In what appears to be a last ditch bid to salvage Sri Lanka's Grand Old Party -- the UNP -- it seems the leadership has turned to the country's traditional advisers to the kings -- the Buddhist clergy.

"Thaaththa," Bindu Udagedera asked, "what is all this fuss about a memorandum of understanding?"

More than ten weeks of fighting to further secure military establishments and areas south of the Trincomalee harbour reached a climax on Friday.

Pronouncements about the high rate of economic growth in 2006 and predictions of even a higher growth rate for 2007 confuse most people. The realities they face do not indicate an improvement in their living conditions.