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Home » ColumnsUNP and SLPP group join hands to launch President’s election campaign in Matara today
The United National Party (UNP) and a section of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will jointly carry out the President’s election campaign islandwide starting from Matara today afternoon under the theme ‘Ekwa Jayagamu’ (Victory through Unity). President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has yet to announce himself as the common candidate for the scheduled presidential election, [...]
Foundations of Parliamentarians operate without transparency
By Mimi Alphonsus Many Members of Parliament, including current Cabinet Ministers, have, during their political careers, used parliamentary privileges to set up foundations, some of them untraceable. The Sunday Times found that in this 9th parliament (September 2020 to present) 16 such foundations with political patronage and parliamentary approval had been formed without registering with [...]
The writing on the wall
My dear Uncle Ranil, I thought I must write to you after hearing your ‘aaranchiya subayi’ (or ‘the news is good’). What you said has certainly provoked comment. If one goes by the theory that any publicity is better than no publicity, you got plenty of it, although some of it was not the type [...]
Property and wealth taxes could make tax system more progressive and reduce fiscal deficit
The recent announcement that the government would introduce a property tax caused a wave of opposition to it in parliament. Opposition members interpreted it as another burden on people. Government MPs explained that the property tax would not apply to owner-occupied houses and that it was a tax on the rich who owned several houses. [...]
Is it Sri Lanka or the president who ‘grapples in the dark’?
When President Ranil Wickremesinghe asked the nation a few days ago whether Sri Lankans would join with him or ‘align with those who still cannot grasp the issues and are grappling in the dark’, one counter question should be aimed sharply right back at him. Gross corruptors and Presidential patronage While not detracting from the [...]
Debt restructuring: Will the poor and marginalised benefit?
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s address to the nation last Wednesday heralding the “ Good News” of the signing of bilateral debt restructuring agreements with the Paris Club, India and China was preceded by a media blitz throughout the country including in the social and conventional media. The headquarters of the President’s United National Party too greeted [...]
The President declares: ‘Sri Lanka won’
‘How I carried infant Lanka safely across the burning rope bridge without my party, without my own cabinet but solely on my own’ The Sri Lankan people ‘with all their fears, with all the hopes of future years, were hanging breathless’ to learn of their fate these last few days at the news that an auspicious [...]
Games they play to cheat people this way
Washington’s voluble ambassador, Julie Chung, was the first to shoot out of the blocks, so to say, congratulating the government for signing the debt restructuring agreement with its bilateral creditors. She was all ga-ga, as though Sri Lanka had just landed on the dark side of the moon, from where its excited citizens could not [...]
Presidential poll: Ranil virtually confirms candidature
Formal declaration soon; President will write to political parties seeking their backing for his “independent candidature” next month Dullas group will join SJB SLPP ex-co meets to discuss presidential poll; candidate will be required to assure they follow party policies By Our Political Editor President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed his strongest indication so far that he would [...]
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