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Home » ColumnsAtul Keshap adds voice to growing criticism over Capitol Hill attack
The mob attack on the Capitol Hill when the Senate and the House of Representatives were in session Wednesday to endorse the election of President elect Joe Biden turned the world spotlight on United States, the beacon of democracy and champions of human rights. It is they who preached good governance, the right behaviour and [...]
COVID and nothing but COVID: Opposition slams Govt. for mishandling the pandemic
As expected, COVID-19 was again the dominant topic of debate when Parliament met for its first sitting week of 2021. Issues related to the pandemic such as vaccine distribution, repatriation of stranded migrant workers, the pilot project to bring in tourists from Ukraine and the controversy regarding the Government’s “cremation only” policy of COVID dead [...]
Catch me if you can
My dear Udayanga, I thought I must write to you because you are the man of the moment: everyone is talking about you and about all those Ukrainian tourists that you have brought to the country, along with their COVID-19, of course. The powers that be say you are doing what is right, but most [...]
Burial issue – What a tangled web the Government weaves
Responding to a question raised in Parliament by Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachi said cremations of COVID-19 afflicted deceased people would continue notwithstanding the report submitted by the committee of experts headed by Professor Jennifer Perera. In a written report, Professor Perera’s committee said burials of deceased COVID-19 victims could be permitted with strict [...]
Sri Lanka’s dilemmas of the dead and our punching bags of politicians
If ever 2021 had a ghastly leitmotif, it would be the dead. From Muslims not being allowed to cremate their dead disregarding the recommendations of experts, the Tamils not being allowed to remember their dead with even memorials being bulldozed by night, we have the highly avoidable covid-19 dead including hundreds of migrant workers abandoned [...]
Containing COVID a pre-condition for economic revival in 2021
Containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus is a pre-condition for the economy to revive in 2021. However, containing the spread of COVID in tandem with reviving the economy and resolving the serious economic problems of the country are tough tasks. Difficult task Although the stable and strong Government in place is an advantage at this time of [...]
Why quarantine returnees at high priced fancy hotels?
Before COVID’s second coming in October, the health protocol had dictated that all persons who come into direct contact with a COVID patient must be first given a PCR test and, if negative, be isolated for a period of 14 days at a government quarantine centre. For anyone coming to Lanka from abroad, the procedure [...]
When politicians cover up their muddied faces
While the Sri Lanka Government struggled to hide its tainted face as Udayanga W was busy plastering his ruptured bubble, an exhausted people were looking for ways to escape from a possible wave of Ukranians bearing virus. As is a common political pastime, some promoters were quick to blame the closest who had unfortunately come [...]
Strong note of caution from India
Wants 13A and Provincial Council elections Seeks to respect “mutual sensitivity” Public Security Minister says Indian EAM interfering in internal affairs Speculation over new portfolios India cautioned this week that it is in Sri Lanka’s “own interest” to fulfil “commitments made to New Delhi on meaningful devolution, including the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.” This, [...]
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