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Home » ColumnsInnocent until proven guilty?
My dear Rishad, I thought I must write to you because you – and your family members – appear to be so much in the news these days and not even a return of the coronavirus can take them off the headlines. Still, what I found most interesting was how important you seem to be, [...]
Lanka’s foreign debt trap
The recent controversies raised by the two international rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s, have once again focused attention on our debt sustainability. Is Sri Lanka’s foreign debt sustainable? Are we in a foreign debt trap? Debt profile Sri Lanka’s foreign debt is estimated at US$ 56 billion, which is about 86 percent of GDP. Next [...]
A gingerly cautious approach to the 20th Amendment Bill
With the Supreme Court’s Determination on the 20th Amendment Bill being made available in the public domain, some aspects of the ruling warrant immediate attention. The 20th Amendment Bill had been challenged by thirty eight petitioners alleging inconsistency of its clauses with the People’s sovereign legislative and judicial powers. The Bill was argued to require [...]
Premier Rajapaksa says no to ganja
Controversy arose in Parliament this week when Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Matara District Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana alleged that some Government members were pushing to legalise ganja. Mr Pathirana first raised the issue on Wednesday, asking Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa whether his Government intended to legalise ganja. “I know that some MPs in this legislature are [...]
Covid resurgence raises temperatures in Parliament
Parliament sessions continued this week even as the country faced a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, with the deadly pandemic having a significant effect on the affairs of the House. Before the new Parliament convened, the Health Ministry had given strict COVID-19 prevention guidelines specifically for Parliament. MPs, for the most part, had all but [...]
Failure to track Brandix source sparks COVID riot
Female factory worker held as first to be detected now ruled out as the first to have been infected As 1000 fall prey to coronavirus second wave within 3 days, questions raised over timeline of catastrophe The dreaded second wave of the coronavirus hit the Lankan landscape as expected but struck with a vengeance so [...]
From measure to measure
Fascinated by the inventive genius of the Consumer Affairs Authority, Sri Lankans are now armed with the additional burden of a measuring tape. This is in the event that a delectable looking coconut or two carried home might pacify the beguiling boss in the kitchen. They now wonder what round thing will next fall prey [...]
Minuwangoda garment factory fiasco embarrasses Govt. at time of 20A
Brandix says health guidelines were strictly followed but target deadline pressure raises questions Political storm over release of Riyaj Bathiudeen; CID under fire amid speculation that move was linked to 20A vote President Gotabaya keeps repeating ‘I want to deliver’ during ruling alliance discussion on 20A A weaker opposition and a powerful two-thirds majority in [...]
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