payments surpluses in some. Reducing the endemic trade deficits are vital to strengthen Sri Lanka’s external finances. Regular feature Although trade deficits have been a regular feature of the country’s post-independent [...]
The thirst for absolute power, false claims and the 20th Amendment Bill
Given highly misleading justifications of the draft 20th Amendment advanced by Government Ministers, including those who profess to have some knowledge of the law and the Constitution, the record must be set straight even if that is the very least that is done. Allegedly ‘undemocratic’ nature of the CC The claim made by Education Minister [...]
20th Amendment signals paradigm shift in approach to nation building
One of the myths perpetuated about the executive presidency introduced by the 1978 Constitution was the argument that it was advantageous to the minorities as it enabled them to influence the outcome of the presidential election as the whole country was considered one electorate. The argument was that since any aspirant to the office of [...]
Supreme Court sits as Constitutional Court as 20A goes for scrutiny
Petitioners say proposed amendment contains major violations of Constitution and devalue Parliament Sectoral Oversight Committees abolished and Consultative Committees under ministers set up As the first legislative phase of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution was through in Parliament last Tuesday, paving the way for stakeholders to challenge its provisions in the Supreme Court, indications [...]
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