Columns
Home » ColumnsPresident evaluates northern projects; refers to ten avatars
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to the North this week turned out to be an exercise in evaluating ongoing government development programmes and proposals ahead of the budget, which is scheduled to be presented on February 17. When the critical issue of the lack of proper roads and infrastructure in urban and rural areas of [...]
To vacate, or not to vacate
My dear Mahinda maama, It has been some time now since I wrote to you last, but you and your family members are back in the limelight, even though it may not be for reasons you would appreciate. Your security is being slashed, you are being threatened with eviction, and your sons have been in [...]
IMF’s nod for non-privatisation of SOEs: Tough challenge for Govt. to run them efficiently
In a surprising policy change, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to drop its requirement for the privatisation of loss-making state-owned enterprises as a condition for continuing its Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The focus will now be on how the government will run these enterprises without incurring losses that burden the public finances. This [...]
On the president’s unwise threat to ‘send the military’ to Sri Lanka’s rice mills
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s warning that he intends to order the Sri Lanka Army to transport rice from the mill to the stores if the owners of rice mills do not act according to Government directives, is less than reassuring. This awakens uncanny if not unsettling echoes of former President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s vain thundering in [...]
Urgent census of incomplete and abandoned projects required to mitigate colossal waste of government funds
While corruption has been a major focus of governmental reforms, the problem of waste, including abandoned and incomplete projects, has not received as much attention despite its severe consequences both economic and otherwise. In recent times wasteful expenditure has taken various forms with vanity projects being a notable example. High-profile but economically unbeneficial projects such [...]
‘323 red-flagged containers released from port’ scandal rocks Government
On January 12th, two days before President Anura Kumara is due to leave on his China trip, he summons senior Customs figures of the Colombo port to the presidential office and issues the presidential command: ‘Clear the port’s delay within 4 days.’ On the same day, a government press release states, ‘To expedite the [...]
If it ain’t nuts, it must be you
A retired friend of mine here was overjoyed when the organisers of the Mustangs Enclosure announced the dates of the next Royal-Thomian match. He could catch two for the price of one. Go a few days earlier and watch the Aussies at play smashing the white ball, red ball, and any other ball like crazy [...]
Govt. faces public pressure to bring the corrupt to book, but action falls short of public expectations
Old cases are revived, but arrests seen as witch-hunt and hurried moves Govt. leaders react to Yoshitha’s release on bail, vow to pursue the cases Yoshitha relates his remand prison ordeal; given pol-sambol and rice to eat and a mat to sleep By Our Political Editor Years ago, top military officials were handed [...]
Read More