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Home » ColumnsPresident moves to rebuild Govt’s image; cracks within UNP widens
In the light of mounting public discontent over a number of recent issues, President Mahinda Rajapaksa cracked the whip on his cabinet ministers this week. It came when they had finished their usual business of approving cabinet papers last Wednesday evening. During “any other business” listed in the agenda, Rajapaksa took up one issue after [...]
Rajapaksa bombshell: More UNPers will cross over, but Jayasekera mystery continues
President Mahinda Rajapaksa dropped a political bombshell at last Thursday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). He said a group of Opposition politicians, enamoured by the strides the Government was making in the field of development would join their ranks soon. He did not give details. However, SLFP [...]
Leaving political stones unturned
My Dear Rishad, I never thought I would be writing to you, but I think I must do so now, especially as you are in the news for allegedly telephoning a judge and threatening him after which your supporters apparently threw stones at the courthouse. I must say, Rishad, that it was an excellent advertising [...]
Ethnic polarisation and the Eastern Provincial Council election
With the closing of nominations for Provincial Council elections to be held in September for the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces, it is already apparent that the most keenly fought and closely observed of the three contests, will be in the Eastern Province. Many contentious issues come together in this part of the country. [...]
Euphoria of borrowing insensitive to debt burden
For several decades since independence there was euphoria about the country receiving more and more foreign aid. The hankering for aid was perhaps an understandable post-colonial syndrome. It was an important means of bridging the savings-investment gap, improving infrastructure, institutional and capacity building and supporting economic and social development. Today foreign aid plays an insignificant [...]
Presidential regret is certainly not the core question
Protesting Muslims who thronged Colombo’s streets demanding public attention in regard to the plight of their community in Mannar are as much a part of the democratic process as lawyers protesting against the attack on a court house in Mannar and the Judicial Service Association abstaining from sittings in protest against the attacks on the [...]