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Home » ColumnsUnhealthy proclivities, Minister
My dear Pavithra Devi, I thought I must write to you when I heard you say in Parliament that you would even sacrifice yourself to the sea if that will rid Paradise of this deadly pandemic. I felt so proud, uplifted and relieved about having such a patriotic and selfless minister in charge of our [...]
Cold facts dash vaccine hopes, but optimism persists
Sri Lankans, like all others around the globe, are anxiously waiting for the week’s best news regarding a vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic. This is after Pfizer, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, announced that its two-part COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective at preventing the disease. However, the availability will involve a lot of [...]
Availability of food – Key to the spread of COVID-19
The emergence of the COVID-19 virus in the form of a pandemic has posed challenges to every Government and every society in the world. None can envy the task of any Government including the Sri Lankan Government in managing the pandemic. After successfully controlling the first wave, the Government is struggling to contain the spread [...]
Vaccine light flashes positive to end COVID’s global terror reign
On the day the Lankan Government flung open the gates on a locked-up people and freed them to run the risk of the coronavirus gauntlet in a health guidelines bubble, thousands of miles away in Manhattan, New York, US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer was announcing the news the world would have gladly given an arm and [...]
Kill the virus or go to pot
As I watched video clips of our indefatigable Health Minister and a few of her cabinet colleagues drop pots of whatever into the waters of different rivers, I was reminded of an old Sinhala saying. Why, I really don’t know. The departing devil, it said, delights in breaking the pots and pans. This is not [...]
Economic and financial backdrop of Budget 2021
The Budget for 2020 that was presented in Parliament last Thursday was passed without a vote but much controversy. It was the first time that a budget was presented at the end of the year rather than ahead of it. The budget for 2021 will be presented next Tuesday. Never in the history of Sri [...]
Sri Lanka’s covid-19 ‘dark riders’ and the urgent need to correct ourselves
The fearsome sight of armed motorcycle riders, clad in black, complete with sunglasses and masks completely obscuring their faces conducting covid-19 temperature checks on the public in Colombo and then roaring away in a concerted cloud of darkness as it were, raises an unfortunate analogy to mind. Symbolism is important in messaging At the height [...]
Raging new wave of COVID-19: People and media made scapegoats
President Rajapaksa blames officials for not taking the proper message to the public and acting effectively PM presents Budget on Tuesday, with main concern being the economic effects of the lockdowns and curfews 19 ruling party MPs want Basil to enter Parliament, amidst big controversy over import of antigen test kits Concerns are growing among [...]
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