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Home » ColumnsHerath says he is no stranger to ABBA
Last week, when Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva, together with other members of the National People’s Power, were spotted attending a tribute concert for the world-renowned Swedish music group ABBA, social media posts made some adverse—and perverse—comments about their attendance. In response to the [...]
November birthdays
My dear Velupillai, I am writing to you this week even though you are in the Land of Never Return, because your name is being mentioned frequently these days as your birthday is remembered. It is hard to imagine that it is 15 long years since you were gone – or that you would be [...]
The continuation of the IMF agreement significant for economic stability and growth
The IMF reached a staff-level deal with the government to continue its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement and grant the third tranche of about US$ 330 million. This is likely to be disbursed around March-April next year. The continuation of the EFF agreement is of vital importance for further stabilisation of the economy and increased [...]
Beware of history; the political theory of ‘no rivals’
Soothing rhetoric that ‘we are all one’ has always come very easy for Sri Lankan politicians. This velvet glove of ‘oneness’ hiding a far uglier steel hand of majority rule was discarded during the short-lived Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime (2019-2022) when a new President declared without demur that he was a leader of the Sinhala-Buddhist majority, [...]
Archchuna: He comes from Jaffna
Speaker to order probe into new MP’s social media videos and Facebook posts Though Parliament’s new court jester—and he comes from Jaffna—did not bring a bunch of murungas to the House, as did the northern character in the 60s satirical play ‘He comes from Jaffna’ when he arrived at a Colombo upper class home, he [...]
And now the ‘big power’ games begin!
As tradition would have it, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will make his way to New Delhi, perhaps bearing kavun, kokis and kiributh instead of love cake and other delicacies as more recent presidents and other leaders might have done in appeasement of our Big Brother to the north. If Dissanayake sahodaraya is carrying delicious goodies [...]
New style NPP Govt.: Protocols compromised to achieve policy goals
Speaker visits ACJU headquarters for talks with Muslim theologians; non-representation of Muslims in cabinet cause for concern among Govt’s Muslim supporters President to lead smaller delegation to India; several key bilateral issues, including mega projects on the agenda; Adani case complicates issues In NDF and SJB, national list crisis deepens; no signs [...]
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